Affiliate Disclosure: This blog may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you click on the link and make a purchase. This comes at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers. Your support helps keep this blog running and allows me to continue providing you with quality content. Thank you for your support!
Affiliate Disclosure: This blog may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you click on the link and make a purchase. This comes at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers. Your support helps keep this blog running and allows me to continue providing you with quality content. Thank you for your support!
Affiliate Disclosure: This blog may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you click on the link and make a purchase. This comes at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers. Your support helps keep this blog running and allows me to continue providing you with quality content. Thank you for your support!
This text is a table of contents and excerpts from Madsen Pirie’s book, “How to Win Every Argument.” The book provides a guide to winning arguments, including how to identify and use logical fallacies. It details numerous fallacies, offering explanations and examples of how each can be used to deceive or persuade. The excerpts showcase the diverse range of fallacies covered, illustrating their applications through various real-world scenarios. Pirie categorizes the fallacies and offers tips on their effective use. The book aims to be a practical guide for both identifying and deploying these fallacies in argumentation.
Logical Fallacies Study Guide
Quiz
Explain the fallacy of accent and provide an example. The fallacy of accent occurs when the meaning of a statement is changed by emphasizing certain words or phrases. For example, “I didn’t say he stole the money,” changes the meaning depending on which word is accented, suggesting someone else may have said it, he did not steal the money, or he stole something else.
Describe the fallacy of accident and why it is fallacious. The fallacy of accident assumes that the freak features of an exceptional case are enough to justify rejecting a general rule. This is fallacious because the exceptional features are not relevant to the general rule.
What is the fallacy of affirming the consequent? Give an example. The fallacy of affirming the consequent occurs when one assumes the antecedent is true because the consequent is true. For instance: “If I drop an egg, it breaks. This egg is broken, so I must have dropped it,” which ignores other possibilities like someone else dropping it.
Explain the fallacy of amphiboly and provide a sentence with this fallacy. Amphiboly is a fallacy of ambiguous construction where a statement can be interpreted in more than one way, usually due to careless grammar. An example would be, “The Duchess has a fine ship, but she has barnacles on her bottom.”
What is the argumentum ad baculum and why is it a fallacy? The argumentum ad baculum is the fallacy of using force or threats, rather than reason, to persuade someone. It is a fallacy because it introduces irrelevant material, and force does not equate to truth.
Describe the fallacy of bifurcation and provide an example. The fallacy of bifurcation falsely presents a situation as having only two options, when more possibilities exist. An example is: “Either we paint the door green, or we will be mocked and ridiculed,” which ignores other possible options.
Explain the concept of a bogus dilemma. A bogus dilemma is a fallacy that presents a situation as a true dilemma when it is not. This occurs when one or both of the given consequences do not follow or when other choices are possible that were not included in the disjunct.
What is a circulus in probando, and why is it a fallacy? A circulus in probando, or circular argument, is a fallacy in which the conclusion is assumed within the premise. This means that the argument provides no new information, and therefore, no new support for the conclusion.
Describe the fallacy of complex question (plurium interrogationum) and provide an example. A complex question (plurium interrogationum) is a fallacy in which a question includes a hidden assumption that the answerer is forced to accept. An example would be, “Why did you make your wife alter her will in your favor?”, which assumes the will was altered in the first place.
What is the conclusion that denies its premises and why is it fallacious? The conclusion that denies its premises occurs when an argument begins with certain premises but then reaches a conclusion that contradicts those original premises. This is fallacious because the conclusion is not consistent with the initial premises of the argument.
Answer Key
The fallacy of accent occurs when the meaning of a statement is changed by emphasizing certain words or phrases. For example, “I didn’t say he stole the money,” changes the meaning depending on which word is accented, suggesting someone else may have said it, he did not steal the money, or he stole something else.
The fallacy of accident assumes that the freak features of an exceptional case are enough to justify rejecting a general rule. This is fallacious because the exceptional features are not relevant to the general rule.
The fallacy of affirming the consequent occurs when one assumes the antecedent is true because the consequent is true. For instance: “If I drop an egg, it breaks. This egg is broken, so I must have dropped it,” which ignores other possibilities like someone else dropping it.
Amphiboly is a fallacy of ambiguous construction where a statement can be interpreted in more than one way, usually due to careless grammar. An example would be, “The Duchess has a fine ship, but she has barnacles on her bottom.”
The argumentum ad baculum is the fallacy of using force or threats, rather than reason, to persuade someone. It is a fallacy because it introduces irrelevant material, and force does not equate to truth.
The fallacy of bifurcation falsely presents a situation as having only two options, when more possibilities exist. An example is: “Either we paint the door green, or we will be mocked and ridiculed,” which ignores other possible options.
A bogus dilemma is a fallacy that presents a situation as a true dilemma when it is not. This occurs when one or both of the given consequences do not follow or when other choices are possible that were not included in the disjunct.
A circulus in probando, or circular argument, is a fallacy in which the conclusion is assumed within the premise. This means that the argument provides no new information, and therefore, no new support for the conclusion.
A complex question (plurium interrogationum) is a fallacy in which a question includes a hidden assumption that the answerer is forced to accept. An example would be, “Why did you make your wife alter her will in your favor?”, which assumes the will was altered in the first place.
The conclusion that denies its premises occurs when an argument begins with certain premises but then reaches a conclusion that contradicts those original premises. This is fallacious because the conclusion is not consistent with the initial premises of the argument.
Essay Questions
Discuss the role of ambiguity in the commission of logical fallacies, drawing on examples from the text.
Compare and contrast the various appeals to emotion in argumentation, such as argumentum ad misericordiam and argumentum ad populum, discussing their effectiveness and ethical implications.
Analyze how fallacies of relevance, such as argumentum ad hominem and the genetic fallacy, can undermine constructive debate.
Explain how a sophisticated understanding of logical fallacies can be utilized both to detect flawed reasoning and to construct more persuasive arguments.
Discuss the relationship between logic and rhetoric and explain the ways in which logical fallacies are sometimes used to achieve rhetorical goals.
Glossary of Key Terms
Fallacy: A flaw in reasoning or a mistaken belief that makes an argument invalid.
Accent (fallacy): Changing the meaning of a statement by emphasizing certain words or phrases.
Accident (fallacy): Applying a general rule to an exceptional case where it does not apply.
Affirming the Consequent: Assuming the antecedent is true because the consequent is true.
Amphiboly: Ambiguous construction of a statement due to faulty grammar.
Argumentum ad Baculum: Appealing to force or threats instead of reason.
Bifurcation: Falsely presenting a situation as having only two options.
Bogus Dilemma: Falsely presenting a situation as a true dilemma when it is not.
Circulus in Probando: Circular argument where the conclusion is assumed in the premise.
Complex Question (Plurium Interrogationum): A question that includes a hidden assumption.
Conclusion which Denies Premises: A conclusion that contradicts the initial premises of the argument.
Concealed Quantification: The ambiguity of expression which permits misunderstanding the quantity under discussion.
Contradictory Premises: Using statements as premises that are in direct contradiction of each other.
Dicto Simpliciter: Applying a general rule to a specific case without considering exceptions.
Division (fallacy): Assuming that what is true of a whole must be true of its parts.
Equivocation: Using a word in two different senses in the same argument.
Exclusive Premises: A syllogism with two negative premises.
Existential Fallacy: Assuming something exists based only on a general claim about a class of things.
Ex-Post-Facto Statistics: Drawing causal inferences based solely on the fact that events occur in sequence.
Extensional Pruning: retreating from the commonly accepted meaning of a word by insisting on a strictly literal definition.
False Conversion: Reversing the terms of a statement to arrive at a false conclusion.
False Precision: Using exact numbers for inexact concepts.
Genetic Fallacy: Judging the validity or truth of something solely based on its origin.
Half-Concealed Qualification: Minimizing limits within a claim.
Hedging: Using language that allows for a retreat in definitions later on.
Hominem (Circumstantial), Argumentum ad: Appealing to the specific circumstances of the person being argued with.
Ignorantiam, Argumentum ad: Arguing that something is true because it has not been proven false, or vice versa.
Lapidem, Argumentum ad: Ignoring the central claim of an argument altogether, refusing to discuss the main premise.
Loaded Words: Using biased or emotive language to sway opinion.
Misericordiam, Argumentum ad: Appealing to pity instead of reasoned discourse.
Modum, Argumentum ad: Appealing to gradualism or the desire for things to happen slowly.
Nauseam, Argumentum ad: Repeating a point of view without adding support or evidence.
Numeram, Argumentum ad: Appealing to the number of people who agree to a contention as justification.
Oversimplification: Only looking at one side of a complex issue when making a decision.
Petitio Principii: Assuming the conclusion in the premises (begging the question).
Poisoning the Well: Discrediting a person or source before they can make their argument.
Quaternio Terminorum: An argument with four terms when only three are needed for a valid syllogism.
Red Herring: Introducing an irrelevant issue to distract from the main point.
Reification: Treating an abstract concept as if it were a concrete thing.
Secundum Quid: Generalizing from a few instances or limited information.
Shifting Ground: Changing one’s position during an argument to avoid being defeated.
Slippery Slope: Assuming that a small action will inevitably lead to a series of increasingly worse consequences.
Straw Man: Misrepresenting an opponent’s argument to make it easier to refute.
Thatcher’s Blame: Blaming someone for all of the negative aspects of a situation.
Tu Quoque: Avoiding a point by pointing out hypocrisy in the arguer.
Unaccepted Enthymeme: An argument that is made with an unstated assumption that is not accepted.
Undistributed Middle: The middle term in a syllogism does not refer to the whole of its class.
Unobtainable Perfection: Rejecting a practical solution because it is not perfect.
Verecundiam, Argumentum ad: Appealing to false or irrelevant authority.
Wishful Thinking: Assuming that something is true because you want it to be true.
How to Win Every Argument: A Guide to Logical Fallacies
Okay, here’s a detailed briefing document based on the provided excerpts from “How to Win Every Argument,” focusing on the main themes, important ideas, and key quotes:
Briefing Document: “How to Win Every Argument” by Madsen Pirie
I. Core Theme: Recognizing and Utilizing Logical Fallacies
The primary theme of this work is the identification and manipulation of logical fallacies in arguments. Pirie’s book serves as a guide to not only recognize flawed reasoning, but also to use these flaws for persuasive advantage. It’s a pragmatic, almost Machiavellian approach to argumentation, focusing on winning over truth or validity. This is not a book about logic per se, but rather how logic is commonly abused, and how to turn that abuse to one’s advantage.
II. Key Concepts and Fallacies
The document presents a broad range of logical fallacies, categorized for easier understanding and application. Here’s a breakdown of some of the most important ones with key ideas and quotes:
Accent: The meaning of a statement can be altered by emphasizing different words. This manipulation introduces unintended implications that are not part of the literal statement.
Quote: “Even with so simple a phrase, a changed accent can give a markedly changed meaning.”
Quote: “The fallacy lies with the additional implications introduced by emphasis. They form no part of the statement accepted, and have been brought in surreptitiously without supporting argument.”
Accident: An exceptional case is used to reject a general rule by supposing that a freak circumstance should invalidate the rule.
Quote: “The fallacy of accident supposes that the freak features of an exceptional case are enough to justify rejection of a general rule.”
Quote: “Almost every generalization could be objected to on the grounds that one could think of ‘accidental’ cases it did not cover.”
Affirming the Consequent: Assuming that if a consequence occurs, the antecedent must be true (an invalid form of modus ponens)
Quote: “If I drop an egg, it breaks. This egg is broken, so I must have dropped it.” (Fallacious)
Amphiboly: Ambiguous sentence construction resulting from careless grammar, where the meaning can be taken in more than one way.
Quote: “The Duchess has a fine ship, but she has barnacles on her bottom.”
Quote: “The fallacy is capable of infinite variation. Many excellent examples of amphiboly make use of the confused pronoun.”
Argumentum ad Baculum (Appeal to the Stick): Using force or threat to make people accept your conclusion instead of presenting logical reasoning.
Quote: “The fallacy of the argumentum ad baculum lies in its introduction of irrelevant material into the argument.”
Quote: “While force is undoubtedly effective sometimes in directing courteous attention to the speaker’s wishes, its use represents the breakdown and subversion of reason.”
Quote: “When Stalin says “dance!” a wise man dances.”
Bifurcation (False Dilemma): Presenting only two options when more exist, forcing a choice between unpleasant outcomes and your preferred one.
Quote: “The greatest use you can make of bifurcation is to offer a choice limited to something very unpleasant or the course you are advocating.”
Quote: “Either we paint the door green, or we will be mocked and ridiculed.”
Circulus in Demonstrando (Circular Argument): Using the conclusion as a premise to support the argument. The argument circles back on itself.
Quote: “It all comes down to saying that science gives us a consistent and useful look at the universe through the ring of a giant circulus.”
Quote: “‘I have the diamond, so I shall be leader.’ ‘Why should you get to keep the diamond?’ ‘Because I’m the leader, stupid.’ “
Complex Question (Plurium Interrogationum): Asking a question that assumes a fact not yet established, designed to trap the respondent.
Quote: “Even oldies such as ‘Who was the lady I saw you with last night?’ and ‘Why did the chicken cross the road?’ are, strictly speaking, examples of this fallacy. They preclude answers such as ‘There was none’, or ‘It didn’t.’ “
Concealed Quantification: Using ambiguous language to mislead about the quantity being discussed, often to make a weak case seem stronger.
Quote: “Very often the quantification is concealed because it sounds rather lame to make bold statements about some of a class. ‘All’ is generally preferred. “
Quote: “Garage mechanics are crooks.” (Without specifying all, some or most).
Conclusion Which Denies Premises: Contradicting your starting point with your conclusion.
Quote: “It starts by maintaining that certain things must be true, and ends up with a conclusion which flatly contradicts them.”
Quote: “He’s a real professional, but a bit of an amateur at times.”
Money as the Measure of Right: Asserting that wealth equates to correctness, which is not always true.
Quote: “Surely a man who can make £60 million in a year by recording four songs cannot be all wrong?”
Quote: “The customer is always right.” (Because they have money)
Redefinition: Changing the meaning of a word to suit one’s needs.
Quote: “When I use a word,’ Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, ‘it means just what I choose it to mean – neither more nor less.”
Denying the Antecedent: Assuming that the non-occurrence of the antecedent means the non-occurrence of the consequent (invalid form of modus tollens).
Quote: “If I eat too much, I’ll be ill. Since I have not eaten too much, I will not be ill.”
Dicto Simpliciter (Sweeping Generalization): Applying a general rule to a specific situation without considering individual differences.
Quote: “Dicto simpliciter arises whenever individuals are made to conform to group patterns.”
Quote: “Spinach is good for growing children. Eat it up.”
Division: Assuming that what’s true of a whole is true of its parts.
Quote: “The Icelanders are the oldest nation on earth. This means that Bjork must be older than other pop stars.”
Quote: “The French are tops at rugby; Marcel is French; obviously he must be tops at rugby.”
Emotional Appeal: Using emotions rather than reason to persuade, such as appeals to pity or fear.
Quote: “Whether your appeal is to fear, envy, hatred, pride or superstition makes no difference.”
The Exception That Proves the Rule: Misunderstanding the original meaning of ‘prove’ as ‘test’, and incorrectly using an exception to strengthen the rule rather than weaken it.
Quote: “That’s the exception that proves the rule.” (Often used incorrectly).
Exclusive Premises: In a syllogism, using two negative premises which prevents drawing a valid conclusion.
Quote: “No handymen are bakers, and no bakers are fishermen, so no handymen are fishermen.”
Existential Fallacy: Incorrectly assuming the existence of things from a universal statement about them.
Quote: “Use of the existential fallacy is surprisingly easy. Most audiences will respect your modest claims if you move down from assertions about all things to claims made for only some of them.”
Ex-Post-Facto Statistics: Using statistics to create a causal relationship after the fact.
Quote: “I believe I was meant to get this job. I saw the advertisement for it in a paper the wind blew against my face in Oxford Street. I feel that something put me in that place at that time so that I would get this job.”
Extensional Pruning: Using words in their common usage, then retreating to a narrow definition when challenged.
Quote: “We are guilty of extensional pruning if we use words in their commonly accepted meaning, but retreat when challenged into a strictly literal definition.”
Quote: “/ said I’d get you another drink if I was wrong: water is another drink.”
False Conversion: Illegitimately reversing subject and predicate in a sentence, assuming “all As are B” implies “all Bs are A.”
Quote: “The claim that ‘Texas rabbits are animals which grow to more than a metre long’ is skilfully ambiguous. It is not clear whether it refers to some Texas rabbits or all of them. Your surreptitious false conversion would then leave your audience convinced that any animal in Texas more than a metre in length must be a rabbit.”
False Precision: Using exact numbers with inexact notions to create a false sense of accuracy.
Genetic Fallacy: Dismissing something based on its origins or associations, instead of the merits of the idea.
Quote: “The objections to the Council’s new bus timetable come only from private property developers, and can be ignored.”
Quote: “Tinkering with genes is fascist talk. That’s what Hitler tried to do.”
Half-Concealed Qualification: Minimizing limiting qualifications so they are not emphasized.
Quote: “Practically every single case of monetary expansion is followed within 16 months by an attendant general price rise of the same proportions.”
Hedging: Using ambiguous language to allow for a change in definition to avoid challenges.
Quote: “Hedging involves the advance preparation for a definitional retreat.”
Quote: “All I said was that I’d be home at a reasonable hour. I think that three o’clock in the morning is a reasonable hour in view of what I’ve been doing.”
Hominem (Circumstantial), Argumentum ad: Rejecting a claim based on the speaker’s specific circumstances and interests, rather than their arguments.
Quote: “You can’t accept the legitimacy of lending for profit. You are a Christian, and Christ drove the money-lenders from the temple.”
Quote: “Well he would say that, wouldn’t he?”
Ignorantiam, argumentum ad: Asserting something is true because it has not been proven false, and vice versa.
Illicit Process: Drawing conclusions that improperly extend beyond a specific group in a premise, by assuming that a term has been distributed when it has not.
Irrelevant Humour: Using jokes to divert attention and avoid addressing the core arguments.
Lapidem, Argumentum ad: Refusing to discuss an argument’s central claim, simply dismissing it without engaging with the evidence.
Quote: “He’s a friend of mine. I won’t hear a word spoken against him.”
Loaded Words: Using words with emotional connotations to influence an audience.
Quote: “HITLER SUMMONS WAR LORDS! M.DALADIER CONSULTS DEFENCE CHIEFS”
Miserkordiam, argumentum ad: Appealing to pity instead of reason.
Quote: “In asking yourself if this man is to be convicted, ask yourself what it will mean for him to be locked up in prison…”
Modum, Argumentum ad: Appealing to the audience’s desire for gradual change and rejecting sudden moves.
Nauseam, Argumentum ad: Trying to win an argument simply by repeating the claim.
Quote: “Just the place for a Snark! I have said it thrice; what I tell you three times is true.”
Numeram, argumentum ad: Appealing to popularity or consensus to claim that something is true.
One-Sided Assessment: Looking only at one side of an issue, either the positives or the negatives, not both.
Petitio Principii (Begging the Question): Assuming the conclusion in the premises.
Poisoning the Well: Damaging an opponent’s credibility to make the audience reject their claims.
Quote: “They have been trying that in Sweden since 1955, and look what’s happened: suicides, moral degeneracy and drunks everywhere. Do we want that here?”
Quaternio Terminorum: Using a four-term argument, where a middle term changes and does not link the two premises.
Red Herring: Introducing irrelevant information to distract from the main argument.
Quote: “‘You never remember my birthday.’ ‘Did I ever tell you what beautiful eyes you have?’ “
Secundum Quid (Hasty Generalization): Drawing a conclusion from too few cases or unrepresentative examples.
Shifting Ground: Rapidly changing the subject or the definition of key terms in an argument to escape scrutiny.
Slippery Slope: Arguing that an initial action will inevitably lead to a series of negative consequences.
Special Pleading: Asserting exceptions for yourself that you would not grant to others.
Thatcher’s Blame: Blaming a prominent figure for problems in an argument.
Tu Quoque: Rejecting an argument because the person making it is inconsistent, hypocritical.
Quote: “Holier-than-thou.”
Unaccepted Enthymemes: Using an argument that depends on an unstated assumption that is not accepted by the other party.
Undistributed Middle: In a syllogism, using a middle term that is not universal or distributed.
Unobtainable Perfection: Rejecting a solution because it is not absolutely perfect.
Verecundiam, argumentum ad: Appealing to false authority to support your claim.
Quote: “The winning of an Oscar for excellence in motion pictures is widely recognized as a qualification to speak on such matters as world poverty and American foreign policy.”
Wishful Thinking: Basing beliefs on what one wishes were true rather than on evidence.
III. Pragmatic Use of Fallacies
Pirie isn’t just describing fallacies. He is showing you how to use them in your own arguments. His approach is cynical, suggesting that one can often win by manipulating logic rather than by being logically correct. The text provides numerous examples, not only of flawed reasoning but also of how these flaws can be employed to your advantage in various scenarios from public speaking to everyday conversations.
IV. Implications and Application
Critical Thinking: The book serves as a practical guide to critical thinking, helping the reader become a more discerning evaluator of arguments.
Persuasion: The guide provides tools to not only dismantle poor arguments but to construct persuasive ones based on the flawed logic of others, a manipulative but potent tactic.
Rhetorical Skill: By identifying and understanding these fallacies, readers can become more persuasive and articulate speakers or writers.
Recognizing Manipulation: The book is a defense against being manipulated by others, as it highlights how fallacies are often used to sway opinions.
V. Caveats
While Pirie’s guide is insightful, it is important to note that the book’s focus is on winning rather than on seeking truth. This cynical stance may be considered unethical or manipulative by some. A responsible approach would use this knowledge to understand the flaws in others’ arguments, and in one’s own, but also to strive to engage in more logically sound and ethical debates.
Let me know if you have any more questions!
Logical Fallacies: Unveiling Faulty Arguments
How can the way words are emphasized change their meaning in an argument?
The fallacy of accent demonstrates how altering the stress on specific words or phrases can drastically shift a statement’s meaning. For example, “Light your cigarette” can be an instruction, a suggestion to light it instead of something else, a way to differentiate who lights their cigarette, or an admonition not to use it for another purpose, just by accenting different words. These shifts bring additional, unauthorized implications into the argument that aren’t supported by the original statement.
What is the ‘fallacy of accident’ and how does it affect attempts to create general rules or definitions?
The fallacy of accident occurs when the exceptional or freak features of a case are used to reject a general rule. It ignores the fact that some cases may be unusual and allowable exceptions, not invalidating the rule itself. The fallacy targets attempts at universality, where one tries to establish watertight definitions for things like ‘truth’ or ‘justice.’ Opponents exploit this by constantly presenting ‘accidental’ cases that are clearly exceptions, thereby undermining the general statement.
What are some common errors people make with ‘if…then’ statements?
The error with ‘if…then’ statements can occur when one affirms the consequent (the “then” part) or denies the antecedent (the “if” part). For example, the statement “If I drop an egg, it breaks” is valid if you say “I dropped the egg, so it broke” (affirming the antecedent). However, it is fallacious to say “The egg is broken, so I must have dropped it” (affirming the consequent) because there could be other reasons for the egg being broken. Similarly, “Since I have not eaten too much, I will not be ill” is fallacious because other things can cause illness.
What are ‘amphiboly’ and ‘bifurcation’ and how are they used to create faulty arguments?
Amphiboly is the fallacy of ambiguous construction, where the whole meaning of a statement is unclear, often due to poor grammar or pronoun use. For example, “I met the ambassador riding his horse. He was snorting and steaming…” it is not clear if ‘he’ refers to the ambassador or the horse. Bifurcation, on the other hand, is the presentation of only two options, as if they are the only possibilities. This “false dilemma” often ignores or conceals other viable options. For example “If we import goods, we send our jobs abroad; if we export goods, we send our property abroad.” ignoring that you can do both, or neither.
What is ‘argumentum ad baculum’ and why is it considered a breakdown of reason?
The argumentum ad baculum is a fallacy that uses force or threat instead of reason to persuade. Instead of providing evidence to support a claim, the arguer resorts to intimidation or coercion to force compliance. While it can be effective in achieving a desired action, it represents a complete breakdown of logical discussion and an abandonment of rational discourse, replacing it with power.
How does the fallacy of ‘dicto simpliciter’ work, and how is it used to manipulate others?
Dicto simpliciter arises when we apply a general rule or characteristic to an individual within a group, without accounting for individual differences. It’s a move to make individuals conform to group patterns, failing to permit for individual qualities. For instance, “All teenagers are rebellious. Since he’s a teenager, he must be rebellious too”, ignores that not all teenagers are rebellious. This fallacy is used to place people into stereotypical molds, using group membership to make assumptions about individuals.
What is ‘petitio principii’, and what are some ways it can be disguised in an argument?
Petitio principii, also known as “begging the question,” is the fallacy of assuming the conclusion in the premises of an argument. In other words, the argument uses the very point it’s trying to prove as evidence for itself, creating a circular and uninformative argument. It is often disguised through skillful word choice, using words with hidden assumptions built into them, like “purpose” or “promise”, giving the appearance of a valid argument when the core claim is just restating the conclusion.
What is the role of emotional manipulation in fallacious arguments?
Fallacious arguments often exploit emotions like pity, fear, or envy to bypass rational analysis. Appeals to emotion divert attention from the lack of evidence or logic. Instead of relying on reason, the arguer uses emotional manipulation to gain acceptance for their position. For example, an argumentum ad misericordiam appeals to pity, such as asking “how can we not hire Jeeves, imagine his wife and children this christmas?”. It is not a valid argument for hiring the groundskeeper if they are not the best candidate for the job. Other fallacies appeal to a desire for gradualism (ad modum), or the desire to support popular ideas (ad populum) all bypassing reason and making faulty arguments.
How to Win Every Argument: Fallacies & Rhetoric
Okay, here is the detailed timeline and cast of characters based on the provided text from “How to Win Every Argument”:
Timeline of Main Events
This source is not a historical text but rather a guide to logical fallacies and argumentation. Therefore, the “events” are primarily the examples of fallacies, illustrative scenarios, and the development of ideas about rhetoric and logic. Here’s a thematic breakdown of the “events” discussed:
Ancient Philosophers’ Pursuit of Truth & Justice: The text references Plato’s search for justice and his engagement with arguments that attempt to challenge universal truths. John Stuart Mill’s efforts to justify liberty are also mentioned, highlighting historical attempts to define these abstract concepts and the fallacies that can undermine those efforts.
The Development of Formal Logic & Argumentation: The text details various logical fallacies, such as Affirming the Consequent, Denying the Antecedent, Undistributed Middle, Exclusive Premises, and Quaternio Terminorum, which represent centuries of formalized study and thought on how people can misuse logic when making arguments.
Examples from History and Culture: The book is filled with examples of fallacies being employed:
Croesus and the Oracle’s ambiguous prophecy.
Lord Nelson’s famous cry “Westminster Abbey or victory” as an example of bifurcation.
Stalin’s use of the argumentum ad baculum, his question about the Pope’s divisions.
Sir William Browne’s accusation of political opponents using ad baculum diplomacy.
Examples of fallacious arguments from politics, marketing, and everyday life are used to illustrate the different kinds of fallacies.
Dr. Johnson’s argumentum ad lapidem, or refusal to discuss the merits of an argument.
George Bernard Shaw’s engagement with a woman in a discussion of principle and price.
Margaret Thatcher is discussed as an example of how people are blamed or targeted for any and all societal issues.
Fallacious Practices in Different Contexts: The book shows how fallacies occur in different areas like:
Politics and Diplomacy: Countries using threats (ad baculum), political arguments with misinterpretations of data, and politicians hedging their statements.
Marketing: Presenting statistical information that misleads, using loaded words, and appealing to popular opinion (ad populum)
Everyday Life: Misusing language through accent and ambiguity, using ad misericordiam or ad hominem arguments, committing hasty generalization or division, and using red herrings to distract.
Contemporary Language and Logical Confusion: The text also provides some examples that reference popular culture and recent history, implying a modern awareness of these types of arguments:
Examples using sports, pop culture, and technology to explain the fallacies.
Use of economic theory to discuss fallacious arguments used in economics, like the National Plan’s conclusions based on flawed aggregation of data, or how economists engage in hedging.
Examples of linguistic analysis are used to show how arguments can be undermined.
The text includes examples of how government can manipulate language for political purposes.
Cast of Characters (with brief bios):
Note: Most of these “characters” are either historical figures, hypothetical people used as examples, or types of people, rather than full biographical individuals.
Madsen Pirie: (Author) The author of “How to Win Every Argument.” A writer who has expertise in logic, argumentation, and the use of rhetoric. This is all that can be derived from the document itself.
Thomas, Samuel, and Rosalind: (Dedicatees) Named by Pirie as recipients of the book’s dedication.
Eamonn Butler and John O’Sullivan: (Acknowledgments) Acknowledged by Pirie for helpful suggestions related to his work, these appear to be colleagues, or friends, in the field of study.
Tom Lees, Steve Masty, Sam Nguyen, and Xander Stephenson: (Acknowledgments) Acknowledged for assistance with the book’s preparation. These appear to be editors, researchers, or assistants.
Plato: (Philosopher) Ancient Greek philosopher whose writings are referenced to illustrate the challenge of defining abstract concepts like justice. He appears here primarily to be discussed in the context of his failed attempts to do that.
John Stuart Mill: (Philosopher) 19th-century British philosopher and economist, mentioned in the text as an example of someone who struggled to justify liberty and frequently encountered objections.
Croesus: (Historical Figure) The King of Lydia who famously consulted the Oracle of Delphi; mentioned in the book as an example of the fallacy of amphiboly (ambiguous construction).
Lord Nelson: (Historical Figure) British Admiral remembered for his naval victories. He is referenced here as a maker of an example of the fallacy of bifurcation with his famous statement.
Joseph Stalin: (Historical Figure) The former dictator of the Soviet Union, used as an example of the use of argumentum ad baculum, or the appeal to force.
Nikita Krushchev: (Historical Figure) Former Soviet Premier who made an important observation on Stalin’s use of the ad baculum.
Pope: (Historical Figure) The Pope is referenced as a person who lacks military divisions when Stalin asked, “How many divisions has the Pope?”
Sir William Browne: (Historical Figure) Described as an idealist who accused his political opponents of using ad baculum diplomacy.
Lord Denning: (Legal Figure) A famous English judge mentioned in relation to the use of loaded words in legal settings. This is not directly attributed to Lord Denning, but only used as an example of a type of strategy.
Adolf Hitler: (Historical Figure) The dictator of Nazi Germany used as a symbol of evil who used genetic fallacies for nefarious purposes.
Genghis Khan & Attila the Hun: (Historical Figures) Both notorious for their brutality, these figures are mentioned as similar to Hitler for the purpose of the genetic fallacy.
Princess Diana: (Historical Figure) She is paired with Mary Poppins as an example of false appeal to sentiment.
Mary Poppins: (Fictional Character) Paired with Princess Diana as an example of false appeal to sentiment.
Humpty Dumpty: (Fictional Character) A character in Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carrol, quoted by Pirie as an example of a person redefining words to mean what they want.
Dr. Johnson: (Historical Figure) Well-known English writer and lexicographer; in this text, he’s cited as the originator of the argumentum ad lapidem.
George Bernard Shaw: (Historical Figure) The Irish playwright is mentioned in a dialogue designed to explain the fallacy of the slippery slope.
Margaret Thatcher: (Historical Figure) Former Prime Minister of the UK, used as an example of the “Thatcher’s blame” fallacy where people are blamed for everything.
Bill: (Hypothetical Person) Used in the example of the fallacy of unaccepted enthymeme.
Flight-Lieutenant Robinson: (Hypothetical Person) Used as an example in the fallacy of Division.
Various Hypothetical People: The text also includes many other hypothetical people used to illustrate the various fallacies, such as: the man who lends weapons, the duchess with barnacles, the person making a will, and various others. These people are more like “roles” within a hypothetical situation rather than fully-fleshed out characters, and there is no information available about them beyond that.
This timeline and cast provide a framework for understanding the themes of argument and logic explored in the text. Let me know if you need any more information.
Logical Fallacies: A Practical Guide
Winning arguments is based on sound reasoning, which is undermined by logical fallacies [1]. Fallacies can be used to deceive, but identifying them can be a source of pleasure [1]. A practical guide to winning arguments involves learning how to recognize and use fallacies, and how to defend against them [2-4]. The book lists fallacies alphabetically, but they can be classified into five major types [5, 6]:
Formal Fallacies: These have errors in the structure of the logic [6].
Informal Fallacies of Relevance (Omission): These fallacies omit relevant material [7].
Informal Fallacies of Relevance (Intrusion): These fallacies bring in irrelevant material [8, 9].
Informal Fallacies of Relevance (Presumption): These fallacies rely on unwarranted assumptions [9, 10].
Some Specific Fallacies
Abusive Analogy: This fallacy uses comparisons that are offensive or invite abuse [4, 11].
Accent: This fallacy changes the meaning of a phrase by emphasizing certain words [12-16].
Amphiboly: This fallacy uses ambiguous grammatical structures to create confusion [17].
Analogical Fallacy: This fallacy assumes that things similar in one respect are similar in others [18, 19].
Argumentum ad Antiquitam: This fallacy equates older with better [20, 21].
Apriorism: This fallacy uses a preconceived judgment against the evidence [22-25].
Argumentum ad Baculum: This fallacy uses force or threats to persuade [25-30].
Bifurcation: This fallacy limits choices, denying extra options [30-32].
Blinding with Science: This fallacy uses technical jargon to impress rather than clarify [33-35].
Bogus Dilemma: This fallacy presents a false choice between two alternatives [36-39].
Circulus in Probando: This fallacy uses circular reasoning [40-43].
Complex Question: This fallacy combines several questions into one [44].
Composition: This fallacy assumes that what is true of the parts is true of the whole [45, 46].
Concealed Quantification: This fallacy uses vague language to make a weak case stronger [46, 47].
Argumentum ad Crumenam: This fallacy assumes money is a measure of correctness [47-51].
Damning the Alternatives: This fallacy argues for one option by denigrating the others [52-56].
Definitional Retreat: This fallacy changes the meaning of a word to avoid refutation [57-59].
Denying the Antecedent: This fallacy rejects a conclusion because the premise is not met [60].
Dicto Simpliciter: This fallacy makes sweeping generalizations [60, 61].
Division: This fallacy assumes that what is true of the whole is true of the parts [61, 62].
Emotional Appeals: These fallacies use emotions instead of reason [63-68].
Equivocation: This fallacy uses a word with different meanings in an argument [68-72].
Every Schoolboy Knows: This fallacy assumes that a claim is true because it is supposedly common knowledge [72-75].
The Exception that Proves the Rule: This fallacy uses an exception to justify a rule [76-78].
Exclusive Premises: This fallacy draws a conclusion from two negative premises [78-80].
Existential Fallacy: This fallacy makes claims about all members of a class, without knowing if the class exists [80, 81].
Ex-post-facto Statistics: This fallacy uses statistics after the fact to support a claim [81, 82].
Extensional Pruning: This fallacy limits the meaning of a statement after the fact [82-84].
False Precision: This fallacy uses unjustified precision to give more confidence in assertions [84-86].
The Gambler’s Fallacy: This fallacy assumes past events influence future independent events [86, 87].
The Genetic Fallacy: This fallacy dismisses an argument based on its source [88-90].
Half-Concealed Qualification: This fallacy makes a restricted claim while discussing it as a general claim [90-92].
Hedging: This fallacy uses ambiguous language to change the meaning later [93-95].
Argumentum ad Hominem (Abusive): This fallacy attacks the arguer instead of the argument [95-102].
Argumentum ad Hominem (Circumstantial): This fallacy appeals to the arguer’s circumstances instead of evidence [102-106].
Ignorantiam, Argumentum ad: This fallacy argues a claim is true because it hasn’t been proven false [70, 73, 105, 107].
Ignoratio Elenchi: This fallacy proves a conclusion that is not relevant to the argument [106-109].
Illicit Process: This fallacy draws a conclusion that is not justified by the premises [107, 110-112].
Irrelevant Humor: This fallacy uses humor to divert attention from the argument [107, 112-117].
Argumentum ad Lapidem: This fallacy dismisses an argument without discussion [107, 117-121].
Argumentum ad Lazarum: This fallacy assumes the poor are more virtuous or correct [107, 121-123].
Loaded Words: This fallacy uses biased language to influence attitudes [107, 123-129].
Argumentum ad Misericordiam: This fallacy uses pity instead of reason [107, 129-133].
Argumentum ad Nauseam: This fallacy uses constant repetition to make a claim seem true [107, 133-137].
Non-Anticipation: This fallacy rejects a new idea because it hasn’t been anticipated [107, 137-140].
Argumentum ad Novitam: This fallacy assumes new is better [107, 140-146].
Argumentum ad Numeram: This fallacy equates popular support with correctness [107, 146-152].
One-Sided Assessment: This fallacy only considers one side of an issue [107, 152-157].
Petitio Principii: This fallacy assumes the conclusion in the premise [107, 157-162].
Poisoning the Well: This fallacy discredits the opposition before they speak [162-167].
Argumentum ad Populum: This fallacy appeals to popular attitudes instead of presenting evidence [163, 167-170].
Positive Conclusion from Negative Premise: This fallacy draws a positive conclusion from a negative premise [163].
Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc: This fallacy assumes that because one event follows another, the first caused the second [163, 170, 171].
Quaternio Terminorum: This fallacy is caused by using four terms in a three-line argument [163].
The Red Herring: This fallacy introduces irrelevant information to divert attention [163, 172-175].
Refuting the Example: This fallacy discredits an argument by discrediting the example [163, 175-180].
Reification: This fallacy treats abstract concepts as concrete things [163, 180-182].
The Runaway Train: This fallacy pushes a general argument to an absurd conclusion [163, 182-185].
Secundum Quid: This fallacy makes a hasty generalization [163, 185, 186].
Shifting Ground: This fallacy changes the substance of an argument while claiming continuity [163, 186-189].
Shifting the Burden of Proof: This fallacy requires the opponent to disprove a claim [163, 189, 190].
The Slippery Slope: This fallacy assumes an initial action will lead to a series of increasingly negative events [163].
Special Pleading: This fallacy makes an exception for a particular case without justification [163, 191-193].
The Straw Man: This fallacy misrepresents an opponent’s position to make it easier to attack [163, 193, 194].
Argumentum ad Temperantiam: This fallacy assumes the moderate view is always correct [163, 194-202].
Thatcher’s Blame: This fallacy blames an individual for any outcome, regardless of its nature [163, 203-205].
Trivial Objections: This fallacy opposes a claim based on minor aspects [163, 205-207].
Tu Quoque: This fallacy dismisses an argument because the arguer is inconsistent [207-211].
Unaccepted Enthymemes: This fallacy omits an important element of the argument [208, 211, 212].
The Undistributed Middle: This fallacy draws a conclusion that does not follow from the premises because the middle term is not distributed [208, 212-216].
Unobtainable Perfection: This fallacy rejects an option because it is not perfect [208, 216-218].
Argumentum ad Verecundiam: This fallacy uses false authority [208, 218-223].
Wishful Thinking: This fallacy accepts or rejects a claim based on what one wants to be true [6, 208, 223, 224].
By understanding these fallacies, one can improve their ability to argue effectively and avoid being deceived [1, 3, 4].
Logical Fallacies: A Compendium
Logical fallacies are flaws in reasoning that can undermine arguments [1]. They can be used intentionally to deceive, or may be committed unintentionally due to ignorance of logical reasoning, the nature of evidence, or what counts as relevant material [2, 3]. Understanding fallacies is useful for both defending against them and using them effectively [1, 4].
Types of Fallacies
The sources categorize fallacies into five main types [5-7]:
Formal Fallacies: These involve errors in the structure of an argument [6, 7]. The logic itself is defective [8]. Examples include affirming the consequent, denying the antecedent, the undistributed middle, and quaternio terminorum [7, 9].
Informal Fallacies of Relevance (Omission): These occur when relevant information is left out [10]. Examples include the bogus dilemma, definitional retreat, and shifting the burden of proof [9, 10].
Informal Fallacies of Relevance (Intrusion): These involve the introduction of irrelevant material into an argument [11]. Examples include emotional appeals, argumentum ad hominem, and the red herring [9, 11].
Informal Fallacies of Relevance (Presumption): These fallacies are based on unwarranted assumptions [12]. Examples include the analogical fallacy, petitio principii, and post hoc ergo propter hoc [9, 12].
Informal Linguistic Fallacies: These use ambiguities of language to admit error [8, 10]. Examples include accent, amphiboly, and equivocation [9, 10].
Specific Fallacies
The sources provide an extensive list of specific fallacies, including:
Abusive Analogy: Using a comparison that is intended to be offensive or abusive [4, 13].
Accent: Changing the meaning of a statement by emphasizing different words [14, 15].
Accident: Applying a general rule to an exceptional case [16].
Affirming the Consequent: Assuming that if the consequent is true, the antecedent must also be true [17, 18].
Amphiboly: Using an ambiguous grammatical construction [19].
Analogical Fallacy: Assuming that things similar in one way are similar in other ways [20].
Argumentum ad Antiquitam: Assuming older is better [21, 22].
Apriorism: Using a preconceived judgment against the evidence [23].
Argumentum ad Baculum: Using force or threats to persuade [24].
Bifurcation: Presenting only two alternatives when more exist [25].
Blinding with Science: Using jargon to impress rather than clarify [26].
Bogus Dilemma: Presenting a false choice between two alternatives [27, 28].
Circulus in Probando: Using circular reasoning [29].
Complex Question (Plurium Interrogationum): Combining several questions into one [30].
Composition: Assuming that what is true of the parts is true of the whole [8, 9].
Concealed Quantification: Using vague language to make a weak case stronger [9, 31].
Argumentum ad Crumenam: Assuming money is a measure of correctness [9, 32].
Cum hoc ergo propter hoc: Assuming that because two events occur simultaneously, one causes the other [33].
Damning the Alternatives: Arguing for one option by denigrating the others [34].
Definitional Retreat: Changing the meaning of a word to avoid refutation [35].
Denying the Antecedent: Rejecting a conclusion because the premise is not met [36, 37].
Dicto Simpliciter: Making a sweeping generalization [38].
Division: Assuming that what is true of the whole is true of the parts [8, 9].
Emotional Appeals: Using emotions instead of reason [9, 39].
Equivocation: Using a word with different meanings in an argument [40].
Every Schoolboy Knows: Assuming a claim is true because it is supposedly common knowledge [41].
The Exception that Proves the Rule: Using an exception to justify a rule [42, 43].
Exclusive Premises: Drawing a conclusion from two negative premises [44].
Existential Fallacy: Making claims about all members of a class without knowing if the class exists [45].
Ex-post-facto Statistics: Applying probability laws to past events [46].
Extensional Pruning: Using a restricted definition after the fact to escape weakness in position [47, 48].
False Conversion: Invalidly converting a statement by exchanging the subject and predicate [49, 50].
False Precision: Using unjustified precision to give more confidence in assertions [51].
The Gambler’s Fallacy: Assuming past events influence future independent events [52].
The Genetic Fallacy: Dismissing an argument based on its source [53].
Half-Concealed Qualification: Making a restricted claim while discussing it as a general claim [31].
Hedging: Using ambiguous language to change the meaning later [54].
Argumentum ad Hominem (Abusive): Attacking the arguer instead of the argument [54].
Argumentum ad Hominem (Circumstantial): Appealing to the arguer’s circumstances instead of evidence [55].
Argumentum ad Ignorantiam: Arguing a claim is true because it hasn’t been proven false [56].
Ignoratio Elenchi: Proving a conclusion that is not relevant to the argument [57].
Illicit Process: Drawing a conclusion that is not justified by the premises [57, 58].
Irrelevant Humor: Using humor to divert attention from the argument [59, 60].
Argumentum ad Lapidem: Dismissing an argument without discussion [61].
Argumentum ad Lazarum: Assuming the poor are more virtuous or correct [62].
Loaded Words: Using biased language to influence attitudes [63].
Argumentum ad Misericordiam: Using pity instead of reason [64].
Argumentum ad Nauseam: Using constant repetition to make a claim seem true [65].
Non-Anticipation: Rejecting a new idea because it hasn’t been anticipated [66].
Argumentum ad Novitam: Assuming new is better [67].
Argumentum ad Numeram: Equating popular support with correctness [68].
One-Sided Assessment: Only considering one side of an issue [69].
Petitio Principii: Assuming the conclusion in the premise (begging the question) [70, 71].
Poisoning the Well: Discrediting the opposition before they speak [72].
Argumentum ad Populum: Appealing to popular attitudes instead of presenting evidence [73].
Positive Conclusion from Negative Premise: Drawing a positive conclusion from a negative premise [74].
Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc: Assuming that because one event follows another, the first caused the second [75].
Quaternio Terminorum: Using four terms in a three-line argument [76].
The Red Herring: Introducing irrelevant information to divert attention [77].
Refuting the Example: Discrediting an argument by discrediting the example [78].
Reification: Treating abstract concepts as concrete things [79].
The Runaway Train: Pushing a general argument to an absurd conclusion [80].
Secundum Quid: Making a hasty generalization [81].
Shifting Ground: Changing the substance of an argument while claiming continuity [82].
Shifting the Burden of Proof: Requiring the opponent to disprove a claim [83].
The Slippery Slope: Assuming an initial action will lead to a series of increasingly negative events [84].
Special Pleading: Making an exception for a particular case without justification [85].
The Straw Man: Misrepresenting an opponent’s position to make it easier to attack [86].
Argumentum ad Temperantiam: Assuming the moderate view is always correct [87].
Thatcher’s Blame: Blaming an individual for any outcome, regardless of its nature [88].
Trivial Objections: Opposing a claim based on minor aspects [89].
Tu Quoque: Dismissing an argument because the arguer is inconsistent [90].
Unaccepted Enthymemes: Omitting an important element of the argument [91].
The Undistributed Middle: Drawing a conclusion that does not follow from the premises because the middle term is not distributed [92].
Unobtainable Perfection: Rejecting an option because it is not perfect [93].
Argumentum ad Verecundiam: Using false authority [94].
Wishful Thinking: Accepting or rejecting a claim based on what one wants to be true [95].
By recognizing these fallacies, you can enhance your ability to construct sound arguments and to identify weaknesses in the arguments of others [1, 4]. The sources emphasize that learning to use these fallacies can also help build an immunity to them [96].
Sound Reasoning and Logical Fallacies
The sources describe a variety of argument techniques, both sound and fallacious, that can be used to persuade others, and also to defend against manipulation. Many of these techniques involve the use of logical fallacies, which are flaws in reasoning that can undermine the validity of an argument [1].
Here’s a breakdown of argument techniques, as discussed in the sources:
1. Sound Reasoning:
The foundation of winning an argument is sound reasoning [1].
This involves constructing arguments that are logically valid and supported by relevant evidence [1].
2. Logical Fallacies:
Logical fallacies are flaws in reasoning that can make an argument invalid [1]. They can be used to persuade or deceive, intentionally or unintentionally [1].
The sources categorize fallacies into five major types [2]:
Formal Fallacies: Errors in the structure of the argument itself [3].
Informal (Linguistic) Fallacies: Use ambiguities of language to deceive [3, 4].
Informal (Relevance – Omission) Fallacies: Relevant information is left out of the argument [4].
Informal (Relevance – Intrusion) Fallacies: Irrelevant material is introduced into an argument [5].
Informal (Relevance – Presumption) Fallacies: The argument is based on unwarranted assumptions [6].
The sources list many specific fallacies, providing examples of each [7-11]. For example:
Abusive Analogy: Using a comparison to bring someone into scorn or disrepute [12].
Accent: Changing the meaning of a statement by emphasizing different words [13].
Analogical Fallacy: Assuming that things similar in one respect are similar in others [14].
Argumentum ad Baculum: Using force or threats to persuade [15].
Bifurcation: Presenting only two alternatives when others exist [16].
Circulus in Probando: Using circular reasoning [17].
Complex Question: Combining several questions into one [18].
Emotional Appeals: Using emotions to sway an argument, rather than reason [19].
Equivocation: Using a word with different meanings in an argument [20].
Argumentum ad Hominem (Abusive): Attacking the arguer instead of the argument [21].
Argumentum ad Populum: Appealing to popular attitudes instead of presenting evidence [22].
The Red Herring: Introducing irrelevant information to divert attention [23].
The Straw Man: Misrepresenting an opponent’s position to make it easier to attack [24].
Tu Quoque: Undermining an argument by claiming its proponent is guilty of the same thing [25].
Argumentum ad Verecundiam: Appealing to false authority [26].
3. Techniques for Using Fallacies
The sources suggest techniques for using fallacies to deceive:
Use Long Words: Use complex language or jargon to make arguments sound more impressive [27].
Use Loaded Words: Employ biased language to influence attitudes [28].
Repeat Claims: Use constant repetition to make a claim seem more true [29].
Shift the Ground: Change the substance of the argument while pretending to maintain consistency [30].
Poison the Well: Discredit the opposition before they have a chance to speak [31].
Create a Straw Man: Misrepresent the opponent’s position and then attack the misrepresentation [24].
Use Irrelevant Humor: Introduce jokes or anecdotes to distract from the main point [32].
Appeal to Emotions: Use emotional language to sway the audience, rather than logical arguments [19].
Shift the Burden of Proof: Insist that the opponent disprove a claim, instead of providing evidence to support it [33].
4. Techniques for Defending Against Fallacies
The sources suggest several techniques to defend against the use of fallacies:
Recognize Fallacies: Learning to recognize common fallacies will help you identify when they are being used [1].
Challenge Assumptions: Examine the underlying assumptions of an argument and question whether they are valid [6].
Examine Evidence: Ensure that arguments are based on solid evidence [1].
Identify Irrelevance: Look for irrelevant material being introduced into the argument [34].
Focus on the Main Point: Stay focused on the central claim of the argument, rather than being distracted by side issues [35].
Avoid Emotional Manipulation: Be aware of attempts to use emotion instead of reason to persuade you [19].
Point out Inconsistencies: Identify when someone changes the substance of their argument or is inconsistent in their claims [36].
5. Other Argument Tactics
Use Latin Tags: Using Latin names for fallacies can make the accuser appear more erudite [2].
Use Analogies: Analogies can be powerful communication tools [37]. However, do not assume that things similar in one way are similar in all ways [37].
Appeal to Authority: Citing authorities can be helpful, but ensure they are genuine experts on the topic [26].
By understanding both sound and fallacious argument techniques, you can enhance your ability to engage in effective and honest discourse. The sources emphasize that knowledge of fallacies is crucial for both constructing compelling arguments and defending yourself against manipulation [38].
Persuasive Language Techniques and Fallacies
The sources discuss several aspects of persuasive language, often in the context of logical fallacies and how they are used to manipulate or influence an audience [1-3]. Here’s a breakdown of persuasive language techniques identified in the sources:
Loaded Words: The sources emphasize that using biased or prejudiced terms can influence the outcome of a judgment [4]. The goal is to create a more favorable or hostile attitude toward something than the plain facts would warrant [4, 5]. For instance, describing leaders as “war lords” versus “defense chiefs” conveys different attitudes [4]. Near synonyms can carry subtle nuances of meaning which can be used to influence attitudes to a statement [5].
Emotional Appeals: Using emotional appeals is a common tactic to bypass reason [6-8]. The sources identify several emotional appeals including appeals to fear (argumentum ad metum), envy (ad invidiam), hatred (ad odium), superstition (ad superstitionem), and pride (ad superbiam) [9].
Blinding with Science: This technique involves using technical or scientific jargon to give the impression of expertise, even when the content is not supported by evidence [10, 11]. The use of complex jargon can make it difficult for an audience to challenge what is being said [11, 12].
Repetition (Argumentum ad Nauseam): Repeating a point of view, even without additional evidence, can erode the critical faculty, making an audience more likely to accept it [13]. This tactic aims to wear down resistance or deceive people into thinking objections have been addressed [14]. Advertisers use this by repeating a claim, building up a habit of association [15].
Use of Humor: While humor can entertain, it can also be used to distract from the central argument [16]. The fallacy lies in using humor to divert attention from the rights and wrongs of an issue [16, 17].
Use of Analogies: Analogies are used as tools of communication, but it is fallacious to assume that things that are similar in one respect are similar in all respects [18, 19]. An analogy may suggest a line of inquiry but does not provide a basis for establishing discoveries [19].
Appeals to Tradition (Argumentum ad Antiquitam): This involves using the age or tradition of something as a reason to accept it, regardless of its merits [20]. This fallacy is often employed in advertising or in resistance to change [21].
Appeals to Novelty (Argumentum ad Novitam): Conversely, something new is not necessarily better, and to argue that it is simply because it’s new is a fallacy [22]. The sources note the advertising industry’s use of “new” to appeal to this fallacy [23].
Appeals to Popularity (Argumentum ad Populum): This fallacy involves appealing to popular attitudes or beliefs instead of presenting relevant material [24]. It often relies on emotional appeals and is used by mob orators to raise emotional temperature [25].
Use of “Every Schoolboy Knows”: This tactic involves assuring the audience that a claim is widely known (often by children), thereby discouraging questions and passing off dubious assertions unquestioned [26, 27].
Half-Concealed Qualification: This technique uses words to express a limited claim, but the stress and construction make the qualifications get overlooked [28]. The limits are stated, but the audience barely notices them when discussing a more general statement [28].
The sources suggest that persuasive language often involves manipulating the audience’s emotions, associations, or preconceptions. The use of fallacies can make arguments seem convincing, even when they are logically flawed [2, 3]. Understanding these techniques is important for both constructing effective arguments and defending against manipulation.
Deceptive Argumentation Tactics
The sources detail a range of deceptive tactics employed in arguments, often through the use of logical fallacies and persuasive language techniques. These tactics can be used intentionally to mislead, or sometimes unintentionally due to a lack of understanding of sound reasoning [1, 2]. Here’s a breakdown of deceptive tactics from the sources:
Use of Logical Fallacies: The core of many deceptive tactics is the exploitation of logical fallacies [1]. These flaws in reasoning can make an argument seem valid when it is not. The sources provide numerous examples of such fallacies [3-6].
Formal fallacies involve errors in the structure of the argument itself [7, 8].
Informal fallacies are flaws in the content or context of an argument [7, 8].
Linguistic fallacies exploit ambiguities of language [8, 9].
Fallacies of relevance introduce irrelevant information to distract from the main point or omit important information [8-10].
Fallacies of presumption rely on unwarranted assumptions [8, 11].
Manipulation of Language:
Loaded words: Using biased or emotionally charged terms to sway an audience, creating a more favorable or hostile attitude than the facts would otherwise suggest [12, 13]. For example, calling leaders “war lords” instead of “defense chiefs” [12].
Equivocation: Using words with multiple meanings to confuse the issue [14]. This creates ambiguity, enabling a speaker to shift the meaning of their statements [15].
Half-concealed qualification: Using words to make a limited claim, but stressing the statement to make it sound like a general claim [16, 17]. The qualification is stated, but gets glossed over [17].
Extensional pruning: Using words in their commonly accepted meaning, but retreating to a strictly literal definition when challenged [18, 19]. The user makes a statement that permits one understanding but retreats to a limited definition to escape criticism [20].
Hedging: Using ambiguous language to allow for a change in definition later [21]. The language is carefully chosen to retain the option to switch definitions [22].
Distraction and Diversion:
The red herring: Introducing irrelevant material to divert attention from the main argument [23]. This tactic tries to change the subject and lead the discussion in a different direction [24].
Irrelevant humor: Using jokes or humorous stories to distract from the issue at hand [25, 26].
Shifting Ground: Changing the substance of the argument while pretending to maintain consistency [27]. This tactic is used to avoid criticism of the original stance by moving to a different one [28].
Emotional Manipulation:
Emotional appeals: Using emotional language or appeals to sway an audience instead of using logic or evidence [29]. This involves appealing to emotions such as fear, envy, hatred, superstition or pride [30].
Argumentum ad Misericordiam: Using pity to support an argument instead of using reasoned discourse [31].
Argumentum ad Populum: Appealing to popular attitudes and emotions instead of presenting evidence [32, 33].
Exploitation of Assumptions and Beliefs:
Every schoolboy knows: Presenting a claim as widely known to discourage questions [34, 35].
Argumentum ad Verecundiam: Appealing to false authority or expertise to support a claim [36].
Argumentum ad Lazarum: Claiming that a person’s poverty makes their argument more valid [37].
Argumentum ad Crumenam: Claiming that a person’s wealth makes their argument more valid [10].
Repetition:
Argumentum ad Nauseam: Repeating a point of view constantly in order to make it more likely to be accepted, even without new evidence [38]. This tactic attempts to erode critical thinking [38, 39].
Attacks on the Person:
Argumentum ad Hominem (Abusive): Attacking the person making the argument instead of addressing the argument itself [40]. This aims to undermine their credibility [41].
Argumentum ad Hominem (Circumstantial): Appealing to the special circumstances of the person to get them to accept an argument [42]. This tactic urges acceptance due to the position or interests of the person being addressed [42].
Poisoning the well: Discrediting an opponent before they have a chance to present their argument [43]. This tactic sets up an insult for anyone who might disagree [44].
Tu quoque: Undermining a case by pointing out that the proponent is guilty of the same thing [45].
Misrepresentation:
Straw man: Misrepresenting an opponent’s position to make it easier to attack [46]. This involves creating an easily refuted version of the argument and attacking that instead of the real argument [46, 47].
Refuting the example: Rejecting a general claim because of a bad example used to support it [48]. This tactic focuses on the example instead of the central claim [48].
Other Deceptive Tactics
Shifting the burden of proof: Insisting that the audience disprove a claim instead of providing evidence to support it [49].
Unaccepted Enthymemes: Presenting an argument with an unstated assumption that is not accepted by the other party [50]. This tactic omits important elements from the argument [51].
Trivial Objections: Opposing an argument based on minor or incidental aspects, rather than the main claim [52].
Blinding with science: Using technical jargon to make a weak argument seem more credible [53].
By understanding these deceptive tactics, one can better identify attempts to manipulate and be more prepared to engage in honest and effective discourse [54].
Affiliate Disclosure: This blog may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you click on the link and make a purchase. This comes at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers. Your support helps keep this blog running and allows me to continue providing you with quality content. Thank you for your support!
These excerpts from the Al Riyadh newspaper, dated March 26, 2025, primarily celebrate the eighth anniversary of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s pledge of allegiance. The articles highlight the Kingdom’s remarkable progress and development across various sectors under his leadership, aligning with Vision 2030. Several pieces also cover Saudi Arabia’s growing international role in economic, political, and diplomatic spheres, including energy markets and peace initiatives. Additionally, the newspaper reports on local developments and initiatives such as infrastructure projects, cultural events, and community services across different regions of the Kingdom.
Vision 2030: A Comprehensive Study Guide
Quiz
Answer the following questions in 2-3 sentences each.
What are some key aspects of the transformative changes brought about by Vision 2030 in Saudi Arabia?
How has Saudi Arabia, under the leadership mentioned, emphasized the importance of education and training?
What are the “Saudi Green Initiative” and “Middle East Green Initiative,” and what do they aim to achieve?
In what ways has the foreign policy of Saudi Arabia shifted since the appointment of the Crown Prince in 2017?
How does Vision 2030 aim to diversify the Saudi Arabian economy away from its reliance on oil?
What role does Vision 2030 envision for the tourism sector in the Kingdom’s future economy?
Describe some of the “giga-projects” associated with Vision 2030 and their intended impact.
How has Vision 2030 contributed to the empowerment of women in Saudi Arabia?
What efforts have been undertaken in Saudi Arabia, as highlighted in the text, to combat corruption?
How does Vision 2030 aim to enhance the quality of life for citizens and residents in Saudi Arabia?
Answer Key
Vision 2030 encompasses a wide range of transformations, including smart cities, investments in clean energy, environmental conservation, and efforts to elevate the Kingdom’s international standing. It aims for comprehensive development across various aspects of life, moving beyond the historical reliance on oil.
The leadership has focused on the critical role of education and training by establishing educational and vocational systems designed to prepare Saudi youth to be at the heart of global development. This initiative seeks to equip the next generation with the skills needed for a modern, competitive workforce.
The “Saudi Green Initiative” and “Middle East Green Initiative” are key environmental programs focused on reducing carbon emissions, protecting the planet, increasing reliance on renewable energy, and planting billions of trees. These initiatives underscore the Kingdom’s commitment to environmental sustainability and combating climate change.
Since 2017, Saudi foreign policy has adopted a more active and influential role in regional and international affairs. The Kingdom has worked to strengthen relationships with various global powers and has taken a leading stance on regional issues, including counter-terrorism efforts.
Vision 2030 seeks to diversify the Saudi economy by promoting the development of non-oil sectors such as tourism, technology, and manufacturing. This includes investing in large-scale projects and creating a free market environment to reduce dependence on traditional oil revenues and foster a more sustainable economic future.
Vision 2030 places a significant emphasis on developing the tourism sector as a key source of national income and economic growth. By investing in infrastructure, cultural and entertainment events, and streamlining visa processes, the Kingdom aims to become a leading global tourist destination.
“Giga-projects” like NEOM, Al Qiddiya, and the Red Sea Project are ambitious developments aimed at creating new hubs for business, tourism, and innovation. These projects are intended to diversify the economy, attract foreign investment, and enhance Saudi Arabia’s global image.
Vision 2030 has actively worked to empower women by granting them new rights and opening opportunities for participation in various sectors of the workforce and society. This includes leadership roles and aims to improve the overall quality of life and foster a more inclusive society.
Saudi Arabia has undertaken significant efforts to combat corruption through legislative reforms, the establishment of anti-corruption bodies like “Nazaha,” and the implementation of transparent governance practices. These campaigns have involved holding high-profile figures accountable and aim to create a healthier institutional environment.
Vision 2030 includes initiatives focused on improving the quality of life through the development of infrastructure, enhanced public services (including education and healthcare), and the promotion of cultural and recreational activities. The development of smart cities and sustainable infrastructure are also key components of this goal.
Essay Format Questions
Analyze the key pillars of Vision 2030 and discuss the extent to which the source material suggests progress towards achieving these goals.
Evaluate the significance of Saudi Arabia’s shift in foreign policy under the current leadership, as portrayed in the excerpts, and its implications for regional stability and international relations.
Discuss the strategies outlined in Vision 2030 for economic diversification, critically assessing the potential challenges and opportunities associated with moving away from oil dependence.
Examine the social reforms and initiatives highlighted in the source material that are aimed at enhancing the quality of life for Saudi citizens and residents, and discuss their broader impact on Saudi society.
Analyze the anti-corruption efforts described in the text and their role in the broader context of Vision 2030’s objectives for national development and international credibility.
Glossary of Key Terms
Vision 2030: A strategic framework launched by Saudi Arabia with the goal of diversifying its economy, developing public service sectors such as health, education, infrastructure, recreation, and tourism, and strengthening governance.
Clean Energy: Energy generated from renewable sources that do not produce greenhouse gases or pollutants, such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric power.
Environmental Conservation: The practice of protecting and preserving natural resources and the environment.
Giga-projects: Large-scale, ambitious development projects initiated as part of Vision 2030, such as NEOM and the Red Sea Project.
Economic Diversification: The process of shifting an economy away from a single income source towards a wider variety of sectors to ensure stability and growth.
Sustainable Development: Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, encompassing environmental, social, and economic aspects.
Foreign Policy: A government’s strategy in dealing with other nations, involving diplomacy, trade, defense, and other interactions.
Empowerment of Women: The process of increasing the social, economic, and political strength of women.
Anti-Corruption: Measures taken to prevent and combat bribery, fraud, and other illegal or unethical practices, especially by government officials or in business dealings.
Quality of Life: The general well-being of individuals and societies, encompassing health, happiness, comfort, and security.
Saudi Green Initiative: A national initiative focused on environmental sustainability, including reducing emissions and planting trees.
Middle East Green Initiative: A broader regional initiative aiming to coordinate efforts across the Middle East to address climate change and environmental challenges.
NEOM: A planned smart city in northwestern Saudi Arabia, envisioned as a hub for innovation, technology, and sustainable living.
Al Qiddiya: An entertainment city under development in Saudi Arabia, focusing on culture, sports, and leisure activities.
Red Sea Project: A luxury tourism development on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast, emphasizing environmental sustainability.
Nazaha: The National Anti-Corruption Commission in Saudi Arabia, responsible for promoting integrity and combating corruption.
Public Investment Fund (PIF): Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, playing a key role in funding Vision 2030 projects and diversifying the economy through strategic investments.
Briefing Document: Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the Eighth Anniversary of the Crown Prince’s Allegiance
Sources: Excerpts from “20724.pdf” (likely an Arabic newspaper or publication).
Overview:
This briefing document synthesizes the main themes and important ideas presented in the provided Arabic source, which focuses on the eighth anniversary of the allegiance ( البيعة الثامنة ) to His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman as Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. The excerpts overwhelmingly celebrate the achievements and ambitious goals of Vision 2030 under his leadership, highlighting progress across various sectors, including economic diversification, social reforms, environmental sustainability, and international relations. The document portrays the Crown Prince as a visionary and inspirational leader driving unprecedented development and positioning Saudi Arabia as a key global player.
Main Themes and Important Ideas:
Commemoration and Renewal of Allegiance:
The anniversary is seen as a significant occasion to reaffirm loyalty and appreciation for the Crown Prince’s leadership.
It’s a time to reflect on the progress achieved under Vision 2030 and to renew commitment towards its future goals.
The source emphasizes the deep-rooted allegiance to a leader who is dedicated to a bright future for the nation and its people: ” (Celebrating the eighth anniversary of the allegiance to His Highness the Crown Prince is a deep celebration and recollection of the national ambition, a redefinition of the Kingdom’s standing, and a confirmation of its path on the international stage, with its renewal every year of loyalty and fidelity to a leader who pledges a bright future for his country and his people).
Vision 2030 as a Catalyst for Comprehensive Transformation:
Vision 2030 is presented as a comprehensive and ambitious roadmap for the Kingdom’s future, encompassing all aspects of life.
It is credited with initiating a new era of development and modernization, moving away from dependence on oil.
The vision is described as a “great strategic vision” and a “brilliant and ambitious roadmap” reaching for the heights ).
It’s a “developmental journey” ) marked by “unprecedented economic renaissance” ).
Economic Diversification and Growth:
A key focus of Vision 2030 is diversifying the Saudi economy away from its reliance on oil revenues.
The establishment of mega-projects like NEOM, Al Qiddiya, and the Red Sea Project are highlighted as drivers of this diversification, aiming to attract investments and boost the Kingdom’s global standing.
The Public Investment Fund (PIF) is playing a crucial role in managing strategic investments to enhance income sources and reduce oil dependence.
The development of the tourism sector is specifically mentioned as a major avenue for economic diversification and revenue generation.
Social Reforms and Quality of Life Enhancements:
The excerpts emphasize improvements in the quality of life for citizens and residents through various initiatives.
Developments in education, healthcare, and entertainment are noted.
The empowerment of youth and the increasing role of women in society are highlighted as significant achievements.
The “Quality of Life Program” is mentioned as aiming to improve living standards by developing infrastructure and services.
Environmental Sustainability:
The importance of environmental preservation and addressing climate change is a prominent theme.
The Crown Prince is portrayed as one of the first leaders to recognize the significance of environmental change for humanity’s future.
Initiatives like the “Saudi Green Initiative” and the “Middle East Green Initiative,” as well as investments in clean and renewable energy projects, are showcased.
The goal of planting 10 billion trees across the Kingdom and protecting 30% of land and sea areas by 2030 is mentioned.
Strengthening International Relations and Global Role:
Saudi Arabia, under the Crown Prince’s leadership, is actively working to strengthen its relations with various global powers in both the West and the East.
The Kingdom is playing a more pivotal role in addressing regional and international issues, aiming to enhance its global standing and expand its alliances.
The Saudi foreign policy under Vision 2030 is described as one of continuous engagement with challenges and a focus on regional stability.
The Kingdom’s role in counter-terrorism and the formation of military alliances for regional stability are mentioned.
Combating Corruption and Promoting Transparency:
A significant aspect of the reforms under the Crown Prince is the strong campaign against corruption.
This is portrayed as a crucial step towards improving government performance, ensuring the proper use of public resources, and building trust between the citizens and the government.
The establishment of the National Anti-Corruption Authority (“Nazaha”) and legislative reforms aimed at strengthening accountability are highlighted.
The Crown Prince’s decisive leadership in holding even high-ranking individuals accountable for corruption is emphasized.
Developing Human Capital through Education and Training:
The importance of education and training is underscored as essential for building a generation capable of contributing to global development.
The Kingdom is becoming a destination for ambitious youth striving to achieve their goals.
The Ministry of Education’s efforts to instill values of moderation, tolerance, and national belonging in students are highlighted.
The development of curricula and various educational programs and initiatives aimed at fostering critical thinking and combating extremism are mentioned.
Hosting Global Events:
Saudi Arabia’s preparation to host major international events like “Expo 2030” in Riyadh and the “FIFA World Cup 2034” is presented as a testament to the Kingdom’s rising global prominence.
These events are expected to further enhance the Kingdom’s position as a cultural and commercial destination.
Philanthropic and Humanitarian Efforts:
The Crown Prince’s initiatives in charitable and humanitarian work, both domestically and internationally, are acknowledged.
The establishment of the Mohammed bin Salman “Misk Al Khairia” Foundation and the support for charitable organizations are mentioned as contributing to social welfare and development.
King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre is highlighted for its role in international humanitarian efforts.
Embracing Modernization and Technology:
The excerpts indicate a strong push towards embracing modern technologies, including artificial intelligence, in various sectors.
The development of smart cities and the use of technology to enhance government services and monitor financial activities are mentioned.
Quotes Highlighting Key Aspects:
(Visionary Leadership): “” (The present is being implemented by an inspiring and exceptional leader who is never satisfied with his dreams.)
(Education and Youth Empowerment): ” (He has worked to direct attention towards the importance of education and training, and established an educational and professional system that prepares a generation of Saudi youth to become at the heart of global development; hence, we find that under his leadership, the Kingdom has become a destination for ambitious youth who continue their pursuit of achieving aspirations for the future, whose seeds were sown by Vision 2030.)
(Environmental Focus): “” (The Kingdom was keen to make its role pivotal in preserving the environment and invested in projects of clean and renewable energy to reduce harmful emissions and protect planet Earth…)
(Global Standing): “” (In less than a decade, he has become a rising sun, and with him, a new pivotal force for the Kingdom in the world, a bright sun carrying within it ambitions…)
(Foreign Policy Transformation): ” (Since the allegiance of Crown Prince Prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2017, Saudi foreign policy has entered a new stage, shifting from a reactive role to a pivotal role in various regional and international issues.)
(Economic Diversification Goal): ” (…as he seeks to move the Kingdom away from dependence on the traditional oil economy to a free market-related trading economy.)
(Tourism as a Driver): “” (Also, Saudi Vision 2030 focuses significantly on developing the tourism sector as a primary source, thereby reducing dependence on oil revenue.)
(Mega-Projects’ Impact): ..” (Saudi Vision 2030 includes a set of ambitious projects aimed at achieving a comprehensive transformation in the Kingdom, among the most prominent of these projects: NEOM, a futuristic city based on technology and innovation, aiming to be a global center for business and tourism…)
(Combating Corruption as Strategic Goal): (Combating corruption was not just a security campaign, but part of a strategic vision aimed at improving government performance and ensuring that the Kingdom’s wealth and resources are directed towards achieving the interests of the people and developing the Kingdom in various fields.)
(Vision 2030’s Pillars): “” (The vision represents a plan for the life of citizens, it is a system of interconnected programs, and the vision of the Crown Prince relies on (3) axes to achieve the vision’s path: the vibrant society, the thriving economy, and the ambitious nation…)
(Youth as Real Wealth): “(…the largest segment of society, and the plans of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman aligned with the aspirations and dreams of the youth, the Kingdom’s true wealth.)
(Global Peacemaker Role): “” (Towards His Highness the Crown Prince, asking him – may God protect him – to mediate between them to resolve their political differences, and desiring his intervention to end the ongoing armed conflicts that have drained their societies and spilled their blood, and asking how to stop the wars and conflicts, given his wise opinion and sound judgment.)
Conclusion:
The provided excerpts paint a picture of a Saudi Arabia undergoing rapid and comprehensive transformation under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Vision 2030 is portrayed as a resounding success, driving progress across various critical sectors. The eighth anniversary of the Crown Prince’s allegiance is celebrated as a testament to his visionary leadership, the strong national will to achieve ambitious goals, and the Kingdom’s growing prominence on the global stage. The document reflects a sense of optimism and confidence in Saudi Arabia’s future trajectory towards a diversified, sustainable, and influential global role.
Saudi Vision 2030: Core Objectives and Strategies
Frequently Asked Questions on the Provided Sources
1. What is the central objective of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, as highlighted in these sources?
Vision 2030 aims for a comprehensive transformation of Saudi Arabia, encompassing economic diversification to reduce reliance on oil, modernization across various sectors like technology, tourism, and renewable energy, and an enhanced global standing. It emphasizes improving the quality of life for citizens and residents, fostering a vibrant society rooted in Islamic values and national heritage, and establishing the Kingdom as a leading global force in economics, politics, and culture.
2. How does Vision 2030 intend to diversify the Saudi Arabian economy away from its dependence on oil?
The vision seeks to diversify the economy through strategic investments in non-oil sectors such as tourism, technology, renewable energy, manufacturing, and the development of mega-projects like NEOM, the Red Sea Project, and Al Qiddiya. It focuses on attracting foreign investment, fostering entrepreneurship among Saudi youth, developing a robust free-market economy, and increasing the contribution of non-oil revenues to the national income.
3. What role does the development of mega-projects play in achieving the goals of Vision 2030?
Mega-projects like NEOM, the Red Sea Project, Al Qiddiya, and others are integral to Vision 2030 as they are designed to attract significant investments, create new job opportunities, drive economic growth in non-traditional sectors, and position Saudi Arabia as a global hub for business, tourism, and innovation. These projects aim to redefine urban living, promote sustainable development, and showcase the Kingdom’s ambition and potential.
4. How has Saudi Arabia’s foreign policy evolved under the leadership mentioned in the sources, in alignment with Vision 2030?
Saudi Arabia’s foreign policy has become more proactive and multi-faceted, aiming to strengthen its regional and international alliances, enhance its influence on global issues, and promote stability in the Middle East. It emphasizes building partnerships with various countries, playing a key role in regional mediation and conflict resolution (such as efforts towards stability in Syria and fostering unity among GCC nations), and actively combating terrorism and extremism. The foreign policy also supports the goals of Vision 2030 by attracting international collaborations and investments.
5. What emphasis is placed on education and youth empowerment within the framework of Vision 2030?
Education and youth empowerment are critical pillars of Vision 2030. The vision aims to create a modern and efficient education system that prepares Saudi youth to compete globally, meet the demands of the future job market, and contribute to the Kingdom’s development. Various initiatives focus on enhancing curricula, promoting critical thinking, fostering innovation, and providing opportunities for skills development and leadership roles for the younger generation in diverse sectors.
6. How does Vision 2030 address the importance of sustainability and environmental conservation?
Sustainability and environmental conservation are significant aspects of Vision 2030. The Kingdom has launched initiatives like the “Saudi Green Initiative” and the “Middle East Green Initiative” to reduce carbon emissions, increase reliance on clean energy sources, protect natural resources and biodiversity, and combat desertification. These efforts demonstrate a commitment to preserving the planet for future generations and align with global efforts to address climate change.
7. What reforms and initiatives have been undertaken in Saudi Arabia to promote social development and improve the quality of life under Vision 2030?
Significant social reforms have been implemented, including the empowerment of women through expanded rights and opportunities, development of the cultural and entertainment sectors, and initiatives to enhance healthcare, infrastructure, and public services. The “Quality of Life Program” specifically aims to improve the living standards of citizens and residents by providing better amenities, cultural experiences, and recreational activities, making Saudi Arabia a more attractive place to live and work.
8. How has the fight against corruption been prioritized and addressed as part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030?
Combating corruption is a high priority within Vision 2030, viewed as essential for building a transparent, accountable, and prosperous nation. Significant efforts have been made to strengthen regulatory bodies (like “Nazaha”), implement legal reforms to deter and punish corruption, enhance transparency in government operations, and hold individuals accountable, regardless of their status. These measures aim to ensure that public resources are used effectively for national development and to build trust between the government and its citizens and investors.
Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030: A Kingdom’s Transformation
Vision 2030 is presented in the sources as a comprehensive and ambitious strategic plan launched by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. It is described as a roadmap for the Kingdom’s future development across various sectors.
Key Objectives and Principles of Vision 2030:
Economic Diversification: A central goal is to reduce reliance on oil as the primary source of income and to develop diverse sources of revenue. This includes developing new sectors such as tourism, industry, technology, and renewable energy. The vision aims to create a knowledge-based economy.
Improving Quality of Life: Vision 2030 seeks to enhance the quality of life for citizens and residents. This involves initiatives to improve healthcare, education, recreation, culture, sports, and urban development.
Achieving Sustainable Development: The vision emphasizes sustainability in various aspects, including environmental protection and economic stability. Initiatives like the Saudi Green Initiative and the Middle East Green Initiative aim to combat desertification, plant billions of trees, and increase the contribution of renewable energy.
Enhancing the Kingdom’s Global Standing: Vision 2030 aims to strengthen the Kingdom’s position as a global leader. This includes attracting foreign investment, becoming a global hub for logistics and trade, and playing a key role in international diplomacy and conflict resolution. The Kingdom also aims to be a leading destination for international conferences.
Empowering Citizens: The vision focuses on empowering youth and women. It seeks to increase female participation in the workforce and provide opportunities for young Saudis in various fields.
Strengthening National Identity and Values: While embracing modernization, Vision 2030 emphasizes the importance of preserving the Kingdom’s religious and cultural heritage. It highlights the Kingdom’s role in serving Islam and Muslims worldwide. The vision also promotes values of moderation, tolerance, and coexistence.
Improving Governance and Efficiency: The plan includes efforts to enhance government performance, promote transparency and accountability, and combat corruption. The digital transformation is a key aspect of improving efficiency and delivering advanced services.
Key Initiatives and Projects under Vision 2030:
NEOM: A futuristic city embodying innovation and sustainability.
Al Qiddiya: A global entertainment, sports, and cultural destination.
Red Sea Project: A luxury tourism destination focused on sustainability.
Saudi Green Initiative and Middle East Green Initiative: Ambitious environmental programs focused on afforestation, reducing emissions, and increasing reliance on renewable energy.
National Investment Strategy: Aims to increase the volume of domestic and foreign investment.
Fintech Sector Development: Efforts to transform the Kingdom into a leading financial technology hub.
Developing the Non-Profit Sector: Initiatives to empower and enhance the impact of charitable organizations.
Progress and Impact:
The sources indicate that Vision 2030 has already led to significant transformations and achievements across various sectors. These include:
Economic growth and diversification, with an increase in non-oil GDP.
Attraction of foreign investment and the establishment of regional headquarters for international companies.
Advancements in digital transformation, ranking highly in digital competitiveness.
Increased participation of women in the workforce.
Development of the tourism sector and the launch of mega-tourism projects.
Significant progress in the sports sector, including hosting major international events and increasing the value of the Saudi football league.
Improvements in healthcare and education.
Enhanced environmental awareness and the initiation of green projects.
Increased trust in the government.
Leadership and Vision:
The sources consistently highlight the pivotal role of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in conceiving, launching, and driving the implementation of Vision 2030. His visionary leadership, determination, and continuous follow-up are credited with the progress achieved. The Crown Prince’s belief that “ambition knows no limit” and the “zeal has no end” is emphasized.
Overall Significance:
Vision 2030 is portrayed as more than just an economic plan; it is a national document that reflects the Kingdom’s commitment to a brighter and more prosperous future for its citizens and the world. It is a continuous journey of work that extends beyond 2030. The vision aims to transform the Kingdom into a global model of development and progress.
Mohammed bin Salman: Vision 2030 and Saudi Arabia’s Transformation
Based on the sources and our previous discussion, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is a central figure in the transformation and development of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He is consistently presented as the driving force behind Vision 2030, the ambitious strategic plan for the Kingdom’s future.
Key Aspects of the Crown Prince’s Role and Vision:
Architect of Vision 2030: He is widely recognized as the initiator and the “real driving force” behind Vision 2030. The vision itself is described as his roadmap for transforming the Kingdom into a global model across various fields. His “bright thought and strong determination” are highlighted in the context of these reforms.
Economic Transformation: The Crown Prince has led the Kingdom in an “exceptional transformation journey”, marked by significant leaps in various sectors. A primary focus is on diversifying the economy and reducing reliance on oil through the development of sectors like tourism, technology, and renewable energy. Initiatives such as NEOM, Al Qiddiya, and the Red Sea Project are flagship projects reflecting this vision for a more diverse and sustainable economy. The launch of companies like the Public Transport Company for the manufacturing of machinery and equipment also aligns with this industrial diversification. His leadership aims to create a competitive business environment and attract investments.
Improving Quality of Life: The Crown Prince’s vision aims to improve the lives of citizens and residents by enhancing healthcare and education services, providing world-class entertainment and cultural options, and empowering youth through education and job creation. Projects focusing on urban beautification and improving the environment, such as those undertaken by the Al Muthnib Governorate Municipality, also contribute to this goal of enhancing the local scene and achieving quality of life.
Promoting Moderation and Combating Extremism: The Crown Prince is credited with spearheading efforts to promote moderation, coexistence, and tolerance while combating extremism and terrorism. He has emphasized the need to fight extremism to build stability and achieve economic development in the region. Measures taken include issuing clear legislation to define terrorist acts and intensifying penalties, as well as purging pulpits and platforms of extremist elements. Initiatives like the King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID), established during his tenure as Crown Prince, demonstrate the Kingdom’s commitment to fostering dialogue and respecting diversity.
Enhancing Global Standing and International Relations: The Crown Prince has actively worked to strengthen the Kingdom’s international relations through diplomatic visits and strategic partnerships with major global powers like the United States and China. He has also led efforts to combat terrorism in cooperation with other nations. The Kingdom, under his leadership, has played a pivotal role in regional and international issues, striving to resolve conflicts and promote peace. The Crown Prince’s efforts in mediating between Russia and Ukraine have been recognized internationally. His vision aims to position the Kingdom as an influential political and economic power on the global stage.
Combating Corruption and Promoting Transparency: The Crown Prince has launched anti-corruption campaigns aimed at increasing transparency and accountability within the government. The government has taken serious measures to hold those involved in corruption accountable, sending a strong message to both the public and private sectors.
Specific Initiatives: Beyond the mega-projects, the Crown Prince has overseen the launch of numerous initiatives across various sectors, including the development of the fintech sector, the Saudi Green Initiative for environmental sustainability, and programs to support the non-profit sector and address social issues. The establishment of the Mohammed bin Salman Foundation “Misk” to empower youth and the Non-Profit City in Riyadh “Misk City” are examples of his focus on human capital development and innovation.
Leadership Style and Connection with Citizens: The sources suggest a leadership style characterized by closeness and direct interaction with citizens. This approach is seen as fostering national unity and trust between the leadership and the people.
International Recognition: The Crown Prince’s efforts in promoting peace and development have garnered international attention and praise, with some even suggesting him as a potential candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize. His role in facilitating talks and de-escalating conflicts has been acknowledged by global leaders.
In conclusion, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is depicted as a transformational leader with a clear and ambitious vision for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. His leadership is characterized by a focus on economic diversification, improving the quality of life, promoting moderation, enhancing the Kingdom’s global role, and driving large-scale development projects, all under the umbrella of Vision 2030.
Saudi Arabia’s Economic Growth and Vision 2030
Based on the sources and our previous discussion, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has witnessed significant economic growth and is actively pursuing a path of sustainable and diversified economic development.
The Saudi economy recorded strong growth in the past year, with the non-oil GDP showing a notable increase of 3.5% in the third quarter. This growth was supported by higher oil prices and improved performance in non-oil sectors such as industry and technology. The Kingdom has successfully achieved a balance between traditional and modern sectors, contributing to the stability and resilience of the national economy in the face of global changes.
Vision 2030 is explicitly identified as the driving force behind this economic transformation and the pursuit of a thriving economy. A key objective of the vision is economic diversification and reducing reliance on oil by developing sectors like tourism, technology, and renewable energy.
The Kingdom has seen great success in attracting foreign direct investment in the past year, registering a 15% increase compared to the previous year. This improvement reflects the encouraging investment environment provided by the Kingdom through legal amendments and streamlined procedures to attract international investors, positioning the Kingdom as a promising destination. The National Investment Strategy focuses on increasing the volume and efficiency of both domestic and foreign investments, leveraging national strengths and prioritizing the private sector. The goal is to increase the contribution of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to 35% by 2030.
Specific sectors are experiencing notable growth:
The tourism sector has witnessed a remarkable surge, with a 73% increase in the number of international tourists and a 207% rise in international tourism revenues in the first seven months of the past year compared to the same period in 2019. The Kingdom aims to increase the tourism sector’s contribution to the GDP to 10% by 2030, representing around 600 to 700 billion riyals. Saudi Arabia achieved its highest number of inbound tourists at approximately 30 million in the past year, with a target of 70 million by 2030.
The communications and technology market has reached a volume of 166 billion riyals, with a compound annual growth rate of 8% over the past six years. The Kingdom has also achieved the second rank among the G20 countries in the United Nations’ TII index for telecommunications infrastructure. The ICT market in the Kingdom is the largest and fastest-growing in the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia region.
The fintech sector has experienced tremendous development in recent years, with investments exceeding one billion dollars. This growth is supported by specialized investment funds like the “Fintech Fund” and the Public Investment Fund. The sector encompasses a wide range of financial services, including payment systems and transfers.
The Public Investment Fund (PIF) is identified as the primary driver for achieving Vision 2030’s objectives. It has become one of the largest sovereign wealth funds globally in the field of non-oil investments. The PIF has established 79 local companies and created 500,000 direct and indirect jobs. Its strategic investments, including in Aramco, generate significant returns that are reinvested in domestic infrastructure and to support citizens.
The Kingdom’s unique strategic location connecting three continents and its wealth in natural resources are being leveraged to localize industries, logistics services, and the energy sector. The “Developing National Industries and Logistics Services” program aims to localize 70% of the oil and gas sector and 30% of the pharmaceutical industries.
The stable “+A” credit rating with a “stable” future outlook by Standard & Poor’s (S&P) reflects the strength of the Saudi economy and supports its development plans, attracting investments and reducing financing costs, thereby enhancing the achievement of Vision 2030’s targets. Furthermore, the Edelman Trust Barometer 2025 indicates that the Kingdom has the highest trust globally in the government sector at 87%, surpassing many developed nations. The Kingdom is also the most optimistic country globally about the future at 69%.
The Kingdom boasts the highest rate of global productivity growth despite its later entry into the G20. This strong economic performance is supported by a robust financial policy aligned with Vision 2030, ensuring transparency and sustainability. The preliminary forecasts for 2025 indicate a 4.6% real GDP growth, driven by an increase in non-oil activities.
The concept of sustainable development is a fundamental pillar for achieving the Kingdom’s future aspirations. Projects like NEOM are envisioned as global models for smart and sustainable cities relying entirely on renewable energy and advanced technologies like artificial intelligence and robotics. The Red Sea Project is another major initiative reflecting the vision for a leading sustainable tourism sector, adhering to environmental protection standards while contributing to economic diversification and job creation. The Saudi Green Initiative further underscores the Kingdom’s commitment to environmental sustainability by implementing numerous initiatives focused on mitigating climate change.
In conclusion, the sources portray a Kingdom actively engaged in robust economic growth, driven by the ambitious goals of Vision 2030 and the strategic leadership of the Crown Prince. The focus on diversification, attracting investment, developing key sectors, and promoting sustainability indicates a commitment to long-term economic prosperity and a reduced reliance on traditional oil revenues.
Saudi Arabia: A Central Actor in Global Affairs
Based on the sources and our conversation history, Saudi Arabia under the leadership of the Crown Prince actively engages in robust international relations across various fronts. The Kingdom is portrayed as a pivotal player in regional and international affairs, seeking to strengthen alliances, mediate conflicts, promote peace, and foster cooperation on global issues.
Key aspects of Saudi Arabia’s international relations highlighted in the sources:
Strengthening Strategic Alliances: Saudi Arabia actively works to strengthen its relationships with major global powers such as the United States, China, and Russia. This involves diplomatic visits and establishing strategic partnerships aimed at attracting investments and fostering economic cooperation. The Kingdom’s cooperation with major powers is seen as enhancing its position as a supporter of economic and security stability in the world.
Regional Leadership and Mediation: Saudi Arabia plays a central role in addressing regional issues. It has been actively involved in mediation efforts to resolve conflicts and promote stability in the Middle East and beyond. The Kingdom’s decision to remain neutral regarding the war in Ukraine, for instance, positioned it as a suitable venue for negotiations between various parties. The sources highlight the Crown Prince’s efforts in mediating prisoner exchanges between Russia and Ukraine and fostering dialogue to prevent further escalation of the conflict.
Combating Terrorism and Extremism: The Kingdom is at the forefront of efforts to combat terrorism and extremist ideologies. It has announced numerous initiatives aimed at drying up the sources of intellectual and terrorist extremism and promoting tolerance among peoples. This includes the establishment of centers like the King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID). Saudi Arabia cooperates with other nations in the fight against terrorism.
Promoting Coexistence and Interfaith Dialogue: Saudi Arabia emphasizes the importance of peaceful coexistence among peoples and highlights its significant role in serving Islam and Muslims worldwide. The Kingdom places a great responsibility on itself to uphold the teachings of Islam based on moderation and fights extremist ideas in religion. It actively works to promote a culture of respect for diversity and dialogue among followers of different religions and cultures.
Support for the Palestinian Cause: Saudi Arabia strongly advocates for the rights of the Palestinian people and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. The Kingdom has condemned Israeli aggression and continues to urge the international community to recognize the State of Palestine. It has also launched international alliances to implement the two-state solution.
Global Humanitarian Efforts: Saudi Arabia, under the guidance of the Crown Prince, provides significant humanitarian aid to numerous countries in need across different continents. The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre coordinates these efforts, assisting countries like Yemen, Syria, Palestine, Sudan, and Ukraine, among many others. These humanitarian policies reflect the Kingdom’s commitment to human dignity and alleviating suffering, regardless of religion, language, or ethnicity.
International Environmental Initiatives: Saudi Arabia is actively involved in global efforts to combat climate change and promote environmental sustainability. Initiatives like the Saudi Green Initiative demonstrate the Kingdom’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions, increasing reliance on renewable energy, and planting trees. The Kingdom aims to be a leader in environmental sustainability at the regional and international levels.
Hosting International Conferences and Forums: Riyadh has become an important global center for international conferences, including political and economic summits like the G20 summit. This reflects the Kingdom’s growing international prominence and its role in facilitating global dialogue and cooperation.
Crown Prince as a Global Peacemaker: The Crown Prince is increasingly being seen as a key figure in global peace efforts. His endeavors to promote regional and international peace and security have garnered international recognition, with some viewing him as a leader capable of achieving lasting geopolitical stability.
In conclusion, the sources depict Saudi Arabia as an active and influential participant in international relations under the leadership of the Crown Prince. The Kingdom pursues a multifaceted foreign policy focused on strengthening alliances, resolving conflicts, promoting moderation and tolerance, championing key global causes, and playing a significant role in the international arena.
Saudi Arabia: The Digital Transformation Under Vision 2030
Based on the sources and our conversation history, digital transformation is a central pillar of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and is receiving significant attention and investment under the leadership of the Crown Prince. The Kingdom is making rapid strides in leveraging digital technologies to diversify its economy, enhance public services, and improve the overall quality of life.
Here are the key aspects of digital transformation in Saudi Arabia as highlighted in the sources:
Government Focus and Vision 2030: The digital transformation is a key objective of Vision 2030, aiming to establish Saudi Arabia as a technologically advanced nation and a leading digital economy. This vision drives numerous initiatives and investments in the digital sector.
Advancements in Digital Infrastructure: The Kingdom has made considerable progress in developing its digital infrastructure, achieving the second rank among the G20 countries in the United Nations’ TII index for telecommunications infrastructure [7, and our conversation history]. This robust infrastructure is a foundation for further digital advancements.
Growth of the ICT Market: Saudi Arabia’s information and communication technology (ICT) market is the largest and fastest-growing in the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia region, reaching a substantial volume with a significant compound annual growth rate [7, and our conversation history]. This growth indicates a strong demand and potential for digital services.
Flourishing Fintech Sector: The financial technology (Fintech) sector has witnessed tremendous development in recent years, attracting over one billion dollars in investments. This growth is supported by dedicated investment funds and encompasses various areas such as:
Payment Systems and Transfers: Including the widespread adoption of electronic wallets like STC Pay, Apple Pay, and mada Pay, as well as innovative payment solutions for merchants.
Digital Banking: With banks increasingly offering digital services, eliminating the need for branch visits, and utilizing AI-powered chatbots to assist customers.
Digital Lending and E-lending: The emergence of direct lending platforms facilitates access to finance for SMEs, and AI is used for risk analysis and personalized loan offerings.
E-investment and Trading: Financial applications enable easy investment, and crowdfunding is growing as a way to support small projects.
Digital Insurance (Insurtech): Companies offer instant and digital insurance purchase and renewal online.
Blockchain Technology: Being explored for secure and transparent financial transactions, smart contracts, and proof of ownership, with the potential for a Saudi digital currency.
Emphasis on Emerging Technologies: The Kingdom is actively investing in modern technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, and the Internet of Things (IoT). These technologies are seen as crucial for developing smart cities and enhancing various sectors.
Digital Transformation Across Sectors: Digital transformation is impacting various sectors beyond finance:
Government Services: The promotion of electronic services is a key aspect.
Education and Health: These sectors have seen improvements through curriculum development, research advancement, and investment in health technologies.
Cybersecurity and Data Protection: Recognizing the importance of a robust digital ecosystem, the Kingdom is focused on enhancing cybersecurity to protect customer data from breaches.
Smart City Initiatives: Projects like NEOM are envisioned as smart and sustainable future cities that heavily rely on advanced digital technologies.
National Recognition: Saudi Arabia is now recognized as a global model in digital transformation, holding a leading position in international digital competitiveness indices.
Challenges in the Fintech Sector: Despite significant progress, the Fintech sector still faces challenges such as lengthy processes for obtaining licenses, trust and awareness among individuals, increasing competition, and the need for strong cybersecurity measures.
Ongoing Development and Integration: Efforts are underway to further develop digital financial services for SMEs and to foster greater integration between traditional banks and Fintech companies to offer more advanced digital services.
In conclusion, Saudi Arabia is undergoing a comprehensive digital transformation driven by the goals of Vision 2030 and strong government support. The rapid advancements in digital infrastructure, the thriving Fintech sector, and the focus on emerging technologies are positioning the Kingdom as a significant player in the global digital economy.
A pledge renewed with great gains and eternal achievements
Today, Wednesday, Ramadan 26, 1446 AH, corresponding to March 26, 2025 AD, marks the eighth anniversary of the pledge of allegiance to the Crown Prince, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud – may God protect him – and the Kingdom is enjoying an era of goodness, growth, and giving in the land of peace and glory. Eight prosperous years have passed, replete with great development. The trust bestowed by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz – may God protect him – enabled the vision’s sponsor to set out with confidence and passion to build great glory and prosperity in development and the economy, transforming the Kingdom into a strategic economic, political, and military power at the regional and international levels, and implementing numerous reforms that shortened time and achieved numerous accomplishments within a short period. The personality of His Highness the Crown Prince emerged powerfully in the eyes of the world through his accomplishments and his diverse and innovative positions. This is not surprising when we realize that he was raised in the care of the man of wisdom and knowledge, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, from whom he derived leadership, determination, and far-sightedness in every matter. The anniversary of the pledge of allegiance to His Highness the Crown Prince comes in light of a large number of qualitative achievements accomplished by the Kingdom, in which the Crown Prince played a fundamental role, foremost among which is the launch of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, with its pioneering initiatives and qualitative projects, the fruits of which the Kingdom has begun to reap in terms of strengthening the capacity of the national economy and diversifying its resources. The Kingdom is witnessing significant development in various areas, full of achievements on various educational, cultural, social, health, and economic levels. These years have witnessed qualitative transformations that have confirmed that His Highness the Crown Prince won the bet when he relied on the people of this nation to achieve the goals of his comprehensive vision, which has brought great good to the Kingdom’s sky in the darkest circumstances that the countries of the world are experiencing. Vision 2030 was not just a multi-faceted economic proposal, but rather an official national document in which His Highness the Crown Prince pledged to achieve progress for the nation. Upon launching the vision on April 25, 2016, His Highness said: “We pledge to you that we will be among the best countries in the world in effective government performance to serve citizens. Together, we will complete the building of our country so that it will be as we all hope for it: prosperous and strong, built on the shoulders of its sons and daughters, and benefiting from its capabilities, without being dependent on the value of a commodity or the movement of foreign markets.” The Kingdom is witnessing significant development in various areas, full of achievements on various educational, cultural, social, health, and economic levels. These years have witnessed qualitative transformations that have confirmed that His Highness the Crown Prince won the bet when he relied on the sons of this nation to achieve the goals of his comprehensive vision, which has brought great good to the Kingdom’s sky in the darkest circumstances that the countries of the world are experiencing, from wars and epidemics. After the pledge of allegiance to His Highness the Crown Prince, the development process began to unfold in the Kingdom, with the drawing up of a roadmap for economic transformation in Vision 2030 and the National Transformation Program 2020, led by the Council of Economic and Development Affairs, chaired by His Highness. This has contributed to the Kingdom maintaining its advanced position among nations and competing with major powers in many economic, scientific, and cultural fields. The Kingdom has become a destination for senior leaders, politicians, businessmen, economists, and cultural and artistic giants. The Kingdom has prepared an infrastructure to become one of the largest economic, cultural, and tourism centers in the world, with giant projects transforming it from dependence on oil to diversifying sources of income, and opening up broad horizons of… Work and employment for the citizens of the country
Our country, thanks be to God, has taken steps that cannot be described, but they are extraordinary by the standards of time and place. No other country in the world could have achieved the change that has taken place in our country, with all this brilliant achievement that was not limited to construction and development and huge projects, despite their importance. Rather, it was the people of this country who changed to levels that they had never expected to reach under any circumstances. This would not have happened had God Almighty not granted us our wise leadership, with the wisdom of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and the ambitious vision of His Highness the Crown Prince, who the Saudi people in all cities, villages and regions of the Kingdom are celebrating the eighth anniversary of His Highness’s assumption of the position of Crown Prince of our dear Kingdom and the launch of Vision 2030, which is A platform for launching our national project, the fruits of which we have begun to reap even before the scheduled date for achieving its declared goals. The ambition of His Highness the Crown Prince is limitless and his passion is beyond imagination. His Highness announced that achieving the goals of Vision 2030 will not be the end of the ambition, but rather the continuation of tireless, uninterrupted work until our country becomes the focus of the world’s attention even more than it is now. The world knows that Vision 2030 and the impressive results it has achieved are only the beginning, and the coming days will bring the miraculous achievement that will, God willing and by His power, be the talk of the world. Our country possesses many economic and investment assets other than oil, and it has religious constants. The cultural, heritage, and societal origins have made it a permanent destination for people from around the world. All of this and more was achieved thanks to God Almighty, then thanks to our leadership, may God protect and guide its steps, and thanks to the unique vision of His Highness the Crown Prince, who taught us that ambition has no limits, that passion has no end, and that loving one’s country and working for its elevation and eminence is a duty that can only be carried out in the most perfect manner.
Eight years of transformation and renewed ambition
History remains a witness to the pivotal moments that change the course of nations, and great leaders of every decade acquire the ability to make decisive decisions. Here we see the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud – may God protect him – as a unique and wise leader who led the country to achieve accomplishments everywhere. One of his most important decisions was the selection of an exceptional figure who would shoulder the aspirations and dreams of the Saudi people. He is His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince and Prime Minister – may God support him – who has become a model of an inspiring leader who possesses the vision to fulfill the hopes of future generations and contribute to shaping the future. He carries the leadership genes of great leaders who led the Kingdom in successive eras. Prince Mohammed bin Salman was not just a political leader, but a true architect of the renaissance, creative in realizing Vision 2030, which brought major transformations to the Kingdom at all levels. Through this insightful vision, he opened new horizons for the Kingdom, placing it at the forefront of countries embarking on the path of progress and sustainable growth, with an ambitious vision that outlined the future, transforming the Kingdom into a leading regional power and enhancing its international presence. From building future cities to investing in renewable energy, from promoting environmental sustainability to strengthening global partnerships, the foundations of the modern Kingdom have been laid, especially with the announcement of the Kingdom hosting Expo 2030 and the 2034 World Cup. It has become clear that the Kingdom will never stop keeping pace with the future and achieving dreams. His smile has encompassed all aspects of life, starting with building smart cities, investing in clean energy, and preserving the environment, all the way to highlighting the Kingdom in all international forums. We find that the Kingdom has placed itself firmly on the world map, thanks to Vision 2030, which was and remains a legend of the modern era, implemented by an inspiring and unique leader who never gets tired of his dreams. Celebrating the eighth anniversary of the pledge of allegiance to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is a celebration of the journey of national ambition, a redefinition of the Kingdom’s position on the international stage, and a reminder of the profound allegiance renewed with each passing year. It also reaffirms the deep-rooted loyalty and devotion to a leader who pledges a bright future for his country and his people, and indeed for the region as a whole. On the eighth anniversary of the pledge of allegiance to His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince and Prime Minister – may God support him – a scene of the ambitious vision that transformed the Kingdom’s features and placed it on the map of progress and the future in a changing world is embodied. Since assuming the position of Crown Prince, the young prince has become a symbol of wise and brilliant leadership that moves every wheel toward transformation and innovation, instilling in the nation a new spirit of pride and inspiration, and renewing hope for a prosperous future, not only for the Kingdom but for the entire world.
Vision 2030 knows no impossible. Vision 2030, launched by Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was not just an ambitious plan. Rather, it was a unique roadmap that charted the path for the Kingdom’s development in all political, economic, and social fields. With his creativity and wise leadership, he was able to translate this vision into reality. His most notable achievements were the launch of mega-projects such as NEOM, the futuristic city that is shaping the future of the world, as well as Qiddiya, a city that represents a model for entertainment and innovation. The vision was not limited to building cities only, but also included developing a national economy based on diversity, as the prince is working to reduce dependence on oil, and expand sectors such as technology, renewable energy, tourism, and entertainment, in addition to localizing qualitative industries in all fields, attracting global investments, and even making the capital, Riyadh, the regional headquarters for more than 200 giant companies. An influential leader and strategic planner, Prince Mohammed bin Salman has become a symbol of strategic intellect and thought that looks far ahead. He has played a pivotal role in strengthening the Kingdom’s position in international politics through his prominent role in regional and international issues. He has ensured that the Kingdom is at the forefront of influential positions on major world issues, such as the Yemeni crisis, the Lebanese crisis, and the Russian-Ukrainian crisis. He has also played a pivotal role in establishing the foundations of global peace, and the Middle East in particular. On the economic front, it has become a leader of the economic revolution in the Kingdom. Through the “National Energy Program” and “Sustainable Investment,” it seeks to make the Kingdom a global center for renewable energy, represented by solar energy and hydrogen energy projects, such as “green hydrogen,” which is considered one of the most promising environmental projects in the world. Through these projects, the Kingdom contributes to creating sustainable environmental solutions and once again proves its ability to be a pioneer in confronting global challenges.
Humanity and Social Change Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s humanitarian side was and remains one of the most prominent features of his leadership personality. Through his commitment to empowering Saudi women and providing them with opportunities in work and politics, as well as developing education and society, he has become an inspiring leader for the young generation of Saudis, who now see him as a model of excellence and ambition. His Highness launched initiatives in this regard, such as the “National Empowerment Program,” which has facilitated women’s participation in economic and social life in an unprecedented manner. He worked to draw attention to the importance of education and training, and established an educational and vocational system that prepares a generation of Saudi youth to become at the heart of global development. Therefore, we find that the Kingdom, under his leadership, has become a destination for young people looking to the future, continuing to strive to achieve the ambitions sown by Vision 2030. Preserving the Planet: One of Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s most important concerns is the environment. He was one of the first leaders to realize the importance of environmental change for the human future. The Kingdom was keen to make its role pivotal in preserving the Earth’s environment, investing in renewable and clean energy projects to reduce harmful emissions and protect the planet. The “Green Saudi Arabia” and “Middle East” projects are considered… “Green” is one of the initiatives that embody His Highness’s interest in creating a sustainable future. The launch of “Green Hydrogen” embodies his ability to combine modern technology with environmental protection. The Kingdom’s International Image: His Highness’s role was not limited to the domestic arena, but rather brought about a transformation in the Kingdom’s international image. He demonstrated an exceptional ability to leverage the Kingdom’s soft power, making it a pivotal player in resolving many international crises, whether in the fields of politics or the economy. The significant role played by the Prince in strengthening the Kingdom’s diplomatic relations cannot be denied. The Kingdom has assumed an influential position at the regional and international levels, believing that a policy of dialogue and understanding is the path towards building a more stable world.
Pledge Day: Loyalty and Commitment Celebrating the anniversary of the pledge of allegiance is not limited to ceremonies alone. Rather, it is a day of renewal and loyalty, where the Saudi people express their deep belonging to their country and leadership. It is a moment to renew the pledge of allegiance and covenant with a leader who inspires hope and confidently moves toward the future. On this day, citizens express their pride and appreciation for the achievements made under His Highness’s leadership, affirming their support for the leadership on the path of change and development. The pledge of allegiance is not just a word, but a sincere expression of deep confidence in the leadership’s ability to achieve ambitious visions and reach the global goals it seeks to achieve. His Highness’s vision for the future outlines the Kingdom’s features in the coming years, as the Kingdom prepares to host two important global events: Expo 2030 in Riyadh and the 2034 World Cup. These two events will enhance the Kingdom’s position on the global stage, as the Kingdom will be at the center of the world’s attention, because organizing such events reflects the Kingdom’s economic strength and its transformation into a global cultural and commercial destination. A Leader for the Future with a Global Vision On the eighth anniversary of the pledge of allegiance, we can only emphasize that His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister – may God support him – is an exceptional leader, not only because he works to strengthen the economy and politics, but also because he is a leader with a far-reaching vision and a desire to shape the future in an unconventional way. In less than a decade, he has become a pivotal force in the Kingdom and the world, and with him a new sun rises for the Kingdom, a bright sun that carries within it great ambitions and a hope for a better tomorrow.
Today, as every day, all Saudis feel great gratitude on the occasion of the eighth anniversary of the pledge of allegiance to His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince – may God protect him. This is a valuable opportunity to express our appreciation for the profound transformations the Kingdom has witnessed under his leadership, especially in areas of foreign policy, which have been one of his most prominent concerns. Since Prince Mohammed bin Salman assumed the position of Crown Prince, Saudi foreign policy has witnessed radical changes, manifested in the adoption of a more dynamic and ambitious approach. Under his leadership, the Kingdom has sought to strengthen its international standing and deepen its relations with major countries, as well as developing its strategic alliances with friendly countries. These transformations were not limited to bilateral relations alone, but also to the Kingdom’s active role in many regional and international issues. This transformation was clearly embodied in the Kingdom’s policy toward the Arab region and the Islamic world. The Kingdom has demonstrated strong and effective leadership in confronting the security and political challenges facing the region, such as the conflict in Yemen and tensions with Iran. Saudi diplomacy, under the leadership of the Crown Prince, has been adept at resolving many conflicts and seeking peaceful solutions that ensure the stability and security of the region.
Saudi diplomacy: settling disputes peacefully
Riyadh – Jana Al-Anzi
Foreign policy achievements were not limited to the region alone, but extended beyond it to include cooperation strategies with major powers such as the United States, Russia, and China, which strengthened the Kingdom’s position as a major supporter of economic and security stability in the world. Riyadh also succeeded in diversifying its economic partnerships by activating cooperation with Asian and African countries, which added new depth to Saudi policy. In addition, the Crown Prince played a crucial role in transforming the Kingdom into a global destination for international conferences. Riyadh has become an important center for economic and political conferences, such as the G20 Summit, reflecting the Kingdom’s evolving role on the global stage. The profound impact of Saudi Vision 2030 on foreign policy cannot be overlooked. This vision has contributed to restructuring many economic and political relations, and achieving a shift in the Kingdom’s strategy in line with future ambitions aimed at building a strong and diversified economy. The Kingdom has succeeded in attracting huge investments from around the world, reflecting international confidence in the Saudi leadership. Diplomatic Influences and Political Issues After the Pledge of Allegiance to the Crown Prince Since the pledge of allegiance to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2017, Saudi foreign policy has entered a new phase of major transformations, with the Kingdom assuming a pivotal role in various regional and international issues. Under the leadership of Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Kingdom has worked to strengthen its relations with major powers, both in the West and the East, gaining it increasing influence on the global stage. Saudi Arabia’s primary goal through this policy was to enhance its global standing and expand its circle of strategic alliances. This was largely achieved through strengthening cooperation with the United States in the areas of security and defense, while simultaneously seeking to open diplomatic channels with countries such as Russia and China, giving the Kingdom the ability to balance among the major global powers. However, Saudi policy was not limited to bilateral relations alone, but extended to complex regional issues that defined the Kingdom’s political orientations. The Yemen war was one of the most prominent challenges facing the Kingdom in recent years. By leading the Arab coalition, the Kingdom sought to support the legitimate Yemeni government in confronting the Iranian-backed Houthis. However, this war was not without costs, as it affected the Kingdom’s domestic and foreign policy and raised questions about its humanitarian and political repercussions. At the same time, tensions with Iran were increasing, especially after attacks on the Kingdom’s oil facilities. However, the Kingdom, under the leadership of the Crown Prince, adopted a policy of caution and appeasement with Tehran, attempting to maintain regional stability while simultaneously seeking to improve its borders and protect its interests. In the Islamic diplomatic arena, the Kingdom maintained its position as a leader of the Islamic world. It continued to provide political and humanitarian support to Islamic countries, while strengthening its relationship with international organizations concerned with the Islamic world. Under the leadership of Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Kingdom has sought to address some important domestic issues, such as strengthening the economic and social rights of Saudi women, which has positioned Saudi Arabia as a more modern nation on the global stage. Despite what some see as challenges in this area, the Kingdom has been able to witness a qualitative shift in the development of the national economy through “Saudi Vision 2030,” which aims to reduce dependence on oil and achieve economic diversification through mega-projects such as NEOM, which reflects a new vision for the Saudi future.
On the security front, Saudi foreign policy has been characterized by continuous interaction with the security challenges facing the region. The Kingdom has played a prominent role in combating terrorism and has played a pivotal role in military alliances to combat extremist organizations. Saudi Arabia has also sought to further strengthen its military strength within a defensive framework that ensures regional stability and secures its interests. There is no doubt that Saudi foreign policy under Prince Mohammed bin Salman represents a radical shift that reflects the Kingdom’s great ambitions on the international stage. In addition to achieving its political and strategic goals, the Kingdom seeks to be an influential force in the fields of economy, security, and humanity, reflecting the new directions of its leadership in achieving development and progress in a changing world. Ayman Al-Saqir, a banker at the Embassy of Uruguay, explained how Saudi Vision 2030 has contributed to transforming the Saudi economy from dependence on oil to a free market economy. He said, “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s transition from a quarterly or annual economy to a market economy comes within the framework of a strategic vision aimed at enhancing the development of major projects such as NEOM, the New Square, and Al-Ula, which serves the Kingdom in diversifying sources of national income. This step represents an essential part of the transformation sought by Prince Mohammed bin Salman, as he seeks to move the Kingdom from its dependence on the traditional oil economy to a commercial economy linked to the free market. In this context, the idea of establishing a global free market under the Public Investment Fund was adopted, a step that was recently announced, which enhances the Kingdom’s role as a center Global economic. Saudi Vision 2030 also focuses heavily on developing the tourism sector and relying on it as a major source of income, thus reducing dependence on oil and avoiding the impact of fluctuations in global oil prices.
The ambassador continued, speaking about the most prominent foreign policy issues, saying, “US-Saudi relations witnessed differences between the terms of Democratic presidents such as Obama and Biden and the Trump era. During the Obama-Biden era, US policy was characterized by a focus on human rights and political issues, while restricting some aspects of military and economic cooperation. During the Trump era, relations developed significantly, as he had a close relationship with Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and military and economic cooperation was at the forefront of the priorities of this relationship, resulting in the signing of military and investment agreements worth $200 billion. In the same context, the Kingdom strengthened its relations with Russia.” “The Kingdom has developed its military and economic capabilities in line with its regional and international standing and power, as major investments have been made in various fields, including oil, energy, and technology. Furthermore, the Kingdom has witnessed huge investments from global companies and investment funds, exceeding one trillion dollars in value, reflecting the Kingdom’s strategic importance in the regional and international arenas.” Saudi Foreign Policy and the Goals of Vision 2030 Under the auspices of Vision 2030, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia seeks to redefine its international standing through a multi-dimensional diplomatic strategy aimed at engaging unconventionally with the challenges of the era, thus changing the rules of the foreign policy game. The Kingdom is transcending traditional frameworks to become an engine of geopolitical transformation in the Middle East and beyond. Saudi Arabia’s policy is based on the concept of sustainable economic sovereignty, moving beyond the idea of unilateral influence to build strategic partnerships that push toward technological and economic integration with major and emerging global powers. This makes innovation one of the pillars of foreign policy. The Kingdom seeks to become a global center for future technology, capitalizing on its investments in artificial intelligence and renewable energy, including new sectors such as space and smart cities.
Fahd Al-Tuwairiqi, in his Houston attaché, reported on the contribution of foreign policy to achieving the goals of Vision 2030. He said, “Under Vision 2030, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia played a pivotal role in attracting the best international companies, as they opened regional headquarters in the Kingdom to serve as a regional headquarters in the Middle East. The Kingdom also aimed to attract investors from countries such as China, Korea, the United States, and Japan, in order to strengthen economic relations and diversify investment sources. In addition, an investment bank was established in cooperation with Japan is the largest reserve bank supporting the Saudi sovereign fund, which enhances the Kingdom’s ability to attract investments and support its major projects. He then continued and said about the future of Saudi relations with major powers such as the United States and China that Chinese relations with Saudi Arabia have become very noticeable recently, as there are currently more than 24 Chinese companies operating in the country. In the Kingdom. Regarding the United States of America, an agreement was reached on investment projects worth $500 billion, with significant support in the military and investment sectors. As for relations with Russia, they are characterized by mutual exchange within OPEC, as Russian President Putin stated: “We are with Saudi Arabia regarding oil, and our decision depends on their decision. We trust the King of the Kingdom and the Crown Prince regarding OPEC.” Regional Changes and the Kingdom’s Strategies in the Middle East The Middle East has witnessed major changes, prompting Saudi Arabia to develop new strategies to enhance its regional and international standing. The Kingdom is focusing on strategic independence and building flexible partnerships with countries such as the UAE, Egypt, and Turkey, while strengthening its role as a mediator in regional crises such as Yemen and its relations with Iran. In the energy sector, it is moving toward renewable projects such as Solar energy and hydrogen are the greenest ways to reduce dependence on oil. Through these strategies, Saudi Arabia seeks to enhance cooperation and influence in the Middle East and build a sustainable regional order.
Nizar Al-Aoun, Minister of Foreign Affairs, stated, “Five years ago, the regional situation was unstable, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was facing targeting by some countries. Relations between it and Qatar, Turkey, and Iran were tense, which led to the closure of embassies and diplomatic missions in those countries and the absence of an exchange of interests. Today, in the year 2025, thanks to God, the Kingdom has restored its relations with these countries, as there are Saudi embassies and diplomatic missions in those countries. Relations have become stronger than before, thanks to the wise leadership of the King and the Crown Prince, who succeeded in adjusting policies in a manner that is consistent with the Kingdom’s regional situation. Regarding the role that can be played by Saudi Arabia Since its founding, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has played a pivotal role in the energy sector. It is one of the six OPEC member states and is the main source of energy in the oil market. It is no secret that Saudi Arabia possesses vast gas reserves, ranking third in the world in this field. Despite this, the Kingdom has not been pleased with gas-dependent countries such as Russia and Qatar; on the contrary, it has supported them. Qatar supplies gas to many countries, while Russia supplies European countries. In this context, Saudi Arabia has played an important role in regulating gas prices in a manner consistent with the interests of other countries. On the other hand, four years ago, there were only six international companies operating in the Kingdom. Today, thank God, the number has reached more than 450 international companies with regional offices in the Kingdom, according to a statement by the Minister of Investment, Eng. Khalid Al-Falih. The Kingdom’s Commitment to Its Independent Foreign Policy and Future Challenges The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia continues to adhere to an independent foreign policy, seeking to secure its national interests and direct its international relations in line with its long-term strategies. The Kingdom focuses on building a network of strong alliances and strengthening its pivotal role in resolving regional and international issues, while maintaining its balanced position among major powers. Falah Al-Enezi, Director of Projects at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, explained that the pledge reflects Saudi Arabia’s commitment to its independent and balanced foreign policy by adopting positions that enhance its national sovereignty and international cooperation in accordance with its strategic interests, while achieving a balance between regional and international relations to ensure stability and development. In conclusion, appreciation is a sophisticated artistic means of expressing appreciation and admiration. In this context, I am pleased to offer a poem expressing our deep appreciation for the Crown Prince and the great achievements the Kingdom has made under his wise leadership. In conclusion, the eighth anniversary of the pledge of allegiance to the Crown Prince, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, highlights how our wise leader has been able to strengthen the Kingdom’s position on the international stage and lead it into the future with confidence and clarity. It is an occasion to celebrate these profound transformations that have made the Kingdom’s foreign policy a driving force for peace and prosperity in the world.
O source of hope and horizon of the sky A call
Mohammed bin Salman, to glory Your steps drew a path in the evening And your playing is the eagle’s tune in the open sky In your eyes shine the hopes of the homeland And in your hands the dreams follow the laws With you the Kingdom paves the path of time Flying above the winds without a shroud I believe that the dream does not stop And that hope does not die or go out In your heart beats the dawn and expectation And in your footsteps dwell elevation and excellence Your lines in The sky will not be erased, and your bridge to the future will not collapse. O descendant of glory, the head of injustice. In your hands is light, in your heart is peace. Your courage is ambition, and your determination is fuel. You build glory from every friendly meadow. We have in you an inexhaustible pride. You are the dream of the homeland and its glorious reality.
News – Ibrahim Al-Shaiban
The Kingdom’s Credit Rating Standard & Poor’s (S&P) raised the Kingdom’s credit rating to “A+” with a “stable” outlook. This has numerous positive impacts on the Saudi economy, including enhancing investor confidence, lowering the cost of borrowing, attracting more foreign investment, supporting the stability of the Saudi riyal, enhancing the growth of the national economy, and improving the global reputation of the Saudi economy. Raising the Kingdom’s credit rating to “A+” reflects the strength of the economy and supports its development plans. It attracts investments and reduces financing costs, which enhances the achievement of the goals of Vision 2030. Edelman Report The Edelman Trust Report 2025 confirmed that the Kingdom has the highest trust globally, with a rate of 87% in the government sector, outperforming many developed countries. The annual report, which is considered one of the most prominent global studies on trust, measures the extent of public confidence in government and indicated a continuous rise in trust levels, indicating that trust in the Kingdom has maintained its high levels. The Kingdom is the most optimistic country in the world about the future, with a rate of 69% compared to other countries worldwide. In addition, it continues to lead globally, and the Kingdom has outperformed many major countries in Indicators, such as the United States (47%), Germany (41%), and the United Kingdom (43%). The report revealed that the Kingdom’s government enjoys a trust rate of 87%, making it the most trusted government in the world, starting from strengthening non-oil sectors and creating new job opportunities, to attracting foreign investment and diversifying sources of income. Sustainable Economic Growth The Saudi economy recorded strong growth last year, with the gross domestic product (GDP) increasing by a remarkable 3.5% in the third quarter of the year. This growth was supported by rising oil prices and improved performance in non-oil sectors, such as industry and technology. The Kingdom was able to achieve a balance between traditional and modern sectors, which contributed to the stability of the national economy and enhanced its ability to adapt to global changes. The Kingdom witnessed significant success in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) last year, recording a 15% increase compared to the previous year. This improvement reflects the Kingdom’s encouraging investment environment, achieved through amendments to laws and facilitating procedures to attract international investors. The Kingdom has become an attractive investment destination in various economic sectors. Digital Transformation and Renewable Energy The Kingdom continued to promote digital transformation, launching numerous innovative projects in areas such as artificial intelligence, e-commerce, and digital financial services. This transformation has helped strengthen the technology sector, which has become an essential part of the national economy and has contributed to creating new job opportunities and expanding the digital economy in the Kingdom. Meanwhile, the renewable energy sector in the Kingdom has witnessed remarkable development, with the launch of several new solar and wind energy projects. The Kingdom continues its significant investments in clean energy projects with the aim of reducing dependence on fossil fuels and increasing the share of renewable energy in the national energy mix, in line with its environmental and sustainability goals. Major Projects and Tourism The Kingdom has launched several major infrastructure projects, including the development of NEOM and tourism projects on the Red Sea. These projects are considered major drivers of economic growth in the Kingdom, contributing to the creation of massive job opportunities and enhancing the Kingdom’s position as a global economic center. The tourism sector has witnessed a significant leap, with the number of international visitors increasing significantly thanks to facilitative policies that include the issuance of tourist visas and the development of major tourism projects such as the Red Sea Project and Qiddiya City. This growth has contributed significantly to increasing the Kingdom’s non-oil revenues, as Reflects the major transformation in the national economy
The Kingdom continued to lead the G20 countries in indicators of the growth rate of the number of international tourists and the growth rate of international tourism revenues, according to the latest available data for the first seven months of last year 2024 AD, compared to the same period in 2019 AD. The Kingdom achieved a 73% increase in the number of international tourists, while international tourism revenues recorded a 207% increase, according to the Barometer report issued by the United Nations Tourism Organization in September 2024 AD. Various tourist destinations in the Kingdom have witnessed a significant increase in the number of international tourists this year. Ahmed Al-Khateeb, Minister of Tourism, had previously revealed that the Kingdom received 60 million tourists in the first half of last year, spending approximately 150 billion riyals, a growth rate of 10% compared to the same period last year. He said: “We are proceeding steadily to achieve the target of raising the tourism sector’s contribution to the GDP to 10% by 2030, which represents approximately 600 to 700 billion riyals.” Al-Khatib revealed that Saudi Arabia achieved the highest number of tourists coming from abroad, with about 30 million tourists last year, and the target is to reach 70 million tourists by 2030. Sports Sector: The Kingdom has invested heavily in the sports sector, hosting many international sporting events such as football and boxing championships. Projects have also been launched to develop sports facilities and stimulate youth sports, which has contributed to enhancing the Kingdom’s global image and creating new economic opportunities. Perhaps the most prominent event in sports was FIFA’s official announcement of the Kingdom’s victory in the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 World Cup after its bid received the highest rating in the history of the global event, and unprecedented historic support from more than 140 countries. This reflects the international community’s confidence in the Kingdom’s full support for hosting the World Cup. It is certain that the Kingdom will present the best edition in the history of the World Cup in 2034, and the largest edition ever to be organized in a single country. The Kingdom will also be the only country to host the tournament alone in its new format. Most importantly, the Saudis continue to dream, achieve, and write a new history of national accomplishments. They will continue working over the next decade to create an exceptional global event, when the Kingdom welcomes the world. We have achieved the goals of Vision 2030, and many of the features of the new Saudi Arabia have become clear, which the world will witness not only in sports, but also in heritage and civilization, history and culture, tourism and entertainment, and other areas of sustainable development. The Kingdom’s Role in the Global Economy The Kingdom continued to strengthen its leading role on the international economic stage through its active participation in OPEC+ and global oil agreements. The Kingdom succeeded in ensuring the stability of global markets. The Kingdom also signed numerous trade and investment agreements with major countries, strengthening its position as a major supporter of economic stability in the region and the world. Saudi Economic Highlights His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince, Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs, announced the launch of the Machinery Company, which operates in the semiconductor industry and aims to make the Kingdom a global center for electronics.
Launch of the New Space Group The Public Investment Fund (PIF) launched the New Space Group (NSG). The Public Investment Fund (PIF) announced the establishment of the New Space Group (NSG), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Fund, to be a leading national company in the space and satellite services sector. It will work to stimulate satellite and space services in the Kingdom and develop capabilities that will contribute to strengthening the sector’s position. Locally, in this growing global field, the Public Investment Fund is the most valuable brand. The Public Investment Fund (PIF), the sovereign wealth fund, topped the list of global brands with more than $1 billion, ranking first globally as the owner of the highest brand value, with $1.1 billion, compared to global sovereign wealth funds. BlackRock was ranked as the most valuable asset management brand in the world, according to a study by the global Brand Finance organization. The Brand Finance study included more than 4,400 companies, media outlets, and specialized audiences in major global markets. It also included qualitative interviews with executives in the sector. The fund is close to its target of assets under management reaching 4 trillion riyals by the end of 2025, noting that the baseline for these figures was 1.5 trillion riyals recorded in 2020. Establishment of the National Minerals Program The Council of Ministers, chaired by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman, approved the establishment of a National Minerals Program linked to the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources. The program will be a powerful and supportive tool for enhancing the quality of The adequacy of mineral supply chains, ensuring the continuity of their supply to local industries and major projects, developing the Kingdom’s infrastructure, and achieving the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, plays an effective role in driving growth paths in the minerals sector and exploiting the Kingdom’s mineral wealth. Generative Artificial Intelligence Center The Saudi Digital Cooperation Organization announced the launch of the International Center of Excellence for Generative Artificial Intelligence, led by the Kingdom. This is in line with the aspirations of Vision 2030 and its leadership position, as a global force in the field of innovation and advanced technologies, and a supporter of the organization’s efforts. The center aims to enhance the full potential of member states and support their global competitiveness by developing talent and resources to contribute to the adoption of generative artificial intelligence solutions and stimulate the growth of the digital economy. The center, announced during the third edition of the Global Artificial Intelligence Summit in Riyadh this year, 2024, reinforces the Kingdom’s role as a pivotal center in the field of generative artificial intelligence, providing a supportive environment for economic growth and innovation at the regional and global levels.
The Kingdom’s Communications and Technology Market The Communications and Space Technology Commission revealed that the size of the communications and technology market will reach 166 billion riyals in 2023, with a compound annual growth rate of 8% over the past six years, during the tenth edition of the Communications and Technology Indicators Forum for 2024.
Digital Infrastructure in the Kingdom It was announced in September 2024 that the Kingdom achieved second place among G20 countries in the United Nations Telecommunication Infrastructure Index (TII), which assesses the development of digital infrastructure in countries and is a key component of the e-Government Development Index (EGDI). The Communications and Space Technology Commission explained that the importance of the index is evident in the pivotal role digital infrastructure plays in measuring the growth and progress of e-government, economic development by attracting investment and stimulating innovation, and social development by improving education and health. The Commission indicated that the Kingdom’s continued progress in this indicator confirms the strength of the Kingdom’s digital infrastructure and its contributions to enhancing the growth and development of the digital economy and attracting investments. The Kingdom’s communications and technology market is the largest and fastest-growing in the Middle East and North Africa region, with mobile telecommunications subscription penetration reaching 198% of the population, and the monthly per capita data consumption rate in the Kingdom exceeding the global average by three times. National Strategy for the Sustainability of the Red Sea Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince, Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs, launched the National Strategy for the Sustainability of the Red Sea, which aims to protect the Red Sea ecosystem, enhance cooperation frameworks for its sustainability, empower society, and support the transition to a sustainable blue economy. This strategy achieves economic diversification and is in line with the objectives of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 and the previously launched national priorities for the research, development, and innovation sector, most notably environmental sustainability and basic needs. The Crown Prince said: “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia continues to unleash its economic, geographical, and cultural potential, and its pioneering efforts in the fields of sustainability and environmental conservation. Through this strategy, the Kingdom strengthens the position of the blue economy as a fundamental pillar of its economy. The Kingdom aspires for the Red Sea region to become a reference for best practices in the blue economy, and for the Kingdom to become a global leader in the field of research, development, and innovation in the blue economy. The Kingdom also affirms its commitment to a sustainable future for the Red Sea, and we look forward to everyone’s cooperation to protect our coasts on the Red Sea, nature, and the communities that depend on it.” The Red Sea is one of the Kingdom’s most distinctive and biologically diverse regions. It is a natural area with an area of 186,000 square kilometers, a coastline of 1,800 kilometers, the fourth largest coral reef system in the world, home to 6.2% of the world’s coral reefs, and an archipelago containing hundreds of islands. Acquisition of a 15% stake in Heathrow Airport The Public Investment Fund announced the completion of the acquisition of a stake of approximately 15% in FGP Topco, the holding company for Heathrow Airport (Heathrow Airport Holdings Limited), from Ferrovial SA, as well as from other Topco shareholders. Heathrow Airport is the largest British airport and the third busiest airport in the world in terms of passenger traffic. Turki Al Nowaiser, Deputy Governor and Director of the General Department of International Investments at the Public Investment Fund, explained that the investment in Heathrow Airport is one of the important assets in the United Kingdom, as it is a world-class airport. The Public Investment Fund’s investment in Heathrow Airport is in line with its strategy to empower important sectors and companies through long-term partnerships within the Fund’s portfolio of international investments.
Riyadh Metro Operation The Royal Commission for Riyadh City announced the operation of the six Riyadh Metro routes consecutively, starting Sunday, Jumada al-Awwal 29, 1446 AH (December 1, 2024 AD). The King Abdulaziz Public Transport Project in Riyadh is one of the ambitious plans developed by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City to provide integrated public transport solutions in the capital and provide the city’s residents and visitors with appropriate public transport services that meet their current and future needs. The project aims to build and operate a fast public transport network in accordance with the latest global technologies, providing residents with economical transportation options that contribute to reducing the excessive use of private vehicles, strengthening the local economy, and preserving the environment. It will also facilitate traffic flow and connect various parts of the city. The Riyadh Metro will contribute to facilitating traffic flow and connecting the various regions. The capital’s various transportation hubs include 6 train lines, 85 train stations, 80 bus lines, 2,860 bus stations, and 842 buses. Train and bus transportation services are integrated into a giant network with a capacity estimated at 1.7 million passengers per day during the initial operational phase. The project costs $22.5 billion. Standard Incentives The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources and the Ministry of Investment announced the allocation of 10 billion riyals to activate the standard incentives for the industrial sector, which were approved by the Council of Ministers in mid-March. This is to enable industrial investments, stimulate their growth, and achieve sustainable industrial development in the Kingdom, while raising the level of competitiveness of the Saudi industry globally. The Saudi Investment Marketing Authority The Council of Ministers approved the organization of the Saudi Investment Marketing Authority. This decision reflects the continued support and backing of the wise leadership for the investment system and the investment environment in the Kingdom, which aims to consolidate the Kingdom’s position as a world-class investment center, in line with the objectives of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, which seeks to diversify the economy and enhance its competitiveness internationally, to build a prosperous and sustainable economy, and in line with the plans, programs, and objectives of the National Investment Strategy. The decision reflects the state’s keenness to support the investment system and create an investment environment in the Kingdom, which strengthens the Kingdom’s position as a global investment hub. This vision is not far from the goals of Vision 2030, which seeks to diversify the national economy and enhance its competitiveness on the international level. The Authority aims to highlight the Kingdom as an investment destination locally and globally, market investment opportunities in all sectors with all their components, and enhance businesses and services related to investment marketing, in light of the general investment policies and executive plans prepared by the Ministry.
The Kingdom has achieved a complete digital transformation in the financial sector.
Riyadh – Ahmed Ghawi
The financial sector in the Kingdom has received special attention in the objectives of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, which is directly funded by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Chairman of the Council of Ministers – may God protect him. The most prominent achievement in developing this sector has been the work to enhance and develop the trend towards diversifying the state’s resources, and not relying on oil as the sole and primary resource that feeds the state’s budget and injects into the government sector the expenditures of state projects and the entitlements that accrue to citizens, both directly and indirectly.
The Ministries of Finance and Economy, Planning, and state sectors with an interest in financial aspects, such as the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA), the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, and the Efficiency and Spending Authority, and government projects, led the development of the financial sector in accordance with the vision and achieved the trend towards establishing an advanced financial structure for the state, based on continuous reforms since the launch of the vision in 2016. We are currently celebrating the eighth anniversary of the reign of the vision’s sponsor, His Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman, as Crown Prince. We see growth and development in multiple sectors operating according to a clear strategy. State agencies are cooperating in broad partnership with the private sector to continue the path of growth and prosperity for the Saudi economy, which has been noted by the International Monetary Fund and neutral global bodies. It has also been confirmed by the continued positive trajectory of the economy’s credit ratings and the optimism that it will achieve increasing growth leaps. Diversification: A Fundamental Pillar According to recent reports from the Ministry of Finance, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia relies on a diverse set of resources for its revenues, which constitute the cornerstone of its national economy. Oil and gas revenues are at the forefront of these sources, based on the Kingdom’s energy wealth. Non-oil revenues also play an increasing role, including zakat, taxes, and various fees, in addition to revenues generated from strategic investments. For its part, the Public Investment Fund effectively manages these investments through an integrated portfolio of projects at home and abroad that aim to diversify sources of income, strengthen the national economy, and reduce dependence on oil, in line with Saudi Vision 2030. These efforts contribute to building a strong and sustainable economy that enhances the Kingdom’s position in global markets. The annual state budget The annual budget of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is viewed as a pivotal milestone in the path of economic and financial reforms led by the Kingdom’s government under the umbrella of Saudi Vision 2030. The Ministry of Finance prepares it according to a systematic process that begins with the preparation phase, then approval, and ends with implementation, benefiting from automation programs to enhance performance efficiency. The budget includes an introduction to its financial targets for the current year, along with reports. Performance indicators that illustrate spending across various sectors, and highlight the most prominent projects that represent a qualitative turning point that contributes to achieving sustainable development and strengthening the Kingdom’s position at the regional and international levels. Initial forecasts for 2025 show real GDP growth of 4.6%, supported by an increase in the GDP of non-oil activities. This growth comes as a result of economic reforms and efforts to accelerate economic diversification with the aim of promoting sustainable economic growth. In addition, programs and initiatives that empower and stimulate the private sector contribute to making it the main factor of economic growth and contribute to creating new and sustainable job opportunities in the labor market. The effective implementation of the programs and projects of Saudi Vision 2030 continues, as they are the main tool for achieving the goals of economic transformation.
Transparency to ensure sustainability The state budget is linked to achieving the goals and objectives of Vision 2030. The Ministry of Finance is required to explain its preparation of the budget transparently to ensure sustainability and achieve future aspirations. The budget is subject to legislative and regulatory scrutiny and is based on the system. The Basic Law of Governance and the state’s general budget require all government agencies to implement the principles of budget governance, most notably achieving transparency and reliability. The predictability of fiscal policy, the implementation of a policy that is aligned with Saudi Vision 2030 and any other national strategy or priority, as well as a comprehensive and participatory discussion regarding budget planning, and the availability of open data and documents with transparency and accessibility. The achievements of the Vision 2030 programs continue on the ground, and their objectives are fully achieved ahead of schedule, indicating the precise, meticulous, and rapid work of state institutions. To achieve the specified goals in record time, at a rapid pace, reflecting the desire of the state and the Saudi citizen to race against time in order to build modern Saudi Arabia and strengthen its pillars according to the vision’s goals and comprehensive aspirations, foremost among which is the national economy, which has shifted its compass from an economy dependent on oil income to a multi-source economy. In this regard, we note the “Financial Sustainability” program as one of the first programs to achieve Vision 2030, whose recent achievements are highlighted by the decision of the Council of Economic Affairs to end it after it had fully achieved its goals before 2030. It was launched at the end of 2016 under the name of the Fiscal Balance Achievement Program, and later transformed into the Financial Sustainability Program. Over these years, the program has achieved a set of objectives, including its ability to promote a positive transformation in the Kingdom’s public finances, through the implementation of strategic financial reforms and the establishment of effective entities that have helped diversify sources of income, enhance the efficiency of government spending, and improve financial planning capabilities.
Maximizing Revenues Added to the program’s achievements is achieving fiscal balance, monitoring and disbursing financial performance, with the aim of maximizing oil and non-oil revenues, increasing the efficiency of government spending, and managing the associated risks, while maintaining adequate financial reserves and a high and sustainable capacity to borrow from local and international financial markets, in accordance with the medium-term public debt strategy, in order to achieve financial sustainability. Over the past years of the vision, the Financial Sustainability Program has witnessed the implementation of several initiatives that have achieved its objectives, including: raising the efficiency of government operational spending, establishing the Strategic Procurement Unit, and the Government Spending and Projects Efficiency Authority, in addition to continuing to achieve its objectives through the implementation of the financial reforms approved in the program, including the Citizen Account, incentive packages for the private sector, the application of the financial levy on expatriates, value-added tax, correcting energy prices, and increasing customs duties on some goods. The program has also proven its effectiveness and efficiency during the COVID-19 pandemic, contributing to monitoring and managing financial performance with the aim of maximizing oil and non-oil revenues, raising the efficiency of government spending, and managing associated risks, while maintaining adequate financial reserves and a high and sustainable capacity to borrow from local and international financial markets, in accordance with the medium-term public debt strategy.
The Vision 2030 Realization Programs are medium-term entities, most of which were created after the Vision was launched, as the primary tools for implementation. These programs have contributed effectively over the past years to enhancing levels of cooperation within the system, accelerating the pace of achievement, and exceeding the Vision for a number of its ambitious goals. The Financial Technology Sector The financial technology (Fintech) sector in the Kingdom has achieved tremendous development in recent years, thanks to Vision 2030, which seeks to transform the Kingdom into an advanced financial and technological center. Fintech aims to integrate technology with the financial sector, contributing to the provision of more efficient and flexible solutions, helping to achieve financial inclusion, and transforming the economy into a cashless environment based on electronic payments.
Factors Supporting the Development of Fintech in Saudi Arabia A. The Saudi Vision and Government Support The vision seeks to promote digital transformation and reduce reliance on cash by encouraging startups, updating laws, and investing in financial technology. Among the most important government initiatives are:
Launching “Fintech Saudi” in 2018 to support entrepreneurs and startups in financial technology.
Expanding the “legislative experiment” environment, which allows companies to test their products and services before obtaining an official license from the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) or the Capital Market Authority.
Adopting the “Sarea” instant payments system, which enables financial transfers between banks in seconds.
Launching the Saudi Central Bank’s pilot digital currency to test the potential of adopting national digital currencies.
B. Increased Demand for Digital Solutions
The prevalence of smartphones and the internet among the population, making digital financial services more widely accepted.
Increased interest in electronic payments after the COVID-19 pandemic, with the percentage of non-cash transactions rising to 70% of total financial transactions. C. Growth in FinTech Investments
The sector has attracted investments exceeding $1 billion in recent years, reflecting growing confidence in the market.
The presence of specialized investment funds, such as the FinTech Fund and the Public Investment Fund, to support emerging companies in this field. 2. FinTech Fields in Saudi Arabia The Saudi FinTech sector includes a wide range of financial services, including: A. Electronic Payment and Transfer Systems
The rise of electronic wallets such as Mada, STC Pay, Apple Pay, UrPay, and BayanPay
Providing innovative payment solutions to online merchants such as Tabby and Tamara, which offer the “buy now, pay later” service. B. Digital Banking
Digital bank accounts have become more prevalent, with all banks providing financial services without the need to visit branches. Some banks offer smart chatbots that rely on artificial intelligence to assist customers. C. Digital Finance and Electronic Lending
The emergence of direct lending platforms that allow small and medium-sized enterprises to obtain financing without the need for traditional banks. • Using artificial intelligence to analyze risks and provide tailored loans to individuals and companies. D. Online Investment and Trading
The rise of financial applications that enable individuals to invest easily.
The growth of crowdfunding, where investors can support small businesses in exchange for future profits. E. Digital Insurance (Insurtech)
The emergence of companies that provide instant digital insurance, where insurance can be purchased and renewed online in minutes.
F. Islamic Fintech Solutions
Providing Sharia-compliant financial solutions, such as: Islamic finance, digital sukuks, and electronic zakat. Modern Technologies Used in Saudi Fintech A. Artificial Intelligence and Data Analysis
Smart algorithms are used to analyze spending patterns and provide financial recommendations to individuals.
Developing intelligent chatbots to assist customers in conducting transactions with ease. B. Blockchain Technology
Its use in money transfers, smart contracts, and digital proof of ownership, enhancing transparency and security in financial transactions.
Testing the Saudi digital currency as part of the future of the digital economy. C. Cloud Computing and Information Security
Relying on cloud services to provide flexible and fast financial systems.
Enhancing cybersecurity to protect customer data from breaches.
Challenges Facing the FinTech Sector in Saudi Arabia Despite significant growth, it still remains The sector faces some challenges, such as:
Regulations and licensing: Some startups need a long time to obtain legal permits to operate.
Trust and awareness: Some individuals still prefer cash transactions due to concerns about digital fraud.
Strong competition: The presence of an increasing number of fintech companies requires the development of new solutions to remain in the market.
Cybersecurity: Companies need strong protection systems to prevent attacks. Electronic fraud and data theft.
The Future of Financial Technology in Saudi Arabia A. Increasing Reliance on Artificial Intelligence
Improving financial analysis systems and providing smart recommendations to users.
Developing predictive solutions that enhance financial planning for individuals and companies. B. Expanding Use of Digital Currencies
Possible Launch of the Saudi Digital Riyal to Enhance Digital Payments
Integrating Blockchain into Banking Services to Secure Transactions. C. Promoting Financial Inclusion
Providing financial solutions to individuals who do not have bank accounts through digital wallets.
Developing financial services that meet the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises. D. Greater integration between fintech and traditional banks.
Major banks are collaborating with fintech companies to provide advanced digital services.
Developing platforms that allow customers to manage all their financial accounts through a single application. Saudi Arabia is today a pioneer in the field of financial technology in the region, and is rapidly moving towards achieving a complete digital transformation in the financial sector. Thanks to government support and investment in innovation, financial technology will continue to expand, making financial services easier, safer, and more efficient for users.
Affiliate Disclosure: This blog may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you click on the link and make a purchase. This comes at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers. Your support helps keep this blog running and allows me to continue providing you with quality content. Thank you for your support!
The provided text offers a comprehensive guide to utilizing GitLab’s CI/CD features for software development and deployment. It begins by explaining the fundamentals of creating and troubleshooting GitLab pipelines using YAML configuration files, including common mistakes and account verification. The source then introduces continuous integration (CI) principles and demonstrates how to automate build and test processes for a React website within GitLab. Furthermore, it explores continuous delivery (CD) by detailing the deployment of the website to AWS S3, covering topics such as bucket policies, public access, and environment management. The text culminates in illustrating more advanced deployment strategies using Docker and AWS Elastic Beanstalk, encompassing containerization, image management, and automated application updates.
GitLab CI/CD and DevOps Study Guide
Key Concepts Review
This section outlines the core concepts covered in the source material. Review each point to solidify your understanding.
GitLab CI: Understand what GitLab CI is and its role in automating software development workflows.
CI/CD Pipelines: Describe the concept of Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery/Deployment pipelines.
DevOps: Explain the fundamental principles of DevOps and how GitLab CI supports these principles.
Automation: Recognize the importance of automation in the software development lifecycle.
GitLab Projects: Understand how to create and manage projects within GitLab.
.gitlab-ci.yaml: Explain the purpose and structure of the GitLab CI configuration file.
Jobs: Define what a job is in GitLab CI and how it’s configured.
Scripts: Understand how to define and execute shell commands within a GitLab CI job.
Stages: Explain how stages organize jobs in a pipeline and their sequential execution.
Docker: Understand the basics of Docker and its use in GitLab CI for consistent environments.
Docker Images: Explain how to specify and use Docker images in GitLab CI jobs.
YAML: Understand the basic syntax of YAML, including key-value pairs, lists (sequences), and indentation.
GitLab Runner: Understand the role of the GitLab Runner in executing pipelines.
Artifacts: Explain how to define and use job artifacts to pass data between jobs.
Testing: Recognize the importance of automated testing within CI/CD pipelines.
Variables: Understand how to define and use local and global variables in GitLab CI, including CI/CD variables and environment variables.
Merge Requests: Describe the purpose of merge requests and their integration with GitLab CI pipelines.
Rules: Explain how rules are used to control when jobs are executed based on conditions like branch names.
AWS (Amazon Web Services): Understand the basics of AWS and its role as a cloud provider for deployment.
AWS S3 (Simple Storage Service): Explain the purpose of S3 for storing and serving static website files.
AWS CLI (Command Line Interface): Understand how to interact with AWS services using the AWS CLI.
IAM (Identity and Access Management): Explain the purpose of IAM users and policies for managing access to AWS resources.
Environments: Understand how GitLab environments help manage and track deployments to different stages (e.g., staging, production).
Continuous Delivery vs. Continuous Deployment: Differentiate between these two concepts and how GitLab can support both.
Docker Registry: Understand the purpose of a Docker registry for storing and sharing Docker images, including the GitLab Container Registry.
Services (in GitLab CI): Explain how services, like Docker in Docker (DinD), can be used to provide necessary tools within a CI/CD job.
Dockerfile: Understand the purpose and basic syntax of a Dockerfile for defining Docker images.
Elastic Beanstalk: Understand the basics of AWS Elastic Beanstalk as a Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) for deploying web applications.
Short-Answer Quiz
Answer the following questions in 2-3 sentences each.
What is the primary purpose of GitLab CI?
Explain the role of the .gitlab-ci.yaml file in a GitLab project.
Describe the relationship between jobs and stages in a GitLab CI pipeline.
Why is Docker often used in conjunction with GitLab CI?
What are GitLab Runner(s) responsible for in the CI/CD process?
How can you pass data between different jobs in a GitLab CI pipeline?
What is the benefit of using environment variables in GitLab CI?
Explain the purpose of AWS S3 in the context of deploying a static website.
How does IAM help secure your AWS resources when using GitLab CI for deployment?
What is the key difference between Continuous Delivery and Continuous Deployment?
Quiz Answer Key
GitLab CI’s primary purpose is to automate the software development lifecycle, specifically the building, testing, and deployment of code changes. This automation ensures faster feedback, reduces manual errors, and enables more frequent releases.
The .gitlab-ci.yaml file is the configuration file for GitLab CI/CD pipelines. It defines the stages, jobs, and scripts that will be executed automatically whenever code is pushed to the repository or a merge request is created.
Jobs are the individual units of work in a GitLab CI pipeline, defining specific actions like compiling code or running tests. Stages organize these jobs into logical phases that are executed sequentially, ensuring a defined workflow.
Docker provides consistent and isolated environments for GitLab CI jobs. By specifying Docker images, you ensure that the build, test, and deployment processes have the necessary dependencies and configurations, regardless of the underlying infrastructure.
GitLab Runners are the agents that execute the jobs defined in the .gitlab-ci.yaml file. They pick up jobs from the GitLab server and run the specified scripts within the configured environment, reporting the results back to GitLab.
Data can be passed between different jobs in a GitLab CI pipeline using artifacts. Artifacts are a collection of files and directories created by a job that can be downloaded by subsequent jobs in the same pipeline.
Environment variables in GitLab CI allow you to configure jobs dynamically without hardcoding values in the .gitlab-ci.yaml file. This is useful for storing sensitive information like API keys, configuring different deployment environments, and making the pipeline more flexible and reusable.
AWS S3 (Simple Storage Service) is used to store the static files (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, images) of a website in the cloud. GitLab CI can automate the process of uploading these files to an S3 bucket, which can then be configured to serve the website to users over the internet.
IAM (Identity and Access Management) allows you to create users with specific permissions to access AWS resources. When using GitLab CI for deployment, you create an IAM user with limited permissions (e.g., only to upload to a specific S3 bucket) and use its credentials in GitLab CI variables, enhancing security by avoiding the use of root account credentials.
Continuous Delivery is the practice of automating the release process so that code can be deployed to production at any time, but the final decision to deploy is made manually. Continuous Deployment goes a step further by automatically deploying every code change that passes the automated tests directly to production without manual intervention.
Essay Format Questions
Discuss the benefits of implementing a CI/CD pipeline using GitLab CI for a software development team. Consider aspects such as development speed, code quality, and deployment reliability.
Explain the role of Docker in creating reproducible and consistent environments for CI/CD pipelines. Describe how specifying Docker images in GitLab CI helps achieve these benefits.
Compare and contrast the use of global variables defined at the top level of .gitlab-ci.yaml with CI/CD variables defined in the GitLab project settings. When might you choose one over the other?
Describe the steps involved in deploying a static website to AWS S3 using GitLab CI. Include details about configuring the .gitlab-ci.yaml file, setting up AWS credentials, and making the website publicly accessible.
Discuss the transition from a Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment pipeline to a Continuous Delivery pipeline. What changes would be necessary in your GitLab CI configuration and overall workflow to implement continuous delivery?
Glossary of Key Terms
CI (Continuous Integration): A development practice where code changes are frequently integrated into a shared repository, followed by automated building and testing.
CD (Continuous Delivery): An extension of CI that ensures the software is always in a deployable state, allowing for manual deployment to production.
CD (Continuous Deployment): An extension of CI where every code change that passes automated tests is automatically deployed to production.
DevOps: A set of practices that integrates software development (Dev) and IT operations (Ops) to shorten the development lifecycle and provide continuous delivery with high software quality.
Pipeline: In GitLab CI, a pipeline represents the entire automated process from code commit to deployment, defined in the .gitlab-ci.yaml file.
Job: A specific task or action executed by a GitLab Runner as part of a pipeline, defined under a stage in the .gitlab-ci.yaml file.
Stage: A logical division within a GitLab CI pipeline that groups related jobs. Jobs within a stage run in parallel, and stages are executed sequentially.
Script: A set of commands (usually shell commands) defined within a GitLab CI job that the GitLab Runner executes.
Artifact: A collection of files and directories produced by a GitLab CI job that can be downloaded or used by subsequent jobs.
Docker Image: A lightweight, standalone, executable package that includes everything needed to run a piece of software, including the code, runtime, system tools, system libraries, and settings.
Docker Container: A running instance of a Docker image.
YAML (YAML Ain’t Markup Language): A human-readable data serialization language commonly used for configuration files, including GitLab’s .gitlab-ci.yaml.
GitLab Runner: An application that works with the GitLab CI/CD coordinator to execute jobs in a pipeline.
Variable: A named storage location that holds a value, used in GitLab CI to configure pipelines and jobs dynamically.
Merge Request: A request to merge changes from one branch into another, often triggering a GitLab CI pipeline for validation.
Rule: A conditional statement in GitLab CI that determines if and when a job should be executed.
AWS (Amazon Web Services): A comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud platform, offering a wide range of services including computing, storage, and databases.
AWS S3 (Simple Storage Service): A scalable, high-performance object storage service offered by AWS, often used for storing static website files.
AWS CLI (Command Line Interface): A tool that allows you to interact with AWS services using commands in a terminal.
IAM (Identity and Access Management): An AWS service that enables you to manage access to AWS services and resources securely.
Environment: In GitLab, an environment represents a deployment target (e.g., staging, production) and provides a way to track deployments and related information.
Docker Registry: A service that stores and distributes Docker images, allowing users to pull and push images. GitLab has its own Container Registry.
Dockerfile: A text document that contains all the commands a user could call on the command line to assemble a Docker image.
Elastic Beanstalk: An easy-to-use service for deploying and scaling web applications and services developed with Java, .NET, PHP, Node.js, Python, Ruby, Go, and Docker on familiar servers such as Apache, Nginx, and IIS.
Service (GitLab CI): Allows you to define and run additional containers alongside your main job container, often used to provide dependencies or simulate external services (e.g., Docker in Docker).
Briefing Document: GitLab CI/CD with AWS Course Review
This document provides a detailed review of the main themes, important ideas, and facts presented in the excerpts from the GitLab CI/CD with AWS course taught by Valentine. The course focuses on automating software build, test, and deployment pipelines using GitLab CI and deploying to Amazon Web Services (AWS).
Main Themes
Introduction to GitLab CI and DevOps: The course aims to introduce beginners to the concepts of DevOps and how GitLab CI can be used to implement CI/CD pipelines. Valentine positions himself as a passionate software developer eager to share his knowledge in an accessible way.
Automation of Software Delivery: A central theme is the automation of the software delivery process. The course emphasizes building pipelines that automatically build, containerize, test, and deploy applications to AWS, reducing manual effort and potential errors.
Hands-on Learning: The course adopts a practical, hands-on approach, encouraging learners to build pipelines and deploy software to AWS through exercises and assignments. Valentine emphasizes “learning by doing.”
GitLab CI Fundamentals: The course covers the basics of GitLab CI, including creating projects, understanding the .gitlab-ci.yaml file, defining jobs and stages, and understanding pipeline execution.
Integration with AWS: A significant focus is on integrating GitLab CI with AWS to deploy applications to the cloud. The course introduces key AWS services like S3 and Elastic Beanstalk.
Importance of Testing: The course highlights the role of automated testing in ensuring the quality and reliability of software deployments. It covers adding test jobs to the pipeline and validating deployments.
Managing Environments: The course touches upon the concept of managing different environments (e.g., staging, production) within GitLab and deploying to them in a controlled manner.
Docker and Containerization: Docker is introduced as a key technology for building and deploying applications consistently across different environments. The course covers building Docker images within GitLab CI.
Version Control with Git and GitLab: The course implicitly relies on Git for version control and uses GitLab as the platform for hosting repositories and running CI/CD pipelines.
Best Practices: Throughout the course, Valentine introduces various best practices related to CI/CD, such as using infrastructure as code (Dockerfiles), automating testing, and managing deployment environments.
Most Important Ideas and Facts
GitLab CI as a Tool for DevOps: GitLab CI is presented as a crucial tool for implementing DevOps practices, particularly continuous integration and continuous delivery/deployment.
“in this course valentine will teach you how to use gitlab ci to build ci cd pipelines to build and deploy software to aws hello frequent campers and welcome to this course which will introduce you to gitlab ci and devops”
CI/CD Pipeline Workflow: The course walks through creating a pipeline that takes a simple website, builds a container, tests it, and deploys it to AWS.
“during the course we’ll create a pipeline that takes a simple website builds a container tests it and deploys it to the amazon web services cloud also called aws”
Focus on Automation: The core purpose of GitLab CI is to automate the software delivery process.
“in other words we’ll be focusing on automation”
No Prior Knowledge Required (Mostly): The course is designed for beginners with no prior DevOps or GitLab CI experience, and minimal coding knowledge is needed initially.
“I’ve created this course for people new to devops who want to use gitlab to build test and deploy their software don’t worry if none of this makes sense right now if you’re a beginner that is totally fine you don’t need to install any tools or anything else also no coding knowledge is required”
Importance of Course Notes: The course notes contain valuable resources, troubleshooting tips, corrections, and updates.
“go right now to the video description and open the course notes there you will find important resources and troubleshooting tips if something goes wrong I will also be publishing there any corrections additions and modifications”
Learning DevOps Concepts: While focusing on GitLab CI and AWS, the underlying concepts are applicable to other technologies and cloud providers.
“well in this course we’ll be focusing on a specific technology and cloud provider what you’re actually learning are the concepts around devops”
Using gitlab.com: The course primarily uses the hosted version of GitLab at gitlab.com.
“I’ll be using gitlab.com throughout the course if you don’t have a gitlab.com account please go ahead and create one”
.gitlab-ci.yaml File: The pipeline definition is stored in a file named .gitlab-ci.yaml in the root of the GitLab repository. The exact naming and syntax are crucial.
“this file name must be called dot gitlab dash ci dot yaml if it’s not exactly this name if you’re writing it on your own this pipeline will not be recognized so the pipeline find will not be recognized by gitlab this is a very common mistake that beginners make”
Jobs and Stages: A pipeline consists of jobs organized into stages. Jobs are sets of commands to be executed.
“what is a pipeline it is a set of jobs organized in stages right now we have a single job that belongs to the test stage however in the upcoming lectures we’ll be expanding this pipeline”
YAML Syntax: GitLab CI pipelines are defined using YAML, a human-readable data serialization language based on key-value pairs, lists (sequences), and indentation for structure. Correct syntax and indentation are critical.
“the language that we’re using here to describe our pipeline is called yaml and yaml is essentially a way to represent key value pairs it may look a bit weird in the beginning but after a few examples I’m sure you will get used to it”
GitLab Runner: The GitLab server manages pipeline execution, and GitLab Runners are the agents that execute the jobs. The course uses the GitLab.com infrastructure, so managing runners is abstracted away for beginners.
“at the minimum the gitlab architecture for working with pipelines contains the gitlab server and at least one gitlab runner the gitlab server manages the execution of the pipeline and its jobs and stores the results the”
Docker Images for Jobs: Each job in a GitLab CI pipeline typically runs within a Docker container specified by the image keyword. This ensures a consistent execution environment.
“in the previous execution we haven’t specified a docker image to use and by default it will download a ruby docker image which for our use case here doesn’t really make a lot of sense so we’re going to use a very simple docker image it’s a linux distribution that will be started with our job”
Artifacts: Jobs can produce artifacts, which are files or directories that can be passed between jobs or downloaded at the end of the pipeline.
“so we have managed to create this file and we want to pass it to the next job and the way we do that in gitlab is by using artifacts”
Testing in the Pipeline: Automated tests are crucial for verifying the correctness of the build and deployment. Test jobs execute commands to validate the application.
“tests also play a very particular role when we’re working on this pipeline when we’re building software there are many various levels of testing but essentially tests allow us to make changes to our software or to our build process and to ensure that everything works the same”
Variables: Variables can be defined at different levels (global, job, environment) to store configuration values and avoid hardcoding them in the .gitlab-ci.yaml file. Environment variables are automatically available to the jobs.
“quite often when we have something that we are searching multiple times inside a file or inside the configuration we want to put that into a variable and that way if it’s inside a variable if we need to make changes to that particular value we only have to change it once and then it would be replaced all over”
Merge Requests: Merge requests in GitLab are used for code review and collaboration. Pipelines can be configured to run against the branch associated with a merge request.
“quite often when we are creating branches we tend to use some naming conventions now totally up to you what you want to use or how your organization uses that quite often you will have something like feature for example for what slash and then a name of a feature sometimes you may reference a ticket or something like that so for example you have your ticket number one two three four add linter”
Rules for Job Execution: The rules keyword allows defining conditions under which a job should be executed, such as only running on the main branch.
“in order to achieve this we still need to make a few changes to our pipeline now this is how the configuration looks like at this point and the changes that we need to make are here in the deploy to s3 job now how do we exclude this job from this pipeline which is running on the branch and to ensure that it only runs on the main branch gitlab has this feature which is called rules”
AWS S3 for Static Websites: AWS S3 can be used to host static websites by storing public files in buckets and serving them over HTTP.
“since our website is static and requires no computing power or database we will use aws s3 to store the public files and search them to the word from there over http”
AWS CLI: The AWS Command Line Interface (CLI) is a tool for interacting with AWS services from the command line, which is essential for automating deployments.
“for the aws cloud we need a command line interface to be able to upload files for example and fortunately aws has already thought about that and there is an official aws command line interface that we can use”
IAM for AWS Credentials: AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) allows creating users with specific permissions to access AWS services securely. Access keys (ID and secret) are used for programmatic access via the CLI.
“the thing is how is aws cli supposed to know who we are I mean if this would work as it is right now we should be able to upload files to any bucket that belong to other people or to delete objects from buckets that belong to other people so we need to tell aws cli who we are and this is what we’re going to do in the upcoming lectures”
Environment Variables for AWS Credentials in GitLab CI: AWS access key ID, secret access key, and region can be securely provided to the GitLab CI pipeline as environment variables. Specific variable names (AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID, AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY, AWS_DEFAULT_REGION) are recognized by the AWS CLI.
“I’m going to start here writing aws and you will see there already some predefined things that pop up so one of them is aws access key id this has to be written exactly as you see it here there’s something that’s different about this away cli will not be able to pick up this variable it will look exactly for this variable name and will automatically pick it up without us doing anything else so it has to be exactly as it is”
S3 Bucket Policies for Public Access: To make a static website hosted on S3 publicly accessible, a bucket policy needs to be configured to allow public read access.
“in order to make our website that we have uploaded to s3 publicly accessible we need to do something additional and that is to change the bucket policy”
Continuous Delivery vs. Continuous Deployment: The course explains the difference, with continuous deployment involving automatic deployment to production upon successful builds and tests, while continuous delivery requires manual approval for production deployment. GitLab offers “manual jobs” to implement continuous delivery.
“what is a continuous delivery pipeline this is exactly what I wanted to show you essentially a continuous delivery pipeline is just a pipeline where we don’t automatically deploy to production essentially what we want to do is add here a button and only when we are sure that we really want to make that change to production we can click on that button and make that change so let me show you how to do this”
Dockerfiles for Building Docker Images: A Dockerfile is a text document that contains all the commands a user could call on the command line to assemble an image. It’s a declarative way to define a Docker image.
“in order to build our own docker image we need to create a file which is called docker file so inside our project i’m going to create a new file and the name of the file has to be exactly like this docker file with a capital d and no extension”
Docker in Docker (dind) Service in GitLab CI: To build Docker images within a GitLab CI job, a Docker in Docker service needs to be defined in the .gitlab-ci.yaml file.
“in order to be able to run this docker command we also have to define the image that we’ll use and the image will be docker just using this docker image will not work we’re gonna get an error the reason for that is the docker architecture is composed of a client and a server essentially what we have here docker this is the client and the client sends some instructions to a server actually to the docker demon which is the one who builds the job and in order to get access to a daemon inside gitlab ci we need to use a concept and that concept is of services we want to define here a tag services and this contains a list of services that we can start and what we’re starting here is actually service called docker in docker”
GitLab Container Registry: GitLab provides a private Docker container registry for storing and managing Docker images associated with projects.
“both aws and gitlab offer private docker registries and for this example we’ll be using the docker registry offered by gitlab and you’ll see here on the left hand side packages and registry and we’re going to use here the container registry because docker is all about working with containers”
Docker Login and Push: To save a Docker image to a registry, the GitLab CI job needs to log in to the registry using docker login and then push the image using docker push. GitLab provides predefined variables (CI_REGISTRY_USER, CI_REGISTRY_PASSWORD, CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE) for accessing its container registry.
“the command to login is docker login relatively easy and we’re going to specify username and password for this service we’re not actually using our username and password that we used to log into gitlab we’ll use some variables again that will give us some temporary user and passwords don’t really care so much about that but essentially this is what we’re to do so if you’re looking here at the variables that are available we’ll find here ci registry see a registry user say a registry password”
AWS Elastic Beanstalk for PaaS: AWS Elastic Beanstalk is a Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) offering that simplifies deploying and managing web applications. The course introduces deploying Docker containers to Elastic Beanstalk.
“aws elastic beanstalk is a platform as a service offering that we can use to easily deploy and manage applications in the aws cloud so if you don’t want to deal with the underlying infrastructure configuring servers load balancers auto scaling groups and so on elastic beanstalk is the perfect option for you”
Environment Management in GitLab: GitLab allows defining and managing different deployment environments (e.g., staging, production) and associating pipeline jobs with specific environments. This helps in tracking deployments and managing environment-specific variables.
“going inside the project you will find here on the left hand side deployments and inside deployments there’s this optional environment what is an environment staging is an environment production is an environment wherever we’re deploying something that is an environment and it really makes sense to have these environments defined somewhere and to work with the concept of environment instead of fiddling around with so many variables that’s really not the best way on how to do that”
Extending Job Configurations (.): GitLab CI allows defining reusable job configurations using a dot prefix (.), which can then be extended by other jobs using the extends keyword, reducing duplication in the pipeline definition.
“if looking here at the deployed staging and we’re looking at deeply production well essentially at this point because we have used all these variables these jobs are almost identical the only thing that is different is the different stage different job name and we’re specifying the environment but the rest of the configuration is identical and yes the answer is yes we can simplify this even more so essentially we can reuse some job configurations so i can go ahead here and i’m going to copy this and i’m going to go here and i’m going to define essentially a new job i’m just going to call it deploy this will be a special kind of job it will be a job that has a dot in front of it and as you remember we have used the dot notation to disable jobs by having this we can essentially have a configuration here we don’t care about the stage right we don’t care about the environment so this is something that is not in common with the rest it doesn’t even have to be a valid job configuration we have just put here the parts that are really important for us and then in these other jobs we’re going to keep what we need so what we need we need a stage and we need the environment and of course we need the job name and this other part here we can simply write something like extends”
Conclusion
The excerpts indicate that this GitLab CI/CD with AWS course provides a comprehensive introduction to automating software delivery. It covers essential concepts of DevOps, GitLab CI, Docker, and AWS, emphasizing hands-on learning and practical application. The course progresses from basic pipeline creation to more advanced topics like environment management, Docker containerization, and deployment to AWS services like S3 and Elastic Beanstalk. It highlights best practices for building robust and efficient CI/CD pipelines.
GitLab CI/CD Pipelines: An Overview
1. What is GitLab CI and why is it useful?
GitLab CI (Continuous Integration) is a tool within GitLab that allows users to automate the building, testing, and deployment of their software through CI/CD (Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery/Deployment) pipelines. It’s useful because it automates repetitive tasks, ensuring code is frequently tested and deployed, leading to faster development cycles, fewer errors, and more reliable software releases.
2. What are the basic components of a GitLab CI/CD pipeline?
A GitLab CI/CD pipeline is defined in a .gitlab-ci.yml file and consists of:
Jobs: These are the fundamental units of work in a pipeline, representing a set of commands to be executed (e.g., building code, running tests, deploying). Each job runs in an isolated environment.
Stages: Jobs are organized into stages, which define the order of execution. Jobs within the same stage run in parallel, while stages run sequentially. Common stages include build, test, and deploy.
Scripts: Each job contains a script section where the actual commands to be executed are defined. These are typically shell commands.
Images: Jobs run inside Docker containers. The image keyword specifies which Docker image to use for a particular job, providing a consistent and isolated environment.
3. How do you define a pipeline in GitLab?
A pipeline is defined using a YAML file named .gitlab-ci.yml at the root of your GitLab repository. This file specifies the stages, jobs within each stage, the script to be executed in each job, and other configurations like the Docker image to use. The structure relies heavily on indentation to define the relationship between different parts of the configuration (e.g., which scripts belong to which job).
4. What is YAML and why is it used in GitLab CI?
YAML (YAML Ain’t Markup Language) is a human-readable data serialization language. It is used in GitLab CI to define the pipeline configuration in the .gitlab-ci.yml file. YAML’s structure, based on indentation and key-value pairs, makes it relatively easy to read and write pipeline definitions, although proper syntax and indentation are crucial to avoid errors.
5. How does GitLab CI integrate with Docker and AWS in this course?
GitLab CI uses Docker to provide isolated and consistent execution environments for pipeline jobs. Each job runs inside a Docker container specified by the image keyword. This ensures that the build and test processes are reproducible. The course focuses on deploying a simple website to Amazon Web Services (AWS) S3 (Simple Storage Service) using the AWS Command Line Interface (CLI) within a GitLab CI pipeline. This involves using an AWS CLI Docker image and configuring credentials to interact with AWS services.
6. How can you manage environment-specific configurations and credentials in GitLab CI?
GitLab provides CI/CD variables that can be defined at the project level (Settings > CI/CD > Variables). These variables can store configuration values, API keys, and other sensitive information. Variables can be marked as “protected” (available only on protected branches) and “masked” (their values are hidden in job logs). Additionally, variables can be scoped to specific environments (e.g., staging, production), allowing different values for the same variable name based on the deployment environment. AWS credentials (access key ID and secret access key) are securely stored as GitLab CI/CD variables to allow the pipeline to interact with AWS.
7. What is the difference between Continuous Integration (CI), Continuous Delivery, and Continuous Deployment?
Continuous Integration (CI): Focuses on frequently merging code changes from multiple developers into a shared repository, followed by automated building and testing. The goal is to detect integration issues early and ensure the codebase is always in a working state.
Continuous Delivery: Extends CI by automating the process of preparing code for release to production. This may include additional testing, configuration management, and manual approval steps. The code is always in a deployable state, but the actual deployment is a manual decision.
Continuous Deployment: Takes Continuous Delivery a step further by automatically deploying every change that passes all stages of the pipeline directly to production without manual intervention. The course demonstrates aspects of both Continuous Delivery (with staging and production environments) and sets up a mechanism for manual deployment to production in the later stages.
8. How can you create a more sophisticated CI/CD pipeline with branching strategies and manual deployment?
To create a more sophisticated pipeline:
Branching Strategies: Use feature branches for development, merging them into the main branch upon completion and review. The pipeline can be configured to run different sets of jobs based on the branch (e.g., run all tests on feature branches, but only deploy from the main branch).
Rules: GitLab CI allows defining rules for jobs to control when they are executed based on conditions like the branch name (if: $CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME == $CI_DEFAULT_BRANCH).
Manual Deployment: You can configure a job with when: manual to require a manual trigger in the GitLab UI before it is executed. This is useful for production deployments, allowing for human oversight before releasing changes.
Environments: Define and utilize GitLab Environments to track deployments to different stages (e.g., staging, production), associate variables and URLs with these environments, and monitor the health and status of deployments.
Job Templates (.job_name): Reuse job configurations by defining a template job (prefixed with a .) and then extending it in other jobs using the extends keyword, reducing duplication and improving maintainability.
GitLab CI/CD Pipelines for AWS Deployment
GitLab CI pipelines are a powerful tool within GitLab that allows you to automate the processes of building, testing, and deploying your software. This automation is central to the practices of Continuous Integration (CI) and Continuous Delivery/Deployment (CD). Valentine introduces this course to teach how to use GitLab CI to build CI/CD pipelines for deploying software to AWS.
Core Concepts of GitLab CI Pipelines:
.gitlab-ci.yaml File: The entire pipeline is defined in a YAML file named .gitlab-ci.yaml which must reside in the root of your project repository. The pipeline will not be recognized by GitLab if this file is not named exactly like this. This file contains the configuration for all the stages and jobs in your pipeline.
Jobs: A job is the fundamental building block of a pipeline and represents a set of commands that you want to execute. For example, a job might compile your code, run tests, or deploy your application. Jobs are defined with a name and contain a script section specifying the commands to be executed.
Stages:Stages define the order in which jobs are executed. Jobs within the same stage can run in parallel, while stages run sequentially. You can define custom stages or use predefined ones like build, test, and deploy. If no stage is specified for a job, it automatically belongs to the test stage by default.
Scripts: The script section within a job lists the commands that will be executed by a GitLab Runner. These are often Linux commands, and the course will explain the commands used.
Docker Images: GitLab CI jobs typically run inside Docker containers. You specify the Docker image to be used for a job, and the GitLab Runner will download and start a container from that image. This provides an isolated and consistent environment for your jobs. The container is destroyed once the job is finished.
GitLab Runner: The GitLab Runner is the agent that executes the jobs in your pipeline. It retrieves job instructions from the GitLab server, sets up the environment (including downloading the Docker image and getting project files), runs the commands in the script, and reports the results back to the server. GitLab.com provides shared runners that can be used by any project.
Artifacts:Artifacts are files or directories produced by a job that you want to save and potentially use in later jobs. You define artifacts using the artifacts keyword in a job’s configuration and specify the paths to the files or folders you want to save. Artifacts are uploaded to the GitLab server after a job completes successfully and can be downloaded by subsequent jobs.
Variables: You can define variables in your .gitlab-ci.yaml file or in the GitLab project settings under CI/CD > Variables. Variables allow you to configure your pipeline dynamically, such as specifying AWS region, bucket names, or application URLs. Variables can also be scoped to specific environments.
Environments:Environments represent deployment targets, such as staging or production. You can associate jobs with specific environments in your pipeline configuration. GitLab provides a section under Deployments > Environments to track deployments and environment URLs.
The Workflow of a GitLab CI Pipeline:
Every time you push code to your GitLab repository, GitLab CI will automatically look for the .gitlab-ci.yaml file and, if found, will trigger a new pipeline execution. The pipeline will proceed through the defined stages, and the jobs within each stage will be executed according to their configuration. You can monitor the progress and logs of your pipeline in the GitLab interface.
Continuous Integration and GitLab CI:
GitLab CI is a key enabler of Continuous Integration (CI). CI is a development practice where developers frequently integrate their code changes into a shared repository, and these changes are automatically built and tested. GitLab CI pipelines automate this integration and verification process, ensuring that any integration issues are detected early. Working with branches and merge requests is a common CI workflow. By protecting the main branch and requiring changes to go through merge requests with successful pipeline runs, you can ensure the stability of your main codebase.
Continuous Delivery and Continuous Deployment with GitLab CI:
GitLab CI also supports Continuous Delivery (CD) and Continuous Deployment.
Continuous Delivery involves automating the release process so that your software can be deployed to a production-like environment at any time. However, the final decision to deploy to production is typically a manual step. You can implement this in GitLab CI by having a deploy job that requires manual intervention using the when: manual condition.
Continuous Deployment takes this a step further by automatically deploying every code change that passes all stages of your pipeline directly to the production environment without manual intervention.
Your course covers deploying a static website to AWS S3 and deploying a Dockerized application to AWS Elastic Beanstalk, demonstrating how GitLab CI can be used for both continuous delivery and deployment scenarios.
Important Considerations and Best Practices:
YAML Syntax: Pay close attention to the YAML syntax in your .gitlab-ci.yaml file. Incorrect indentation, missing colons, or incorrect spacing are common causes of pipeline failures. Enabling the rendering of whitespace characters in the Web IDE preferences is recommended to help identify these issues.
Job Dependencies: Consider the dependencies between your jobs when structuring your pipeline into stages. Jobs that depend on the output of previous jobs should be in later stages, and you might need to use artifacts to pass data between them.
Failing Fast: It’s a good practice to order your pipeline stages so that jobs that are likely to fail early (such as linters and unit tests) run before longer or more complex jobs. This provides faster feedback on potential issues.
Pipeline Optimization: Optimizing pipeline execution time is important. You can explore running independent jobs in parallel within a stage and restructuring jobs to avoid unnecessary steps or waiting times.
Environment Management: GitLab’s environment feature helps you manage different deployment environments and associate variables and deployments with them. This simplifies managing configurations for staging and production environments.
By understanding and effectively using GitLab CI pipelines, you can significantly streamline your software development lifecycle, improve the quality of your code, and automate the delivery of your applications.
GitLab CI/CD YAML Configuration Essentials
YAML configuration is fundamental to defining GitLab CI/CD pipelines. The entire configuration of a pipeline is written in a YAML file named .gitlab-ci.yaml located at the root of your project repository. If the file is not named exactly this, GitLab will not recognize the pipeline.
Here are the key aspects of YAML configuration in the context of GitLab CI/CD, drawing from the sources:
Key-Value Pairs (Mappings): YAML at its core represents data as key-value pairs. In .gitlab-ci.yaml, you define jobs, stages, and their properties using this structure. A colon (:) is used to separate the key from the value, and it is crucial to have a space after the colon. For example:
name: john
age: 23
This is also referred to as a mapping, where a key is associated with a value. The order of these key-value pairs generally does not matter.
Lists (Sequences): YAML allows you to define lists of items, which are called sequences. Each item in a list is written on a new line and must start with a dash (-) followed by a space. For example, defining multiple commands in a job’s script:
script:
– echo “Building a laptop”
– mkdir build
– touch build/computer.txt
Indentation:Indentation is crucial in YAML for defining scope and structure. It allows you to understand which values belong to which keys. For instance, the script commands are indented under the build_laptop job definition. Typically, two or four spaces are used for indentation, and the GitLab Web IDE often defaults to four spaces. Inconsistent or incorrect indentation is a common source of errors.
Reserved Keywords: When configuring GitLab CI/CD pipelines, you use specific reserved keywords that GitLab understands. Examples include job_name:, stage:, image:, script:, variables:, rules:, extends:, artifacts:, and environment:. You cannot arbitrarily rename these keywords; they must be used as defined by GitLab.
Variables: YAML in .gitlab-ci.yaml can include variables. These allow you to make your pipeline configuration more dynamic and configurable. Variables can be defined directly in the .gitlab-ci.yaml file or in the GitLab project settings. In the YAML file, you typically access variables using a dollar sign ($) followed by the variable name (e.g., $AWS_S3_BUCKET). Depending on the variable’s content, you might need to enclose it in quotes.
Stages: Pipelines are organized into stages, which define the sequence of job execution. You define the order of stages using the stages: keyword at the top level of the .gitlab-ci.yaml file. Jobs are then assigned to specific stages using the stage: keyword under the job definition.
Rules: The rules: keyword allows you to define conditions for when a job should be executed. This often involves checking predefined CI/CD variables like CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME (the current branch or tag name) and CI_DEFAULT_BRANCH (the default branch name) using an if: condition.
Extending Job Configurations: YAML allows you to reuse job configurations using the extends: keyword. You can define a template job (often with a name starting with a dot, like .deploy) containing common configurations, and then other jobs can extend from this template, overriding or adding specific configurations as needed.
Common Mistakes: Beginners often make mistakes related to the YAML syntax, such as:
Incorrect or inconsistent indentation.
Forgetting the space after the colon in key-value pairs.
Forgetting the space after the dash in list items.
Using an incorrect file name for the pipeline configuration (it must be exactly .gitlab-ci.yaml).
Missing colons in key-value pairs.
Understanding these YAML basics is crucial for effectively configuring GitLab CI/CD pipelines to automate your software development processes. While the syntax might seem a bit peculiar at first, with practice, you will become more comfortable with writing and debugging .gitlab-ci.yaml files.
GitLab CI/CD: Understanding and Using Docker Images
Docker images are a fundamental concept in GitLab CI/CD, as they define the isolated and reproducible environment in which your pipeline jobs are executed. Here’s a comprehensive discussion of Docker images based on the sources:
Job Execution Environment: GitLab CI jobs run inside Docker containers. You specify the Docker image that should be used for each job in your pipeline configuration file, .gitlab-ci.yaml, using the image keyword.
Image Retrieval: When a job needs to be executed, the GitLab Runner will retrieve the specified Docker image from a container registry. The most common public registry is Docker Hub. GitLab also offers a private Container Registry associated with each project.
Specifying Images and Tags:
It is crucial to specify a version or tag for your Docker images instead of just using the latest version (e.g., node or alpine). Relying on the latest tag can lead to inconsistencies and potential pipeline failures if the upstream image introduces breaking changes.
You can specify a tag by appending a colon (:) followed by the tag name to the image name (e.g., node:16, nginx:1.21.6-alpine).
Using official Docker images from verified publishers on Docker Hub is generally recommended when available.
Base Images: When creating your own Docker images, you typically start with a base image that provides a foundational operating system and necessary tools. For example, when Dockerizing a Node.js application, you might start with an official Node.js image.
Image Size and Efficiency:
Consider using smaller Docker images, such as those based on Alpine Linux (e.g., node:16-alpine, nginx:1.21.6-alpine), as they can significantly reduce the time it takes for the runner to download the image, thus speeding up your pipeline execution. Larger images contain more tools and dependencies, which might not all be necessary for your specific job.
Isolation and Cleanliness: Each job in a GitLab CI pipeline runs in a new and isolated Docker container. This ensures that jobs do not interfere with each other’s dependencies or state. Once a job is finished, the Docker container is destroyed, providing a clean environment for the next job.
Accessing Project Files: During the execution of a job, the files from your project’s Git repository are automatically made available within the Docker container.
Persistence and Artifacts: Any files or changes created within the Docker container during a job’s execution are not automatically persisted back to the Git repository. If you need to use files created in one job in subsequent jobs, you must explicitly define them as artifacts in the .gitlab-ci.yaml configuration.
Building Docker Images within GitLab CI:
You can build your own Docker images as part of your GitLab CI pipeline using the docker build command. This requires using a Docker image that has the Docker client installed (e.g., the docker image itself).
To enable docker build within a GitLab CI job, you need to utilize the Docker-in-Docker (DinD) service. You define services in your .gitlab-ci.yaml to start a Docker daemon alongside your main job container.
When building Docker images, you should tag them appropriately using the -t or -d flag. It’s common to use CI/CD environment variables like $CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE to tag images with your project’s container registry URL and a specific tag (e.g., latest or the commit/build version).
Pushing Docker Images to a Registry:
After building a Docker image, you can push it to a container registry (like the GitLab Container Registry) using the docker push command. The –all-tags option can be used to push all tagged images.
Pushing to a private registry requires authentication using docker login. You typically use the $CI_REGISTRY_USER and $CI_REGISTRY_PASSWORD predefined CI/CD variables for this purpose, along with the $CI_REGISTRY URL. It is recommended to pass the password securely using echo “$CI_REGISTRY_PASSWORD” | docker login -u “$CI_REGISTRY_USER” –password-stdin “$CI_REGISTRY” to avoid exposing the password in the logs.
Testing Docker Images in GitLab CI:
You can test your built Docker images within the pipeline by running them as services using the services keyword in .gitlab-ci.yaml. This allows you to define an alias (a friendly network name) for your running container, making it accessible from your test job.
Once the container is running as a service, you can use tools like curl in your test script to send requests to the application running inside the container and verify its behavior.
Docker Images and AWS Elastic Beanstalk: AWS Elastic Beanstalk supports deploying applications packaged as Docker containers. You typically provide a Dockerrun.aws.json file that specifies the Docker image to be pulled from a registry (like the GitLab Container Registry) and run by Elastic Beanstalk.
In summary, Docker images provide the foundation for isolated, consistent, and automated execution of jobs within GitLab CI/CD pipelines. Effectively managing Docker images, including specifying versions, using smaller images, building and pushing your own images, and testing them within the pipeline, is crucial for efficient and reliable CI/CD workflows.
GitLab CI/CD for AWS Deployment: S3 and Elastic Beanstalk
Based on the sources, AWS deployment within GitLab CI/CD pipelines is primarily demonstrated through two key methods: deploying static websites to AWS S3 and deploying Docker containers to AWS Elastic Beanstalk.
Here’s a breakdown of the concepts and processes involved in AWS deployment as discussed in the sources:
Interacting with AWS via AWS CLI: The sources heavily emphasize the use of the AWS Command Line Interface (CLI) within GitLab CI/CD jobs to interact with various AWS services. This allows for the automation of deployment tasks. To use the AWS CLI, you typically use a Docker image that has it pre-installed, such as amazon/aws-cli.
Authentication and Authorization: To allow GitLab CI/CD pipelines to interact with your AWS account, you need to configure AWS credentials. This is typically done by setting the following as secret CI/CD variables in your GitLab project settings:
AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID: Your AWS access key.
AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY: Your AWS secret access key.
AWS_DEFAULT_REGION: The AWS region where you want to deploy your resources (e.g., us-east-1). These variables are automatically recognized by the AWS CLI within the pipeline environment. It’s crucial to mask the AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY variable for security. Additionally, the IAM user or role associated with these credentials needs to have the necessary permissions to perform the required actions on AWS services (e.g., AmazonS3FullAccess for S3 and administrator access for Elastic Beanstalk for the examples shown).
Deploying Static Websites to AWS S3:
Creating an S3 Bucket: The first step is to create an S3 bucket in your AWS account to store your website files. Bucket names must be globally unique.
Making the Bucket Public: To serve a static website, you need to disable “Block All Public Access” for the S3 bucket.
Enabling Static Website Hosting: You need to enable the static website hosting feature for your S3 bucket and specify the index document (e.g., index.html) and optionally an error document. This provides a public URL for your website.
Setting a Bucket Policy: You need to create an S3 bucket policy to grant public read (s3:GetObject) permission to the objects within the bucket.
Uploading Files: Within your GitLab CI/CD pipeline, you use the aws s3 cp command to copy individual files or the aws s3 sync command to synchronize an entire directory (like your build output) to the S3 bucket. The –delete flag with aws s3 sync ensures that files removed from your source are also removed from the S3 bucket.
Testing: After deployment, you can test if the website is accessible via the S3-provided URL.
Deploying Docker Containers to AWS Elastic Beanstalk:
Understanding Elastic Beanstalk: AWS Elastic Beanstalk is a service that simplifies the deployment and management of applications in the AWS Cloud, handling the underlying infrastructure (like EC2 instances) for you. It supports various platforms, including Docker.
Creating an Elastic Beanstalk Application and Environment: You create an application in Elastic Beanstalk, which acts as a container for one or more environments. An environment represents your running application.
Dockerrun.aws.json: To deploy a Docker container, you typically provide a Dockerrun.aws.json file in your source bundle. This file specifies the Docker image to be used (including the registry and tag). For private registries like the GitLab Container Registry, it also requires authentication information.
Automating Deployment with AWS CLI: In your GitLab CI/CD pipeline, you use the AWS CLI to automate the deployment process to Elastic Beanstalk. This involves two main steps:
Creating an Application Version: The aws elasticbeanstalk create-application-version command is used to create a new version of your application in Elastic Beanstalk, referencing the Dockerrun.aws.json file (which is typically uploaded to S3 first). You need to specify the application name, version label (often derived from CI/CD variables like $APP_VERSION), and the location of the source bundle in S3.
Updating the Environment: The aws elasticbeanstalk update-environment command is then used to deploy the newly created application version to your Elastic Beanstalk environment. You need to specify the application name, environment name (e.g., using an $APP_ENV_NAME variable), and the version label to deploy.
Authenticating with Private Registries: When using Docker images from a private registry like the GitLab Container Registry, you need to provide authentication credentials to Elastic Beanstalk. This is often done by including an authentication file (e.g., auth.json) in your source bundle, which contains a deploy token generated from GitLab encoded in Base64. The Dockerrun.aws.json file then references this authentication file. You can generate a deploy token in GitLab with read_repository and read_registry permissions. The process in the GitLab CI/CD pipeline involves:
Creating a CI/CD variable (e.g., $GITLAB_DEPLOY_TOKEN) containing username:token.
Encoding this token in Base64 using echo “$GITLAB_DEPLOY_TOKEN” | tr -d ‘\n’ | base64.
Creating or substituting variables in the auth.json file with this Base64 encoded token.
Uploading both Dockerrun.aws.json and auth.json to S3.
Waiting for Environment Updates: After triggering an environment update, it takes some time for AWS to deploy the new version. You can use the aws elasticbeanstalk wait environment-updated command in your pipeline to wait until the environment has finished updating before proceeding with further steps (like testing).
Testing Deployed Applications: After the Elastic Beanstalk environment is updated, you can use tools like curl to send HTTP requests to the application’s URL (provided by Elastic Beanstalk and accessible via the $CI_ENVIRONMENT_URL CI/CD variable when an environment is defined in GitLab) and verify if the deployment was successful.
Managing Environments in GitLab: GitLab provides a feature called Environments that allows you to define and track different deployment environments like staging and production. You can associate CI/CD variables with specific environments. This helps in managing configurations for different deployment targets. The $CI_ENVIRONMENT_URL predefined variable provides the URL of the currently active environment.
Continuous Delivery (CD) vs. Continuous Deployment: The sources touch upon the difference between continuous delivery (where deployments to production require manual approval) and continuous deployment (where every successful commit on the main branch is automatically deployed to production). You can implement continuous delivery by using the when: manual keyword for the production deployment job in your GitLab CI/CD pipeline.
In summary, the sources illustrate a comprehensive approach to deploying applications to AWS using GitLab CI/CD, emphasizing automation through the AWS CLI, secure management of AWS credentials and deploy tokens as CI/CD variables, and the utilization of services like S3 for static websites and Elastic Beanstalk for more complex containerized applications. The concept of managing different environments and the choice between continuous delivery and continuous deployment are also highlighted.
Understanding Continuous Integration (CI)
Based on the sources, Continuous Integration (CI) is a practice and often considered the foundational first step when adopting DevOps. It addresses the challenges that arise when multiple developers work on the same codebase.
Here’s a breakdown of key aspects of Continuous Integration as described in the sources:
Frequent Code Integration: At its core, CI involves developers integrating their code changes with the code created by other team members on a frequent basis. This means that every time a developer makes changes, their code is intended to be merged and combined with the shared repository.
Automated Testing and Verification: A crucial component of CI is the automatic testing and verification of code changes upon each integration. This typically involves running various types of tests, such as:
Unit tests: To ensure individual components of the software function correctly (yarn test is mentioned as a command for running unit tests).
Linting: Static code analysis to identify potential errors and stylistic issues (yarn lint is mentioned).
Basic integration tests: To verify if essential files are present after a build process (e.g., checking for index.html).
More comprehensive integration tests that verify the functionality of the built application (e.g., using curl to check for specific content on a running server).
Continuous Integration as an Ongoing Process: The term “continuous” emphasizes that integration should happen continuously, as changes occur, rather than in infrequent batches (like weekly or monthly). Waiting for longer periods to integrate increases the likelihood and cost of resolving integration conflicts and issues.
GitLab’s Role in CI: The sources highlight GitLab as a tool used to facilitate and automate CI. GitLab CI/CD pipelines are defined using a .gitlab-ci.yml file, which outlines the sequence of jobs and stages involved in building, testing, and integrating code.
CI Pipelines: A CI pipeline in GitLab automates the process of taking code changes, building the software, running automated tests, and producing a new version of the product. These pipelines can be triggered automatically upon code commits to a repository branch.
Importance of a Stable Main Branch: CI aims to ensure that the main branch (or a similar primary integration branch) remains stable and functional at all times, allowing for the delivery of new software versions whenever needed. Preventing broken code from being merged directly into the main branch is a key objective.
Feature Branch Workflow: To support CI and maintain a stable main branch, a feature branch workflow is often employed. This involves:
Developers creating dedicated branches for each new feature, bug fix, or change.
Committing their changes to these feature branches.
Allowing the CI pipeline to run on these branches to automatically test the changes.
Using merge requests to propose the integration of the feature branch into the main branch. Merge requests often involve code reviews and require the CI pipeline to pass before merging is allowed.
Job Artifacts: GitLab’s concept of artifacts plays a role in CI by allowing the output of one job (e.g., the built application in the build folder) to be saved and made available for subsequent jobs in the pipeline (e.g., testing jobs).
Stages in CI Pipelines: CI pipelines are typically organized into stages (e.g., build, test, package) to define the order of execution for different sets of jobs. This helps in structuring the CI process logically.
Fail Fast Principle: An important consideration in designing CI pipelines is the “fail fast” principle. This means that jobs that are likely to fail early (such as linting and unit tests) should be placed earlier in the pipeline to provide rapid feedback to developers.
In essence, Continuous Integration is a set of practices that emphasizes frequent code integration, automated testing, and the use of tools like GitLab to ensure that software development teams can work efficiently, maintain a stable codebase, and deliver new features and fixes with confidence.
DevOps with GitLab CI Course – Build Pipelines and Deploy to AWS
The Original Text
in this course valentine will teach you how to use gitlab ci to build ci cd pipelines to build and deploy software to aws hello frequent campers and welcome to this course which will introduce you to gitlab ci and devops my name is valentine i’m a software developer and i like to share my passion for technology with others in a way that is easy to understand when i’m not speaking at a conference or traveling the world i like to share what i know by being active in groups and forums and creating tutorials on youtube or online courses in this course we will understand what gitlab ci is and why we need this tool and start building cicd pipelines during the course we’ll create a pipeline that takes a simple website builds a container tests it and deploys it to the amazon web services cloud also called aws in other words we’ll be focusing on automation i’ve created this course for people new to devops who want to use gitlab to build test and deploy their software don’t worry if none of this makes sense right now if you’re a beginner that is totally fine you don’t need to install any tools or anything else also no coding knowledge is required but if you have some it is great it will help a bit i will explain to you everything you need to know step by step this course focuses on gitlab ci but the course notes are packed with resources i recommend exploring if unfamiliar with a specific topic go right now to the video description and open the course notes there you will find important resources and troubleshooting tips if something goes wrong i will also be publishing there any corrections additions and modifications yes this is a very dynamic industry and things change all the time so if something is not working first check the course notes i am a big fan of learning by doing and you will get hands-on experience building pipelines and deploying software to aws throughout the course i will give you assignments to practice what you have learned well in this course we’ll be focusing on a specific technology and cloud provider what you’re actually learning are the concepts around devops with the skills acquired in this course i’m sure you’ll be able to start using gitlab ci for whatever you need in no time at all this is an action-packed course which i’m sure will keep you busy at least for a few days as always here on freecodecamp please help us make such courses available to you by liking and subscribing also don’t forget to drop a comment below the video if you like this course i invite you to check out and subscribe to my youtube channel link in the video description which is packed with content around devops software development and testing also feel free to connect with me on social media i would really love to hear from you finally i would like to thank those who will support free code camp by clicking that thanks button and making a small donation i hope you’re excited to learn more about gitlab ci aws and devops and with that being said let’s get started i have designed this course to be as easy to follow along as possible you don’t need to install any software on your computer and you should be able to do everything just from a browser i’ll be using gitlab.com throughout the course if you don’t have a gitlab.com account please go ahead and create one by default you will get a free trial with your account which will be downgraded to a free one after 30 days it just takes a few steps to create an account if you don’t want to participate in the free trial that’s totally fine there’s also the possibility of skipping the trial altogether gitlab is a platform that offers git repositories where we store code and code pipelines which help us build software projects now that the registration process is completed let’s begin by creating our first project and we’re going to create a blank project and i’m going to call this project my first pipeline i have the option of providing a project subscription which is optional and i can also decide on the project visibility either private which means that only i or people who i explicitly grant access to can view this project or public which means that can be viewed by anyone without any authentication i’m not going to initialize this project with a readme file i’m going to simply go ahead and click create project this gitlab project allows us to store files and to use git to keep track of changes and also to collaborate with others on this project if the concepts around git are not clear check the course notes for a free course on getting started with git for gitlab since for this account i haven’t configured git you will also get here this warning in regards to adding the ssh key this is also covered in the material i have mentioned but for the moment we don’t need this so we can simply discard it the first thing that i like to do is to change a few settings in regards to how this interface looks like so from the user profile i will go to preferences and here from the syntax highlighting theme what i like to do is to select monokai so this is essentially a dark theme and as you probably know we like to use dark themes because light attracts bugs and we definitely don’t want any bugs now leaving the joker side some people like it some people don’t like it i prefer to use a dark theme when writing code but totally agree that depends on everyone’s preference on how to use this there are also some other settings i want you to do right now in the beginning i’m going to scroll here a bit further down and the first thing that i want you to enable is render white space characters in web ide this will show us any white space characters whenever editing files that’s super important okay we have everything that we need to do so i’m gonna go all the way to the bottom click on save changes and go back to gitlab you’ll see here your projects so currently you have only one project i’m going to click on it and currently we have absolutely no code inside this project the first thing that i want to do is to begin to create a file so from this new gitlab project we’re going to use the web ide to create the pipeline definition file i’m going to click here on new file this will open up the gitlab ide so i’m going to create a new file and we are already provided here with a template and this file name must be called dot gitlab dash ci dot yaml if it’s not exactly this name if you’re writing it on your own this pipeline will not be recognized so the pipeline find will not be recognized by gitlab this is a very common mistake that beginners make probably this is why if you click directly on this one you’ll be pretty sure that you don’t name this file like anything else now in this file we’re gonna define the pipelines and essentially gonna write here configuration to create pipelines in gitlab say it’s totally fine if you don’t know what that is right now just want to create a very simple example to make sure that we have everything we need in order to follow along with the rest of the course so what i’m going to do here i’m going to write something like test column and then i’m going to go to the next line and you will see here everything is already indented so with this indentation with this four spaces that you can see right now here i’m gonna write script column space and then i’m going to use the echo command to display a text this is going to be the text that we want to display the echo command is used to display a text and we’ll be able to see it later on and this dot gitlab ci that yaml file allows us to describe our pipeline as i said don’t worry if this does not make any sense right now this is just a test to ensure we have everything we need to get started so now what we’re gonna do is to actually commit these changes which means introducing this file inside the gitlab repository if we click again here on the project name we’ll exit this view and you will see here that the pipeline failed so every time we make changes to this project the pipeline will be executed based what we have defined in this yaml file but you will see here right on top there’s this indication that something is wrong and even here if you look inside the pipeline you will get this additional information so what is going on in order to run your pipeline using the gitlab.com infrastructure you need to verify your account now this is not the same as verifying your email address you already did that but you need to go an additional step of verification unfortunately some people decided to take advantage of this free service and have abused it for mining cryptocurrency for the time being you will be asked to verify your account using a credit card now your credit card will not be charged or stored by gitlab and it is used solely for verifying your account just to ensure that you are one of the good guys and i know that you’re one of the good guys and i know that this is a bit annoying in the beginning but this is how things are right now i also know that credit cards are not that widespread in some countries and this may be inconvenient maybe you can ask a friend to help out i hope that gitlab will introduce alternative verification options nevertheless verifying your gitlab.com account and using the gitlab.com infrastructure is the easiest way to follow along with the course so if you can invest five minutes now and get this done it will save you hours later you can use your own infrastructure to run gitlab but it is more complex and from my experience of training thousands of students is that people new to gitlab who use their own infrastructure have issues running their pipelines and waste a lot of time trying to get them to run properly you have been warned but if you want to go this path i’ve added some resources to the course notes which you can find in the video description now in order to get started with the verification process you have to click here on validate account you will be asked to enter your credit card information i hope that the validation has been okay and in order to see if everything is working properly i’m gonna go back to the project and open the web ide i’m gonna click on the get lab ci file to make a change to it and i’m gonna change here the message so this is gonna be now hello world 2 and going to go here commit so essentially making a new change to this file and commit it directly into the main branch and if i’m looking here at the bottom i should be able to see that something is happening so very soon a pipeline will be started and you will see here now pipeline with the specific number is running i can click on it and if you click here on this execution you’ll be able to see the job logs and what we’re interested in is firstly seeing this message here hello world and additionally what we’re also interested in seeing here is seeing this text here which says pulling docker image now this is very important not for this job itself but what we are going to do throughout the course we want to make sure that whatever we have here in terms of the execution that we are actually using docker if this is working it’s fantastic you can jump directly into the next lecture otherwise check the course notes for some troubleshooting ideas so what is a pipeline allow me to make an analogy to an assembly line used to manufacture a physical product any product goes through a series of steps let’s take a laptop for example to oversimplify the assembly line would have the following steps we’ll take an empty laptop body case we’ll add the main board and add a keyboard we would do some quality assurance to ensure it turns on and works properly then we would put it in a box and finally ship it to customers and we are not using gitlab to produce physical products we want to build software but producing software has similarities to what i have described before before we can ship anything we go through a series of steps let’s try to build the laptop assembly line in gitlab ci well kind of instead of real components we’ll use a file a folder and some text so let’s begin with the first task take an empty laptop case we’ll put this in a job in gitlab a job is a set of commands we want to execute so now let’s go back to our project and make some changes to it again i’m gonna open the web ide to be able to view the pipeline file now essentially we already have a job here but we’re gonna expand this and make it build a laptop if you’re facing any issues getting the following steps to run make sure to watch the next lesson where i’m going over some of the most common mistakes now we already have a job and this job is called test but probably we should go ahead and rename this to maybe build a laptop or we can also call it simply build laptop now in the script part this is where we can essentially write commands now so far we have used this echo command but the way we written this allows us only to write one command so what i’m going to do here i’m going to go on the next line and i’m going to start here with the dash and this will allow us to essentially write multiple commands one after the other so let’s rename this in something like building a laptop just to give us some information in regards to what we’re trying to do i want you to notice that after this dash i have added a space and you can see that space represented by a dot common mistake that people just getting started with gitlab and this language that you see here which is called yamo is that they don’t add the spaces or they don’t properly indent what they see so make sure that what you have inside your editor looks pretty much the same as what i have here and you’re doing that pretty sure this example will also work for you now as i said the language that we’re using here to describe our pipeline is called yaml and yaml is essentially a way to represent key value pairs it may look a bit weird in the beginning but after a few examples i’m sure you will get used to it now so far our problem doesn’t do anything and inside this job we actually said we want to build this laptop and we also said that we’re not going to use physical components we’re going to use folders we’re going to use files we’re going to use some text so let’s begin with the first command which will create a new folder now we want to put this into a folder which is called build so on the next line i’m gonna use a command that will create a folder this command is called make deer and i’m going to call this folder build so now we have a folder and let’s go to the next line and actually create a file so i want my file to be inside this build folder and in order to create this file we’re going to use the touch command now the touch command is generally used for modifying the timestamp of a file essentially you’re touching it you’re modifying it but it also has an interesting behavior which we will use here if the file does not exist it will create an empty file and initially for us that’s perfectly fine so we’re going to create this file inside the build folder which we created one step before and with the forward slash we go inside this build folder we can specify the file name which in this case will be computer.txt now the next question is how do we get some text inside this file and in order to do that we’re going to use a command we have already used before and this is the echo command now echo if we don’t do anything else like we did here it will just print this message and we’ll see it in our build logs but we can also kind of redirect this and send it directly to a file and for that we’re going to use an operator so let me show you what i mean by that i’m going to write here again echo and the first thing that we are going to do is we’re going to add here the main board now let’s see the file itself it’s uh just containing the the laptop and then we’re adding components to it so if you would keep this as it is right now it will just display this information just display mainboard but we actually want to get it inside this file that you see here so i’m simply going to go ahead and copy it and in order to get this text inside there we’re going to use this operator it’s actually greater than greater than and essentially this operator takes the output from one command so echo is one command and it will append it to a specified file so now we have specified here this computer.txt file which is inside the build folder so if you want to take a look and see exactly what is the contents of the file we can do that as well and for that we there are different commands that we can use one option would be to use the cat command and cat stands for concatenate and can be used for creating displaying or modifying the contents of files in this case we’re using this hat command to view the contents of a file and again we have to specify the path to that file so just to make sure i don’t make any mistakes and always go ahead and copy paste the value of the file the name of the file and of course we can also go ahead and add the other steps so which other steps did we had for example we wanted to add a keyboard i’m gonna add this again with a new command and i think that should be it’s a way we have the main board we have the keyboard and of course we can also try this cat command once again at the end and this will give us an idea of how the job itself is working in the previous execution we haven’t specified a docker image to use and by default it will download a ruby docker image which for our use case here doesn’t really make a lot of sense so we’re going to use a very simple docker image it’s a linux distribution that will be started with our job and we can do that by specifying here another keyword and you will see here it’s under the job itself which is build laptop but at the same level with the script so i’m going to write here image column and the image name will be alpine so alpine linux is a very lightweight linux distribution what’s most important for us that this distribution has these commands that we’re using so these are pretty standard commands that are available essentially in any linux distribution but having a very small linux distribution will make our job run much faster so let’s go ahead commit these changes and see how the pipeline runs i’m going to commit again to the main branch and if i’m in patient i can click directly here on the pipeline or i can also go directly on the project page and you will only see here the pipeline running pipeline is also available if you go here inside cicd pipelines it will display your list of all the pipelines that are running you can click here on this one which is the id of the pipeline you will see now our pipeline contains a job and this job has been assigned to the stage test by default if no stage is defined the job will use the test stage now it doesn’t really matter how the name of the stage has been called we just want to make sure that the commands that we have executed are actually working properly we’re getting here no errors so the job is running so the job has executed successfully we can click on it take a look at the execution logs see exactly what has happened here and you will see here in the logs the commands that we have executed they’re all visible here you will see here echo building laptop you will see the text being displayed after that we are creating a new folder we’re putting a file inside that folder we’re adding some text to that file then we’re checking the contents of the file to make sure everything is fine you see here the word mainboard being displayed and then we add the keyboard and then again you will see here the contents of the file containing both main board and keyboard so what is a pipeline it is a set of jobs organized in stages right now we have a single job that belongs to the test stage however in the upcoming lectures we’ll be expanding this pipeline it is quite common that when you are just getting started with defining these pipelines that you make some mistakes let me show you like some common mistakes that will lead to invalid configuration which will lead to git lab not running your pipeline i’m going to make this a bit bigger on the screen so that you can easily check and compare it with what you have it’s very important that in some places you have this column so for example here i’m defining the job and in order to add image and scripts as essentially properties of this job it’s important to have here this column if i’m removing that you will see here in the editor when you see these lines here it will indicate that something is wrong most of the time these messages are really not so easy to understand so it’s more important to double check what you have written here to make sure it is exactly as it should be it’s also important that you have some spaces where there are spaces expected so for example here with the commands and whenever you’re writing echo or make deer or touch there needs to be a space between the dash and the command this is why in the beginning i’ve asked you to enable this white spaces so that you can easily see them in your script so if i write something like this this again will make something weird so it will not show here an error because this is actually valid yamo but when gitlab will try to execute this pipeline and we’ll look at these commands we’ll think that you’re trying to run a command that starts with dash echo and we’ll say i cannot find this command so for that reason you need a space here to make a difference between this dash here which indicates a list and this command what’s also important is the indentation as you can notice here there are four spaces so everything that is under build laptop is indented with the level if i add something like this here it it will no longer belong to build laptop and will come out as something that’s really weird and most likely it will be invalid so always make sure that you have the right indentation uh two spaces are also fine by default this web ide will use four spaces just make sure you have that indentation there in place in the course notes you will find even more examples of why your pipeline may be failing including some common error codes that you may encounter so definitely check the course notes if you’re still having issues getting this pipeline to run in this lesson we’ll try to understand what yaml is if you already know yaml feel free to skip this as i will not be covering any advanced features the most important reason why you need to know some yaml basics is because you’ll be facing many errors while writing yaml and as i mentioned in the beginning this is normal trust me i also did the same mistakes that you did and sometimes i’m still making mistakes while writing yaml if i’m not paying attention if you’ve already been exposed to formats such as json or xml i’m sure you’ll be able to understand the basics around yaml very easily actually yaml is a superset of json and you can easily convert json to yaml both xml json and yaml are human readable data interchange formats while json is very easy to generate and parse typically yaml is considered easier to read as you will see not so easy to write but we’ll get to that quite often yaml is being used for storing configuration especially if you’re learning devops you probably face yaml a lot and this is exactly why we’re using it in gitlab as well to store a pipeline configuration at its core yaml follows key value storage principles and let me open up here inside the editor a new file and i’m gonna start writing some yaml basics so i’m gonna create here file i’m gonna call it test.yaml and let’s start with a few basics so for example how do we represent a key value pair so for example i have here a name typically would write something like the name is john right so this is something that anyone would understand now in yaml we use a column to separate that and so i’m going to add here name column john and what’s also more important that we have a space after this column so it will be like this and you will see here the color here will also change so now we have a key value pair the key is name and the value is john we also call this a mapping we’re mapping a key with a value of course on a new line we can start adding an additional key value pair for example let’s say here h 23 and what’s important to know is that the order of the properties does not matter so we can define them in any order so if i write first name john and after that h or the other way around that’s actually the same both are defined here in this yamo quite often we need to define lists which in yaml are called sequences and we do that by writing each value on a new line so for example let’s write here some hobbies call them sports youtube and hiking right and what you also do is we put them each of them on a new line but each line must start with a dash and a space so we have here a dash and a space a dash and a space dash and a space now we have a list now the way i’ve written this doesn’t really work like that so if we remove everything from here this will be probably a valid list but we cannot simply just combine this properties and now just add this list here in between what’s important to know about yaml is that it uses indentation for scope essentially it allows you to know which value belongs to which key because it has the proper indentation so for example now we know this is not valid here but if you write here for example hobbies as a key then this list here will belong to this key so essentially the mapping will contain a key and this list of values well this is valid we also like to indent this i’m going to select everything and click on tab and this will indent all these values here additionally we can have some nested structures so for example if i’m trying to write here an address so this will be the key and then on a new line i can write additional key value pairs which all belong to the address and you will see here i have the indentation so i can write something like street and on a new line i can go ahead and write a city and again on a new line i’m gonna write here the zip code and essentially by using this indentation we show that street city and zip they all belong to address if we didn’t have this indentation and it would all be a property of something else this is why in this case we’re using here name age hobbies and address these are like properties on the first level and street city and zip they are under address in terms of lists we can also build some more advanced lists so this is a very simple list that we’ve used for hobbies but let’s say for example that we want to add here a new key which is called experience and here uh for the experience we’re gonna create a list and we just wanna say like what is the professional experience of this person for example we can have here job title that could be junior developer and instead of creating here a new item in the list we just go to the same level as with title then we can start writing something like period so it will indicate in which period this person has been a junior developer let’s say from 2000 to 2005. and then we can go ahead and add a new item to the list again with title let’s say now this person is a senior developer and we can also define a different period so this will be since 2005. now additionally what we can do is we can take everything that we have here and how about we define here let’s say this is a person right and then we can take every everything that we have here and indent it once and then all these properties that we have here will belong to a person now you can see here that we are still have some mistakes here so we can we need to fix something because this editor will tell us this is a bad indentation and as you learn the indentation is very very important so i’m going to add here to spaces and add here again to spaces and now this indentation will be correct now when we are writing gitlab ci pipelines we don’t really get to choose which data structures to use we have the liberty of designing the pipeline but we need to do it in a way that gitlab will understand it so if we’re looking here at our pipeline we can just decide to use something else so for example instead of image we cannot just decide we’re going to call it docker image or docker or instead of scripts we cannot write here scripts because this is something that gitlab will not understand yes from a yaml perspective this is still valid but from the perspective of gitlab this is something that’s not according to what we agreed essentially in advance when we started writing these pipelines so it’s just important that you understand like what we’re doing here and how this indentation and how this key value pairs are being written but when we’re writing jobs we we decide how this job will be named we decide what exactly will happen inside it some keys will be reserved and simply cannot be renamed you just have to pay attention that what you’re writing here is really important and it has to be exactly at least exactly as the examples that i’m showing you otherwise gitlab will not be able to understand what you’re seeing throughout the course we’ll be using linux and linux commands we have already learned some commands such as echo touch make deer cat and so on we typically use these commands through a command line interface or cli what you see here for example i can go ahead and create here a new folder i can switch inside that folder we’ll see here for example with ls i will be able to list the contents of that folder let’s go ahead and write here touch this touch command and create here file name computer and again with ls i can see which files are inside the current folder so we typically type these commands that you have seen in the pipeline through this command line interface or cli sometimes we call it a console a terminal or a shell while technically speaking they are not the same thing you may notice me and others use them interchangeably a command line interface is the opposite of a graphical interface this is a graphical interface you will be able to see text colors you have buttons that you can click things are happening through your interaction you’re moving your mouse and you’re clicking or something or you’re using your keyboard and something changes on the screen this is a command line interface we will work with the command line interface to write commands computers we interact with have no user interface that we can use anyway automating graphical user interfaces is not as easy and as reliable as simply using commands the command line interface that computers have is called the shell the shell is simply the outer layer of the system the only thing that we can see from outside and interact with so we send these commands to the system and the system will run them this is how we can interact with it when using gitlab ci we essentially automate a set of commands which we execute in a particular order while i will explain every command that we’ll be using throughout the course if this is something new there’s absolutely no replacement for trying things on your own please see the resources in the course notes for this lesson on setting up a linux environment on your own computer and which linux commands you should know let’s talk for a minute about the gitlab architecture at the minimum the gitlab architecture for working with pipelines contains the gitlab server and at least one gitlab runner the gitlab server manages the execution of the pipeline and its jobs and stores the results the gitlab server knows what needs to be done but does not do this itself when a job needs to be executed it will find a runner to run the job a runner is a simple program that executes the job a working gitlab setup must have at least one runner but quite often there are more of them to help distribute the load a runner will retrieve a set of instructions from the gitlab server download and start the docker image specified get the files from the project git repository run all the commands specified in the job and report back the result of the execution of the gitlab server once the job has finished the docker container will be destroyed if docker is something new to you check the course notes for a quick introduction what’s important to know is that the git repository of the project will not contain any of the files created during the job execution let’s go back to our project you will see here that inside the git repository there’s no build folder there’s no computer.txt so what exactly is happening let’s go inside one of the jobs and quickly go through the log so that you can understand what is going on so right here on top you’ll have information about the runner that is executing the job and a runner will also have an executor in this case the executor is docker machine and here on line four you will see here which image is being downloaded and you’ll see here pulling docker image alpine because this is what we have specified and then essentially the environment is being prepared and then in the upcoming steps you get the files from the git repository so essentially all the files that you have inside the git repository will also be available here inside the runner so after this point the docker container has been started you have all the project files and then you start executing the commands that you have specified inside the pipeline so in this case we’re creating the folder we’re creating these files we’re putting some text inside there and then at the end we’re not doing anything else so the job succeeds because there are no errors and the container is destroyed so this docker container that has been created in the beginning just maybe a few seconds ago is then destroyed you cannot log into it you cannot see it anymore it doesn’t exist anymore so it has done its job has executed this command that we have specified and then it has been destroyed since every job runs in a container this allows for isolation and flexibility by having our job configuration stored in the yaml file we describe how the environment where the job is running should look like in practice we don’t know or care which machine has actually executed the job also this architecture ensures that we can add or remove runners as needed while the gitlab server is a complex piece of software composed of multiple services the gitlab runner has a relatively simple installation and can run on a dedicated server or even on your laptop now right here on top of the job you have seen some information in regards to the runner so the question is where is this job actually running and to be able to understand this we’ll have to go here to the project settings cicd and here we’re going to expand runners and you’ll see here two categories there are specific runners and they are shared runners now for this job we have used shared runners any project can use shared runners within a gitlab installation these shares runners are offered by gitlab.com and are shared between all users now as you’ve seen there are multiple runners here and honestly we don’t really care which of these runners picks up our job because we have defined exactly what our job should do which docker image we want to use which command should be executed so as long as that runner knows how to deal with a docker image and was able to execute these commands then we’re fine with any runner now this is an oversimplified version of the gitlab architecture the main idea i want you to get from this is that we are using docker containers in our jobs and every time for every job the gitlab runner will start a new docker container will execute any commands that we have and then when the job execution is done that docker container will be destroyed so now we have created this laptop and have defined all the steps inside the build laptop job and of course with this cad command we have also visually verified that indeed this computer.txt file contains everything that we expect but we really want to automate this process we don’t want to go inside the job itself and to look and see if everything was successful so let’s expand our pipeline and add a test job we want to make sure that our laptop contains all components so i’m going to go ahead here and create a new job i’m going to call it test laptop and we’re going to use the same image the alpine linux image and we’re going to also define the script and this time we need to find a way to actually check for example if this file has indeed been created so this would be like a very basic test and what we can do here is to use the test command so the test command will allow us to check if this file has been created and this command also has a flag which we’ll gonna write with dash f and then we’ll specify the path to the file so essentially this command will ensure that this file really exists and if it doesn’t exist it will fail the job so let’s go ahead commit this and see how the pipeline looks like if we’re looking at the pipeline we’ll notice something unusual and that is we’re building the laptop and at the same time we’re testing it and essentially what we wanted to do is to have this in two separate stages right we first build and then we test now currently what we did is we assigned by default both of these jobs to the test stage they both are running in parallel but of course these are not the kind of jobs that we can execute in parallel because they depend on one another particularly the test job depends on first the build job completely so i’m not even going to look at why the test build failed because by the way this pipeline looks like doesn’t make a lot of sense and we have to go back to the concept of stages so what we want to do is to have two different stages and we’re going to change our pipeline configuration and define these stages we want to have a build stage and we want to have a test stage in gitlab we can go ahead and define another configuration which is called stages and here as a list we can define the stages that we want to have so we can see here we want to have the build stage and we want to have the test stage and in order to specify which job belongs to which stage in the job configuration we will also say to which stage this job belongs so for example we want the build laptop job to belong to the build stage so i’m going to write here stage and the stage will be built the same goes for the test laptop now if you don’t specify a stage here it will automatically belong to the test stage by default but actually you want to make it as explicit as possible so we’re going to write here stage test so we here we have defined the stages we have assigned the build laptop job to the build stage and we have assigned the test laptop job to the test stage so let’s commit these changes and take a look again at the pipeline if we’re looking at the pipeline we’ll be able to see now the two stages that we have build and test so these stages will run one after the other this stage does not start until the build stage is over so first we have to build a laptop and then we can start with a test unfortunately this is still failing so in this case we really have to take a look inside this job and understand what is going on and we’ll see here that the last command that we have executed is this test command here so up to this point everything seems to be working fine this has been the last command that we have executed and somehow this job has failed in the next lecture we’ll try to understand why do pipelines fail so let’s jump into that and continue debugging this problem so let’s try to understand why did this job fail looking here inside the job blocks we’ll be able to see here this error says job failed exit code 1. exit codes are a way to communicate if the execution of a program has been successful or not an exit code 0 will indicate that a program has executed successfully any other exit code which can be a number from 1 to 255 will indicate failure so in this case exit code 1 is not a 0 so it means something has failed this exit code is issued by one of the commands that we have in our script as soon as one of these commands will execute an exit code execution of the job will stop in this case we have only one command so it’s relatively easy to figure out which command has issued this exit code most likely it is the last command that you see here inside the logs so in this case what test is trying us to tell is that it has tested for the existence of this file and couldn’t find it if the file would have been there would have gotten an exit code 0 and the execution would have continued in this case the file is for some reason not there and we have retrieved an exit code 1. this tells gitlab that this job has failed and then the entire execution will stop if a job in the pipeline fails by default the entire pipeline will be marked as failed as well let me show you an example let’s go back to our pipeline definition and we already know that the build laptop job works just fine so let’s see here somewhere in the middle we’re going to add a new command and this command will be the exit command and we’re going to exit with a code one so what we should observe is that commands echo make tier and touch are still being executed but for example here where we’re putting the main board we’re using cat and again we’re putting the keyboard inside this file this shouldn’t be executed anymore so now i’ve executed a pipeline again you will see here that a build job failed and because this job failed the rest of the pipeline was not executed so it was interrupted as soon as something has failed it actually doesn’t really make a lot of sense to continue with the rest of the stages if one of the jobs before has failed so let’s go inside it and take a look at the execution logs to see what exactly has happened here and you’ll be able to see as i said we have here the this echo command that’s being executed we have created this directory we have created this file and then we have exit one and then we says here job failed exit code one now we have forced this failure here but i just wanted to demonstrate like where in the execution you can notice that something went wrong and actually going through these commands that are executed looking at your job configuration trying to figure out what has happened what is the last command that did something sometimes inside the logs you will find hints in regards to what went wrong in this case there are not a lot of hints in terms of what went wrong but these are also very simple commands but it’s very important to read the logs from from the beginning as high as possible to understand like which docker image has been used what is happening before are there maybe any any warnings or any hints that something went wrong this case that’s not the case and then to locate okay what was the last command that i executed why did this command fail so i’m gonna remove this exit code and we’re gonna continue with the rest of the course and try to understand how we can get the simple pipeline to run let’s go back to our pipeline configuration and understand what are we doing wrong as you probably remember from the architecture discussion every job runs independently which means here the build laptop job will start the docker container will create this folder and this file will put this text as instructed and then at the end we’ll destroy the container meaning the file that we had created inside this docker container will be gone as well and test laptop will start a completely new container that doesn’t have this file there and for that reason it cannot pass this test file will always tell us that there is no file there because from where could this file come now does this mean that we can only use a single job meaning that we need to move this command here to test inside the build laptop well that would be very inconvenient because then would have a big job that does everything and would kind of lose the overview of what our pipeline steps really are now there is a way to save the output of the job this case the output of the job what we are actually interested in this job is this file including this folder and gitlab has this concept of artifacts now an artifact is essentially a job output it’s something that’s coming out of the job that we really want to save it’s not something that we want to throw away for example we may have used any other files or any other commands within the job but we’re only interested in the final output that we have here so in order to tell gitlab hey i really want to keep this file in this folder we need to define the artifacts so the artifacts are an additional configuration an additional keyword that we add to our pipeline as the name tells its artifacts don’t write it artifact because gitlab will not recognize that and as a property of artifacts we’re going to use paths so notice it is indented it’s not a list and then below paths we can add a folder or a file that we want to save now in this case we’re going to tell gitlab save everything that is inside this build folder so now let’s give it a run and see how the pipeline performs this time now if we’re looking at the pipeline execution we now see that both building the laptop and testing the laptop are successful so what exactly has happened behind the scenes did we reuse the same docker container or what has happened there well to understand exactly what has happened and how these jobs now work we have to go inside the logs and we try to understand what exactly did this build job do differently this time and what i want you to notice here is that towards the end if you compare it to the logs of the previous job we also have this indication that something is happening and it will tell you here uploading artifacts for a successful job and will tell you here which artifacts are being uploaded we’ll reference here the build folder and says that two files and directories were found and these are being uploaded to the coordinator not a coordinator to put it very simply essentially the gitlab server so in this case the runner has finished this job has noticed inside the configuration oh i need to do something with these files and we’ll essentially archive these files and we’ll give them back to the gitlab server and tell them hey i’m finished with this job i’m just gonna destroy this docker image you wanted to keep these files so you know here we go just handle these files i’m i’m done with my job here so essentially the runner is not saving these files they’re being saved somewhere else in the storage now when the next job is being executed something pretty similar is happening i’m gonna go here to the test laptop job and what you see here in the beginning there’s also a new indication inside the logs that something different is happening and we’ll see here downloading artifacts and says again downloading artifacts from coordinator which essentially means we now are downloading this build folder inside the new docker container that we have just created we have managed to copy this files from one job to the next one and this is why now this test command is able to find the build folder and the computer.txt file inside it and the job is passing if this job is still failing for some reason it’s always a good idea to take a look at the job that has generated the artifacts so in order to do that again we’re gonna go and visit the pipeline and if we go inside the build laptop job here on the right hand side you should see some information in regards to the job artifacts and in order for these job artifacts to exist they are saved even after the job has terminated and you have the possibility of inspecting them so if you’re not really sure like what is the contents of the file you don’t really need to go inside the build pipeline and make some debugging there you could do that but essentially what has been saved here is the final version of the artifacts that are being used so you can go here inside browse you’ll find here the build folder that we have specified and we’ll find here the computer.txt and of course you can download this file and you can take a look at it after you download it on your own computer and see if it has the right content make sure that when you’re testing this you’re actually giving the correct path and not some other path that’s a very important way on how you can actually inspect the outputs of the job at this point i wouldn’t say that we are really done with testing the build output yes this file exists and we have now tested it so this is a very basic test that we have written here but how about checking the contents of the file to see if it contains the main board and the keyboard as we expect again just using a command like cat and displaying this into logs doesn’t really help us automate this we need a tool that when it doesn’t find the respective text in the file it will issue an exit code and tell us that that text is not really present there and for that purpose we’re going to use the grep command so this is the grep command and grep is a cli tool that allows us to search for a specific string in a file so we’re going to specify here for example the string to be main board and i’m going to copy it from above just to make sure i don’t make any mistakes there and we also can specify in which file we’re looking for this so we know that this file already exists so this is an additional test here that we’re adding on top of this and now we actually know that the file exists but now we want to check if this word main board is inside the file and of course we can also duplicate this and write an additional test here gonna check for the keyboard as well we’re checking for the main board and the keyboard now grep is really complex command and can support regular expressions and many other advanced features but i won’t get into those i’m gonna commit these changes and in a few seconds take a look at the pipeline all right so now if we’re taking a look at the pipeline we’ll see the build job is still successful the test job is still successful so if we’re looking inside here what we’ll be able to see we’ll be able to see some log outputs and then grab here is looking for the word main board inside this file and is able to find it will be displayed here and it’s also looking for the word keyboard inside this file and is able to find it what’s important about writing tests is to also ensure that your pipeline will fail if one of these tests doesn’t work and sometimes you may think that the command does what it’s supposed to do but the best way to make sure that you’re really mastering that command to actually introduce an error inside your build job essentially and to check if the test job will fail so let’s go ahead and try that out so here inside our build job what can we do well for example we could try and make a change here for example i’m going to remove the m from main board and i’m gonna simply commit these changes and to see if this job is now failing we’ve been looking now inside the tests we’ll be able to see here that the last command that was executed was grep you will see it in comparison to the previous one there’s no text being outputted below this is the last command that was executed we’re getting an exit code 1 which essentially means grep has looked inside this file couldn’t find the word main board so let’s go back and fix our pipeline but this has been a very important test because if you’re not really checking that our pipeline will fail at one point then whatever we did inside the pipeline in terms of testing is really not very useful i’m gonna go and add here main board back to the configuration and as we expect now the pipeline will also work again tests also play a very particular role when we’re working on this pipeline when we’re building software there are many various levels of testing but essentially tests allow us to make changes to our software or to our build process and to ensure that everything works the same for example i heard that if we are using this operator here and we’re putting text inside a file that this approach doesn’t really require to have a file already created with the touch command so how about we try this out and see if we can rely on the tests to get this to work so i’m going to simply remove this touch command and i’m going to commit a configuration we’ll see what’s going on so let’s take a look at the pipeline and what do we see this test job is successful and if we really want to manually check once again we can go to the build laptop job we can take a look at the artifacts we’ll see the build folder is there the computer.txt file is there so apparently we didn’t need to have this touch command in our configuration and by having the tests we have gained an additional level of confidence that whatever changes we’re making we kind of trust the tests and if the pipeline is passing we know that in the end we’ll have this computer.txt file and i will have the proper content let’s take another look at our pipeline configuration what if we need to change the name of the file so so far we have used this name computer.txt but what if we need to call it for example laptop.txt now quite often we don’t really like when we have something for example a file name or something that could change and have that spread also the entire pipeline because if we need to make a change we need to identify all the currencies now this is a very simple example and it is relatively easy to identify this but quite often for example going into a large file and doing something like a replace all can lead to some undesirable errors that could occur so quite often when we have something that we are searching multiple times inside a file or inside the configuration we want to put that into a variable and that way if it’s inside a variable if we need to make changes to that particular value we only have to change it once and then it would be replaced all over so how do we define a variable well we can go inside our script block and define a variable here so for example you can just define a variable called build file name and we see i’m writing this in lowercase and we have also some underscores to separate the words and then we can use the equal sign and write something like laptop.txt now in order to reference this variable we’re going to copy the name and go whenever we need to have this and we’re going to start with the dollar sign and then the variable name so we’re referencing the variable by using the dollar sign before the variable name now this is a local variable that is available only inside this script and it will only be available inside this job so for this job we need to do the same thing as well as you’ve noticed quite often we write local variables in lowercase and using lowercase helps avoid any conflicts with any other existing variables now this is one way how we can do this but there’s also the possibility of defining a variable block we can go inside the configuration of the job and write something like variables this will not be a list that’s very important so this will be build file name column and the value will be laptop.txt so this is essentially almost the same as writing it like this but we are getting it away from the script and we are letting gitlab do this for us and of course if we need to do this we have to take it from here and also put this in the other job so we’ll have some duplication here in terms of the configuration we can also define a global variable which is available for all jobs in order to define something globally all we have to do is take it from here and due to the indentation we’re going to move it outside of the job and everything that’s happening here is on a global level so i’m gonna move it here at the root of this document essentially here we define variables and this is the name and whenever we have this we have to use this syntax and of course we can go ahead and remove it from the test job because it would also be available there now this is essentially as defining an environment variable which is available for the entire system while there is no hard rule we typically write environment variables in all caps and still use underscores to separate the words because we are inside an ide i’m going to select this text use the f1 command and then i’m going to transform to uppercase so this is how i want it to look like build file name and wherever i want to have this again dollar sign and this name so for example i’m going to have it here for computer as well here this command which we may decide to replace or not really depends on us but i’m going to replace it here as well i’m going to use it here and here and here so again wherever we had computer.txt we have now replaced this with this environment variable and whenever we need to make changes to it we can easily just change it here it’s pretty easy to see maybe adding some other variables that we have inside our pipelines it will make the managing of these details much easier well in this example it is not necessary depending on which characters you include in your variable value you may need to put everything between quotes this is just something to keep in mind but this is a very simple text here that we have so that will not cause any conflicts in general with the yaml syntax so let’s commit these changes and see if the pipeline is still working as it should the pipeline is running successfully and we can go inside the build job that we had here and we can take a look at the artifacts and indeed we’ll see that now we are using this file name laptop.txt and no longer computer.txt so i have mentioned devops quite a few times and by now you have heard of devops as well so what is devops let me tell you first what devops is not devops is not a standard or a specification different organizations may have a different understanding of devops devops is not a tool or a particular software nor is it something you do if you use a particular tool or a set of tools devops is a cultural thing it represents a change in mindset let’s take a look at the following example you have a customer who wants a new feature a business person let’s call them a project manager would try to understand what the customer wants write some specifications and hand them over to the developers the developers will build this feature pass it on to the testers who would test it once ready the project manager would review the work and if all looks good would ask the developers to pass the software package to the sysadmins to deploy it as you can see there’s a lot of passing stuff around and in the end if something goes wrong and often things go wrong in such situations everyone is unhappy and everyone else is to blame so why does it happen because every group has a different perspective on the work there is no real collaboration and understanding between these groups let’s zoom in on the relation between the developers and the sys admins the developers are responsible for building software ensuring that all these cool features that the customers want make it into the product the it operations team is responsible for building and maintaining the t infrastructure ensuring the i.t systems run smoothly securely and with as little downtime as possible do these groups have something in common yes of course the software the product the problem is the idea operation team knows very little about the software they need to operate and the developers know very little about the infrastructure where the software is running so devops is a set of practices that tries to address this problem but to say that devops is just a combination of development and operation would be an understatement actually everyone mentioned before works on the software just in a different capacity since the final outcome impacts everyone it makes sense for all these groups to collaborate the cultural shift that devops brings is also tightly connected to the agile movement in an ever more complex environment where business conditions and requirements change all the time and where we need to juggle tons of tools and technologies every day the best culture is not one of blaming and finger-pointing but one of experimentation and learning from past mistakes so we want to have everyone collaborate instead of working in silos and stages instead of finger pointing everyone takes responsibility for the final outcome if the final product works and the customers or users of the product are happy everyone wins the customers the project managers the developers the testers the sys admins and anyone else i did not mention everyone wins however devops is more than just culture to succeed organizations adopting devops also focus on automating their tasks manual and repetitive work is a productivity killer and this is what we are going to address in this course automatically building and deploying software which falls under a practice called cicd we want to automate as much as possible to save time and give us the chance to put that time to good use instead of manually repeating the same tasks over and over again but to automate things we need to get good at using the shell working with cli tools reading documentation writing scripts quite often you may see devops being represented by this image while this does not give a complete picture of what devops really is it does show a series of steps a typical software product goes through from planning all the way to operating and monitoring the most important thing i want you to notice in this representation is that this process never stops it goes on and on in an endless loop this means that we continue going through these steps with each iteration or new version of the software what is not represented here is the feedback that goes back into the product devops goes hand in hand with the agile movement if adrian and scrum are new to you make sure to add this to your to-do list nowadays many organizations go through an agile transformation and value individuals who know what agile and scrum are regardless of their role i’ve added some resources you may want to look into in the course notes if you have some free time while commuting or doing other things around your house i highly recommend you listen to the phoenix project as an audiobook it is an accurate description of what companies that are not adopting devops go on a day-to-day basis and realistically portrays such a transition this is by no means a technical book and i’m sure it will be a fun listen so devops is a set of practices that helps us build successful products to do that we need a shift in thinking and new tools that support automation however i must warn you that you can use tools that have devops written all over them and still not do devops so devops is so much more than just adopting a particular tool with that being said let’s continue diving into gitlab ci in this unit we will start working on a simple project we want to automate any of the
manual steps required for integrating the changes of multiple developers and create a pipeline that will build and test the software we are creating in other words we will do continuous integration continuous integration is a practice and the first step when doing devops usually we’re not the only ones working on a project and when we’re doing continuous integration we’re integrating our code with the code other developers created it means that every time we make changes to the code that code is being tested and integrated with the work someone else did it is called continuous integration because we integrate work continuously as it happens we don’t wait for anything to do that we don’t want to integrate work once per week or once per month as it can already be too late or too costly to resolve some issues the more we wait the higher the chances we will run into integration issues in this unit we will use gitlab to verify any changes and integrate them in the project i’m going to be honest with you as we build more advanced pipelines you will most likely encounter some issues if you haven’t done it yet go right now to the video description and open the course notes there you will find important resources and troubleshooting tips finally let’s do a quick recap when we have multiple developers working against the same code repository ci is a pipeline that allows us to add and integrate our changes even multiple times per day what comes out is a new version of the product if you’re still unsure about continuous integration at this point don’t worry we’ll implement ci in our development process in the upcoming lessons for the rest of the course we’ll be using this project this is a simple website built with react which is a javascript technology developed by facebook now we don’t want to get too much into the technical details because they don’t really matter so much at this point but the first step in order to be able to make changes to this repository is to make a copy of it so for example if you’re trying here to open a web ide in this project i will get this option to fork the project by the way you will find a link to this project in the course notes and the course notes are linked in the video description so we can click here on fork and we’ll make a copy of this project under our account now that we made a copy out of this project we can then open the web ide and start making changes to it and particularly what we’re trying to do is to create the pipeline so let me give you an overview of the tasks that we are trying to automate essentially here in this project we have a couple of files one of these files is this package.json file and this file essentially documents which requirements this project has and in order to actually run this project we first need to install this requirement so locally i already have a copy of this project and the command to install these requirements is called yarn install so now all the requirements have been installed the next step would be to create a build and that would be done using the command yarn build and during this process what has actually happened is that a build folder has been created and this build folder contains multiple files that are required for the website so let me give you an idea how this website looks like and what we actually did here so i’m going to run the command serv minus s and going to specify the build folder and now essentially we have started a server we started an http server which is serving the files available there so i’m going to open this address in a new tab and this is how the website looks like so essentially what we’re trying to do in this section is to automate these steps so we want to install the dependencies we want to create a build we want to test the bill to see if the website is working and i’ve shown you these tools because it is always a good idea to be familiar with the cli tools that we’ll be using in gitlab ci now in gitlab we try to automate any manual steps but before we do that we must know and understand these steps we cannot jump into automation before we understand what the commands that we want to do are actually doing now i’m not really referring in particular to the commands that i’ve shown you here because they are specific to this project you may be using python or java or anything else so you don’t need to be familiar with these tools in particular i will explain to you what they do and how they work however what is important to understand is the concepts the concepts remain the same and this is what we are actually focusing on in this course we are focusing on understanding the concepts around automation so let’s begin creating the ci pipeline for this project so i’m going to go ahead and create here a new file and of course the definition file for the pipeline will be dot gitlab.ci dot yaml the first job that we want to add here is build website and what we are trying to do here where we’re trying to build this website and why do we need to build the website well essentially or most of their projects do have a build step in this case we’re essentially creating some production files production ready files which are smaller optimized for production from some source files so we have here in the source files you will see here an app.js and any other file so essentially the build process will take all these files and will make them smaller and will put them together in a way other programming languages may need to have a compilation step or any other steps so typically something happens in the build process where we actually are putting our project together now of course we don’t want to do that manually from our computer we want to let gitlab do this for us so let’s go ahead and write here the script for this the first step is to essentially run yarn and yarn is a tool that is helping us build this project this is specific for javascript projects essentially node.js projects and yarn is a tool that can be used for getting dependencies they can also be used for building the software so the command that we are running here is build locally as you remember the first thing that i did was to do a yarn install to install dependencies and this is something that needs to happen before the build so every time when we are building this website we need to get the dependencies to make sure that we have all the dependencies that we need and to ensure that all of them are up to date and because they don’t remain anywhere in the container we need to do that all the time and normally locally would do that only when we need to do that so for example when we know that we need a newer dependency of a software package but gitlab doesn’t have this information so we kind of like need to run this all the time you also need to specify your docker image so let’s try for example alpine which we have used before so essentially what i’m trying to do is to replicate the commands that i’ve executed on my computer installing dependencies and building the project so let’s commit these changes and see what pipeline does i’m going to commit them to the main branch and click on commit here we can take a look at what the job is doing and we’ll be able to see here that we get an exit code now remember any exit code that is not zero will lead to a job failure and it says here job failed now why did this job fail well we have to look like what is the command that we try to execute and we’ll find here something saying that yarn not found so essentially what this means is that the docker image that we have used does not have yarn so how do we install yarn or how do we normally do this now the thing is we don’t have to use this alpine image that you have seen here essentially for most projects and this includes node.js which is actually what we’re using here and which i already have installed locally this is why it worked locally there are official docker images that we can use and the central repository for such images is docker hub so this is a public docker repository so for example if i’m typing here node i will be able to find here the official image for node and i can essentially instead of using alpine i can simply use here node so let me go back to the project and i’m going to write here node now the thing is when we’re doing here when you’re writing alpine or node what is actually happening is that we are always getting the latest version of that docker image sometimes it may work but sometimes the latest version may contain some breaking changes which may lead to things not working anymore in our pipeline if one day we’re getting one version and next day we’re getting something else without us making any changes things may break so for that reason it is generally not a good idea to just use node for example or just to use alpine as we have done before it is better to specify a version to put it down like which version do we need here and to write it down as essentially as a tag now how do we know which version do we need now for node what we’re going to do here we’re going to head to nodejs.org and here you’ll see here two versions that are currently available for download what we want to do is we want to use the lts version now you will see here that the latest lts version that i’m currently seeing right now is 16.13.2 now what’s important here is the major version which is 16. when you are watching this it’s important that you come to this page and you look at a number here probably it will increase over time most likely it will increase over time you’ll get a different version it’s important here that you get the latest lts version that you see here all right so let’s go inside our pipeline and then write this 16 version here so the way we’re going to do here we have node which is the base image and then we can specify a tag by writing column and then i’m going to write 16 right and most likely this version is already available on node but you can always make sure and check here go to the tags and see if this specific tag is then available there but this major tags typically they are available and will have no issues downloading this so let’s commit the changes and see how it goes and again i’m gonna push to the main branch when this executing you will be able to see here which image is being downloaded and you will see here it’s node and the tag is for the version 16. now this job is now requiring much much longer to run you will see here the duration in this case was one minute and 35 seconds and this is because we have to download what is a relatively large docker image this node image and then we are installing the dependencies and you’ll see here that these dependencies take 44 seconds to be installed to figure out which dependencies are required to download them from the internet that takes a bit and then we are actually doing the build and this also takes a few seconds to complete but fortunately everything is then successful in the end and this is the most important step at this point we don’t want to waste a lot of time when we are actually executing these builds and i know for a fact that this note image is a few hundred megabytes large in size this is because it contains a lot of tools and a lot of dependencies which we may not need so for that reason it’s always a good idea for these larger images to go here on the specific image to click here on the text tab and generally to take a look at like what is the size of these images and what’s happening with them because some of them are quite big so we could theoretically search here for version 16. and by default we can see here that this is the one tag that’s more specific it’s not exactly what we’re using we will see here version 16 something it has about 332 megabytes so if we’re selecting to use this image every time we’ll have to download 300 something megabytes that’s a lot of download and a lot of time that we are wasting just to start this image so for that reason what i typically do is i go here in the tags and i search for alpine sometimes slim or other images can also be a good idea and what i’m interested in is something like 16 alpine so let me write directly 16 alpine and this looks absolutely fine here so 16 will be again the node version that we are trying to use and if we’re looking here at the size take a look at this it’s 38 megabytes so what we’re going to do we’re going to simply take this and go in our pipeline and replace 16 with this stack so here inside instead of using 16 we’re going to use 16-alpine gonna commit these changes we’re gonna take a look again at the pipeline to see how long does it take right now to build this so this job still needed quite a bit of time one minute and 26 seconds you may see this duration varying but generally it is a very good practice to use images that are as small as possible because this can save time and you may see that maybe this job will even go below one minute it really depends like how fast the runner will pick up the job and will able to start this image but the main idea is the same we now have managed to automate the first steps in our project we’re installing some dependencies and then we are running the build so this seems to be working just fine just to recap we are using this node image before we have tried using alpine image now the alpine image didn’t work because it didn’t have node js installed now essentially what we’re using here is essentially the same image as before the same alpine image alpine linux image but it has node installed so it has the dependency that we need and this node dependency contains yarn this is why yarn didn’t work before now it’s working just fine and it’s building the project the most important thing that you can do when you’re learning something new is practicing and i want to give you the opportunity in this course to practice along so not just following along what i’m doing but you also have the opportunity to do something on your own and for the next assignment i already think that you have to know how necessary in order to do that what we’re trying to do is to create two new additional jobs in this pipeline this is your job now to write these jobs so what are these jobs all about the first job is trying to test the website and the website is currently inside the build folders if i go inside the build folder you will see here a list of files now your job is to ensure that the index.html file is available inside the build folder so this is the first job that you need to create the second job i want you to create is in regards to running units so in order to run unit tests the command that we are using is yarn test and the only thing you need to do is to create a job and to run this command to take a look at the logs and see that the tests have indeed been executed the upcoming lesson will contain the solution to this but please it’s super important that you pause this video and try this on your own try as much as you can because this is the best way to learn and to ensure that what i’m showing you in this course is something that you will be able to use in your projects as well i hope you have tried to solve this assignment on your own but anyway this is how i would approach this problem so i’m here inside the editor for the pipeline and let’s begin just with the skeleton so what are we trying to do we have two new jobs we have test website where we’re essentially trying to test the output of the build website job and we also have a unit tests job so first of all we have to think about stages what we want to do happens essentially after the build well it really depends a bit so for example the test website this definitely needs to happen after the build the unit tests they don’t necessarily need to happen after the build but we’re going to put them inside a different stage as well so let’s go ahead and define the stages here so we’re going to have two stages we’re going to have here built and we’re going to have another stage which is called test and what we need to do is to assign this jobs to a stage so the build will be assigned to the stage built of course and then the test website will be assigned to the stage test and the same goes with the unit test right in order to test the website what we are trying to do well let’s try and write the script we are trying to test if we have an index.html file there so as you probably remember the command test dash f so this we are testing for the existing file this needs to be inside the build folder and the name of the file is index.html now what we haven’t done so far is inside this build website job to declare artifacts so as it is right now this command will fail so what we have to do here is of course think about the artifacts so which artifacts do you have we have to define the paths and the only paths that we’re interested in is the build path so then this will be able to test for this file the next thing we need to think about is which image do we need for test website so theoretically we could use node 16 but actually this command test doesn’t require something like that so we could just use alpine and test is a pretty general command so we don’t have to worry about specifying a version or anything like that so just going with alpine should be just fine there’s of the unit test we essentially need this node image because we’ll be using yarn so i’m going to simply go ahead and copy this image that we have used in the build website and of course the script will also be kind of a similar uh we still need to install dependencies so yarn install is necessary here when we’re trying to run the unit test and the command that we want to run is yarn test so let’s double check to make sure that we have everything in place we have defined two stages build and test we have assigned build website to the stage build and we have assigned the test website and the unit tests we have assigned them both to the stage test so this means these two jobs will run in parallel here we’re just using the test command to verify if this file exists and here we’re installing the dependencies and then running the tests so i’m gonna go ahead commit these changes and we’ll inspect together the pipeline and after a minute or two this buy plan will succeed and you’ll notice here the two stages build and test we’re building a website and then we’re testing what we have the unit tests are not necessarily dependent on the build itself but we put them together in a test so if looking here at test website what do we see well we see here the command test minus f so it’s testing if this file actually exists if it’s part of the job artifacts of course if you’re looking inside the build website you can go here and look at the artifacts see here the build folder we’ll see here multiple files so not only the index.html file but we’ll see here some images some additional files that we don’t really care so much at this point but they are available there so that’s the most important aspect that we really care about and here the unit tests the unit tests are part of the project and generally when you’re writing code we are also writing unit tests to document that what we’re doing there is working properly you will see here the command that has triggered the test has been yarn test there’s only one file here that contains only one test all these tests have been executed and because the tests are passing the job is also succeeding any of these tests would not work then the job will be failing and the entire pipeline will also be failing the first tool we need for integrating work is already in place we are using git for versioning our code we also use gitlab as a central git repository we take git for granting nowadays but it solves a critical issue and is one of the first devops tools you need to know while this course does not go into git i highly recommend checking the course notes for a comprehensive git tutorial so in our current model every developer pushes changes to the main branch whatever version of code has been pushed last time in the main branch that is the latest version anyone wanting to add new changes will have to make them compatible with the main branch however this model does have a serious flaw nothing is safeguarding the main branch what if the latest changed has introduced an issue and we can’t build a project anymore or what if the tests are failing this is now a massive problem as nobody on the team can continue working and we can’t deliver new versions of the software a broken main branch is like window production halts in a factory is not good for business we must ensure that the main branch does not contain any broken code the main branch should always work and allow us to deliver new versions of the software anytime we need to do that so how do we solve this the idea is simple we just don’t push untested work in the main branch since we can’t trust that developers remember to run all tests locally before pushing a change we want to take advantage of automation and gitlab to automatically run the tests before adding any changes to the main branch the idea is to work with other branches which are later integrated into the main branch this way every developer can work independently of other developers there are various git workflows but we will use one that is simple to understand it’s called the git feature branch workflow the idea is simple for each new feature bug idea experiment or change we want to make we create a new branch we push our changes there let the pipeline run on the branch and if everything seems okay we can integrate the changes in the main branch so in other words we simulate running the main branch before we actually run the main branch if our branch pipeline fails no worries all other developers are unaffected and we can focus on fixing it or if we don’t like how things turned out we can just abandon the branch and delete it no hard feelings there either as part of working with branches we create a merge request that allows other developers to review our code before it gets merged a much request is essentially one developer asking for the changes to be added to the main branch the changes are reviewed and if nobody has objections we can merge them so this is the plan for the upcoming lessons to start working with git branches and merge requests so let’s get to work so how can we create merge requests in gitlab first of all to ensure that the chances of breaking the main branch are as small as possible we need to tweak a few settings so we’re going to go here to settings general and right here in the middle you should see merge requests i’m going to expand that and what i like to use when using merge requests is to use this fast forward merge essentially no merge commits are created and generally the history remains much cleaner there’s also the possibility of squashing commits directly from gitlab and you can put it here and encourage scratching commits is when you’re pushing multiple changes to a branch and instead of pushing all these changes back into the main branch we scratch them all together so we essentially like we have only one commit again makes the history much easier to read going forward here in the merge checks we want to make sure that the pipelines succeed before we are merging something so this is a super important setting here that we have so let’s go ahead here go at the bottom and click on save changes and additionally again from settings when go here to repository and from the repository you’re going to go here to protected branches i’m going to expand this and what we want to do here is we want to protect the main branch so essentially we don’t want to commit changes to the main branch anymore we want to prohibit that so nobody will be allowed to directly commit something to the main branch so in order to do that we have to go here to allow to push and instead of having something selected or some role selected here can i use no one so no one is allowed to push to this protected branch only if it goes through a merge request so these are the initial settings that we need to do and we’ll be able to see here now let’s try and make some changes and open the web ide open the pipeline file and now let’s say i’m trying to add here a new stage where i’m trying to do some checks for example there is linter that i can use and linter is simply a static code analyzes tool that is used to identify potential programming errors stylistic issues and sometimes you know questionable code constructs since it is static it does not actually run the application it just looks at the source code and most projects do tend to have such linter inside and just for the sake of completion i also want to add here linter so i’m gonna go ahead here and i’m gonna write here linter this is the name of the job the image that i’m using is still node here and the reason for that is inside the script the command that we are running is actually yarn lint and of course we also need to install all dependencies and additionally we have the possibility of assigning this job to a stage now by default gitlab comes with some predefined stages prefined stages include a press stage build stage a test stage deploy stage and post stage so these are all actually predefined and to be honest this is just to make it clear like which stages we are defining here and which stages we are using but these are already defined by gitlab so we’re just essentially redefining something that exists so for this linter i could go ahead and use a stage and this stage name will be dot pre and this linter has absolutely no dependencies on the build itself the same goes for example here with the unit tests the unit tests are also not dependent on the build so i could go ahead and move them to the same stage just to make this clear so there’s a dot there and because this is a predefined stage we don’t need to redefine it again so i could go ahead and write it here but it’s not really needed all right now going back here the editor that i opened here is from the main branch you will see here main is selected right and let’s go ahead and commit and you’ll see here i’m no longer allowed to commit to the main branch so this is by default disabled the settings that we did ensure that we are no longer allowed to directly make changes to the main branch so we have to create a new branch quite often when we are creating branches we tend to use some naming conventions now totally up to you what you want to use or how your organization uses that quite often you will have something like feature for example for what slash and then a name of a feature sometimes you may reference a ticket or something like that so for example you have your ticket number one two three four add linter so you will see here i’m adding no spaces or anything like that it’s totally up to you how you use these forward slashes hyphens as separators and so on you’ll also see here the possibility of starting a new merge request so i’m essentially these changes now are not committed i’m going to create a new branch the branch name will be feature forward slash and some name i’m gonna click here on commit this will open an additional window so the branch has been created but now i’m also opening a new merge request and here in the merge request there are a few things that i should fill out so for example the title is not very suggestive so i’m going to write here something like add linter to the project you can also go ahead and provide a description this is also useful for the people who are looking at this merge request to know why this is important what this feature is bringing or if it is a bug fix which issues is this fixing and so on so you could do that there are also some additional labels and options that you can set here i’m not going to go over them because they are essentially relatively easy to explain and i’m going to go here and click on create merge request and now a new merge request has been created and additionally we also have here a pipeline that is running against this branch so what is happening here is that the changes that we made which you will be able to see here what we do do we added here a new stage we added here a linter uh also made some changes to the do the unit test so we can go ahead and look at these changes we have here a pipeline that’s executing it’s going through all these stages we have here the pre-stage the build stage and the test stage and now we can simulate running this pipeline to see if it fails if it fails we have the opportunity or of fixing things if it doesn’t fail then we have the option of merging these changes the next important step in the life of a merge request is the review process especially the code review where somebody else from the team is taking a look at our changes and is giving us feedback now just in case you don’t know where your merge request is you will find here on the left hand side this panel says here merge requests and we’ll indicate how many merge requests are open at this time so we only have one merge request you will see here this is the title of the merge request so we’re trying to add linter and you’ll find here like the most important information so this is a request to merge this feature into the main branch right if you need to make changes to it you can open this branch in the id and continue making changes to it you have your information about the pipeline so we know that the pipeline has passed and someone else looking at this we’ll be able to see here which commits have been made and also to have an overview of the changes inside here there are different views that you can have you can compare these files and someone can also leave comments here so for example i could simply click here on the line and ask why did you use the prestage right and you can add a comment now where does this merge request go now typically when someone has reviewed this can go ahead here and approve it so you will see here who has reviewed these changes and you may have internal roles like you need to people to review any changes before they are being merged so the changes can be approved and then they can be merged comments can appear so for example here i’ve added a question to these changes so maybe there’s some discussion that needs to happen there feedback can be gathered from different people involved and this feedback may need to be integrated so for example as i mentioned you can still do changes to this the merge request will always have the latest changes so we can make more commits it’s also possible that for some reason these changes are no longer needed they are wrong or the approach that was taken doesn’t really make sense so so there’s also the possibility of closing a merge request you can go here and see closed merge requests so this will be closed and no changes will be merged so that’s also a possibility but typically what happens after the review after some changes have been integrated we’re gonna go here on this merge button and what is happening here is we are merging this branch into the main branch and there are two options that are enabled by default the source branch so the branch that we have created will be deleted which makes sense because we don’t need it anymore and in case we have multiple commits we can also squash those commits and in this case we have only one commit we can modify the commit message if we want to in this case that’s not needed and then we can simply click here on the merge button this merge button is available only if the pipeline succeeded but our pipeline did succeed so this is why we can see it so now gitlab will merge these changes into the main branch and again a new pipeline will be generated and this is the pipeline for the main branch so you will see exactly the changes that we made we have here the pre-stage the build and the test these are all available here and exactly what we have run inside a merge request the pipeline is running again against the main branch and this is needed just to ensure that indeed everything is working fine and that there are no integration issues or no other issues so it’s a good practice not something that may seem that it’s happening somehow as a duplicate it’s actually important to ensure that the main pipeline is working properly this is what we care most about to ensure that this main pipeline is working as it should work that’s the reason why we have reviewed the merge request to ensure that whatever we’re changing here in the main branch is as good as it gets and that the chances of breaking something are drastically reduced right in the beginning of this section i’ll show you locally which are the steps they need to build this project but i’ve also taken the build folder and i’ve opened the website and you have seen something that looks like this how can we replicate this in gitlab essentially we want to make sure that we indeed have a website that’s running that can be started by a server and we want to make sure that you know for example this text here shows up learn gitlab ci how can we do that inside the pipeline currently we’re just checking if we have a file which is called index.html that’s not really telling us the entire story so this lecture we’re going to take a look at how we can do essentially what’s sometimes called an integration test we’re really testing that the final product is really working i’m going to open up the web ide and inside the pipeline file kind of focus on this test website job so this current test is not really that helpful we want to do something else so for example you have seen me running the following command which has been serve dash s build right so this takes the build and we’ll be able to start a server and then we can take a look at what’s going on so we’re going to remove this because we don’t need that anymore i’m going to start here server and just because i want to make sure that this is running as fast as possible and that we’re not wasting a lot of time i’m going to go ahead and disable some jobs so i’m going to disable here the linter job that’s not really needed in the beginning i’m going to also disable the unit test so to disable the job you simply add a dot in front of the job name and that job will be disabled let’s go ahead and commit these changes and again we’ll have to create a new branch call this feature integration test i’m going to start a new merge request as well i’m going to call it add integration tests i’m going to click here on create merge request if you’re looking at the pipeline we’ll see that the build has succeeded but there seems to be an issue with testing the website so let’s take a look at the logs and understand what is going on we’ll try to understand here what is the error we’re getting an exit code the last command that we executed is serv and we’re getting here surf not found so again we’re trying to run a command this command was working locally for me but at least the docker image that we are using here does not have this command so which docker image are we using we’re using alpine and alpine does not have this command so we need to find a way to install this command as well so for that we’re going to go back to the editor we can go here from the merge requests click on the merge request and we’ll find here open in web id and then we’ll be able to see here this is essentially a list of changes that we have this is the review it shows us what we have changed but if you want to make changes to the code we’re going to go here this will allow us again to select the pipeline file and make changes to it so let’s see what we need to do in order to get this job to run as well now first of all we’re gonna use here this same node image because serv is actually something that runs on node so it’s a dependency that runs on node and we’re gonna use yarn and we’re gonna add this dependency i’m gonna see here yarn add serve and actually you’re going to use this as a global dependency so i’m going to write here global so using yarn global add serve right this will ensure that we now have serve we can use yarn because we now have the node image again this time we are already in a merge request so we can go ahead click on commit i’m going to commit directly here to the existing branch that we have and the pipeline will be executed again be sure to watch what i’m explaining next because we have introduced an issue in this pipeline and it’s a big issue but can explain in a second what that issue is i’m going to go ahead open this pipeline and i’m going to go directly to this test job and wait a bit here to see what is happening and i wait for this job to start so i want you to notice what is happening with this job so we have started this docker container which contains node then we have added this dependency which is serve and then we have executed serv which folder are reserving or serving the build folder then it says here info accepting connections on localhost port 3000 so what is going on well we have started an http server which is serving these files inside this gitlab job and when does a server end well it never ends that’s the purpose of the server it will serve these files indefinitely and of course this approach that we started here is not good because we’re gonna wait here forever well actually not forever jobs do have a specific timeout you will see here the timeout that is one hour so if we don’t stop this job this job will run for one hour so this is an important concept when you’re starting a server inside a job that job will never end or will run into this timeout so be very careful when you’re doing things like that now i’m going to go ahead and manually stop this job you will see here this cancel button here we cannot wait forever so i’m going to cancel it and then this will stop now there is a way to start a server and there is a way to check that text but we still need to make some changes so i’m gonna go back again to the pipeline let’s go inside the code open the pipeline and see what we have here now what do we want to do so we have managed to start this server it will run forever but how do we test something so in order to test something we have to execute the upcoming command and in order to actually get this information we need essentially an http client we need another tool that will go to this address which is you have seen there it’s starting on localhost which is the host name on port 3000 and the protocol is http so we don’t have a browser that we can open here so we need something that is as close as possible to a browser so that tool is curl so curl is a tool that will be able to go to this address download the website and then we can do something i’m gonna use here a pipe so this will send the output of this website to the next tool and as you remember from working with files we have the possibility of using grep so grep will search for a specific string so what is the string that we’re looking for i think the string is learn gitlab ci i’m gonna check again against the website to make sure that i have this exact text here because this is what we are trying to find inside a website right so we’re starting a server then we have this curl command and in grab we’re getting the website and then we can search for this string we still haven’t solved the problem with the server running forever we don’t want it to run forever so we’re going to use a small trick and i use here this and sign and what will this do is to start this process in the background so it will essentially still start the server but it will be in the background and it will not prevent this job from stopping so when the curl command has been executed this job will also stop because this command will be executed right after this one curl will not wait for the server to actually start the server needs a few seconds to start and in order to wait for that we don’t know exactly when this will start so we’re going to use another command which is called sleep and sleep will take a parameter here so this will be in seconds so we can decide how many seconds we want to wait just to be sure i’m gonna use here 10 seconds additionally curl is also another command which we don’t have and this is actually a dependency of this alpine image so this has nothing to do with yarn or npm as serve does this is an exception so for that reason we’re have to use here the package manager from alpine so a b k this is the alpine package manager and we’re gonna add here curl so this is how we are adding curl as a dependency so let’s give it another try and see if this works now if we’re looking at the logs we’ll see that this is still failing maybe this is not our day but let’s go through the process again and try to understand what is going on and generally i have to tell you we have to get used with errors and the more we understand about this the more we are able to solve this kind of problem so we have added surf we have added curl and we started the server we can see here if we’re still getting this information accepting connections at we waited here for 10 seconds curl has downloaded this and then has sent this to grab but we are getting here an exit code one because we’re not seeing any errors from curl which means that curl has downloaded this information we have to wonder like what’s going on with grep why isn’t this information available there in the response now we could go and debug this a bit more but essentially when carl is downloading a website it’s not really downloading what you see right now here it’s actually if you click on this go here to view page source on any website what curl is actually doing is downloading this now this is the index.html file and this index.html file will download other things in the background we’ll download some scripts so that information there is not really coming from the page from this page that we are getting with curl and curl doesn’t have the possibility of actually rendering javascript and images and so on so it’s very basic tool what we have here for example is this react app in the title so how about if we change this and we are asserting that we have this title so let’s go ahead in the application and figure out where this react app appears now i change it to something with git lab so instead of using learn gitlab we’re gonna simply try and use react app because we know this is available here so from the project i’m going to open the web ide if i’m not in the right branch i can simply switch the branch open the file that i want to edit so we’re going to use instead of learn gitlab ci i’m going to use here react app and we are also gonna enable the rest of the jobs which are the unit tests which have been disabled the linter has been disabled and then we’re gonna put all these changes together commit them to the branch we’re not going to start here a new merch request we already have a merge request so we’re going to disable that if it’s enabled i’m going to commit again and finally the tests are working so let’s go again and inspect the job logs so what we find here well we have everything that we are interested in and particularly the last part was the one that was failing and now it’s able to locate this inside here so this is why you’re getting back the entire text you’ll see here react app it’s in the response so curl and grab now work together and this job succeeds has been a bit of work but i’m happy that we have this test and it ensures that our pipeline really works a bit better and that we’re more confident in what we’re building i’m gonna go here to the merge request you will see here we have four commits we have here essentially the changes that we made so we reverted all the other jobs that we have disabled and we just have adapted this test website so from that point of view everything is good we’re gonna squash here the commits so we can also modify the commit message commit messages add integration test so that looks good i’m gonna click here on merge and this changes will be merged into the main branch so currently our continuous integration pipeline looks like this it is divided in three separate stages and the way i’ve structured this is just an example there is no hard rule different programming languages and technologies may require a different order you are smart people and i’m sure you’ll be able to apply these ideas to whatever you’re doing however i just wanted to mention two principles or guidelines that you should consider one of the most important aspects is failing fast for example we want to ensure that the most common reasons why pipeline would fail are detected early for example here linting and unit test quite often developers forget to check their linting make a mistake or forget to run the unit test so if we notice that this is happening a lot it really makes sense to put this as the first stage of the pipeline they typically don’t need a lot of time so the faster they fail the better it is because we’ll get fast feedback we’ll use less resources and of course we know if we’re running here in parallel jobs that are similar in size that’s also a relatively good way of grouping jobs together now you also have to be very careful when you’re grouping jobs in peril for example if you have a job that finishes in 15 seconds and you have a job that finishes in five minutes for example let’s say here linter needs 15 seconds unit test needs five minutes if the lender fails after just five seconds the unit test will still run for five minutes there’s no no stopping there so it does make sense to put in parallel jobs that are similar in size another aspect that you need to consider are the dependencies between the jobs so what i mean by dependencies well for example here we cannot test the website until we have actually built the website but the linter and the unit tests they don’t depend on the build output so for that reason we can run them before the build we can run them after a build we don’t have a dependency there but in this case for the website we are dependent on the job artifacts because we’re using them for something so from that perspective we always need to have the build job before here we can test the website so if jobs have dependencies between them they need to be in different stages now i have to say that there is no replacement for experimentation and trying things on your own if you are unsure if something works or not just give it a try and see how far you can go and why that pipeline fails as you have noticed so far our pipeline does require a bit of time and actually optimizing these pipelines is a lot of work so what i wanted to show you is just a very simple way on how we’re gonna save a bit of time throughout this course so that we don’t wait so much for each of these stages so again i’m gonna open here the web ide and what i want to do is to essentially restructure these jobs now as you can notice here the build website the linter and the unit tests they are all pretty similar they all use the same image they all need to install yarn dependencies and they just run a command after this so one idea would be to for example take the linter so yarn lint and to put it right here after we have installed the dependencies and in that case we don’t need this job anymore same goes for the unit tests right we’re gonna take here the unit tests and put them after yarn lint and again we’re not gonna need this anymore also not gonna need a stage we can reduce this to just two jobs so this job indeed has this image which is the same as this one but doesn’t have any dependencies so it’s just installing surf here it’s installing curl so i don’t want to really combine this in a single job we could theoretically put everything in a single job but i’m just doing it now for performance purposes and in order to save a bit of time we’re just gonna stick to this two different stages the build stage and the test stage and even if you’re doing here a bit of testing it’s acceptable now to be able to save a bit of time and as i said it’s totally up to you how you structure your pipeline but this is why we are removing now this i just wanted to show you how they look like but for the rest of the course we don’t want to wait so much time waiting for these stages to complete so for that reason this will be a bit easier i’m going to create a merge request and merge these changes into the main branch if you’re binge watching this course make sure to take a break after a few lessons there is a lot to take in but you need to take care of your body as well so get up from time to time drink some water eat or go outside and relax your mind and trust me taking a break is so much more productive than staying all day in front of your computer if your body does not feel well this impacts your productivity and energy levels so i’m going to take a break as well and i’ll see you in a bit [Music] in this unit we’ll learn about deployments and we’ll take our website project and deploy it in the aws cloud along the way we’ll learn about other devops practices such as continuous delivery and continuous deployment by the end of this section we’ll have a complete ci cd pipeline that will take our website build it test it and let it float in the cloud just a quick reminder in case you get stuck or something does not work check the video description for the course notes which include troubleshooting tips this sounds exciting let’s begin amazon web services or simply aws is a cloud platform provider offering over 200 products and services available in data centers all over the world aws offers a pay-as-you-go model for renting cloud infrastructure mostly for computation or data storage so instead of buying physical hardware and managing it in a data center you can use a cloud provider like aws such services include virtual servers managed databases file storage content delivery and many others aws started in the early 2000s and its adoption continued to increase over time maybe you have heard the story when the new york times wanted to make over 1 million old articles available to the public a software architect at new york times has converted the original article scans into pdfs in less than 24 hours at a fraction of the cost a more traditional approach would have required and this was back in 2007 today many organizations can’t even imagine their idea infrastructure without using some cloud components while this course focuses on aws the principles presented here apply to any other providers if you don’t already have an aws account don’t worry it’s quite easy to create one and your personal details and click on continue since we’re using aws for learning and experimenting with it i recommend choosing a personal account aws is a paid service and even though in the beginning there is a free tier that has some generous limits and is ideal for learning and experimenting you are still required to provide a credit card or debit card for the eventuality you will go over the free limit i’ll go with a free basic support plan which is fine for individuals now that we have an aws account that is verified and has a payment what we need to do next is sign in into the console because from the aws console we can access all services that aws offers if you’re seeing the aws management console it means that you have set up everything correctly and you can continue with the rest of the course and essentially start using aws right away let’s do a bit of orientation this is the main page from where you navigate to all aws services aws services are distributed in multiple data centers and you have the possibility of selecting the data center you would like to use right here on the right side on the top of the menu i will go with u.s east 1 north virginia you can use whichever region you like just remember the one you have selected as this will be relevant later on typically the data centers in the u.s have a lower cost than others that are spread around the globe and right here you have a list of all services available you can also search for services in this search bar finally i highly recommend that you go to your account profile and enable multi-factor authentication this will significantly raise the security of your account that’s about it now you can start using aws the first service that we want to interact with is aws s3 which stands for simple storage service you can find a service by simply searching for it you will see here s3 i’m gonna click on it and there you go this is aws s3 s3 is like dropbox but much better suited for devops actually for a long while dropbox was using aws s3 behind the scenes for storing files but let’s go back to the course since our website is static and requires no computing power or database we will use aws s3 to store the public files and search them to the word from there over http on aws s3 files which aws calls objects are stored in buckets which are like some super container folder now you may notice that your aws interface looks a bit different than mine aws is constantly improving the ui and things may change in time however the principles that i’m showing here will stay the same so let’s go ahead and create our first bucket first of all we have to give our bucket a name and the name of the bucket needs to be unique so i’m going to give this bucket a unique name so that i don’t run into conflicts with anyone else who may have created the bucket with the same name so i’m gonna just give here my name and a dash and after that i will give here a date additionally you’ll have here the aws region and in my case i’m gonna keep it exactly as it is and there are also a bunch of settings that we’ll not look into right now so right here at the end i’m going to click here on create bucket all right so the bucket has been successfully created and we can go inside the bucket and to see if there’s anything in there but at this point there are absolutely no files of course we could go ahead and manually upload files or download files or things like that so through the web interface it’s possible to add files and folders but this is not what we are trying to accomplish with devops we want to automate this process so for that reason i’m going to leave it as it is and in the upcoming lectures we’re going to find a way on how to interact with aws s3 from gitlab so how can we interact with the aws cloud and particularly with aws s3 in order to upload our website if you remember in the beginning we talked about how we typically interact with computers and that is through a cli command line interface so for the aws cloud we need a command line interface to be able to upload files for example and fortunately aws has already thought about that and there is an official aws command line interface that we can use there’s also here a very in-depth documentation about the different services that are available and throughout the course we’re gonna also navigate through this documentation because i want you to understand the process of interacting with such services and the importance of actually using a documentation and not just replicating what i’m doing on the screen now to be able to use the aws cli inside our gitlab pipeline we need to find the docker image and the best place to search for docker images is in docker hub so here inside docker hub i’m going to go ahead and write aws cli and i’m going to find here we’ll see it it’s under verified content if possible we always try to use verified official docker images i’m gonna take this one so all i have to do is simply copy this and then we’re gonna go inside our pipeline open the web id again and let’s go ahead and create a completely new job here so i’m going to call this job deploy to s3 and we’re gonna add an additional stage here because we need to do this deployment after the ci pipeline is done so we have tested everything and after that if everything passes then we’re gonna move to the next stage which is the deploy states and right here stage deploy and the image that you want to use is the one i’ve just copied which is amazon aws cli now by default this image will not really work the way we have used for example the node image or the alpine image this image has a thing which is called an entry point essentially when we’re starting the image there’s already a program that’s running with that image and this is something that conflicts a bit with the way we’re using images in gitlab so we need to override that entry point so for that reason i’m going to move this to a new line i’m going to write here another property which is called name so this is under image and this is not a list and below it i’m gonna write entry point and here i’m gonna overwrite the entry point with this square brackets and this quotes here so then comes the script part and in the script part we are essentially writing well let’s test if the tool is working so typically almost every tool will have the possibility of printing out the version so the name of the tool is aws and then the version will be dash dash version now what we’re interested in is using aws cli in version two this is the current version another version is version one but we’re definitely interested in using version two so for example here from docker hub you can go to the tags and you can also specify a tag if we don’t specify a tag we’ll always get the latest version but generally it’s recommended that you specify a tag in it you go with a tag so for example if i want to specify this tag i’m going to copy the name of the tag i’m going to add here column and then the value that i want to use it’s a best practice to always specify a tag but of course by the time you watch this there will be newer version typically anything that starts with two should be good enough so let’s commit these changes in a branch and see how the pipeline looks like now right now i’m getting an error and if i’m looking inside the pipeline to see what’s going on there are some errors because the stage i have chosen in this case the deploy stage doesn’t exist so the pipeline hasn’t been executed so we still need to make some changes to it so here where we have the stages i’m gonna add here deploy so now we have the stage build test and deploy again i’m going to commit and see if the pipeline runs so now the entire pipeline has been successful let’s take a look at the deploy job see exactly what has happened there and we take a look at the logs here we have used this aws cli image and of course we have printed here the version so we’ll see exactly which version we’re using i’ve used the tag so with that tag i’m gonna always get this version but sometimes if you don’t wanna specify a tag it’s still a good practice to lock the version in the logs just in case you know from one day to the next one or like one month later or something like that your pipeline doesn’t work anymore at least you can compare previous logs with existing ones and see if there’s any differences in the version that you have used for the various tools i’ll tell you right from the start that getting this upload to work will require a bit of learning and a bit of steps so we’re not gonna be able to do this right in this lecture and i get some errors just as a heads up but we’ll be making progress toward that goal so how do we upload the file so let’s continue editing this pipeline now as i said because you’re going to need a few tries and go ahead and disable the build website and the test website jobs and this will ensure that we are only running the deployed 2s3 job for the moment until we’re ready and we have tested that upload works i always like to make things as simple as possible and whenever i’m working with a new tool i want to make sure that i don’t make any mistakes or that i can easily understand what’s going on so for that reason i’m gonna leave aside this complexity with building and testing the website we’re gonna only focus on deploy 2s3 so we have here the aws version and then what you’re going to use here is aws this is the name of the cli tool then i’m going to specify the service name which is s3 and then on the service name we are gonna use copy right so we are copying something to s3 now what are we copying well for example let’s create a new file from scratch just to make sure that everything is working properly so how do we create a file i’m gonna use echo i’m gonna write here hello s3 i’m gonna put it inside let’s call this test.txt right so we are putting hello s3 inside this file so we now we have this file so we know exactly what we are uploading and the question is where are we uploading this where we’re uploading this to the bucket that we have created now for that reason we need to have the bucket name and if you still have your bucket open you’ll be able to see here the destination now this is my destination you will have a different bucket name of course i’m going to go ahead and simply paste this so it’s s3 column forward says forward slash the name of the bucket then we have to specify the name of the file so in this case i’m going to keep the same name it’s going to be test.txt so we are taking this file that we have created inside gitlab we are uploading it to this bucket and the name of the file will be the same in this case let’s give it a try and see how it works because we have disabled the build and the test stages essentially we now only have the deploy to s3 so this makes the entire pipeline execution much faster but let’s take a look why this failed so what we did we’re still printing the aws version and then the last command that we have executed is this one and i cannot stress how important it is to go through the locks and try to understand what has happened so it says here upload failed trying to upload this file to this location and it says the error essentially is unable to locate credentials the thing is how is aws cli supposed to know who we are i mean if this would work as it is right now we should be able to upload files to any bucket that belong to other people or to delete objects from buckets that belong to other people so we need to tell aws cli who we are and this is what we’re going to do in the upcoming lectures and in order to have the entire context in terms of this we have to go through a few stages of preparation existence right now there’s something about this pipeline that i don’t like and that is because we have something inside here that may change later on and i would really like to make this configurable and not to have this information inside here at the beginning of the course we looked at the defining variables and i’ve shown you how you can define some variables within the pipeline there’s also another place where you can define variables and for that i’m going to copy this value and i’m going to go inside the settings so from your project you can go to settings here on the right hand side and what
you’re gonna do here is select ci cd and right here in the middle you will see variables i’m going to expand this so that we are able to add variables now typically here we tend to store passwords or secret keys but i’m going to use this bucket name as an example for some important features you need to know about so let’s go ahead here and click on add variable and i’m going to name my variable aws underscore s3 underscore bucket and the value will be exactly what i’ve copied from the pipeline now there are some additional settings here i want you to pay attention to there are two flags one of them is typically enabled by default and that is protect variable this flag alone is the single cause for a lot of confusion and a lot of wasted time for people who are just getting started with gitlab i just wanted to point this out if this flag is enabled this variable that we have defined here will only be available to protected branches so for example the main branch that is a protected branch that information will be available in our current branch i created here a feature branch for working with aws cli if i leave this flag on and try to use this variable there it will not work typically the idea here is let’s say you have two environments you have a test environment and you have a production environment you may have different credentials for each systems for securities reason now you typically want to keep the protected variables for the main master branch which deploys to production in this way you ensure that nobody has the credentials to accidentally deploy to production from a different branch so this is a security measure now we are using branches and we are using these services directly so at least at this stage we’re going to go ahead and disable this flag because we don’t want to protect this variable because it will not be available in our pipeline execution as we are running this on a branch the second flag is disabled by default this is something that will be masked in order to mask a variable this is particularly useful for password so for example if you accidentally try to print one of these variables in your code it will not appear there it will just appear like a must masked out with like simply stars it’s okay to have for example usernames or other things like this packet name we don’t need to mask this because it’s not really a secret but if we had here a password for a password it would make sense to mask this so for this variable i’m gonna disable the protect variable flag and i’m gonna disable the mask variable flag many people think that if you don’t have the protect variable flag the variable is somehow public or unprotected that’s not the case it’s simply available for all the branches inside a project and at this stage that’s totally fine i’m gonna change this a bit later on but at this point that is fine i’m gonna go ahead here and add the variable you will be able to see it here being added and of course if you need to make changes to it you can go ahead and make changes from here going back to the pipeline instead of having this value i’m going to start here with the dollar sign aws s3 bucket so the name has to be exactly as you have defined it and don’t forget to put the dollar sign in advance because this is what makes this a variable we can run this pipeline again and see how it looks like see if we notice any changes now if we’re looking at the logs we should be able to notice something interesting so what is interesting about this is the following we have the same command but now inside the command you notice this variable so when we’re writing the command the command that’s being locked here this doesn’t change it will still show you with the variable so it may seem that it’s not resolved but actually if you’re looking here at the error that we’re getting you will see here that the variable has been resolved an indication that the variable has not been resolved is for example not seeing this text at all so i invite you to play around with the protected flag and to run the pipeline again to see what’s happening and you should be able to see here that after s3 you’ll got you will get three forward slashes you will not be able to see your bucket name here so let’s go back to what we wanted to achieve to actually upload this file and we’re still getting this error unable to locate credentials so what should we do should we put our aws email and password somewhere in these variables so that aws can locate them well you’re getting pretty warm with that yes essentially we have to provide some credentials but those credentials won’t be our regular email and password because that will be highly insecure whenever we’re using a service we try to give limited access to that so in order to give this limited access to services in this case we only need s3 there is also a service that manages that so if we go back here to aws and search for services the service that we are interested in is iam or yum and this is essentially an identity manager service that aws offers let’s go inside it and see what we can do so first of all if you didn’t activate multi-factor authentication you’re going to get this warning and i definitely recommend that you do that this is just a testing account for me which will be very short-lived so for that reason i didn’t do that at this point now here from this service we can create new users essentially we want to create an user that will be able to connect to s3 so from the left hand side here let’s go to users and i’m gonna add a new user so we have to give here this user a username can be any user typically i’m using something so that i know why i created it so i’m going to call this gitlab i know exactly that this user is intended for gitlab and we have to select an access type now what we are interested in is also called programmatic access so we’re going to click this and you will see here that this enables an access key id and secret for aws api cli and so on so we’re interested in having this for aws cli so this is why we are creating this user and we are enabling this programmatic access we don’t need a password we don’t need this user to have access to the management console like we do so for that reason that’s sufficient let’s go to the next part which is the permissions so essentially the permissions tell what the user is allowed to do and permissions in aws i’m going to say it’s not an easy topic so i’m going to go the most straightforward way i’m going to attach an existing policy so i’m going to go here to attach existing policies in this search bar i’m going to select s3 i’m going to search for s3 you’re going to get some predefined policies so policy is essentially like a set of rules that we can apply to a user and the set of rules that we’re going to use here is amazon s3 full access so essentially we’re gonna give this user access to everything that is aws s3 so we should be able to create new buckets should be able to delete files and so on so a bit more than what we actually need for this use case but just to simplify things i’m gonna give this full access to the user but of course it’s the topic on its own let’s go to the next page we see the tags we don’t need to add any tags here and then we’ll be able to review what we’re trying to do and we can go ahead and create this user so now we have successfully created a new user and aws has created something for us and that is an access key id and a secret access key to put it in plain english this is like a username and a password you will see here that the password is not even displayed so what are we going to do with this information so first of all let’s go ahead and copy the access key id go inside gitlab again going to go to settings ci cd and expand here the variables and let’s go ahead and add a new variable i’m going to start here writing aws and you will see there already some predefined things that pop up so one of them is aws access key id this has to be written exactly as you see it here there’s something that’s different about this away cli will not be able to pick up this variable it will look exactly for this variable name and will automatically pick it up without us doing anything else so it has to be exactly as it is i’m going to paste here the value of course this is as per my account so you’ll have a different value and i’m gonna disable the protect variable flag because we want to be able to use this in a branch as well i’m gonna go ahead add this variable and going back to aws i’m gonna also show here the secret access key of course i’m gonna delete this right after recording but i’m showing you just to know exactly how it looks like it’s also important that you don’t add any spaces or anything like that so i’m going to copy this secret access key and go here add a variable and i’m going to start typing aws secret access key and i’ll paste the value here i’m gonna disable the protect variable flag and click on add variable finally there’s still another thing that we need to configure and that is our region so again i’m gonna add here variable start typing aws and we have here the default region so when we’re setting this variable all services that we use will be in this region and we don’t need to specify the region all the time aws know exactly where this bucket or any other service is located and we cannot simply write here anything we have to write exactly as aws uses it internally so what do i mean by that well let’s go back to the aws console and you will see here the s3 service and recently visited so this will make our life easier in terms of grabbing this information and for example for my bucket this is in us east north virginia what we’re actually interested in is this code so i’m going to copy this information and paste it here so this will be the default region and again i’m not going to protect this variable and i’m going to add it here what i forgot to do in terms of the secret access key is i haven’t masked it so it would be idea to go back to it click on this edit and you will see here this flag because this is essentially a password and i click here this flag to mask it and update it and then you also have here an overview like which one of them is protected which one of them is masked and of course if you need to inspect some of these variables you can go back and click on them and you will be able to see the value but list on this overview here they are hidden there’s also this possibility of copying the value without revealing this can be useful as well or you can click here on reveal values and they will be displayed all right so it seems that we have everything in place now at least we have these credentials and because we named them the way we named them aws cli will automatically pick them up so there’s actually nothing that we need to change in our pipeline so for that reason we can simply go ahead and rerun the same pipeline once again i’m going to go here to ci cd pipelines go here to the job that failed and here i can simply click on retry this will start the exact same job once again all right so this already looks so much better the job has succeeded we don’t see here any errors aws cli is telling us which files have been uploaded so we could jump into s3 and take a look inside our bucket to see if we have any files here you will be able to see here our test.txt file right inside here say when it was modified and so on we can download it if we need to but essentially this has been the first major step in terms of interacting with the aws cloud all right so we have made some progress and we have managed to finally upload this file but if you remember we have an entire website with a lot of files so you know going file by file and uploading that is not really the way to go so i can make sure that whatever we have inside the build folder it’s going to be synced to our packet now if you remember in the beginning i mentioned the documentation the reference for the aws cli essentially for any service there is here documentation there is here an additional command so we have used aws s3 as the name of the service so in this list of services here you will find s3 somewhere so here we go this is s3 so i’m going to click on it i’m going to be honest with you in the beginning this documentation will look very scary but if you take a bit of time if you have a bit of patience and you go through the documentation this is the way to really master the cli commands that you will be using and this doesn’t only apply to aws cli applied to any tools out there so reading the documentation looking at all the parameters everything that you can do with this is really super helpful so for s3 you will see here a lot of documentation but also at the end you will see here a list of available commands so we have used cp for copy so we’ve copied this file and it’s also definitely possible to copy an entire folder but i wanted to show you also different command which is sync now typically syncing something means that whatever we have on one side we have on the other side as well for example to ensure this with copy we first have to remove the folder just to ensure that we really have everything so for example if we added the file or we have removed the file we don’t want to have those files on s3 anymore if we don’t have them on our website anymore so for that reason using something like sync which ensures that all the files are in sync does make a lot of sense so we can go here on sync and we’ll tell right from the description it syncs directories and essentially it ensures that whatever we have there on one side is also available on the other side so how do we use this let me demystify this and take a look at our existing pipeline that we have here so first of all we’re going to give up on this test file that we have uploaded here this was just for testing purposes and to make sure that we have everything set up correctly so we’re gonna use here aws s3 so the command will be sync so what are we thinking we’re syncing the build folder so instead of that file we’re going to have an entire folder and the question is where are we syncing this we’re syncing this to the bucket so we’re going to remove this part here because we are going to put it directly inside the root and additionally we’re going to also add a flag so if you’re looking here through all the options that are available one of the options should be dash dash delete it will essentially ensure that if we delete some files during our build process which existed previously in previous builds that are also deleted during the sync so if i had a file in the build folder i synced it in the last build then i later removed that file i want that one removed from s3 as well so i’m gonna add here delete so this essentially should be enough to upload our build folder now in order to get this to run of course we have to re-enable our previous jobs so now build and test are enabled gonna commit these changes and see if this command worked and the pipeline is now successful and we’re most interested in this last job that we have executed and now if we’re looking at the logs we’ll see exactly which files we are uploading so we’ll see here uploading this uploading that so these are all the files that we have inside the build folder what’s also important to notice is you notice here this delete so this file is then deleted because it no longer exists in the build folder it actually never existed in the build folder but sync detects that this file doesn’t exist there and says okay if it doesn’t exist in the build folder it doesn’t make any sense to stay on s3 and goes ahead and removes it so let’s take a look at the s3 service i’m going to refresh this page and take a look to see how it looks like so now we are able to see all the files that we are actually interested in there all have been uploaded here and we made a very important step towards hosting our website in the aws cloud now currently the files that we have uploaded here they are not publicly available whenever we create a bucket by default it will be private to us so nobody else external has access to it actually that’s kind of like the normal use case you don’t want the files that you’re putting here to be available for everyone but of course there are use cases when you want to make these files accessible to anyone else and actually quite a lot of companies are using s34 storing files that they offer for download because it’s so much cheaper than hosting them on their own website now in order to make this bucket publicly accessible we need to change a few things and we’re going to start here with properties and actually what we are definitely interested in is enabling static web hosting so again i’m here in my bucket inside properties right at the end there’s static website hosting i’m gonna go ahead here click on edit and we’re going to enable static website hosting and the hosting type will be host a static website and there are also some settings here that we are gonna input websites typically have an index page which is a start page and also they have an error page for this application that we have the index page and the error page are the same and this is the index.html file if you look inside the bucket you should see the index.html file so this is exactly what we’re going to have here for the index and the error so i want to save these changes and we’re still under properties and if we go back here at the static hosting part you would see here that now we have an address so now our website is hosted on aws we could also get the domain and point this to this address but for what we’re trying to do right now this is board enough so we can go ahead and click on it and in the beginning we’re gonna get this error and there’s still a few things we need to configure don’t worry about it just wanted to point out the address and where you can view it so let’s see which other settings do we need to make i’m gonna go here to permissions and you will see here the first thing that appears is access bucket and objects not public whatever we have here in the bucket is not public so this is why even if we have enabled static website hosting we still cannot access this information so let’s take a look at how we can enable public access i’m going to click here on edit and i’m going to disable this block all public access and save the changes and again because this is like a major thing abs really wants to make sure that we know what we’re doing so i’m going to enter here confirm i’ve been going to the website we can try a refresh and it will still display the same error page here so there’s something that’s still not working properly what we need to do in addition to what we did here with in regards to the public access is a bucket policy now essentially we need a policy for the objects that are inside the bucket i want to get too much into the details but essentially we need to write this policy so we can go ahead here and click on edit this is like policy generator now what you see here is json and this is the format in which this policy will be written here there are a few things that we need to change about this policy so essentially we can go ahead here and add an action so let’s search for example for s3 i’m going to select hit here and the permission that we are looking for is essentially get object i’m going to click on this get object but additionally there are also a few other things that we need to change here just to make sure that everything is working properly and this changes will be made in text but you also find the template in the course notes just in case something doesn’t go well you will have the possibility of using that so essentially i’m gonna give here a name and i’m gonna call this public read this is just a name to identify this policy and the principle here we need to be put between double quotes and i’m going to put here this star and then the action will be get s3 object that’s allowed the effect is allow and resource we also need to specify the resource and the resource is our bucket i’m going to copy this name it’s essentially the address of the bucket and i’m gonna put this here also in quotes and i’m gonna add here very important a forward slash and this star which essentially means that everything that is in this bucket can be retrieved get object it is allowed so this is essentially our policy for public reading all right i agree it’s not so easy for beginners but let’s hope we haven’t made any errors here and that it will work as expected i’m gonna click here on save changes to apply this policy you will see here warnings all over the place you will see under the bucket in red publicly accessible access public so aws is really trying to tell you hey watch out uh if this is not what you intended or this is not what you want this bucket is publicly accessible so really really make sure that you know what you’re doing but for us it’s fine this is what we wanted to have and now by refreshing this page we’re getting the website that we have created and now congratulations really this is absolutely amazing we created pipeline that now takes every commit that we make and deploys it in the aws cloud we take it through all the stages but we only have to make the change and the entire process is automated so if you manage to follow along up to this point wow i’m sure that you have learned so much and trust me we’re just getting started there’s still so much more to learn and i’m super excited about the upcoming steps now let’s go back to the pipeline that we have designed now and i’m still here in an open merge request and if i’m looking at the pipeline i have here all the three stages so the build the test and the deploy now if you think about it this really doesn’t make a lot of sense and what doesn’t make sense is to deploy to s3 from a merge request or from a branch now if we think as s3 being our let’s say our production server or production environment then it means that anyone who opens a merge request and tries out some small changes if the build and the test pass this will automatically get deployed to production and actually this is not what we want we want inside a merge request or as long as we are in a branch we just want to run the build and test essentially to simulate the execution of the main branch and then only when we merge this we want to run the deploy so we want to deploy to production so in order to achieve this we still need to make a few changes to our pipeline now this is how the configuration looks like at this point and the changes that we need to make are here in the deploy to s3 job now how do we exclude this job from this pipeline which is running on the branch and to ensure that it only runs on the main branch gitlab has this feature which is called rules now rules allow you to create really complex conditions and i won’t get into those but we’re gonna use a relatively simple condition which will check if we are on the main branch or not now in order to set up rules we’re going to go to the deploy to s3 job and what i’m going to write here is rules this is a completely new keyword and here we can define a list of rules now we’re going to add only one rule and this will be a list so you notice that i’m starting a list and then we have here an if column and now after the if we can specify a condition so in a condition we’re typically checking if something equals or does not equal something else so in this case you want to check if the branch we’re currently at so we have here something i don’t know where we’re at equals so we’re gonna make two equal sign the main branch right so if we are on the main branch only then run this right now we don’t want to put here something hard-coded so we cannot know in advance like which is this branch name where we are currently evaluating this condition so in my case i mean feature deployed to s3 or something like that so it doesn’t make sense to add that there to to check this it needs to be dynamic so in order to have something dynamic we need to use some variables now luckily gitlab comes with some predefined variables and one of these variables is ci commit ref name so i’m going to search here for ref name you will see here so see i commit ref name this will give us dynamically the branch or tag name for which the project is built so we can use this as a variable and i’m going to write here dollar sign this one so this will be evaluated to our current branch now with any of these variables if you’re not sure what they do how they look like simply use here echo and just keep something like this for debugging purposes in your pipeline until you get familiar with the values that you’re having i’m going to remove it because i don’t need it but for you definitely recommend use echo to inspect the different values that you’re using if you were on a different branch this would be something else so if this equals main then we’re gonna essentially run this job otherwise it will be excluded from the pipeline still having something hard coded here is also not something that we like doing yes we could keep here main but there are also variables that can handle this so another variable that we can use is default branch it should be ci default branch and this variable will give us dynamically give us the name of the default branch so if later on for whatever reason we decide to switch from master to main or from main to something else then we don’t need to worry about these pipelines because the default branch will automatically get updated in this variable and then we can use it directly here so again i’ve added here another variable which is the ci default branch so now everything is dynamic so this rule makes sure that when the current branch equals the default branch this code gets executed in our case right now for maine will have this job in other pipelines this job will get excluded not be part of the pipeline so i’m going to commit this and i’m going to take a look at the pipelines after this so what i invite you to do is to go to cicd pipelines and now our pipeline only contains two stages so we have the build and the test stage the deploy job was completely removed i can also inspect the merge request and take a look at what is going on here and also i see that this pipeline has been updated it contains only build and test so at this point i would say okay i’m pretty confident that this functionality is working properly gonna click here on merge and also let the main pipeline run so again if we’re looking here cicd pipelines we will now see that the main pipeline has started so this is on the main branch and now this pipeline contains the three jobs required so we have build test and deploy so now the main pipeline is also working we have deployed again to s3 but how do we know if our website is still working again we could go to the address again hit the refresh button check again if it’s working but again that’s not really the point of automation we want to make sure that the entire process is automated so if this is a worry that we have like is the website still working that we have deployed it’s probably time to add another stage and to test after this deployment if everything works correctly on the website or at least as much as possible so let’s open up the ide and take a look here at adding another stage so we already have here build test deploy so probably the next stage should be let’s call it post deployment so this will be after the deployment and then it’s probably time to also add another job i’m going to call this production tests and i want to make sure that the stage is the right one let’s post deploy and what i’m proposing is to simply run a curl command so that’s pretty similar to what we did here so simply going to go ahead and copy this of course this has to be under the script block and there are a few things that we need first of all we need a docker image that has curl and one option would be to search again docker hub for such an image but essentially any docker image that has curl would be sufficient so i can go ahead here on docker hub and search for curl and what i’ve used in the past is curl images curl but probably also one of these verified content images is probably just as good so the address to this image is this one so this is what we need to do without docker pull so we have here image and paste remove this docker pull that’s the name of the image and because curl is such a generic tool don’t need to specify a specific version what we’re doing is pretty basic and i’m pretty sure it’s not going to change very soon the other thing is the address right so the address where we have deployed this and this is available in s3 so we’ve been going back in s3 to our bucket looking here at properties and right at the end this is the address right so can go ahead and copy my address go back to the editor i could paste it here right but again we had a discussion about like not having you know things that could change later on inside our pipeline or have it all over the place so again let’s go ahead and define a variable now this time i’m gonna define a variable within the pipeline itself that’s also totally fine and also way on how to do things i’m gonna define here variables block and let’s call this variable app base url of course you’re free to name it as you wish column and then i’m gonna paste here the address to it so this is now the full address so it’s all i need is this this is the variable name and here instead of writing something like this and simply go ahead use curl app base url i’m going to search for react tab because this is what we have actually in the body of the index html that are grabbing this should be enough at least to test that what we have on s3 is still reachable that at least this text is still available there additionally we need to make another configuration because otherwise as it is right now this will also run inside the branch so i’m going to copy this rule that we have here on deploy to s3 same rule is valid here we want to run these jobs only in the main pipeline so i’m going to go ahead commit these changes and merge them into the main branch and i’m a pretty confident that this pipeline will work without any issues so there’s no additional review that i need at this point i’m going to simply merge when the pipeline succeeds and i’m going to grab a coffee until this is merged so after a few minutes here in the merge request we’ll see a few things so first of all we have here the pipeline for our branch with two stages we have to build and the test that’s it after we have merged this then the pipeline for the main branch has started and this pipeline then has four stages build test deploy and post deploy so essentially the stage that we have added right now and this contains the production tests let’s take a look at them to see what has happened here so we have executed this command carl was able to download the website has passed this information to greb and grab a search for react app in the text and somewhere here was react app so for that reason everything worked out successfully so we know that website is still there it’s still working so that’s perfect so let’s take a minute and take a look at what we did so far so this is our main pipeline right this is the pipeline that now deploys to aws s3 and we have the build and the test this is what we essentially call continuous integration right this happens also in the merge request but also here we are rechecking that our build is still working and let those tests are executed here the second part this is the cd part in ci cd now cd can mean continuous deployment or continuous delivery i’m going to explain a second what that means right now we’re kind of doing continuous deployment in the sense that every commit that goes into the main branch will actually be deployed to production we have automated the deployment to s3 and we said that you know our s3 bucket it’s hosting our website and is essentially our production environment that the whole world can see now this is a very simplistic view on cicd now quite often pipelines also have a staging environment or a pre-production environment essentially if we make changes to our deployment to s3 and something doesn’t work anymore we’re not really testing this before and the main branch may still produce some errors and again we come back to the same problems we had when we did ci when nobody else can work on a project anymore so for that reason it kind of makes sense also to add another environment at least if the environment if there are some issues with the environment before production and the main pipeline breaks at least we haven’t affected the production environment so it’s still good right now we’re just deploying anything and we’re testing afterwards what is a staging environment so a staging environment is essentially a non-production usually non-public environment that is actually very close to the actual production environment right so we want to keep things as similar to the production environment as possible quite often we use automation to create these environments and to ensure that they’re really identical we haven’t done that we have used manual work to actually create the s3 bucket and we did some automation afterwards but ideally we would create this entire infrastructure automatically so the idea is to add a staging environment as a pre-production environment essentially we want to try out our deployment on pre-production before we go to production so in case it fails the production environment is unaffected the main two concepts i want you to be aware of is continuous deployment and continuous delivery now with continuous deployment as i said every commit that goes through the pipeline would also land on the production server in the production environment with continuous delivery we’re still using automation and every successful merge request again triggers the main pipeline which leads on automatic deployment to the staging environment however we don’t go directly to production there is like a button that you click in order to promote a build from the pre-production environment to the production environment so these are like the differences between continuous delivery and continuous deployment in upcoming lectures we’re gonna get a bit more into them and you’re gonna better understand like what they really mean now it’s time for you to practice a bit more and at this point i have an assignment for you and the assignment is essentially you building a staging environment and i want you to follow essentially the same process as we did when we created the production environment i also want you to make sure that you write some tests that ensure the environment is working as expected please pause the video and take this as an opportunity to practice along more both with aws and with building the pipeline i hope you had a good assignment and that everything is working properly in this video i wanted to show you how i would do something similar so first of all i’m going to start with creating the bucket and i’m just going to copy this name that i already have click here on create bucket and essentially i’m going to call this staging essentially the same name but i’m just adding staging to it and in the beginning i’m going to leave all settings as they are and in the upcoming steps i will essentially ensure that this bucket is public so they are the same steps as before and i’m not going to go again over them so after a few clicks i now also have this staging bucket also as public and i’ve enabled website hosting which means you can go inside the bucket you can go here to the properties and then right here at the bottom i will see this address which we will need later on first of all let’s begin with the name itself so i’m going to copy it and i’ll have to go inside gitlab and save it in a variable so here in gitlab i’m going to go to settings ci cd go here to variables what you’ll notice here is that we already have an s3 bucket of course that’s kind of an inconvenient at this point so we’ll need to figure out exactly how we can manage this what i’m going to go ahead and also call it aws s3 bucket i’m going to call it staging i’m going to add this thing that will make it different essentially now we can protect this variable because we don’t want to deploy from a branch anymore so it definitely makes sense to have this protected masking it doesn’t make any sense at this point all right so at least now i have this i’m gonna copy the name so that they don’t forget it and let’s go inside the project open the web ide and start making some changes to the pipeline now first of all because this is a pre-production environment we need to define another stage before we deploy to production let’s call this deploy staging and of course what we need to do here is to define a new job now most of this job is pretty similar to what we already have here in terms of deploy to s3 and also in terms of the production test that we have here so it kind of makes sense to copy everything that we have and paste it here again and let’s call this deploy to staging and we can call this deploy to production just to have like more clarity in terms of where we’re deploying and what we’re doing also we need to have the right stage so the stage name is deploy staging apart from this we are using the same image we still want to run this on the main branch and the only thing that we need to adapt here is the bucket so it’s going to be a little s3 bucket staging and again the test that we have here they can be called staging tests we’ll see here that you know the editor is complaining about the duplicate key so that’s a good thing because you know exactly what we need to fix so then we have the staging tests and also here where we need another base url so that’s also something that we need to consider i’m gonna add staging to this one as well and from aws i’m gonna copy the url paste it here you can notice that we have two different urls so let’s double check everything we have added a new stage deploy staging which is before deploy or we can even call it deploy production right so we have even more clarity just need to make sure that we are adopting this everywhere so we have here deploy staging and then we have deploy production but then we have post deploy now we also want to have this testing after the staging so we need something like test staging for example and we can call this test production right so we’re deploying to staging we’re testing the staging if both of them are successful then we go ahead and deploy to production and after that we test again the production so let’s make sure that we have the right stages otherwise we’re going to get some issues so deploy production yes test production test staging deploy staging we have the right bucket name here we don’t have the right url we need to grab that as well for staging all right and all of a sudden our pipeline got a bit bigger but no worries one last check deploy staging test staging deploy production test production deploy staging is the stage we’re using the staging bucket paging tests using the staging url test staging deploy production test production all right i’m going to go ahead commit these changes and we’ll see how they work in the main branch and a few minutes later after the main pipeline has also completed we’ll see now that we have here a bunch of stages so after the tests then we’re deploying to staging we’re testing staging deploying to production we’re also testing production of course we could go ahead and combine the staging so for example because our tests are very simple there’s nothing that prohibits us from just putting this simple test inside the deployed job itself so that will save us some stages here but i just want to demonstrate like how how longer pipeline essentially looks like and what’s the meaning of the stages so most importantly now if something happens with the deploy stage the pipeline breaks here production environment is unaffected we don’t have to worry about it so we have time to fix any problems in our deployment if you’re looking again at the pipeline well you know all the staging environment has really created a lot of duplication and all these variables with the bucket now we have ideal ss3 packet with staging we also have the space url and the staging url obviously we have now two environments but we haven’t really figured out a way on how to properly manage this environment luckily there is a functionality that gitlab offers for managing these environments going inside the project you will find here on the left hand side deployments and inside deployments there’s this optional environment what is an environment staging is an environment production is an environment wherever we’re deploying something that is an environment and it really makes sense to have these environments defined somewhere and to work with the concept of environment instead of fiddling around with so many variables that’s really not the best way on how to do that so what i’m going to do here i’m going to create a new environment and i’m going to call this environment production i’m also going to get the environment url from the pipeline so let’s remember this is the production url so let me get that and i’ll save it here and going back to environments i’m going to create a new environment and this will be staging again going back to the pipeline copying the name of the environment and putting it here what gitlab will also do is to keep track of deployments on different environments now currently we don’t have any deployments but we can directly open the environments from here so in case we forget where the our environments are we can easily click on this open environment link especially for non-technical people that are also working with gitlab it’s easier for them to see exactly where is the staging environment what’s the url i don’t have to ask someone it can just directly go to their respective environment and see that respective version so very very useful feature in terms of environments but what does it do for our pipeline well i’ll tell you what this will do we’re going to remove this from here right i’m going to go ahead first of all this is out i’m not using this anymore second of all i’m gonna go back to settings ci cd and expand here the variables and i’m gonna go here to this aws s3 bucket i’m gonna click here on edit and this is essentially our production environment this is for production and now we can also give a scope so we can tell gitlab hey this variable is associated with production and not with something else so we can essentially scope it and of course in this case because we’re using it in main only we’re gonna also protect this variable i’m gonna go ahead and update here and the same goes for this other variable right now we don’t need this staging added at the end we can just call it aws s3 bucket and we’re going to select here the staging environment scope and update the variable so now we have two variables that share the same name but now they belong to different environments now the idea is to do the following we need somehow to adapt our pipeline and let’s begin here by deploying to staging first of all we have this aws s3 bucket so i’m going to remove here staging from the end and additionally we need to tell gitlab hey this deployed to staging this is associated with the staging environment i’m going to say here environment staging there are still a few things i would like to change first of all the entire pipeline right now is too long we still have this staging test and production tests and because this is just one curl command we can just move it away from here i’m gonna remove this stage all together and all i want to do is to add it here on deploy to staging so essentially right after you have deployed we’re also using this curl command it’s pretty similar to what we’re also going to do on production but as you probably noticed already this app base url doesn’t exist anymore we have removed those variables and we need to find a way to get our environment url and luckily again gitlab to the rescue there is a variable i’m going to go ahead and search for environment and i’m going to have here the ci environment name environment slug environment url so this is what we’re interested in the environment url i’m gonna copy this and i’m gonna put it here in the curl command so i’m gonna send the curl command directly to the ci environment url same goes to the production deploy to production i’m gonna add it here so in this situation the production tests they also don’t make any sense so i’m gonna remove them and all these extra stages that we have here test production it’s not going to be needed test staging it’s not going to be needed so now we have a much more simpler pipeline but we’re still achieving the same thing most importantly we are using these environment we still have an error inside here but i just gonna commit these changes let the branch pipeline run merge these changes into the master we’re gonna take a look at the main pipeline to see which errors we still have there now if we’re looking at the main pipeline you will notice something interesting deploy staging has passed it’s working perfectly you will see here curl ci environment url it’s fetching the page it’s passing however if you’re looking here at deploy to production it’s all of the sudden complaining it’s saying here that aws is three bucket parameter validation failed invalid bucket name so what’s going on well the following thing has happened we somehow did not associate this with an environment or the environment is not correct so we need to go back and see why this job does not have access to this environment variable i’m going to go ahead here and take a look again at the configuration to make sure that the configuration itself of the job is correct what do we have here or we have deployed to production but as you can notice i haven’t defined an environment right so i have defined an environment for deploy to staging but i haven’t defined an environment for deploy to production by looking here at the variables you will see that this aws s3 bucket is now scoped only for production and because this job doesn’t say anything about production this environment is not exposed in the production job so to be able to solve this we also have to add here environment production i’m going to go ahead and copy this and the environment will be production and of course unfortunately this time we have to go again through all the stages the merge request and committing this in the main branch and just a few minutes later the entire pipeline will then succeed so we have deployed the staging we have deployed to production everything seems to be working fine we can take a look at the jobs to see what they’re doing and we’ll see here that everything worked out without any issues and of course we can also go here to deployments environments and here we are able to see the staging environment and the production environment and we can easily open them and we can see like what was deployed when was it deployed so it really keeps track here of the different environments and the deployments that took place so we see here on production there’s only one deployment in staging we have two deployments that we have committed so we’re essentially keeping track of what is going on on this environment you know what i’m still not super happy with this pipeline i mean generally when i see that a lot of things are repeating but it kind of makes me wonder if there’s not a better way so if looking here at the deployed staging and we’re looking at deeply production well essentially at this point because we have used all these variables these jobs are almost identical the only thing that is different is the different stage different job name and we’re specifying the environment but the rest of the configuration is identical and yes the answer is yes we can simplify this even more so essentially we can reuse some job configurations so i can go ahead here and i’m going to copy this and i’m going to go here and i’m going to define essentially a new job i’m just going to call it deploy this will be a special kind of job it will be a job that has a dot in front of it and as you remember we have used the dot notation to disable jobs by having this we can essentially have a configuration here we don’t care about the stage right we don’t care about the environment so this is something that is not in common with the rest it doesn’t even have to be a valid job configuration we have just put here the parts that are really important for us and then in these other jobs we’re going to keep what we need so what we need we need a stage and we need the environment and of course we need the job name and this other part here we can simply write something like extends so this will be the extents keyword and what are we extending we are extending dot deploy that dot in front is very important so don’t miss it and the same goes for deploy to production let me remove everything i’m just going to keep here the extents and make sure it’s properly indented so deploy to staging deploy to production we now have two simple jobs here essentially the deployment part is the same this also gives us peace of mind because if we’re making changes to the deployment part we’re only making changes here so if we make a mistake there the chances are we’re going to be able to catch it before it goes to production let’s commit this give it a try see how it works and it should essentially work the same as before and after a few minutes if we take a look at the main pipeline we’ll see that it works as it should work it looks as before and this is exactly what we expected we didn’t want to see anything else but the pipeline working but now we have a much simpler pipeline configuration and now feel it is time for another assignment now let me tell you my idea now we have this pipeline and we’re testing with the curl command that that specific text is on the website and that’s fine it ensures that the website is still working we currently we haven’t really made any changes to the website itself we haven’t added any text or removed anything how can we make sure that you know with what we actually built here actually lands on the staging and in the production environment and it’s not somehow a cache or something old there maybe you know maybe the deployment is not even working and you’re getting the older version and we think that everything is fine so here’s my idea what if we add another file in our build let’s call it version.html for example and inside there we put a build number something that is all the time different with each build so for example it will increment from one two three four and so on so that with every build we can identify to build number and we can check which version has been deployed to staging and production how about this idea and in order to get you started i’m going to show you how to get this information inside there how to get this build information this dynamic part maybe this is something that right now you don’t know exactly how to do it so no worries i’m going to get you started but the rest of the assignment will have to figure it out on your own trust me you already know all the concept needed in order to implement something very simple so i’m going to go ahead here and define a variable and i’m going to call this variable app underscore version so essentially let’s say that this is our application version so want to have something like 12 13 14 and so on now again when we’re thinking about something dynamic we have to think back to the list of predefined variables that gitlab offers right so on this list there are various variables that we can use including something that is related to the pipeline id so if we’re looking for pipeline underscore id find here some pipeline ids that we can use so these are variables that of course change all the time they are injected by gitlab so we can use them in our jobs so we can get here like an instance level id this typically includes like very large numbers because there are a lot of pipelines on a gitlab instance but you can also get like a project level id so this will be something we can easily relate to it’s and we’re going to see it increment all the time so i’m going to get this variable and i’m going to use it here so i’m redefining this because i want to give it a bit of meaning i could have used this directly somewhere this is really your solution but if i’m using here app version i’m very clear that this is the application version that we’re using here not just some random id so that’s it i’m gonna let you do the rest of the assignment so just to recap here somewhere in the build add a new file which is called version.html add that new file put this app version inside that file and then when we’re testing our deployments including staging and production so here create a new curl command that will check that that application version is actually available on that environment okay so i hope that you have managed to solve this on your own i already feel i gave you like quite a lot of hints but just to make sure this is how i would solve it so let’s go here to the build website apart from all these things that we’re doing here what i want to do additionally is to create this file so again in order to create this file we have to first think about the name so it’s going to be inside the build folder right this is this is what we’re deploying and the name will be version.html and what we’re doing is we’re taking this application version so in order to get the application version inside the file gonna use echo i’m gonna print the application version and then eventually again redirect it to the file so this is enough to create this file to put it inside the build folder which already exists build yarn build has created that and because this is dynamic it will be available there the next step is part of the deploy template so i’m working directly in the template here so we can essentially duplicate this command we’re going to the environment url and we hope that we don’t have a forward slash already gonna check that quickly i’m gonna go here to deployments environments i’m gonna go to staging click on edit i’m noticing here i don’t have a forward slash so that’s already good and i presume that the production environment is also similar but just to check i did i don’t have a forward slash okay so inside our configuration i’m gonna add here forward slash i’m gonna write here version and what are we looking for well we’re looking for the application version and because the application version is simple number we don’t need these quotes here so we can just write grep app version and that should work so already as part of the merge request as soon as the build has completed i want to go inside this build website and i’m going to take a look here at the artifacts to see if this artifact contains this version.html file so i’m able to see it here version.html it has a size that is not zero that’s a good thing and we can also download all the artifacts or just look at a single file so after clicking on this somewhere here on the screen it will open up this web page essentially so this is the build number 35. it’s pretty small but you should be able to see it on screen as well so this is part of the file so it’s already looking good when this much request is completed i will also take a look in the main branch now the main pipeline is also working makes me very happy because i now have more confidence in what is going on in this pipeline i have confidence that if i’m making a change that change actually gets deployed to staging and production and we have this additional check then in place to ensure that all right so let’s recap a bit what we did the first part is the ci part continuous integration the second part is cd continuous deployment now we have a more realistic continuous deployment pipeline we’re testing something and then we’re first deploying to staging making sure that on staging everything works and after that we deploy to production but what is a continuous delivery pipeline this is exactly what i wanted to show you essentially a continuous delivery pipeline is just a pipeline where we don’t automatically deploy to production essentially what we want to do is add here a button and only when we are sure that we really want to make that change to production we can click on that button and make that change so let me show you how to do this i assure you it’s super super easy so inside the pipeline configuration the job that is affected by this change is deploy to production so here on deploy to production i’m gonna add a condition and the condition is when and we’re gonna write here manually it’s actually when manual not manually so this will tell gitlab that we only want to run this job manually so we need some manual intervention gonna commit these changes and we’re gonna take a look at the final pipeline now this is the final pipeline and i want you to notice something for deploy production this job now looks a bit different right if you look at deploy staging click here on deploy production we’ll say here this is a manual action and we have here an additional button right if we also go to our deployments and we take a look at environments we’ll be able to see here like what we have on each environment so you’ll see here if we’re going here on staging this is the staging environment and of course here inside the staging environment we can go ahead and write here version.html so we’re getting here on the staging environment for version 40 right so this is the version on the staging environment and if we’re opening up to production environment it looks absolutely the same but if we look at a version.html you’ll see that this is a different version right on staging and on production we now have different versions because our pipeline has not deployed to production yet so in order to deploy to production we have to click this button and only then will the deploy to production job start so this is essentially the difference between a continuous deployment and a continuous delivery pipeline what we have here is a continuous delivery pipeline we’re continuously building packages of software we’re deploying them to staging but we’re not automatically deploying to production without that manual intervention for some organizations this is mandatory and this is why i’m also showing you in some legacy systems you cannot always deploy everything without checking a few things in advance now if we’re looking here deploy to production has also completed so we can take a look here if i’m gonna refresh this website i’m gonna get here version 40. and here on the staging also version 40. so now both staging and production have the same version now i hope that the difference between continuous delivery what we did right now and continuous deployment where every commit that lands in the master branch gets deployed to production makes more sense now hey how are things going are you like the course so far you’re following along let me know by leaving a comment in the section below or by sending me a message on twitter or linkedin or on any social platform you can find me i’d love to hear from you and to know how are you using this course we are at the end of this unit so i’m gonna grab a coffee and i will see you in a bit [Music] so far we have worked with a static website and deployed it to aws it’s probably one of the easiest scenarios involving gitlab ci and aws however modern applications tend to be more complex and most of them use docker nowadays so in this section we’ll dockerize our website and instead of copying some files to aws we’ll be deploying an application that runs in a docker container to do that we’ll build a docker image as part of the build process store it in the gitlab container registry and deploy to a service on aws called elastic beanstalk so if you’re eager to learn more let’s jump right into it when we use a cloud provider like aws we can rent virtual machines that have a dedicated cpu memory and disk storage and we can use any operating system we desire but this also means that we are in charge of managing that machine we need to ensure that it’s secure and that all software running is updated this is often too much overhead especially for some types of applications but there is a way to take away this complexity and focus only on the application we want to deploy aws elastic beanstalk is a service that allows us to deploy an application in the aws cloud without us having to worry about the actual virtual server that runs it this is a great way to reduce complexity and it’s probably one of the easiest way to deploy an application in the aws cloud by default elastic bin stock can run python java node.js php and many other types of applications but it can also run docker containers which really gives us a lot of flexibility we’ll be running a web server application that serves our simple website files so this time instead of just uploading some files to aws we are providing the entire application which is self-contained in a docker container i’m sure you’ll be amazed by how easy it is to run an application here in the background we will be using a virtual machine but we don’t need to worry about managing it however at this point i need to warn you about potential costs while running these servers for a few hours or days will most likely be free or cost you only cents if you let the service run for a month you may get some unexpected charges on your card even if you are not actively using a service once you have created it it uses resources in the cloud so stop any services if you are no longer using them find a way to set a reminder so that you don’t forget about them with that being said let’s start using elastic bean stock so let’s go ahead and create an elastic beanstalk application so i’m here in the aws console and the first step would be to search for elastic bean stock so i’m going to write here eb and you will see here one of the results is elastic bean stock so since i have no applications here i’m getting this getting started guide so i’m going to click here on create application so let’s call this application my website you don’t need to include any application tags and here on the platform there are different platforms that are supported but what you’re actually interested in is in the docker platform so that we can essentially deploy anything we want i’m going to select here docker i’m going to leave the defaults as they are and the first step would be to start with a sample application so we’re not going to upload any code we’re going to let elastic beanstalk create this instance this application and after that we’re
gonna add our own application on top of that so i’m gonna click here on create application and it will typically take a few minutes to get this to run and in the end you should see something that looks like this so what has happened here well we have created an application and we have initialized a sample application that elastic bean stock provides in order to actually run that application this wizard that we have used is set up has also created an environment so we have applications which is like an umbrella for environment so if i’m looking here at environments you’ll be able to see here that we have an environment that is called my website dash nf it belongs to the application my website and then you get some information in regards to when this was created under which url is this available which platform is this using and so on in order to see like what this environment is doing we’re gonna click here on it you’ll be able to see here a link so if you click on this link this is the sample application that was deployed so it’s just an idea tells you that everything is working properly that we have nothing to worry about this entire setup has worked without any issues now the question is what has actually happened in the background in order to understand that we’re going to go here to the services and we’re going to take a look at ec and right here ec and that is ec2 the service that we’re actually interested in this stands for elastic compute these are essentially virtual servers that we can create here but we haven’t actually created one but if you’re looking here at instances you’ll see that we have one running instance and this instance is called my website dash and you’ll see here which kind of an instance this is this is a virtual server that’s running here and this is the server that’s actually running our application additionally if you’re going here to s3 we’ll be able to see that we now have an additional bucket so we still have our buckets that we have used for hosting the website but now elastic bin stock has also created a bucket so actually what elastic beanstalk has done has created this required infrastructure in order to run the application we didn’t have to worry about creating that but this is why it took a few minutes to create this entire thing now let’s go ahead and try to understand how we can deploy something on your own like how can we get our own application to work and because we’re using docker we need to provide a manifest file essentially a file that describes the application that we’re trying to deploy so i’m here inside the project again and if you go into the templates you’ll find here a file called docker1.aws.public.json and this is the manifest file that i’m talking about it essentially tells aws which container we want to run because we have selected a docker platform we can only run docker containers there and this is a public container the name of the image is nginx which is a web server but what we want to try here is to actually use this configuration to use this file and to deploy this application to aws to make sure that this deployment process is working and this is again something that we’ll do manually at this point just to make sure that everything works properly so go ahead and download this file and after that let’s go back to aws and open up elastic bean stock here inside the environment will have the opportunity to upload a new version of the application you will see here right in the middle running version this is the sample application then we have this option upload and deploy and we want to upload that json file so i’m going to go ahead and select the file and i can also write here a version label this will be sample application version one that’s totally fine and i’m going to go ahead and click on deploy and what will happen is elastic beam stock will take this file and then we’ll start a deployment we’ll start here updating the environment of course this will take a few minutes but in the end what we want to see here is health status okay wanna see that everything is working properly and want to see that this application has been deployed and is available at this address and now we’re seeing here status is okay so health is okay everything seems to be working properly you can also go ahead and refresh this page just to see here which version is running you will see here that the running version is sample application one so this is exactly what we have deployed we can open up this address and we’ll see here welcome to nginx so this is the welcome page from the nginx server which we have deployed by having this json file which describes which container we want to use with elastic bean stock so in order to actually deploy our website we need to create a docker image we need to provide this json file and of course we also want to automate everything so this is what we are gonna do in the upcoming lectures so how do we create a docker image with our website a docker image is created by following a set of instructions something like a recipe we store these instructions in a file called docker file so let’s go ahead and create one so here from the web ide i’m gonna go ahead and create a new file and you will see here in the suggestions one of the suggestions is docker file so which are these instructions that will write inside the docker file first of all we have to start with a base image essentially an image that we want to add something on top of it in our case because we want to deploy web server with our files we’re going to start with the engine x image it is exactly the same image we have used in order to test our deployment to elastic bean stock so i’m gonna write here from nginx and additionally what i highly recommend is writing a version so writing a specific tag so in order to know which tag to choose i’m gonna go to docker hub i’m gonna search here for nginx i’m gonna take here the verified content so this is the official image for nginx i’m gonna take a look here at the tags and let’s search for alpine because alpine generally provides us with a very small docker image so what i’m searching here for is a specific tag so this here would be a very good tag to use just as an example i’m going to go ahead and copy that and here in the editor column and the version so you have to be very careful how you’re writing this has to be something like this so we’re starting from this base image so we have everything that is in the base image we have there so we already have the application essentially the application is the web server now the next step is to actually add our files which are in the build folder and to put them on this web server and we do that by using the copy command and right here copy so what are we copying we’re copying the build folder then we have to specify where we are copying it now by default there is a folder where nginx will store files that we want to serve and that folder has the following path forward slash user usair share nginx and then html so we’re moving this folder inside html folder so this is everything that we need to do in order to build our docker image these are the only instructions that we need at this point we’re getting this base image nginx in a specific version because we’re using this tag and then the next instruction is copy everything that is in the build folder and move them to this html folder just because we have created this docker file doesn’t mean that something will automatically happen we still need to make some changes to our pipeline and because we’re already making changes and because we want to deploy to elastic bean stock we don’t really need this s3 deployment anymore so i’m going to remove essentially all the jobs that are related to s3 this includes deploy to production deploy to staging this deploy job which is just a template and also test website we’re going to introduce a better way of testing so i’m going to remove all of them and what remains is the build website and of course also the stages here they can be removed so what we’re gonna do is we’re gonna introduce a new stage let’s call it package and we’re gonna associate this stage with a new job gonna call it build docker image and now the stage will be packaged so how do we build the docker image well it’s relatively simple the command is docker build i’m going to also add a dot here because that’s going to make a reference to the current folder and the current folder contains the docker file that we have created in order to be able to run this docker command we also have to define the image that we’ll use and the image will be docker just using this docker image will not work we’re gonna get an error the reason for that is the docker architecture is composed of a client and a server essentially what we have here docker this is the client and the client sends some instructions to a server actually to the docker demon which is the one who builds the job and in order to get access to a daemon inside gitlab ci we need to use a concept and that concept is of services we want to define here a tag services and this contains a list of services that we can start and what we’re starting here is actually service called docker in docker you’re going to see me using here this docker in docker tag so this service is another docker image that can build docker images cannot be accessible for us over a network and docker here which is the docker client will be able to talk with the docker daemon which is here inside this service i know that now at the beginning this may seem all bit confusing but this is like the minimum what we need in order to be able to build docker images from gitlab what i also like to do is to set some tags so i’m going to go ahead and write a fixed stack for docker and for docker in docker so i’m here at docker hub and this is the docker image you will find the link in the course notes because this is something that’s not so easy to find actually not so many people are actually looking for docker and i’m gonna use this version here i’m gonna go ahead and copy it and i’m gonna add it here to my job image and additionally there’s another tag with docker in docker this is the tag that i’m gonna use for the docker daemon i’m gonna remove here dent and this will be the docker in docker image you’ll see both of them have the same version additionally when we’re building images we also like to specify tags like label this will help us identify the images that we create because we can create multiple images of course in order to tag images we first have to specify an image name and also the tag so we can use here dash d you’re gonna keep here this dot at the end that’s very important don’t forget it and what we’ll use here is this is the list of environment variables and one of these environment variables is this ci registry image so we’re going to use here ci registry image don’t forget to put a dollar in front of it this will build the latest tag so this is a tag that always points to the latest image that we have created and additionally i’m going to create another tag which still contains cr register image i’m going to add here a dollar in front to make it a variable i’m going to add here column and we’re going to use the app version that we are still having here in our job so we are creating two tags so don’t forget the dot at the end this is super important this is one tag that we are creating and this is the second tag that we are creating and this variables will ensure that we have the right name for our docker image additionally in order to make sure that we have indeed built this docker images we’re going to use here docker image and ls actually we are building only one image but we are tagging that image with two different tags the latest and the app version so this will show us all the images that are available with all the tags that are available in this instance i’m not gonna run this job only on the main branch i’m just gonna run it inside the branch i’m still here in the branch playing around so we’re gonna see how this looks like after we execute it and once the execution is done we’re gonna jump directly into the build docker image and try to understand what has happened here so we’ll see where there are a bunch of locks that have been generated but most importantly what we want to see here is which docker image are we using so we’ll see here this is the docker image which is darker and then we’re also this is new we’re starting this service with docker in docker so the service will be available over the network inside this image that we have right now this will give us the docker client and there are a lot of locks here and they’re not really so relevant the interesting part comes when we’re actually building the image and you’ll be able to see here this is our command there are some steps how these docker images are being built docker works with concept of layers but we won’t go into that but this is exactly what’s happening here is every essentially every command that we’re executing will create an additional layer on that image we have successfully built this so this is what you want to see it has been successfully built and then we have also the two tags that we have created you will see here the latest tag and this is also the version tag now they both point to the same image but they are different text and you will better see it here with this command that is listing images so this is here the essentially the name of the image we’ll see here the tag and you will see that internally the image id is the same so we have the same image but with two different tags so now we have successfully managed to build and tag our image as you might have guessed the docker image that we have just built has been lost as soon as the job finished the docker image that we have created is not a regular file or an archive that we can just declare as an artifact and upload it to s3 when we want to preserve a docker image in this case this docker image that we have created here we need to save it in a registry for example docker hub which we’ve been using to find out tags and images that we can use is a public registry with docker images however typically our projects are not public so it doesn’t really make sense to use docker hub so for that reason we need a private registry both aws and gitlab offer private docker registries and for this example we’ll be using the docker registry offered by gitlab and you’ll see here on the left hand side packages and registry and we’re going to use here the container registry because docker is all about working with containers and of course at this point there are no container images stored for this project so alone just building that ochre image does not automatically add it to the container registry actually this is called pushing so when we want to save a docker image in a registry we need to push it to the registry so let’s go back and make some changes to our pipeline so let’s take a look how do we push so the command in order to push something is docker push and we actually want to push all tags so we’re going to use here parameter dash dash all dash tags and then we’re going to specify here the ci registry image so this is in term of pushing but where are we pushing and especially if it’s a private registry don’t we need to log in somehow yes that’s correct so alone pushing this will not work in our case we need to do something before we push and we’re going to do it right here in the beginning because in case there are some issues which the login we want to know as soon as possible and not only at the end so the command to login is docker login relatively easy and we’re going to specify username and password for this service we’re not actually using our username and password that we used to log into gitlab we’ll use some variables again that will give us some temporary user and passwords don’t really care so much about that but essentially this is what we’re to do so if you’re looking here at the variables that are available we’ll find here ci registry see a registry user say a registry password first of all where do we want to log in this is the cia registry so we need to specify where do we want to log in and additionally we need to specify our username and password so we typically specify the username and password like dash u and then specify the username and we’re gonna use another variable ci registry user with the dollar sign in front of it that’s very important and additionally we can specify password p and we’ll see here ci registry password so these are all the credentials that we need in order to log in in more recent versions of docker just specifying your password like this is not really the best way to log in you may get a warning and it’s possible that in future releases this argument this dashb will not be available anymore so what i like to do is the following i’m gonna remove it from here just gonna copy this variable and actually what we can do here is we can say to docker login get the password from the standard input and i’ll explain a second what the standard input is you wanna write here dash dash password dash std in this is the standard input so the standard input is essentially something that we are piping from another command and that other command in our case will be echo so we’re going to echo this ci registry password but we’re not going to display it in the logs we’re going to use this pipe so this will be available in the standard input for the docker login and docker login will look at that standard input and we’ll see oh okay the password is coming from there so we’re going to grab it from there using it in this way will ensure that this password doesn’t get exposed but really for ci in our case it will not get exposed anyway but it’s any good to know and this is why we have this construct here so once again we are echoing this password and we’re sending it to docker and docker login will know that this password is coming from the standard input and apart from that we have the parameter with the user for docker login where are we logging in to the registry make sure that all the variables that you are using here have a dollar sign before them otherwise they will not be resolved as variables so let’s give this a try as well and see if our image lands up in the registry the build docker image job has been successful we can take a look at the logs to see exactly which tags we have pushed and you will see here this are the tags that are available so we had tag 46 and latest and this is pushing the tags to the registry so no errors here and what we can do next is to go here inside the registry inside the container registry and we’ll see here this root image and if we take a look at it we’ll see currently we have two tags we have tag 46 and the latest tag will also tell us the size of our image because we are using alpine as a base image also our images are relatively small so that’s definitely a good thing so now we have successfully built this container but how do we know that application is actually working how do we know if nginx is serving our files if we have the right files and if everything is working as we think is working before we actually move on to the next step which is deploying to aws so for that reason it does make sense to do some accepting testing on the docker container itself just to make sure that we have everything as we expect so with that being said let’s go ahead and add another stage i’m going to call this stage test and of course we’ll also have to add another job let’s call this job test docker image i’m going to assign the stage test and let’s think about like how we can test this essentially the way we’re testing this docker image is not much different than the way we have tested for example a deployment or any other things in the past we can still use curl to do that so for example i’m going to write here curl we need here an address http column forward slash forward slash we don’t know the address but then again we can use grep to search for example for the app version right and of course we can also search for anything in the page that a website has but say for example here we’re going to check the version that html that we have so just want to make sure that we have the right app version and remove one of the dollar signs here so what do we need okay we need curl so we need a simple image that has curl so we’re going to use curl images slash forward slash curl so that should be enough to get this but the question is how do we start this container right this is where the part that we have learned before can be very useful and that part is services so again we’re going to take advantage of the services to start the docker container that we have just so we’re gonna write here services and this time that we’ll do is in this list we’re gonna define the name this will be the name of the image and the name of the image is of course dollar sign ci registry image and the tag will be the app version we don’t want to use the latest i want to go exactly like what is a current tag that we want to see so this will help us start the image and additionally what we can do is to specify an alias an alias allows us to give a friendly name so that we know where this service is available over the network so i’m just going to give the alias of website and here in http the address that gonna use is simply website so http column forward slash forward slash website gitlab will take care of starting this docker container registering it in the network as website and then we can simply call it in our curl script with website gonna go to version.html and inside we’re gonna search for the app version so let’s give it a try and see how it works and the confirmation that indeed our docker image is working properly can be obtained from this test docker image job so in this case indeed we have checked that the docker image is starting an http server and that the files that we have uploaded in our case this version.html it is available there and it contains the application version that we expected so with that being said in this case we now know that we have a docker image that works and we can deploy it to aws if you remember the first time that we have deployed an application to elastic bean stock we have used this json file which described which docker image we want to deploy in order to automate this process we kind of have to do the same thing in other words to give elastic bin stock this file now whenever we’re interacting with aws services we need to provide some files most of the time we need to do that through s3 so we first need to upload those files to s3 and all other services can read from s3 and have that information so in order to automate this we need to generate essentially this json file upload it to s3 and from there we’ll tell elastic bin stock to start a new deployment so going back to the pipeline what we need to do is to re-enable the deploy stage and the deploy to production job this time focusing on deploying to elastic pinstock so let’s go ahead and add a new stage deploy and of course also a new job here deployed to production since we’ll be using aws cli i’m just gonna add the basic structure that we need to this job in order to be able to use aws cli so using aws cli as a docker image we’re overriding the entry point this job is part of the deploy stage we have set the environment to production and we are starting our script now if looking at the files here we’ll see here in templates that we have this docker run that aws the name of the file is not that important the format of the file is very important because this file tells aws elastic binstock what we are trying to deploy and it will say here that this is our image and this is our tag so we have them here as variables but additionally because this is a private registry we also need to provide some authentication information and that authentication information is another file so that file is this oauth file and in this auth file we will need to add a token that gives access to the registry and essentially what we need to upload to s3 is this file docker run and this auth file which is actually linked from here it’s mentioned here of that json so let’s go to the pipeline and quickly add these files i’m going to simply paste here the configuration required so now i’ve added this copy configuration to the script so we’re still using aws s3 copy it’s pretty similar to what we did before in terms of copying files to aws s3 so i’m going to skip a bit this part now as you may have noticed these files contain some variables and those variables won’t get automatically replaced so if we upload the files as they are they will not get replaced second of all we don’t even have the right paths here they are in templates and not in the current folder where we’re executing the script just as a second thing but i wanted to show you something very important and that is how to do environment variable substitution in files and for that we’re going to use a very cool command it is env so from environment subs so relatively easy to tell what this does it replaces environment variables then we need to specify like what is the input file and we do it with this smaller than sign essentially and then we’re gonna go here and say something like templates and give here the name of the file and then we will have to specify the output file that will be generated and the output file will be this one so the name of the file will stay the same the location will change it will be put in the current folder and this is perfect for the next command that we’ll be using we’re doing this environment substitution replacing all the variables here for the auth file just as well so i’m just gonna replace that there and there so any environment variables that are in these files will get replaced in order to use this command we need to install an utility which is called get text now this doesn’t come directly in this amazon image so this is something that we need to install additionally i’m going to use this package manager to install this dependency which is called get text and get text has this tool for environment substitution gonna also add this flag here this will essentially answer with yes any questions that this installer may ask because we are in a way that we cannot interact with an installer we’re gonna specify this and say okay just install it if there are any questions answer with yes just to ensure that the installation process works without any issues now we have this so we can do environment substitution of course it’s going to be very nice to actually take a look at these files so we’re going to use here cat just to make sure that these environments were substituted as we expect them and as a final check we should also go in these files and make sure that we have all variables here so see a registry image app version this is something that we already defined so we have this information here aws s3 bucket this is relevant for where we are uploading these files now because we are using elastic bean stock an elastic beanstalk has already created an s3 bucket well maybe we should use that one so i’m gonna switch here to the s3 service and what i’m going to do is i’m going to copy this name could have used this other package that we have created here but i don’t want to put anything any credentials in a public folder so with that being said i prefer to use this bucket that is not public and here in the environment variables of the job we still have this aws s3 bucket for production so i’m gonna click here to edit it i’m to change here the value i’m not going to protect this variable because i’m still in a branch and i’m going to update this so at least at this point we have everything let’s see this other file the off file you’ll see here in the auth file there is this deploy token now what is the thing well we have pushed our docker image in the gitlab repository but aws has no credentials to connect to it and again we’re not providing username and passwords not our account username and password we will generate a token and gitlab allows us to generate a deploy token that can be used by aws to log into our private docker container repository and pull that image so now to do that from settings we’re going to go here to repository and we’ll see here deploy tokens as one of the options and here we can create a deployed token so we’re gonna name it aws so that we know why we have created it and i give the username aws and the permissions that we need is read repository and read registry i’m going to go ahead create this deploy token this will be created here this is essentially like a password but it will only be displayed once so i’m going to go ahead and copy this and i’m going to create a new variable to store it i’m going to call this variable gitlab deploy token and format how we’ll store this information is i’m going to write here the username aws column and then the password that i’ve just copied i’m not going to protect this variable but i can just as well mask it just to be sure now here inside the pipeline we still need to do a small change to the pipeline itself to the script itself and the thing is we need to convert this username and password to base64 because this is what we need inside this configuration json this is what aws expects and in order to convert something to base64 it’s relatively easy so for example say you have here a string right hello you can convert it to base 64 by simply piping this and writing here base 64. this will output the string encoded as base 64. now of course we don’t want to have anything hard coded here this is why we have defined this variable so we are going to use here gitlab deploy token right and additionally we want to make sure that we don’t have any new lines or anything like that in our token so we’re going to pipe them again to another command and this command will remove any new lines that exist here so so this n here with the backslash this will be a space essentially so if there are any spaces they will be removed additionally we need to set this into a new variable that we can replace so i’m gonna put here a dollar sign at the beginning i’m going to put this between parentheses and what i’m going to do here i’m going to export so this is a way to create an environment variable but from a script and the name will be deploy token right and equals this expression so what we have here this part is an expression this will be evaluated and whatever output comes from this it will be stored in this deploy token and this deploy token is exactly what we have here in our pipeline so before we commit these changes we only are interested in making sure that this job works well so what i’m gonna do is i’m gonna simply disable all the previous jobs i’m gonna put a dot before them so that they don’t run and after that i’m gonna commit this pipeline and let’s see it in action and it seems that i’m in luck no errors while running this job let’s take a look at the logs to see if we have everything and indeed it seems here that something is missing right some information has been replaced the image is replaced here i have the version i have here the bucket that’s definitely working fine here in the odds the registry is correct but if i’m looking at all that’s information it is missing so let’s try and debug and to understand why is this information missing there so here’s the pipeline let’s double check if we have everything correct if we have used the right variables so gitlab deploy token that should be the name of the variable that we have already find in gitlab as a variable so that seems to be fine deploy token is exactly that what we have used in the file we can double check again the file you see here it’s exactly deploy token so that seems to be working well so what is going on let’s take a look again at the pipeline to see if there are any clues why this may have failed you know again here we don’t see it but let’s take a look at the commands that we have executed to see if there’s anything suspicious in there so what did we do well first of all we have just started the script here we have aws cli great we are installing here get text so that seems to be working don’t see any errors up to this point and then we’re exporting this variable right we’re running this command this expression and then if we’re looking here at line 77 we’re seeing here td command not found so apparently this expression that we have placed here gets evaluated into this variable but when it fails it doesn’t feel the job i’m going to open up here the pipeline and let’s take a look at the deploy to production so this is the td command that we have used it should actually be tr which stands for translate now this was just a silly mistake but it just goes to show how important it is to actually read the logs to understand what’s going on now we have both files all the variables have been replaced including this time in the auth file and we can also jump into s3 and take a look at this bucket here we’ll be able to see here the docker run file and the auth file they are now inside s3 docker run tells essentially contains information about what are we trying to deploy links and mentions this auth file which contains authentication information about how to connect to our private registry now let’s continue with the actual deployment so we have copied here the docker1.aws.json and the auth.json file and they are in this s3 bucket and now we can initialize the deployment and the deployment happens with the aws cli but this time we’ll use a different service so the service to which we’re trying to deploy is elastic beanstalk so i’m going to use aws elastic bean stock and this is something that is done in two steps first of all we have to create an application version so the command that i’m going to use here is create application version with dashes the next command that we need to run is update environment so i’m going to copy this and i’m going to write here update environment so why are these two steps necessary in the first step we are taking this docker run file and we are creating a new application version and then once this application version has been created we actually tell elastic bean stock which environment we want to update on elastic bean stock we have the application but there can be multiple environments in our case we have a single environment but theoretically it’s possible to take one version to create it once and to take it through different environments but in this case we only have one environment so maybe this is why it may look a bit weird in the beginning but these are the steps that are required in order to get this to run now just saying create application version and update environment is not actually sufficient in order to get this to run we need to specify some additional parameters and the first parameter is we need to identify the application right so this is done by writing here dash dash application dash name and if we’re looking here inside elastic bean stock you will see here this is the application name i’m going to copy this as it is here and of course i have the possibility of putting it here directly like application name like this but i don’t want to do that i want to take advantage of variables there are multiple places where we can store this but i’m just gonna put them here inside the job itself so we can add here variables block and for example i’m gonna call this app underscore name column and then this will be the value my website so whenever i need to use this i’m going to put it here so application name dollar sign and i’m going to reference the variable now there’s something you need to pay attention here because my website is composed of two strings so there’s this space here in between if we put this like this this variable gets replaced it will look like this so this command will think that my application name is my and then that website is some other command that we’re executing or some other parameter that we’re giving here and this is not something that is recognized so in order to get around this we need to put this between codes so we’ll have this string between codes because this is why it will know okay it is my and website it contains also the space and the word after this so again i’m gonna also put the variable here between quotes and this application name is also needed for the update environment command so i’m going to copy that there as well additionally when we’re creating the application version we need to specify like a label or which version we are deploying we already have an application version here so it does make sense to use that so i’m going to go ahead and right here dash dash version dash label don’t worry if this goes on a new line it’s just the way it’s edited but actually the command is on a single line and i’m gonna use here app version and this here for update environment yes it does also make sense to specify the application version and i’m gonna add the same command here the same parameter version label to this command now also when we creating this we need to specify somehow this file right so elastic bean stock will not know which bucket is this file how can i read it and everything so for that reason we also have to specify that and we’re going to use this additional parameter source dash bundle and this will allow us to specify an s3 bucket and the s3 bucket will equal this time the bucket that we have used so it’s this one here and we also have to specify the name of the object that we’re referencing and this is s3 key you need to pay attention how you write this it needs to be exactly as i have written it here but i also noticed people in the beginning they don’t understand when they are specifying these additional parameters here is not for example it’s not equal application name equals app name it’s just a space and then comes the value here this is a bit different because this entire thing this entire configuration here is a value that will be read later on so for that reason here it’s okay to have this equals but otherwise there are no equals in these commands all right so to create the application version we have specified application name we have specified the version label and additionally we have specified this source bundle so essentially where is the file that tells us what we should deploy this is almost the same as when we have uploaded that file manually but with that we have also triggered the deployment automatically so we have done two steps in one step here we are doing it in two separate steps so the next part is after creating this version is to update the environment so we have here the application name we have here the version for which application are we deploying this which version are we deploying the next step would be to also specify which environment are we updating i’m gonna write here environment dash name and we also need another variable for the environment i’m gonna call it here app and name you’re free to name them as you wish and again i’m going to go here to elastic bean stock and i’m going to copy this i just want to make sure that i have everything exactly as it is in elastic bean stock if i specify something else then it’s not the same so the environment name will be here and as you can notice here this doesn’t have any spaces so we don’t need to put this value between codes and also all the other values that we had here there are no spaces so we don’t need to put any quotes there but if any of these parameters would have a space that value would need to be between quotes finally let’s also go ahead and re-enable these jobs because we’ll still need a docker image now so we will run the entire pipeline and check if our deployment is working properly however when we take a look at the pipeline we’ll see that the deployed production job has failed so let’s jump into the logs try to understand what has happened and why this job failed you can see here the commands that we have executed so copying these files to s3 still works so no problems there the last command that was executed is this one so elastic beanstalk create application version so there’s a good chance that this command is responsible for whatever error we’re getting here and then we need to look into the logs and see what is the error and we can see here it says something access denied essentially it’s telling that our user which is the gitlab user that we have created if you remember we have created this user with programmatic access is not authorized to perform some action so create application version if you remember we have selected that the user is allowed to work with s3 resources right so uploading files deleting files things like that with s3 that works but we haven’t authorized our user to work with elastic bean stock so we need to change that so from the aws console let’s go ahead and open the im service for identity management we’ll open up our user you see here this is the username gitlab and what we can do here is essentially to attach additional policies so we have here this amazon s3 full access so that works but now we want to add an additional policy so we’re gonna click here on add permissions and gonna attach existing policies i’m going to search here for elastic bean stock and i’m going to give here administrator access for aws elastic beanstalk now i’m not going to go into this policies in very detail we’re just interested in getting this to run but of course if you would use something like this in production you would need to be very careful about what each user is allowed to do so just keep that in mind just using this very generous policies in production is typically not a good idea so i’m gonna add these permissions then and now we’ll see that our user now has this additional permission here so we can now work with elastic beanstalk so going back here to the logs instead of re-running the entire pipeline we can just go to this job and hit this retry button and it will retry the same job we haven’t changed any files and dynamically this policy should now be applied to the user and hopefully this job will work so let’s take a look to see what the job is doing and now this time it looks much better so we have no errors and let’s take a look at the first command create application version now we have executed this and we’re getting back a response right so it’s going to tell us again like the application name which version we have which bucket we’re using which is the name of the file and so on it also starting to process this and the next thing what we’re getting is the update environment so that work without any issues it’s going to tell us again what is the environment name so we can take a look at that application named version and also some technical details about this we can take a look back into the aws console and then look here into the elastic bin stock service to see what’s going on and we’ll be able to see here running versions is 60. i can click here on the environment just to make sure that we indeed have everything the health is okay so we can also go ahead and click on this url and this will open up our website so it does seem to work very well so now we have manually tested that the deployment has been successful but how about that we check in our pipeline that the deployment has been successful and we can use the exact same approach that we have used so far i’m gonna jump back into the pipeline and here inside the deployed production job essentially what we want to do is to use this curl command so should be pretty similar to what we have here when we’re testing the docker image i’m gonna add it here to a new line of course we also need to get the address itself of the application of the environment and if you remember we had something for that already we just need to update the url for the application so i’m going to simply copy this url here and from gitlab i’m going to go to deployments environments and for the production environment i’m going to go ahead and change some settings and we’re no longer using the s3 url we’re using this one and remove here the forward slash so this will be my external url for this environment and what we want to use here is of course the variable that will get us this environment and from the predefined variables probably remember we have used this in the past ci environment name slug url we actually want the url so i’m going to copy this get here into the pipeline configuration and instead of website can also replace http because i don’t need that anymore so i can use ci environment url forward slash version and then we’re getting that version from there now i’m going to tell you if we leave this command as it is right now this will not work and the reason for that is when we are updating this environment aws needs just a few seconds to actually do this deployment to put the new version on the environment this is not instant but the connects command will run immediately after we have essentially triggered this update and that environment may not be ready or may still have the older version so for that reason this curl here will fail so we’ll not get this response the deployment cannot be verified at this point that it has been successful or not so what we need to do here is to wait a bit so what we can do is of course to use something like sleep and wait for like 10 seconds or something like that but in aws there’s a better way to do that when we’re using the aws cli we have a tool which is called weight so weight is an option it is for various services that are at aws including for elastic bean stock so we can right here elastic bean stock weight and then what are we waiting for we are waiting for this environment to be updated so i’m going to write here environment dash updated and then we need to specify the application name the environment name and the version label right so essentially everything that we had here on the previous command i’m gonna simply copy and i’m gonna add it here to the new line and this command will do the following it will essentially in the background it will check with aws hey are you done updating that environment no not yet i need some time okay wait a bit and then we’ll try again hey are you done updating that environment okay i’m done good and then we can stop waiting and then the next command the curl command can run and then we can check if indeed the correct version has been deployed and if our environment is working properly so i’m going to go ahead and commit these changes and we’ll let the entire pipeline run and see how this goes and the pipeline is still successful so we can take a look into the deploy to production job and see what exactly happened here and you’ll be able to see here that this command is executed and after this the next command with curl is also executed and it passes without any issues you will see here version 61 has been deployed this is exactly also the version label that we have here defined so this again confirms that the version that we wanted to deploy has actually landed on the environment where we wanted to have it so that’s about it in terms of deploying to elastic beanstalk so just to recap we have gone through all the stages and we have started by initially building our code whatever we have here compiling it building it running some tests and then publishing this as artifacts and then we have created a docker image essentially we have created an application we have tested that application and then of course we have really a simple pipeline here we didn’t went through any other stages we deployed directly to production but the principles that i’ve shown you here can be used for similar projects and of course based on all the other information that i’ve shown you throughout the course you can build power plants that are more complex than this one but the most important thing is to understand how you can build such pipelines how you can deploy them and how you can end up with something that works and generally to make this process as enjoyable as possible since now we are coming towards the end of the course i thought it would be a good idea for a final assignment and what i have here is a project which will document who has completed this course so what you have to do is to check the course notes and in the course notes you will find the link to this repository and go ahead and click here on request access and in a few hours probably you receive access to this repository and you will be able to make changes to it so you can open the web ide and open a merge request and you will have to add if you wish of course your name to a list of people who have completed this course so let me show you how to do this so once you have access to this you will no longer see this part with requesting access and you can open the web id and you will be not asked to fork this project that’s the main difference and then you can go ahead and change the files the files that we want to change are located here in source and the file that contains the code is this app.js and here there will be a table and i invite you to add your name and other information to this table so for example i’ve added here my name i had it here my username for gitlab but also my country of origin and also message to the entire world and i’m gonna submit this as a merge request and i invite you to do the same so i’m going to go ahead here commit this and i cannot commit directly into the main branch so i have to go through the path of creating a merge request so i creating a feature branch with my name let’s give it a meaningful title and then i can just go ahead and create the merge request once you have access to this project you will be able to see any other merge requests and i invite you to take a look at them to see what other people have changed to make sure that everything is working properly and if someone breaks the pipeline in their own branch maybe you can give people some tips in regards to what they did wrong and what didn’t work so well essentially be part of this review process try to understand how to collaborate on this project and of course once your merge request gets reviewed it will be merged into the main branch and then you will be able to see your name appearing on a web page so i think that’s kind of a nice and an interactive way of essentially concluding this course almost and so yeah i hope you will do this along in terms of editing let me give you an advice once there are a few people that have been added to this list here what i highly recommend is that you don’t just add your name at the end because that’s the highest chance that you will run into complex so when you’re trying to make changes try to put your name somewhere in the middle or something like that between others try to keep the indentation and everything so that it looks nice but yeah that’s my advice to you so see you even after this course i’m gonna collaborate more inside the merge request try to play more with gitlab with pipelines see how it works and yeah looking forward to your contributions all right you did it this is the end of the course but don’t go away yet i still have some valuable tips for you first of all i want to give you a final reminder to terminate any aws services you have created so that you don’t encounter any unexpected costs we have accomplished so many things in a very short amount of time i know this was a lot to take in but i hope it was useful and that this has opened your appetite for learning more about devops gitlab and aws if you enjoy this content you could support me in creating more courses like this one by going to my youtube channel and subscribing link in the video description thank you very very much but there’s also so much more to learn if you found it hard to work with cli commands i do recommend learning about unix utility commands and bash there are also other gitlab features worth exploring if you like working when deploying docker containers you may also want to learn about kubernetes for all the topics mentioned above and anything else i forgot to mention you will find links in the course notes if you enjoy my teaching style and you want to take a more advanced gitlab course go to vdespa.com and check out the courses that i’m offering if you are unsure which course is right for you just send me a message on social media i’m more than happy to help i hope you enjoy spending time with me and i will see you next time
Affiliate Disclosure: This blog may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you click on the link and make a purchase. This comes at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers. Your support helps keep this blog running and allows me to continue providing you with quality content. Thank you for your support!
J1 n. (also j) (pl. Js or j’s) tenth letter of the alphabet.
J2 abbr. (also j.) Joule(s).
Jab —v. (-bb-) 1 a poke roughly. B stab. 2 (foll. By into) thrust (a thing) hard or abruptly. —n. 1 abrupt blow, thrust, or stab. 2 colloq. Hypodermic injection. [var. Of job = prod]
Jabber —v. 1 chatter volubly. 2 utter (words) in this way. —n. Chatter; gabble. [imitative]
Jabot n. Ornamental frill etc. On the front of a shirt or blouse. [french]
Jacaranda n. Tropical american tree with trumpet-shaped blue flowers or hard scented wood. [tupi]
Jacinth n. Reddish-orange zircon used as a gem. [latin: related to *hyacinth]
Jack —n. 1 device for raising heavy objects, esp. Vehicles. 2 court-card with a picture of a soldier, page, etc. 3 ship’s flag, esp. Showing nationality. 4 device using a single-pronged plug to connect an electrical circuit. 5 small white target ball in bowls. 6 a = *jackstone. B (in pl.) Game of jackstones. 7 (jack) familiar
form of john, esp. Typifying the common man, male animal, etc. (i’m all right, jack). —v. (usu. Foll. By up) 1 raise with or as with a jack (in sense 1). 2 colloq. Raise (e.g. Prices). every man jack every person. Jack in slang abandon (an attempt etc.). [familiar form of the name john]
Jackal n. 1 african or asian wild animal of the dog family, scavenging in packs for food. 2 colloq. Menial. [persian]
Jackanapes n. Archaic rascal. [earlier jack napes, supposed to refer to the duke of suffolk]
Jackass n. 1 male ass. 2 stupid person.
Jackboot n. 1 military boot reaching above the knee. 2 this as a militaristic or fascist symbol.
Jackdaw n. Grey-headed bird of the crow family.
Jacket n. 1 a short coat with sleeves. B protective or supporting garment (life-jacket). 2 casing or covering round a boiler etc. 3 = *dust-jacket. 4 skin of a potato. 5 animal’s coat. [french]
Jacket potato n. Potato baked in its skin.
Jack frost n. Frost personified.
Jack-in-the-box n. Toy figure that springs out of a box.
Jackknife —n. 1 large clasp-knife. 2 dive in which the body is bent and then straightened. —v. (-fing) (of an articulated vehicle) fold against itself in an accident.
Jack of all trades n. Multi-skilled person.
Jack-o’-lantern n. 1 will-o’-the wisp. 2 pumpkin lantern.
Jack plane n. Medium-sized joinery plane.
Jack plug n. Plug for use with a jack (see *jack n. 4).
Jackpot n. Large prize, esp. Accumulated in a game, lottery, etc. hit the jackpot colloq. 1 win a large prize. 2 have remarkable luck or success.
Jackrabbit n. Us large prairie hare.
Jack russell n. Short-legged breed of terrier.
Jackstone n. 1 metal etc. Piece used in tossing-games. 2 (in pl.) Game with a ball and jackstones.
Jack tar n. Sailor.
Jacobean —adj. 1 of the reign of james i. 2 (of furniture) heavy and dark in style. —n. Jacobean person. [latin jacobus james]
Jacobite n. Hist. Supporter of james ii after his flight, or of the stuarts.
Jacquard n. 1 apparatus with perforated cards, for weaving figured fabrics. 2 (in full jacquard loom) loom with this. 3 fabric or article so made. [name of its inventor]
Jacuzzi n. (pl. -s) propr. Large bath with massaging underwater jets of water. [name of its inventor and manufacturers]
Jade1 n. 1 hard usu. Green stone used for ornaments etc. 2 green colour of jade. [spanish ijada from latin ilia flanks (named as a cure for colic)]
Jade2 n. 1 inferior or worn-out horse. 2 derog. Disreputable woman. [origin unknown]
Jaded adj. Tired out; surfeited.
J’adoube int. Chess declaration of the intention to adjust a piece without moving
J’adoube int. Chess declaration of the intention to adjust a piece without moving it. [french, = i adjust]
Jag1 —n. Sharp projection of rock etc. —v. (-gg-) 1 cut or tear unevenly. 2 make indentations in. [imitative]
Jag2 n. Slang 1 drinking bout. 2 period of indulgence in an activity, emotion, etc. [originally dial., = load]
Jagged adj. 1 unevenly cut or torn. 2 deeply indented. jaggedly adv. Jaggedness n.
Jaguar n. Large american flesh-eating spotted animal of the cat family. [tupi]
Jail (also gaol) —n. 1 place for the detention of prisoners. 2 confinement in a jail. —v. Put in jail. [french jaiole, ultimately from latin cavea cage]
Jailbird n. (also gaolbird) prisoner or habitual criminal.
Jailbreak n. (also gaolbreak) escape from jail.
Jailer n. (also gaoler) person in charge of a jail or prisoners.
Jain —n. Adherent of an indian religion resembling buddhism. —adj. Of this
religion. jainism n. Jainist n. & adj. [hindi]
Jalap n. Purgative drug from the tuberous roots of a mexican climbing plant. [spanish xalapa, name of a mexican city, from aztec]
Jalopy n. (pl. -ies) colloq. Dilapidated old vehicle. [origin unknown]
Jalousie n. Slatted blind or shutter to keep out rain etc. And control light. [french: related to *jealousy]
Jam1 —v. (-mm-) 1 a (usu. Foll. By into, together, etc.) Squeeze, cram, or wedge into a space. B become wedged. 2 cause (machinery etc.) To become wedged or (of machinery etc.) Become wedged and unworkable. 3 a block (a passage, road, etc.) By crowding etc. B (foll. By in) obstruct the exit of (was jammed in). 4 (usu. Foll. By on) apply (brakes etc.) Forcefully or abruptly. 5 make (a radio transmission) unintelligible by interference. 6 colloq. (in jazz etc.) Improvise with other musicians. —n. 1 squeeze, crush. 2 crowded mass (traffic jam). 3 colloq. Predicament. 4 stoppage (of a machine etc.) Due to jamming. 5 (in full jam session) colloq. (in jazz etc.) Improvised ensemble playing. [imitative]
Jam2 n. 1 conserve of boiled fruit and sugar. 2 colloq. Easy or pleasant thing (money for jam). jam tomorrow promise of future treats etc. That never materialize. [perhaps from *jam1]
Jamb n. Side post or side face of a doorway, window, or fireplace. [french jambe leg, from latin]
Jamboree n. 1 celebration. 2 large rally of scouts. [origin unknown]
Jamjar n. Glass jar for jam.
Jammy adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 covered with jam. 2 colloq. A lucky. B profitable.
Jam-packed adj. Colloq. Full to capacity.
Jan. Abbr. January.
Jangle —v. (-ling) 1 (cause to) make a (esp. Harsh) metallic sound. 2 irritate (the nerves etc.) By discord etc. —n. Harsh metallic sound. [french]
Janitor n. 1 doorkeeper. 2 caretaker. [latin janua door]
January n. (pl. -ies) first month of the year. [latin janus, guardian god of doors]
Jap n. & adj. Colloq. Often offens. = *japanese. [abbreviation]
Japan —n. Hard usu. Black varnish, orig. From japan. —v. (-nn-) 1 varnish with japan. 2 make black and glossy. [japan in e. Asia]
Japanese —n. (pl. Same) 1 a native or national of japan. B person of japanese descent. 2 language of japan. —adj. Of japan, its people, or its language.
Jape —n. Practical joke. —v. (-ping) play a joke. [origin unknown]
Japonica n. Flowering shrub with bright red flowers and round edible fruits. [latinized name for japanese]
Jar1 n. 1 a container, usu. Of glass and cylindrical. B contents of this. 2 colloq. Glass of beer. [french from arabic]
Jar2 —v. (-rr-) 1 (often foll. By on) (of sound, manner, etc.) Sound discordant, grate (on the nerves etc.). 2 a (often foll. By against, on) (cause to) strike (esp. Part of the body) with vibration or shock (jarred his neck). B vibrate with shock etc. 3 (often foll. By with) be at variance or in conflict. —n. 1 jarring sound orsensation. 2 physical shock or jolt. [imitative]
Jar3 n. on the jar ajar. [obsolete char turn: see *ajar, *char2]
Jardinière n. 1 ornamental pot or stand for plants. 2 dish of mixed vegetables. [french]
Jargon n. 1 words or expressions used by a particular group or profession (medical jargon). 2 debased or pretentious language. [french]
Jasmine n. Ornamental shrub with white or yellow flowers. [french from arabic from persian]
Jasper n. Opaque quartz, usu. Red, yellow, or brown. [french from latin from greek iaspis]
Jaundice —n. 1 yellowing of the skin etc. Caused by liver disease, bile disorder, etc. 2 disordered (esp. Mental) vision. 3 envy. —v. (-cing) 1 affect withjaundice. 2 (esp. As jaundiced adj.) Affect (a person) with envy, resentment, etc. [french jaune yellow]
Jaunt —n. Short pleasure trip. —v. Take a jaunt. [origin unknown]
Jaunting car n. Light horse-drawn vehicle formerly used in ireland.
Jaunty adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 cheerful and self-confident. 2 sprightly. jauntily adv. Jauntiness n. [french: related to *gentle]
Javanese —n. (pl. Same) 1 a native of java. B person of javanese descent. 2 language of java. —adj. (also javan) of java, its people, or its language. [java in indonesia]
Javelin n. Light spear thrown in sport or, formerly, as a weapon. [french]
Jaw —n. 1 a upper or lower bony structure in vertebrates containing the teeth. B
corresponding parts of certain invertebrates. 2 a (in pl.) The mouth with its bones and teeth. B narrow mouth of a valley, channel, etc. C gripping parts of a tool etc. D grip (jaws of death). 3 colloq. Tedious talk (hold your jaw). —v. Colloq.Speak, esp. At tedious length. [french]
Jawbone n. Lower jaw in most mammals.
Jaw-breaker n. Colloq. Long or hard word.
Jay n. Noisy european bird of the crow family with vivid plumage. [latin gaius, gaia, perhaps from the name gaius: cf. Jackdaw, robin]
Jaywalk v. Cross a road carelessly or dangerously. jaywalker n.
Jazz —n. 1 rhythmic syncopated esp. Improvised music of black us origin. 2 slang pretentious talk or behaviour (all that jazz). —v. Play or dance to jazz. jazz up brighten or enliven. jazzer n. [origin uncertain]
Jazzman n. Jazz-player.
Jazzy adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 of or like jazz. 2 vivid, showy.
Jcb n. Propr. Mechanical excavator with a shovel and a digging arm. [j. C. Bamford, name of the makers]
Jcr abbr. Junior common (or combination) room.
Jealous adj. 1 resentful of rivalry in love. 2 (often foll. By of) envious (of a person etc.). 3 (often foll. By of) fiercely protective (of rights etc.). 4 (of god) intolerant of disloyalty. 5 (of inquiry, supervision, etc.) Vigilant. jealously adv. [medieval latin zelosus: related to *zeal]
Jealousy n. (pl. -ies) 1 jealous state or feeling. 2 instance of this. [french: related to *jealous]
Jeans n.pl. Casual esp. Denim trousers. [earlier geane fustian, = material from genoa]
Jeep n. Propr. Small sturdy esp. Military vehicle with four-wheel drive. [originally us, from the initials of general purposes]
Jeepers int. Us slang expressing surprise etc. [corruption of jesus]
Jehovah n. Hebrew name of god in the old testament. [hebrew yahveh]
Jehovah’s witness n. Member of a millenarian christian sect rejecting the supremacy of the state and religious institutions over personal conscience, faith, etc.
Jejunum n. Small intestine between the duodenum and ileum. [latin: related to *jejune]
Jekyll and hyde n. Person having opposing good and evil personalities. [names of a character in a story by r. L. Stevenson]
Jell v. Colloq. 1 a set as jelly. B (of ideas etc.) Take a definite form. 2 cohere. [back-formation from *jelly]
Jellaba var. Of *djellaba.
Jellify v. (-ies, -ied) turn into jelly; make or become like jelly. jellification n.
Jelly —n. (pl. -ies) 1 a (usu. Fruit-flavoured) translucent dessert set with gelatin. B similar preparation as a jam, condiment, or sweet (redcurrant jelly). C similar
B similar preparation as a jam, condiment, or sweet (redcurrant jelly). C similar preparation from meat, bones, etc., and gelatin (marrowbone jelly). 2 any similar substance. 3 slang gelignite. —v. (-ies, -ied) (cause to) set as or in a jelly, congeal (jellied eels). jelly-like adj. [french gelée from latin gelo freeze]
Jelly baby n. Jelly-like baby-shaped sweet.
Jellyfish n. (pl. Same or -es) marine animal with a jelly-like body and stinging tentacles.
Jemmy n. (pl. -ies) burglar’s short crowbar. [from the name james]
Jenny n. (pl. -ies) 1 hist. = *spinning-jenny. 2 female donkey. [from the name janet]
Jenny-wren n. Female wren.
Jeopardize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) endanger.
Jeopardy n. Danger, esp. Severe. [obsolete french iu parti divided play]
Jerbil var. Of *gerbil.
Jerboa n. Small jumping desert rodent. [arabic]
Jeremiad n. Doleful complaint or lamentation. [church latin: related to *jeremiah]
Jeremiah n. Dismal prophet, denouncer of the times. [lamentations of jeremiah, in the old testament]
Jerk1 —n. 1 sharp sudden pull, twist, twitch, start, etc. 2 spasmodic muscular twitch. 3 (in pl.) Colloq. Exercises (physical jerks). 4 slang fool. —v. Move, pull, thrust, twist, throw, etc., with a jerk. jerk off coarse slang masturbate. [imitative]
Jerk2 v. Cure (beef) by cutting it in long slices and drying it in the sun. [quechua echarqui dried fish in strips]
Jeroboam n. Wine bottle of 4–12 times the ordinary size. [jeroboam in the old testament]
Jerry n. (pl. -ies) slang 1 german (esp. Soldier). 2 germans collectively.
[probably an alteration of german]
Jerry n. (pl. -ies) slang chamber-pot. [probably an abbreviation of *jeroboam]
Jerry-builder n. Incompetent builder using cheap materials. jerry-building n. Jerry-built adj. [origin uncertain]
Jerrycan n. (also jerrican) a kind of (orig. German) petrol-or water-can. [from *jerry]
Jersey n. (pl. -s) 1 a knitted usu. Woollen pullover. B plain-knitted (orig. Woollen) fabric. 2 (jersey) light brown dairy cow from jersey. [jersey in the channel islands]
Jerusalem artichoke n. 1 a kind of sunflower with edible tubers. 2 this as a vegetable. [corruption of italian girasole sunflower]
Jest —n. 1 joke; fun. 2 a raillery, banter. B object of derision. —v. Joke; fool about. in jest in fun. [latin gesta exploits]
Jester n. Hist. Professional clown at a medieval court etc.
Jesuit n. Member of the society of jesus, a roman catholic order. [latin jesus, founder of the christian religion]
Jesuitical adj. 1 of the jesuits. 2 often offens. Equivocating, casuistic.
Jesus int. Colloq. Exclamation of surprise, dismay, etc. [name of the founder of the christian religion]
Jet1 —n. 1 stream of water, steam, gas, flame, etc., shot esp. From a small opening. 2 spout or nozzle for this purpose. 3 jet engine or jet plane. —v. (-tt-) 1 spurt out in jets. 2 colloq. Send or travel by jet plane. [french jeter throw from latin jacto]
Jet2 n. (often attrib.) Hard black lignite often carved and highly polished. [french jaiet from gagai in asia minor]
Jet black adj. & n. (as adj. Often hyphenated) deep glossy black.
Jet engine n. Engine using jet propulsion, esp. Of an aircraft.
Jet lag n. Exhaustion etc. Felt after a long flight across time zones.
Jet plane n. Plane with a jet engine.
Jet-propelled adj. 1 having jet propulsion. 2 very fast.
Jet propulsion n. Propulsion by the backward ejection of a high-speed jet of gas etc.
Jetsam n. Objects washed ashore, esp. Jettisoned from a ship. [contraction of *jettison]
Jet set n. Wealthy people who travel widely, esp. For pleasure. jet-setter n. Jet-setting n. & attrib. Adj.
Jettison —v. 1 a throw (esp. Heavy material) overboard to lighten a ship etc. B drop (goods) from an aircraft. 2 abandon; get rid of. —n. Jettisoning. [anglo-french getteson: related to *jet1]
Jetty n. (pl. -ies) 1 pier or breakwater to protect or defend a harbour, coast, etc. 2 landing-pier. [french jetee: related to *jet1]
Jew n. 1 person of hebrew descent or whose religion is judaism. 2 slang offens. Miserly person. [greek ioudaios]
Usage the stereotype conveyed in sense 2 is deeply offensive. It arose from historical associations of jews as moneylenders in medieval england.
Jewel —n. 1 a precious stone. B this used in watchmaking. 2 jewelled personal ornament. 3 precious person or thing. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) (esp. As jewelled adj.) Adorn or set with jewels. [french]
Jeweler n. (brit. Jeweller) maker of or dealer in jewels or jewellery.
Jeweller n. (us jeweler) maker of or dealer in jewels or jewellery.
Jewellery n. (also jewelry) rings, brooches, necklaces, etc., regarded collectively.
Jewess n. Often offens. Woman or girl of hebrew descent or whose religion is judaism.
Jewish adj. 1 of jews. 2 of judaism. jewishness n.
Jewry n. Jews collectively.
Jew’s harp n. Small musical instrument held between the teeth.
Jezebel n. Shameless or immoral woman. [jezebel in the old testament]
Jib1 n. 1 triangular staysail. 2 projecting arm of a crane. [origin unknown]
Jib2 v. (-bb-) 1 (esp. Of a horse) stop and refuse to go on. 2 (foll. By at) show aversion to. jibber n. [origin unknown]
Jibe1 var. Of *gibe.
Jibe2 v. (brit. Gybe) (-bing) 1 (of a fore-and-aft sail or boom) swing across. 2 cause (a sail) to do this. 3 (of a ship or its crew) change course so that this happens. [dutch]
Jiff n. (also jiffy, pl. -ies) colloq. Short time; moment (in a jiffy). [origin unknown]
Jiffy bag n. Propr. Padded envelope.
Jig —n. 1 a lively leaping dance. B music for this. 2 device that holds a piece of work and guides the tools operating on it. —v. (-gg-) 1 dance a jig. 2 (often foll. By about) move quickly and jerkily up and down; fidget. 3 work on or equip with a jig or jigs. [origin unknown]
Jigger n. 1 billiards colloq. Cue-rest. 2 a measure of spirits etc. B small glass holding this. [partly from *jig]
Jiggered adj. Colloq. (as a mild oath) confounded (i’ll be jiggered). [euphemism]
Jiggery-pokery n. Colloq. Trickery; swindling. [origin uncertain]
Jiggle —v. (-ling) (often foll. By about etc.) Shake or jerk lightly; fidget. —n. Light shake. [from *jig]
Jigsaw n. 1 a (in full jigsaw puzzle) picture on board or wood etc. Cut into irregular interlocking pieces to be reassembled as a pastime. B problem consisting of various pieces of information. 2 mechanical fretsaw with a fine blade.
Jihad n. (also jehad) muslim holy war against unbelievers. [arabic jihad]
Jilt v. Abruptly reject or abandon (esp. A lover). [origin unknown]
Jim crow n. Us colloq. 1 segregation of blacks. 2 offens. A black. [nickname]
Jingle —n. 1 mixed ringing or clinking noise. 2 a repetition of sounds in a phrase etc. B short catchy verse or song in advertising etc. —v. (-ling) 1 (cause to)make a jingling sound. 2 (of writing) be full of alliteration, rhymes, etc. [imitative]
Jingo n. (pl. -es) supporter of war; blustering patriot. by jingo! Mild oath. jingoism n. Jingoist n. Jingoistic adj. [conjuror’s word]
Jink —v. 1 move elusively; dodge. 2 elude by dodging. —n. Dodging or eluding. [originally scots: imitative]
Jinnee n. (also jinn, djinn) (pl. Jinn or djinn) (in muslim mythology) spirit in human or animal form having power over people. [arabic]
Jinx colloq. —n. Person or thing that seems to cause bad luck. —v. (esp. As jinxed adj.) Subject to bad luck. [perhaps var. Of jynx wryneck, charm]
Jitter colloq. —n. (the jitters) extreme nervousness. —v. Be nervous; act nervously. jittery adj. Jitteriness n. [origin unknown]
Jitterbug —n. 1 nervous person. 2 hist. Fast popular dance. —v. (-gg-) hist.
Dance the jitterbug.
Jiu-jitsu var. Of *ju-jitsu.
Jive —n. 1 lively dance popular esp. In the 1950s. 2 music for this. —v. (-ving) dance to or play jive music. jiver n. [origin uncertain]
Jnr. Abbr. Junior.
Job —n. 1 piece of work to be done; task. 2 position in, or piece of, paid employment. 3 colloq. Difficult task (had a job to find it). 4 slang crime, esp. A robbery. 5 state of affairs etc. (bad job). —v. (-bb-) 1 do jobs; do piecework. 2 deal in stocks; buy and sell (stocks or goods). 3 deal corruptly with (a matter). just the job colloq. Exactly what is wanted. Make a job (or good job) of do well. On the job colloq. 1 at work. 2 engaged in sexual intercourse. Out of a job unemployed. [origin unknown]
Jobber n. 1 person who jobs. 2 hist. Principal or wholesaler on the stock exchange.
Usage up to oct. 1986 jobbers were permitted to deal only with brokers, not directly with the public. From oct. 1986 the name ceased to be in official use (see *broker 2).
Jobcentre n. Local government office advertising available jobs.
Job-hunt v. Colloq. Seek employment.
Jobless adj. Unemployed. joblessness n.
Job lot n. Mixed lot bought at auction etc.
Job’s comforter n. Person who intends to comfort but increases distress. [job in the old testament]
Jobs for the boys n.pl. Colloq. Appointments for members of one’s own group etc.
Job-sharing n. Sharing of a full-time job by two or more people. job-share n. & v.
Jobsheet n. Sheet for recording details of jobs done.
Jock n. Slang scotsman. [scots form of the name jack]
Jockey —n. (pl. -s) rider in horse-races, esp. Professional. —v. (-eys, -eyed) 1 trick, cheat, or outwit. 2 (foll. By away, out, into, etc.) Manoeuvre (a person). jockey for position manoeuvre for advantage. [diminutive of *jock]
Jockstrap n. Support or protection for the male genitals, worn esp. In sport. [slang jock genitals]
Jocose adj. Playful; jocular. jocosely adv. Jocosity n. (pl. -ies). [latin jocus jest]
Jocular adj. 1 fond of joking. 2 humorous. jocularity n. (pl. -ies). Jocularly adv.
Jocund adj. Literary merry, cheerful. jocundity n. (pl. -ies). Jocundly adv. [french from latin jucundus pleasant]
Jodhpurs n.pl. Riding breeches tight below the knee. [jodhpur in india]
Joe bloggs n. Colloq. Hypothetical average man.
Jog —v. (-gg-) 1 run slowly, esp. As exercise. 2 push or jerk, esp. Unsteadily. 3 nudge, esp. To alert. 4 stimulate (the memory). 5 (often foll. By on, along) trudge; proceed ploddingly (must jog on somehow). 6 (of a horse) trot. —n. 1 spell of jogging; slow walk or trot. 2 push, jerk, or nudge. [probably imitative]
Jogger n. Person who jogs, esp. For exercise.
Joggle —v. (-ling) move in jerks. —n. Slight shake.
Jogtrot n. Slow regular trot.
John n. Us slang lavatory. [from the name john]
John bull n. England or the typical englishman. [name of a character in an 18th-c. Satire]
John dory n. (pl. Same or -ies) edible marine fish. [see *dory]
Johnny n. (pl. -ies) 1 slang condom. 2 colloq. Fellow; man. [diminutive of john]
Johnny-come-lately n. Colloq. Newcomer; upstart.
Joie de vivre n. Exuberance; high spirits. [french, = joy of living]
Join —v. 1 (often foll. By to, together) put together; fasten, unite (with one or several things or people). 2 connect (points) by a line etc. 3 become a member of (a club, organization, etc.). 4 a take one’s place with (a person, group, etc.). B (foll. By in, for, etc.) Take part with (others) in an activity etc. (joined them in prayer). 5 (often foll. By with, to) come together; be united. 6 (of a river etc.) Be or become connected or continuous with. —n. Point, line, or surface at which things are joined. join battle begin fighting. Join forces combine efforts. Join hands 1 clasp hands. 2 combine in an action etc. Join in (also absol.) Take part in (an activity). Join up 1 enlist for military service. 2 (often foll. By with) unite, connect. [latin jungo junct-]
Joiner n. 1 maker of finished wood fittings. 2 colloq. Person who joins an organization or who readily joins societies etc. joinery n. (in sense 1).
Joint —n. 1 place at which two or more things or parts of a structure are joined; device for joining these. 2 point at which two bones fit together. 3 division of an animal carcass as meat. 4 slang restaurant, bar, etc. 5 slang marijuana cigarette. 6 geol. Crack in rock. —adj. 1 held, done by, or belonging to, two or more persons etc. (joint mortgage; joint action). 2 sharing with another (joint author; jointfavourite). —v. 1 connect by joint(s). 2 divide at a joint or into joints. out of joint 1 (of a bone) dislocated. 2 out of order. jointly adv. [french: related to *join]
Joint stock n. Capital held jointly; common fund.
Joint-stock company n. Company formed on the basis of a joint stock.
Jointure —n. Estate settled on a wife by her husband for use after his death. —v. Provide with a jointure. [latin: related to *join]
Joist n. Supporting beam in a floor, ceiling, etc. [french giste from latin jaceo lie]
Jojoba n. Plant with seeds yielding an oily extract used in cosmetics etc. [mexican spanish]
Joke —n. 1 thing said or done to cause laughter; witticism. 2 ridiculous person or thing. —v. (-king) make jokes; tease (only joking). no joke colloq. Serious matter. jokingly adv. Joky adj. (also jokey). Jokily adv. Jokiness n. [probably latin jocus jest]
Joker n. 1 person who jokes. 2 slang person. 3 playing-card used in some games.
Jollify v. (-ies, -ied) make merry. jollification n.
Jollity n. (pl. -ies) merrymaking; festivity. [french joliveté: related to *jolly1]
Jolly1 —adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 cheerful; merry. 2 festive, jovial. 3 colloq. Pleasant, delightful. —adv. Colloq. Very. —v. (-ies, -ied) (usu. Foll. By along) colloq. Coax or humour in a friendly way. —n. (pl. -ies) colloq. Party or celebration. jollily adv. Jolliness n. [french jolif gay, pretty: perhaps related to *yule]
Jolly2 n. (pl. -ies) (in full jolly boat) clinker-built ship’s boat smaller than a cutter. [origin unknown: perhaps related to *yawl]
Jolly roger n. Pirates’ black flag, usu. With skull and crossbones.
Jolt —v. 1 disturb or shake (esp. In a moving vehicle) with a jerk. 2 shock; perturb. 3 move along jerkily. —n. 1 jerk. 2 surprise or shock. jolty adj. (-ier, – iest). [origin unknown]
Jonah n. Person who seems to bring bad luck. [jonah in the old testament]
Jonquil n. Narcissus with small fragrant yellow or white flowers. [ultimately from latin juncus rush plant]
Josh slang —v. 1 tease, banter. 2 indulge in ridicule. —n. Good-natured or teasing joke. [origin unknown]
Joss n. Chinese idol. [ultimately from latin deus god]
Joss-stick n. Incense-stick for burning.
Jostle —v. (-ling) 1 (often foll. By away, from, against, etc.) Push against; elbow, esp. Roughly or in a crowd. 2 (foll. By with) struggle roughly. —n. Jostling. [from *joust]
Jot —v. (-tt-) (usu. Foll. By down) write briefly or hastily. —n. Very small amount (not one jot). [greek *iota]
Jotter n. Small pad or notebook.
Jotting n. (usu. In pl.) Jotted note.
Joule n. Si unit of work or energy. [joule, name of a physicist]
Journal n. 1 newspaper or periodical. 2 daily record of events; diary. 3 book in which transactions and accounts are entered. 4 part of a shaft or axle that rests on bearings. [latin diurnalis *diurnal]
Journalese n. Hackneyed writing characteristic of newspapers.
Journalism n. Profession of writing for or editing newspapers etc.
Journalist n. Person writing for or editing newspapers etc. journalistic adj.
Journey —n. (pl. -s) 1 act of going from one place to another, esp. At a long distance. 2 time taken for this (a day’s journey). —v. (-s, -ed) make a journey. [french jornee day, day’s work or travel, from latin diurnus daily]
Journeyman n. 1 qualified mechanic or artisan who works for another. 2 derog.
Reliable but not outstanding worker.
Joust hist. —n. Combat between two knights on horseback with lances. —v. Engage in a joust. jouster n. [french jouste from latin juxta near]
Jove n. (in roman mythology) jupiter. by jove! Exclamation of surprise etc. [latin jupiter jov-]
Judge —n. 1 public official appointed to hear and try legal cases. 2 person appointed to decide in a contest, dispute, etc. 3 a person who decides a question. B person regarded as having judgement of a specified type (am no judge; good judge of art). —v. (-ging) 1 form an opinion or judgement (about); estimate,
appraise. 2 act as a judge (of). 3 a try (a case) at law. B pronounce sentence on. 4 (often foll. By to + infin. Or that + clause) conclude, consider. [latin judex judic-]
Judgement n. (also judgment) 1 critical faculty; discernment (error of judgement). 2 good sense. 3 opinion or estimate (in my judgement). 4 sentence of a court of justice. 5 often joc. Deserved misfortune. against one’s better judgement contrary to what one really feels to be advisable.
Judgemental adj. (also judgmental) 1 of or by way of judgement. 2 condemning, critical. judgementally adv.
Judgement day n. (in judaism, christianity, and islam) day on which mankind will be judged by god.
Judicature n. 1 administration of justice. 2 judge’s position. 3 judges collectively. [medieval latin judico judge]
Judicial adj. 1 of, done by, or proper to a court of law. 2 having the function of judgement (judicial assembly). 3 of or proper to a judge. 4 impartial. judicially adv. [latin judicium judgement]
Judiciary n. (pl. -ies) judges of a state collectively.
Judo n. Sport derived from ju-jitsu. [japanese, = gentle way]
Jug —n. 1 deep vessel for liquids, with a handle and a lip for pouring. 2 contents of this. 3 slang prison. —v. (-gg-) (usu. As jugged adj.) Stew or boil (esp. Hare) in a casserole etc. jugful n. (pl. -s). [origin uncertain]
Juggernaut n. 1 large heavy lorry etc. 2 overwhelming force or object. [hindi jagannath, = lord of the world]
Juggle —v. (-ling) 1 a (often foll. By with) keep several objects in the air at once by throwing and catching. B perform such feats with (balls etc.). 2 deal with (several activities) at once. 3 (often foll. By with) misrepresent or rearrange (facts) adroitly. —n. 1 juggling. 2 fraud. juggler n. [french from latin jocus jest]
Jugoslav var. Of *yugoslav.
Jugular —adj. Of the neck or throat. —n. = *jugular vein. [latin jugulum collar-bone]
Jugular vein n. Any of several large veins in the neck carrying blood from the head.
Juice n. 1 liquid part of vegetables or fruits. 2 animal fluid, esp. A secretion (gastric juice). 3 colloq. Petrol; electricity. [french from latin]
Juicy adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 full of juice; succulent. 2 colloq. Interesting; racy, scandalous. 3 colloq. Profitable. juicily adv. Juiciness n.
Ju-jitsu n. (also jiu-jitsu, jujutsu) japanese system of unarmed combat and physical training. [japanese jujutsu gentle skill]
Ju-ju n. 1 charm or fetish of some w. African peoples. 2 supernatural power attributed to this. [perhaps french joujou toy]
Jujube n. Small flavoured jelly-like lozenge. [greek zizuphon]
Jujutsu var. Of *ju-jitsu.
Jukebox n. Coin-operated record-playing machine. [black juke disorderly]
Jul. Abbr. July.
Julep n. 1 a sweet drink, esp. As a vehicle for medicine. B medicated drink as a mild stimulant etc. 2 us iced and flavoured spirits and water (mint julep). [persian gulab rose-water]
Julian adj. Of julius caesar. [latin julius]
Julian calendar n. Calendar introduced by julius caesar, with a year of 365 days,
every fourth year having 366.
Julienne —n. Vegetables cut into short thin strips. —adj. Cut into thin strips. [french from name jules or julien]
Juliet cap n. Small net skullcap worn by brides etc. [juliet in shakespeare’s romeo & juliet]
July n. (pl. Julys) seventh month of the year. [latin julius caesar]
Jumble —v. (-ling) (often foll. By up) confuse; mix up; muddle. —n. 1 confused state or heap; muddle. 2 articles in a jumble sale. [probably imitative]
Jumble sale n. Sale of second-hand articles, esp. For charity.
Jumbo n. (pl. -s) colloq. 1 (often attrib.) Large animal (esp. An elephant), person, or thing (jumbo packet). 2 (in full jumbo jet) large airliner for several hundred passengers. [probably from *mumbo-jumbo]
Usage in sense 2, jumbo is usu. Applied specifically to the boeing 747.
Jump —v. 1 rise off the ground etc. By sudden muscular effort in the legs. 2 (often foll. By up, from, in, out, etc.) Move suddenly or hastily (jumped into the car). 3 jerk or twitch from shock or excitement etc. 4 a change, esp. Advance in status or rise, rapidly (prices jumped). B cause to do this. 5 (often foll. By about) change the subject etc. Rapidly. 6 pass over (an obstacle etc.) By jumping. 7 skip
(a passage in a book etc.). 8 cause (a horse etc.) To jump. 9 (foll. By to, at) reach (a conclusion) hastily. 10 (of a train) leave (the rails). 11 pass (a red traffic-light etc.). 12 get on or off (a train etc.) Quickly, esp. Illegally or dangerously. 13 attack (a person) unexpectedly. —n. 1 act of jumping. 2 sudden jerk caused by shock or excitement. 3 abrupt rise in amount, value, status, etc. 4 obstacle to be jumped. 5 a sudden transition. B gap in a series, logical sequence, etc. jump at accept eagerly. Jump bail fail to appear for trial having been released on bail. Jump down a person’s throat colloq. Reprimand or contradict a person fiercely. Jump the gun colloq. Begin prematurely. Jump on colloq. Attack or criticize severely. Jump out of one’s skin colloq. Be extremely startled. Jump the queue take unfair precedence. Jump ship (of a seaman) desert. Jump to it colloq. Act promptly. One jump ahead one stage further on than a rival etc. [imitative]
Jumped-up adj. Colloq. Upstart.
Jumper1 n. 1 knitted pullover. 2 loose outer jacket worn by sailors. 3 us pinafore dress. [probably jump short coat]
Jumper2 n. 1 person or animal that jumps. 2 short wire used to make or break an electrical circuit.
Jumping bean n. Seed of a mexican plant that jumps with the movement of a larva inside.
Jump-jet n. Vertical take-off jet aircraft.
Jump-lead n. Cable for conveying current from the battery of one vehicle to that of another.
Jump-off n. Deciding round in showjumping.
Jump-start —v. Start (a vehicle) by pushing it or with jump-leads. —n. Act of jump-starting.
Jump suit n. One-piece garment for the whole body.
Junction n. 1 joint; joining-point. 2 place where railway lines or roads meet. 3 joining. [latin: related to *join]
Junction box n. Box containing a junction of electric cables etc.
Juncture n. 1 critical convergence of events; point of time (at this juncture). 2 joining-point. 3 joining.
June n. Sixth month of the year. [latin junius from juno, name of a goddess]
Jungian —adj. Of the swiss psychologist carl jung or his theories. —n. Supporter of jung or of his theories.
Jungle n. 1 a land overgrown with tangled vegetation, esp. In the tropics. B an area of this. 2 wild tangled mass. 3 place of bewildering complexity, confusion, or struggle. law of the jungle state of ruthless competition. jungly adj. [hindi from sanskrit]
Junior —adj. 1 (often foll. By to) inferior in age, standing, or position. 2 the younger (esp. Appended to the name of a son for distinction from his father). 3 of the lower or lowest position (junior partner). 4 (of a school) for younger pupils, usu. Aged 7–11. —n. 1 junior person. 2 person at the lowest level (in an office etc.). [latin, comparative of juvenis young]
Junior common room n. (also junior combination room) 1 common-room for undergraduates in a college. 2 undergraduates of a college collectively.
Juniper n. Evergreen shrub or tree with prickly leaves and dark-purple berry-like cones. [latin juniperus]
Junk1 —n. 1 discarded articles; rubbish. 2 anything regarded as of little value. 3 slang narcotic drug, esp. Heroin. —v. Discard as junk. [origin unknown]
Junk2 n. Flat-bottomed sailing-vessel in the china seas. [javanese djong]
Junk bond n. Bond bearing high interest but deemed to be a risky investment.
Junket —n. 1 pleasure outing. 2 official’s tour at public expense. 3 sweetened and flavoured milk curds. 4 feast. —v. (-t-) feast, picnic. [french jonquette rush-basket (used for junket 3 and 4), from latin juncus rush]
Junk food n. Food, such as sweets and crisps, with low nutritional value.
Junkie n. Slang drug addict.
Junk mail n. Unsolicited advertising matter sent by post.
Junk shop n. Second-hand or cheap antiques shop.
Junta n. (usu. Military) clique taking power in a coup d’état. [spanish: related to *join]
Jural adj. 1 of law. 2 of rights and obligations. [latin jus jur-law, right]
Jurassic geol. —adj. Of the second period of the mesozoic era. —n. This era or system. [french from jura mountains]
Juridical n. 1 of judicial proceedings. 2 relating to the law. [latin jus jur-law, dico say]
Jurisdiction n. 1 (often foll. By over, of) administration of justice. 2 a legal or
Jurisdiction n. 1 (often foll. By over, of) administration of justice. 2 a legal or other authority. B extent of this; territory it extends over. jurisdictional adj.
Jurisprudence n. Science or philosophy of law. jurisprudential adj.
Jurist n. Expert in law. juristic adj.
Juror n. 1 member of a jury. 2 person taking an oath.
Jury n. (pl. -ies) 1 body of usu. Twelve people giving a verdict in a court of justice. 2 body of people awarding prizes in a competition.
Jury-box n. Enclosure for the jury in a lawcourt.
Jury-rigged adj. Naut. Having temporary makeshift rigging. [origin uncertain]
Just —adj. 1 morally right or fair. 2 (of treatment etc.) Deserved (just reward). 3 well-grounded; justified (just anger). 4 right in amount etc.; proper. —adv. 1 exactly (just what i need). 2 a little time ago; very recently (has just seen them). 3 colloq. Simply, merely (just good friends; just doesn’t make sense). 4 barely; no more than (just managed it). 5 colloq. Positively; indeed (just splendid; won’t i just tell him!). 6 quite (not just yet). just about colloq. Almost exactly; almost completely. Just in case as a precaution. Just now 1 at this moment. 2 a little time ago. Just the same = all the same. Just so 1 exactly arranged (everything just so). 2 it is exactly as you say. justly adv. Justness n. [latin justus from jus right]
Justice n. 1 justness, fairness. 2 authority exercised in the maintenance of right. 3 judicial proceedings (brought to justice; court of justice). 4 magistrate; judge. do justice to 1 treat fairly. 2 appreciate properly. Do oneself justice perform at one’s best. With justice reasonably. [latin justitia]
Justice of the peace n. Unpaid lay magistrate appointed to hear minor cases.
Justifiable adj. Able to be justified. justifiably adv.
Justify v. (-ies, -ied) 1 show the justice or correctness of (a person, act, assertion, etc.). 2 (esp. In passive) cite or constitute adequate grounds for (conduct, a claim, etc.); vindicate. 3 (as justified adj.) Just, right (justified in assuming). 4 printing adjust (a line of type) to give even margins. justification n. Justificatory adj.
Jut —v. (-tt-) (often foll. By out, forth) protrude, project. —n. Projection. [var. Of *jet1]
Jute n. 1 fibre from the bark of an e. Indian plant, used esp. For sacking, mats, etc. 2 plant yielding this. [bengali]
Juvenile —adj. 1 a youthful. B of or for young people. 2 often derog. Immature (juvenile behaviour). —n. 1 young person. 2 actor playing a juvenile part. [latin juvenis young]
Juvenile court n. Court for children under 17.
Juvenile delinquency n. Offences committed by people below the age of legal responsibility. juvenile delinquent n.
Juvenilia n.pl. Author’s or artist’s youthful works.
Juxtapose v. (-sing) 1 place (things) side by side. 2 (foll. By to, with) place (a thing) beside another. juxtaposition n. Juxtapositional adj. [latin juxta next, pono put]
K
K1 n. (also k) (pl. Ks or k’s) eleventh letter of the alphabet.
K2 abbr. (also k.) 1 kelvin(s). 2 king, king’s. 3 köchel (catalogue of mozart’s works). 4 (also k) (prec. By a numeral) a computing unit of 1,024 (i.e. 210) bytes or bits, or loosely 1,000. B 1,000. [sense 4 as abbreviation of *kilo-]
K3 symb. Potassium. [latin kalium]
K abbr. 1 kilo-. 2 knot(s).
Kaffir n. 1 hist. Member or language of a s. African people of the bantu family. 2 s.afr. Offens. Any black african. [arabic, = infidel]
Kafkaesque adj. Impenetrably oppressive or nightmarish, as in the fiction of franz kafka.
Kaftan var. Of *caftan.
Kaiser n. Hist. Emperor, esp. Of germany, austria, or the holy roman empire. [latin *caesar]
Kalashnikov n. Type of soviet rifle or sub-machine-gun. [russian]
Kale n. Variety of cabbage, esp. With wrinkled leaves and no heart. [northern var. Of *cole]
Kaleidoscope n. 1 tube containing mirrors and pieces of coloured glass etc. Producing changing reflected patterns when shaken. 2 constantly changing pattern, group, etc. kaleidoscopic adj. [greek kalos beautiful, eidos form, *-scope]
Kalends var. Of *calends.
Kaleyard n. Scot. Kitchen garden.
Kamikaze —n. Hist. 1 explosive-laden japanese aircraft deliberately crashed on a ship etc. During the war of 1939–45. 2 pilot of this. —attrib. Adj. 1 of a kamikaze. 2 reckless, esp. Suicidal. [japanese, = divine wind]
Kangaroo n. (pl. -s) australian marsupial with strong hind legs for jumping. [aboriginal]
Kangaroo court n. Illegal court, e.g. Held by strikers or mutineers.
Kaolin n. Fine soft white clay used esp. For porcelain and in medicines. [chinese kao-ling high hill]
Kapok n. Fine fibrous cotton-like substance from a tropical tree, used for padding. [malay]
Kappa n. Tenth letter of the greek alphabet (k, k). [greek]
Kaput predic. Adj. Slang broken, ruined. [german]
Karabiner n. Coupling link used by mountaineers. [german, literally ‘carbine’]
Karakul n. (also caracul) 1 asian sheep with a dark curled fleece when young. 2 fur of or like this. [russian]
Karaoke n. Entertainment in nightclubs etc. With customers singing to a backing track. [japanese, = empty orchestra]
Karate n. Japanese system of unarmed combat using the hands and feet as weapons. [japanese, = empty hand]
Karma n. Buddhism & hinduism person’s actions in previous lives, believed to decide his or her fate in future existences. [sanskrit, = action, fate]
Kauri n. (pl. -s) coniferous new zealand tree yielding timber and resin. [maori]
Kayak n. 1 eskimo one-man canoe of wood and sealskins. 2 small covered canoe. [eskimo]
Kazoo n. Toy musical instrument into which the player sings or hums. [origin uncertain]
Kbe abbr. Knight commander of the order of the british empire.
Kc abbr. King’s counsel.
Kc/s abbr. Kilocycles per second.
Kea n. New zealand parrot with brownish-green and red plumage. [maori, imitative]
Kebab n. Pieces of meat, vegetables, etc. Cooked on a skewer (cf. doner kebab, shish kebab). [urdu from arabic]
Kedge —v. (-ging) 1 move (a ship) with a hawser attached to a small anchor. 2 (of a ship) move in this way. —n. (in full kedge-anchor) small anchor for this purpose. [origin uncertain]
Kedgeree n. Dish of fish, rice, hard-boiled eggs, etc. [hindi]
Keel —n. Main lengthwise member of the base of a ship etc. —v. 1 (often foll. By over) (cause to) fall down or over. 2 turn keel upwards. on an even keel steady; balanced. [old norse]
Keelhaul v. 1 drag (a person) under the keel of a ship as a punishment. 2 scold or rebuke severely.
Keelson n. (also kelson) line of timber fastening a ship’s floor-timbers to its keel. [origin uncertain]
Keen1 adj. 1 enthusiastic, eager. 2 (foll. By on) enthusiastic about, fond of. 3 (of the senses) sharp. 4 intellectually acute. 5 (of a knife etc.) Sharp. 6 (of a sound, light, etc.) Penetrating, vivid. 7 (of a wind etc.) Piercingly cold. 8 (of a pain etc.) Acute. 9 (of a price) competitive. keenly adv. Keenness n. [old english]
Keen2 —n. Irish wailing funeral song. —v. (often foll. By over, for) wail mournfully, esp. At a funeral. [irish caoine from caoinim wail]
Keep —v. (past and past part. Kept) 1 have continuous charge of; retain possession of. 2 (foll. By for) retain or reserve for (a future time) (kept it for later). 3 retain or remain in a specified condition, position, place, etc. (keep cool; keep out; keep them happy; knives are kept here). 4 (foll. By from) restrain, hold back. 5 detain (what kept you?). 6 observe, honour, or respect (a law, custom, commitment, secret, etc.) (keep one’s word; keep the sabbath). 7 own and look after (animals). 8 a clothe, feed, maintain, etc. (a person, oneself, etc.). B (foll. By in) maintain (a person) with a supply of. 9 carry on; manage (a business etc.). 10 maintain (a diary, house, accounts, etc.) Regularly and in proper order. 11 normally have on sale (do you keep buttons?). 12 guard or protect (a person or place). 13 preserve (keep order). 14 (foll. By verbal noun) continue; repeat habitually (keeps telling me). 15 continue to follow (a way or course). 16 a (esp.
Of food) remain in good condition. B (of news etc.) Not suffer from delay in telling. 17 (often foll. By to) remain in (one’s bed, room, etc.). 18 maintain (a person) as one’s mistress etc. (kept woman). —n. 1 maintenance, food, etc.
(hardly earn your keep). 2 hist. Tower, esp. The central stronghold of a castle. for keeps colloq. Permanently, indefinitely. How are you keeping? How are you? Keep at (cause to) persist with. Keep away (often foll. By from) avoid, prevent from being near. Keep back 1 remain or keep at a distance. 2 retard the progress of. 3 conceal. 4 withhold (kept back £50). Keep down 1 hold in subjection. 2 keep low in amount. 3 stay hidden. 4 not vomit (food eaten). Keep one’s hair on see hair. Keep one’s hand in see hand. Keep in with remain on good terms with. Keep off 1 (cause to) stay away from. 2 ward off. 3 abstain from. 4 avoid (a subject) (let’s keep off religion). Keep on 1 continue; do continually (kept on laughing). 2 continue to employ. 3 (foll. By at) nag. Keep out 1 keep or remain outside. 2 exclude. Keep to 1 adhere to (a course, promise, etc.). 2 confine oneself to. Keep to oneself 1 avoid contact with others. 2 keep secret. Keep track of see *track. Keep under repress. Keep up 1 maintain (progress, morale, etc.). 2 keep in repair etc. 3 carry on (a correspondence etc.). 4 prevent from going to bed. 5 (often foll. By with) not fall behind.
Keeper n. 1 person who looks after or is in charge of animals, people, or a thing. 2 custodian of a museum, forest, etc. 3 a = *wicket-keeper. B = *goalkeeper. 4 a sleeper in a pierced ear. B ring that keeps another on the finger.
Keep-fit n. Regular physical exercises.
Keeping n. 1 custody, charge (in safe keeping). 2 agreement, harmony (esp. In or out of keeping (with)).
Keepsake n. Souvenir, esp. Of a person.
Keg n. Small barrel. [old norse]
Keg beer n. Beer kept in a metal keg under pressure.
Kelp n. 1 large brown seaweed suitable for manure. 2 its calcined ashes, formerly a source of sodium, potassium, etc. [origin unknown]
Kelpie n. Scot. 1 malevolent water-spirit, usu. In the form of a horse. 2 australian sheepdog. [origin unknown]
Kelson var. Of *keelson.
Kelt var. Of *celt.
Kelt n. Salmon or sea trout after spawning. [origin unknown]
Kelter var. Of *kilter.
Kelvin n. Si unit of thermodynamic temperature. [kelvin, name of a physicist]
Kelvin scale n. Scale of temperature with zero at absolute zero.
Ken —n. Range of knowledge or sight (beyond my ken). —v. (-nn-; past and past part. Kenned or kent) scot. & n.engl. 1 recognize at sight. 2 know. [old
past part. Kenned or kent) scot. & n.engl. 1 recognize at sight. 2 know. [old english, = make known: related to *can1]
Kendo n. Japanese fencing with two-handed bamboo swords. [japanese, = sword-way]
Kennel —n. 1 small shelter for a dog. 2 (in pl.) Breeding or boarding place for dogs. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) put into or keep in a kennel. [french chenil from latin canis dog]
Kent past and past part. Of *ken.
Kenyan —adj. Of kenya in e. Africa. —n. 1 native or national of kenya. 2 person of kenyan descent.
Kepi n. (pl. -s) french military cap with a horizontal peak. [french képi]
Kept past and past part. Of *keep.
Keratin n. Fibrous protein in hair, feathers, hooves, claws, horns, etc. [greek keras kerat-horn]
Kerb n. Stone edging to a pavement or raised path. [var. Of *curb]
Kerb-crawling n. Colloq. Driving slowly in order to engage a prostitute.
Kerb drill n. Precautions before crossing a road.
Kerbstone n. Stone forming part of a kerb.
Kerchief n. 1 headscarf, neckerchief. 2 poet. Handkerchief. [anglo-french courchef: related to cover, chief]
Kerfuffle n. Colloq. Fuss, commotion. [originally scots]
Kermes n. 1 female of an insect with a berry-like appearance. 2 (in full kermes oak) evergreen oak on which this feeds. 3 red dye made from these insects dried. [arabic]
Kernel n. 1 (usu. Soft) edible centre within the hard shell of a nut, fruit stone, seed, etc. 2 whole seed of a cereal. 3 essence of anything. [old english: related to *corn1]
Kerosene n. (also kerosine) esp. Us fuel oil for use in jet engines, boilers, etc.; paraffin oil. [greek keros wax]
Kestrel n. Small hovering falcon. [origin uncertain]
Ketch n. Small two-masted sailing-boat. [probably from *catch]
Ketchup n. (us catsup) spicy esp. Tomato sauce used as a condiment. [chinese]
Ketone n. Any of a class of organic compounds including propanone (acetone). [german keton, alteration of aketon *acetone]
Kettle n. Vessel for boiling water in. a different kettle of fish a different matter altogether. A fine (or pretty) kettle of fish iron. An awkward state of affairs. [old norse]
Kettledrum n. Large bowl-shaped drum.
Key1 —n. (pl. -s) 1 (usu. Metal) instrument for moving the bolt of a lock. 2 similar implement for operating a switch. 3 instrument for grasping screws, nuts, etc., or for winding a clock etc. 4 (often in pl.) Finger-operated button or lever on a typewriter, piano, computer terminal, etc. 5 means of advance, access, etc. (key to success). 6 (attrib.) Essential (key element). 7 a solution or explanation. B word or system for solving a cipher or code. C explanatory list of symbols used in a map, table, etc. 8 mus. System of notes related to each other and based on a particular note (key of c major).
Key2 n. Lowlying island or reef, esp. In the w. Indies. [spanish cayo]
Keyboard —n. 1 set of keys on a typewriter, computer, piano, etc. 2 electronic musical instrument with keys arranged as on a piano. —v. Enter (data) by means of a keyboard. keyboarder n. (in sense 1 of n.). Keyboardist n. (in sense 2 of n.).
Keyhole n. Hole in a door etc. For a key.
Keyhole surgery n. Colloq. Minimally invasive surgery carried out through a very small incision.
Keynesian adj. Of the economic theories of j. M. Keynes, esp. Regarding state intervention in the economy.
Keynote n. 1 (esp. Attrib.) Prevailing tone or idea, esp. In a speech, conference, etc. 2 mus. Note on which a key is based.
Keypad n. Miniature keyboard etc. For a portable electronic device, telephone, etc.
Keypunch —n. Device for recording data by means of punched holes or notches on cards or paper tape. —v. Record (data) thus.
Key-ring n. Ring for keeping keys on.
Key signature n. Mus. Any of several combinations of sharps or flats indicating the key of a composition.
Keystone n. 1 central principle of a system, policy, etc. 2 central locking stone in
an arch.
Keystroke n. Single depression of a key on a keyboard, esp. As a measure of work.
Keyword n. 1 key to a cipher etc. 2 a word of great significance. B significant word used in indexing.
Kg abbr. Knight of the order of the garter.
Kg abbr. Kilogram(s).
Kgb n. State security police of the former ussr. [russian abbreviation, = committee of state security]
Khaki —adj. Dull brownish-yellow. —n. (pl. -s) 1 khaki fabric or uniform. 2 dull brownish-yellow colour. [urdu, = dusty]
Khan n. Title of rulers and officials in central asia, afghanistan, etc. khanate n. [turki, = lord]
Khz abbr. Kilohertz.
Kibbutz n. (pl. Kibbutzim) communal esp. Farming settlement in israel. [hebrew,
Kibbutz n. (pl. Kibbutzim) communal esp. Farming settlement in israel. [hebrew, = gathering]
Kibosh n. Slang nonsense. put the kibosh on put an end to. [origin unknown]
Kick —v. 1 strike, strike out, or propel forcibly, with the foot or hoof. 2 (often foll. By at, against) protest at; rebel against. 3 slang give up (a habit). 4 (often foll. By out etc.) Expel or dismiss forcibly. 5 refl. Be annoyed with oneself. 6 football score (a goal) by a kick. —n. 1 kicking action or blow. 2 colloq. A sharp stimulant effect, esp. Of alcohol. B (often in pl.) Thrill (did it for kicks). 3 strength, resilience (no kick left). 4 colloq. Specified temporary interest (on a jogging kick). 5 recoil of a gun when fired. kick about (or around) colloq. 1 a drift idly from place to place. B be unused or unwanted. 2 a treat roughly. B discuss unsystematically. Kick the bucket slang die. Kick one’s heels see *heel1.
Kickback n. Colloq. 1 recoil. 2 (usu. Illegal) payment for help or favours, esp. In business.
Kick-off n. Football start or resumption of a match.
Kickstand n. Rod for supporting a bicycle or motor cycle when stationary.
Kick-start —n. (also kick-starter) device to start the engine of a motor cycle etc.
By the downward thrust of a pedal. —v. Start (a motor cycle etc.) In this way.
Kid1 —n. 1 young goat. 2 leather from this. 3 colloq. Child. —v. (-dd-) (of a goat) give birth. handle with kid gloves treat carefully. [old norse]
Kid2 v. (also refl.) (-dd-) colloq. Deceive, trick, tease (don’t kid yourself; only kidding). no kidding slang that is the truth. [origin uncertain]
Kiddie n. (also kiddy) (pl. -ies) slang = *kid1 n. 3.
Kiddo n. (pl. -s) slang = *kid1 n. 3.
Kidnap v. (-pp-; us -p-) 1 abduct (a person etc.), esp. To obtain a ransom. 2 steal (a child). kidnapper n. [from kid1, nap = nab]
Kidney n. (pl. -s) 1 either of two organs in the abdominal cavity of vertebrates which remove nitrogenous wastes from the blood and excrete urine. 2 animal’s kidney as food. [origin unknown]
Kidney bean n. Red-skinned dried bean.
Kidney machine n. Machine able to take over the function of a damaged kidney.
Kidney-shaped adj. Having one side concave and the other convex.
Kill —v. 1 (also absol.) Deprive of life or vitality; cause death or the death of. 2 destroy (feelings etc.). 3 refl. Colloq. A overexert oneself (don’t kill yourself trying). B laugh heartily. 4 colloq. Overwhelm with amusement. 5 switch off (a light, engine, etc.). 6 computing colloq. Delete. 7 colloq. Cause pain or discomfort to (my feet are killing me). 8 pass (time, or a specified period) usu.
While waiting (an hour to kill before the interview). 9 defeat (a bill in parliament). 10 a tennis etc. Hit (the ball) so that it cannot be returned. B stop (the ball) dead. 11 make ineffective (taste, sound, pain, etc.) (carpet killed the sound). —n. 1 act of killing (esp. In hunting). 2 animal(s) killed, esp. By a hunter. 3 colloq. Destruction or disablement of an enemy aircraft etc. dressed to kill dressed showily or alluringly. In at the kill present at a successful conclusion. Kill off 1 destroy completely. 2 (of an author) bring about the death of (a fictional character). Kill or cure (usu. Attrib.) (of a remedy etc.) Drastic, extreme. Kill two birds with one stone achieve two aims at once. Kill with kindness spoil with overindulgence. [perhaps related to *quell]
Killer n. 1 a person, animal, or thing that kills. B murderer. 2 colloq. A impressive, formidable, or excellent thing. B hilarious joke.
Killer instinct n. 1 innate tendency to kill. 2 ruthless streak.
Killer whale n. Dolphin with a prominent dorsal fin.
Killing —n. 1 a causing of death. B instance of this. 2 colloq. Great (esp.
Financial) success (make a killing). —adj. Colloq. 1 very funny. 2 exhausting.
Killjoy n. Gloomy or censorious person, esp. At a party etc.
Kiln n. Furnace or oven for burning, baking, or drying, esp. For calcining lime or firing pottery etc. [old english from latin culina kitchen]
Kilo n. (pl. -s) kilogram. [french, abbreviation]
Kilo-comb. Form 1,000 (esp. In metric units). [greek khilioi]
Kilobyte n. Computing 1,024 (i.e. 210) bytes as a measure of memory size etc.
Kilocalorie n. = large calorie (see *calorie).
Kilocycle n. Hist. Kilohertz.
Kilogram n. (also -gramme) si unit of mass, approx. 2.205 lb.
Kilohertz n. 1,000 hertz, 1,000 cycles per second.
Kilojoule n. 1,000 joules, esp. As a measure of the energy value of foods.
Kiloliter n. (brit. -litre) 1,000 litres (220 imperial gallons).
Kilolitre n. (us -liter) 1,000 litres (220 imperial gallons).
Kilometer n. (brit. -metre) 1,000 metres (approx. 0.62 miles). kilometric adj.
Usage the second pronunciation given, with the stress on the second syllable, is considered incorrect by some people.
Kilometre n. (us -meter) 1,000 metres (approx. 0.62 miles). kilometric adj.
Usage the second pronunciation given, with the stress on the second syllable, is considered incorrect by some people.
Kiloton n. (also kilotonne) unit of explosive power equivalent to 1,000 tons of tnt.
Kilovolt n. 1,000 volts.
Kilowatt n. 1,000 watts.
Kilowatt-hour n. Electrical energy equivalent to a power consumption of 1,000 watts for one hour.
Kilt —n. Pleated knee-length usu. Tartan skirt, traditionally worn by highland men. —v. 1 tuck up (the skirts) round the body. 2 (esp. As kilted adj.) Gather in vertical pleats. [scandinavian]
Kilter n. (also kelter) good working order (esp. Out of kilter). [origin unknown]
Kimono n. (pl. -s) 1 long sashed japanese robe. 2 similar dressing-gown. [japanese]
Kin —n. One’s relatives or family. —predic. Adj. Related. [old english]
Kind —n. 1 race, species, or natural group of animals, plants, etc. (human kind). 2 class, type, sort, variety. 3 natural way, fashion, etc. (true to kind). —adj. (often foll. By to) friendly, generous, or benevolent. in kind 1 in the same form, likewise (was insulted and replied in kind). 2 (of payment) in goods or labour, not money. 3 character, quality (differ in degree but not in kind). Kind of colloq. To some extent (i kind of expected it). A kind of loosely resembling (he’s a kind of doctor). [old english]
Usage in sense 2 of the noun, these kinds of is usually preferred to these kind of.
Kindergarten n. Class or school for very young children. [german, = children’s garden]
Kind-hearted adj. Of a kind disposition. kind-heartedly adv. Kind-heartedness n.
Kindle v. (-ling) 1 light, catch, or set on fire. 2 arouse or inspire. 3 become aroused or animated. [old norse]
Kindling n. Small sticks etc. For lighting fires.
Kindly1 adv. 1 in a kind manner (spoke kindly). 2 often iron. Please (kindly go away). look kindly upon regard sympathetically. Take kindly to be pleased by; like.
Kindred spirit n. Person like or in sympathy with oneself.
Kinematics n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) Branch of mechanics concerned with the motion of objects without reference to cause. kinematic adj. [greek kinema – matos motion]
Kinetic adj. Of or due to motion. kinetically adv. [greek kineo move]
Kinetic art n. Sculpture etc. Designed to move.
Kinetic energy n. Energy of motion.
Kinetics n.pl. 1 = *dynamics 1a. 2 (usu. Treated as sing.) Branch of physical chemistry measuring and studying the rates of chemical reactions.
King n. 1 (as a title usu. King) male sovereign, esp. A hereditary ruler. 2 pre-eminent person or thing (oil king). 3 (attrib.) Large (or the largest) kind of plant, animal, etc. (king penguin). 4 chess piece which must be checkmated for a win. 5 crowned piece in draughts. 6 court-card depicting a king. 7 (the king) national anthem when the sovereign is male. kingly adj. Kingship n. [old english]
King charles spaniel n. Small black and tan spaniel.
Kingcup n. Marsh marigold.
Kingdom n. 1 territory or state ruled by a king or queen. 2 spiritual reign or sphere of god. 3 domain. 4 division of the natural world (plant kingdom). 5 specified sphere (kingdom of the heart). [old english]
Kingdom come n. Colloq. The next world.
Kingfisher n. Small bird with brightly coloured plumage, diving for fish etc.
King of arms n. A chief herald.
King of beasts n. Lion.
King of beasts n. Lion.
King of birds n. Eagle.
Kingpin n. 1 main, large, or vertical bolt, esp. As a pivot. 2 essential person or thing.
King-post n. Upright post from the tie-beam of a roof to the apex of a truss.
King’s counsel n. = *queen’s counsel.
King’s english n. = *queen’s english.
King’s evidence see *evidence.
King’s guide n. = *queen’s guide.
King’s highway n. = *queen’s highway.
King-size adj. (also -sized) very large.
King’s proctor n. = *queen’s proctor.
King’s scout n. = *queen’s scout.
Kink —n. 1 a twist or bend in wire etc. B tight wave in hair. 2 mental twist or quirk, esp. When perverse. —v. (cause to) form a kink. [low german or dutch]
Kinky adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 colloq. A sexually perverted or unconventional. B (of clothing etc.) Bizarre and sexually provocative. 2 having kinks. kinkily adv. Kinkiness n.
Kinsfolk n.pl. One’s blood relations.
Kinship n. 1 blood relationship. 2 likeness; sympathy.
Kinsman n. (fem. Kinswoman) 1 blood relation. 2 relation by marriage.
Usage use of kinsman in sense 2 is considered incorrect by some people.
Kiosk n. 1 light open-fronted booth selling food, newspapers, tickets, etc. 2 telephone box. [turkish from persian]
Kip slang —n. 1 sleep; nap. 2 bed or cheap lodgings. —v. (-pp-) (often foll. By down) sleep. [cf. Danish kippe mean hut]
Kipper —n. Fish, esp. A herring, split, salted, dried, and usu. Smoked. —v. Cure (a herring etc.) Thus. [origin uncertain]
Kir n. Dry white wine with crème de cassis.
Kirby-grip n. (also kirbigrip propr.) Type of sprung hairgrip. [kirby, name of the manufacturer]
Kirk n. Scot. & n.engl. 1 church. 2 (the kirk or the kirk of scotland) church of scotland. [old norse kirkja = *church]
Kirk-session n. Lowest court in the church of scotland.
Kirsch n. Brandy distilled from cherries. [german, = cherry]
Kismet n. Destiny, fate. [turkish from arabic]
Kiss —v. 1 touch with the lips, esp. As a sign of love, affection, greeting, or reverence. 2 (of two people) touch each others’ lips in this way. 3 lightly touch. —n. 1 touch with the lips. 2 light touch. kiss and tell recount one’s sexual exploits. Kiss a person’s arse coarse slang toady to. Kiss the dust submit abjectly. [old english]
Kiss-curl n. Small curl of hair on the forehead, nape, etc.
Kisser n. 1 person who kisses. 2 slang mouth; face.
Kiss of death n. Apparent good luck etc. Which causes ruin.
Kiss of life n. Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
Kissogram n. (also kissagram propr.) Novelty telegram or greeting delivered with a kiss.
Kit —n. 1 articles, equipment, etc. For a specific purpose (first-aid kit). 2 specialized, esp. Sports, clothing or uniform (football kit). 3 set of parts needed to assemble furniture, a model, etc. —v. (-tt-) (often foll.
Kitbag n. Large usu. Cylindrical bag used for a soldier’s or traveller’s kit.
Kitchen n. 1 place where food is prepared and cooked. 2 kitchen fitments (half-price kitchens). [latin coquina]
Kitchenette n. Small kitchen or cooking area.
Kitchen garden n. Garden with vegetables, fruit, herbs, etc.
Kitchenware n. Cooking utensils.
Kite n. 1 light framework with a thin covering flown on a string in the wind. 2 soaring bird of prey. [old english]
Kitemark n. Official kite-shaped mark on goods approved by the british standards institution.
Kith n. kith and kin friends and relations. [old english, originally ‘knowledge’:
related to *can1]
Kitsch n. (often attrib.) Vulgar, pretentious, or worthless art. kitschy adj. (-ier, – iest). [german]
Kitten —n. Young cat, ferret, etc. —v. (of a cat etc.) Give birth (to). have kittens colloq. Be very upset or anxious. [anglo-french diminutive of chat *cat]
Kittenish adj. Playful, lively, or flirtatious.
Kittiwake n. A kind of small seagull. [imitative of its cry]
Kitty1 n. (pl. -ies) 1 fund of money for communal use. 2 pool in some card-games. [origin unknown]
Kitty2 n. (pl. -ies) childish name for a kitten or cat.
Kiwi n. (pl. -s) 1 flightless long-billed new zealand bird. 2 (kiwi) colloq. New zealander. [maori]
Kiwi fruit n. Green-fleshed fruit of a climbing plant.
Kj abbr. Kilojoule(s).
Kl abbr. Kilolitre(s).
Klaxon n. Propr. Horn or warning hooter. [name of the manufacturer]
Kleenex n. (pl. Same or -nexes) propr. Disposable paper handkerchief.
Kleptomania n. Obsessive apparently motiveless urge to steal. kleptomaniac n.
adj. [greek kleptes thief] Km abbr. Kilometre(s).
Knack n. 1 acquired faculty or trick of doing a thing. 2 habit (a knack of offending people). [origin unknown]
Knacker —n. Buyer of useless horses etc. For slaughter, or of old houses, ships, etc. For the materials. —v. Slang (esp. As knackered adj.) Exhaust, wear out.[origin unknown]
Knapsack n. Soldier’s or hiker’s usu. Canvas bag carried on the back. [german knappen bite, *sack1]
Knapweed n. Plant with thistle-like purple flowers. [from knop ornamental knob or tuft]
Knave n. 1 rogue, scoundrel. 2 = *jack n. 2. knavery n. (pl. -ies). Knavish adj. [old english, originally = boy, servant]
Knead v. 1 a work into a dough, paste, etc. By pummelling. B make (bread, pottery, etc.) Thus. 2 massage (muscles etc.) As if kneading. [old english]
Knee —n. 1 a (often attrib.) Joint between the thigh and the lower leg in humans. B corresponding joint in other animals. C area around this. D lap (sat on his knee). 2 part of a garment covering the knee. —v. (knees, kneed, kneeing) 1 touch or strike with the knee (kneed him in the groin). 2 colloq. Make (trousers) bulge at the knee. bring a person to his (or her) knees reduce a person to submission. [old english]
Knee-bend n. Bending of the knee, esp. As a physical exercise.
Knee-breeches n.pl. Close-fitting trousers to the knee or just below.
Kneecap —n. 1 convex bone in front of the knee. 2 protective covering for the knee. —v. (-pp-) slang (of a terrorist) shoot (a person) in the knee or leg as a punishment.
Knee-deep adj. 1 (usu. Foll. By in) a immersed up to the knees. B deeply involved. 2 so deep as to reach the knees.
Knee-high adj. So high as to reach the knees.
Knee-jerk n. 1 sudden involuntary kick caused by a blow on the tendon just below the knee. 2 (attrib.) Predictable, automatic, stereotyped.
Kneel v. (past and past part. Knelt or esp. Us kneeled) fall or rest on the knees or a knee. [old english: related to *knee]
Knee-length adj. Reaching the knees.
Kneeler n. 1 cushion for kneeling on. 2 person who kneels.
Knees-up n. Colloq. Lively party or gathering.
Knell —n. 1 sound of a bell, esp. For a death or funeral. 2 announcement, event, etc., regarded as an ill omen. —v. 1 ring a knell. 2 proclaim by or as by a knell. [old english]
[old english]
Knelt past and past part. Of *kneel.
Knew past of *know.
Knickerbocker n. (in pl.) Loose-fitting breeches gathered at the knee or calf. [the pseudonym of w. Irving, author of history of new york]
Knickerbocker glory n. Ice-cream served with fruit etc. In a tall glass.
Knickers n.pl. Woman’s or girl’s undergarment for the lower torso. [abbreviation of *knickerbocker]
Knick-knack n. (also nick-nack) trinket or small dainty ornament etc. [from *knack in the obsolete sense ‘trinket’]
Knife —n. (pl. Knives) 1 metal blade for cutting or as a weapon, with usu. One long sharp edge fixed in a handle. 2 cutting-blade in a machine. 3 (as the knife) surgical operation. —v. (-fing) cut or stab with a knife. at knife-point threatened with a knife or an ultimatum etc. Get (or have got) one’s knife into treat maliciously, persecute. [old english]
Knife-edge n. 1 edge of a knife. 2 position of extreme danger or uncertainty.
Knife-pleat n. Narrow flat usu. Overlapping pleat on a skirt etc.
Knight —n. 1 man awarded a non-hereditary title (sir) by a sovereign. 2 hist. A man, usu. Noble, raised to honourable military rank after service as a page and squire. B military follower, attendant, or lady’s champion in a war or tournament. 3 man devoted to a cause, woman, etc. 4 chess piece usu. Shaped like a horse’s head. —v. Confer a knighthood on. knighthood n. Knightly adj. Poet. [old english, originally = boy]
Knight commander see *commander.
Knight errant n. 1 medieval knight in search of chivalrous adventures. 2 chivalrous or quixotic man. knight-errantry n.
Knit v. (-tt-; past and past part. Knitted or (esp. In senses 2–4) knit) 1 (also absol.) A make (a garment etc.) By interlocking loops of esp. Wool with knitting-needles or a knitting-machine. B make (a plain stitch) in knitting (knit one, purl one). 2 momentarily wrinkle (the forehead) or (of the forehead) become momentarily wrinkled. 3 (often foll. By together) make or become close or compact. 4 (often foll. By together) (of a broken bone) become joined; heal. knit up make or repair by knitting. knitter n. [old english]
Knitting n. Work being knitted.
Knitting-machine n. Machine for knitting.
Knitting-needle n. Thin pointed rod used esp. In pairs for knitting by hand.
Knitwear n. Knitted garments.
Knives pl. Of *knife.
Knob n. 1 rounded protuberance, esp. At the end or on the surface of a thing, e.g. The handle of a door, drawer, a radio control, etc. 2 small piece (of butter etc.). with knobs on slang that and more (same to you with knobs on). knobby adj. Knoblike adj. [low german knobbe knot, knob]
Knobbly adj. (-ier, -iest) hard and lumpy. [knobble, diminutive of *knob]
Knock —v. 1 a strike with an audible sharp blow. B (often foll. By at) strike (a door etc.) To gain admittance. 2 make (a hole etc.) By knocking. 3 (usu. Foll. By in, out, off, etc.) Drive (a thing, person, etc.) By striking (knocked the ball into the hole; knocked those ideas out of him). 4 slang criticize. 5 a (of an engine) make a thumping or rattling noise. B = *pink3. 6 coarse slang offens. = knock off 6. —n. 1 act or sound of knocking. 2 knocking sound in esp. An engine. knock about (or around) colloq. 1 strike repeatedly; treat roughly. 2 a wander aimlessly or adventurously. B be present, esp. By chance (a cup knocking about somewhere). C (usu. Foll. By with) be associated socially. Knock back 1 slang eat or drink, esp. Quickly. 2 slang disconcert. Knock down 1 strike (esp. A person) to the ground. 2 demolish. 3 (usu. Foll.
Knock-down attrib. Adj. 1 overwhelming. 2 (of a price) very low. 3 (of a price at auction) reserve. 4 (of furniture etc.) Easily dismantled and reassembled.
Knocker n. 1 hinged esp. Metal instrument on a door for knocking with. 2 (in pl.) Coarse slang woman’s breasts.
Knocking-shop n. Slang brothel.
Knock knees n.pl. Abnormal curvature of the legs inwards at the knee. knock-kneed adj.
Knock-on effect n. Secondary, indirect, or cumulative effect.
Knockout n. 1 act of making unconscious by a blow. 2 (usu. Attrib.) Boxing etc. Such a blow. 3 competition in which the loser in each round is eliminated (also attrib.: knockout round). 4 colloq. Outstanding or irresistible person or thing.
Knock-up n. Practice at tennis etc.
Knoll n. Hillock, mound. [old english]
Knot1 —n. 1 a intertwining of rope, string, hair, etc., so as to fasten. B set method of this (reef knot). C knotted ribbon etc. As an ornament. D tangle in
hair, knitting, etc. 2 unit of a ship’s or aircraft’s speed, equivalent to one nautical mile per hour. 3 (usu. Foll. By of) cluster (knot of journalists). 4 bond, esp. Of marriage. 5 hard lump of organic tissue. 6 a hard mass in a tree-trunk where a branch grows out. B round cross-grained piece in timber marking this. 7 central point in a problem etc. —v. (-tt-) 1 tie in a knot. 2 entangle. 3 unite closely. at a rate of knots colloq. Very fast. Tie in knots colloq. Baffle or confuse completely. [old english]
Knot2 n. Small sandpiper. [origin unknown]
Knotgrass n. Wild plant with creeping stems and small pink flowers.
Knot-hole n. Hole in timber where a knot has fallen out.
Knotty adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 full of knots. 2 puzzling (knotty problem).
Know v. (past knew; past part. Known) 1 (often foll. By that, how, what, etc.) A have in the mind; have learnt; be able to recall (knows a lot about cars). B (also absol.) Be aware of (a fact) (i think he knows). C have a good command of (knew german; knows his tables).
Know-all n. Colloq. Person who claims or seems to know everything.
Know-how n. Practical knowledge; natural skill.
Knowing adj. 1 suggesting that one has inside information (a knowing look). 2 showing knowledge; shrewd.
Knowingly adv. 1 consciously; intentionally (wouldn’t knowingly hurt him). 2 in a knowing manner (smiled knowingly).
Knowledge n. 1 a (usu. Foll. By of) awareness or familiarity (of or with a person or thing) (have no knowledge of that). B person’s range of information. 2 a (usu. Foll. By of) understanding of a subject etc. (good knowledge of greek). B sum of what is known (every branch of knowledge). to my knowledge as far as i know.
Knuckle —n. 1 bone at a finger-joint, esp. That connecting the finger to the hand. 2 a knee-or ankle-joint of a quadruped. B this as a joint of meat, esp. Of bacon or pork. —v. (-ling) strike, press, or rub with the knuckles. knuckle down (often foll. By to) 1 apply oneself seriously (to a task etc.). 2 (also knuckle under) give in; submit. [low german or dutch diminutive of knoke bone]
Knuckleduster n. Metal guard worn over the knuckles in fighting, esp. In order to inflict greater damage.
Knuckle sandwich n. Slang punch in the mouth.
Knurl n. Small projecting knob, ridge, etc. [low german or dutch]
Ko abbr. Knockout.
Koala n. (in full koala bear) small australian bearlike marsupial with thick grey fur. [aboriginal]
Kohl n. Black powder used as eye make-up, esp. In eastern countries. [arabic]
Kohlrabi n. (pl. -bies) cabbage with an edible turnip-like swollen stem. [german, from italian cavolo rapa]
Kola var. Of *cola.
Kolkhoz n. Collective farm in the ussr. [russian]
Koodoo var. Of *kudu.
Kook n. Us slang crazy or eccentric person. kooky adj. (-ier, -iest). [probably from *cuckoo]
Kookaburra n. Australian kingfisher with a strange laughing cry. [aboriginal]
Kopek (also kopeck) var. Of *copeck.
Kopek (also kopeck) var. Of *copeck.
Koppie n. (also kopje) s.afr. Small hill. [afrikaans koppie little head]
Koran n. Islamic sacred book. [arabic, = recitation]
Korean —n. 1 native or national of n. Or s. Korea. 2 language or korea. —adj.
Of korea, its people, or language.
Kosher —adj. 1 (of food or a food-shop) fulfilling the requirements of jewish law. 2 colloq. Correct, genuine, legitimate. —n. Kosher food or shop. [hebrew, = proper]
Kowtow —n. Hist. Chinese custom of kneeling with the forehead touching the ground, esp. In submission. —v. 1 (usu. Foll. By to) act obsequiously. 2 hist. Perform the kowtow. [chinese, = knock the head]
K.p.h. Abbr. Kilometres per hour.
Kr symb. Krypton.
K.p.h. Abbr. Kilometres per hour.
Kr symb. Krypton.
Kraal n. S.afr. 1 village of huts enclosed by a fence. 2 enclosure for cattle or sheep. [afrikaans from portuguese curral, of hottentot origin]
Kraut n. Slang offens. German. [shortening of *sauerkraut]
Kremlin n. 1 (the kremlin) a citadel in moscow. B russian government housed within it. 2 citadel within a russian town. [russian]
Krill n. Tiny planktonic crustaceans. [norwegian kril tiny fish]
Krona n. 1 (pl. Kronor) chief monetary unit of sweden. 2 (pl. Kronur) chief monetary unit of iceland. [swedish and icelandic, = *crown]
Krone n. (pl. Kroner) chief monetary unit of denmark and norway. [danish and norwegian, = *crown]
Krugerrand n. S. African gold coin. [kruger, name of a s. African statesman]
Krummhorn n. (also crumhorn) medieval wind instrument. [german]
Krypton n. Inert gaseous element used in fluorescent lamps etc. [greek krupto hide]
Kt. Abbr. Knight.
Kt. Abbr. Knight.
Kt. Abbr. Knot.
Ku symb. Kurchatovium.
Kudos n. Colloq. Glory; renown. [greek]
Kudu n. (also koodoo) (pl. Same or -s) african antelope with white stripes and corkscrew-shaped ridged horns. [xhosa]
Kufic (also cufic) —n. Early angular form of the arabic alphabet used esp. In decorative inscriptions. —adj. Of or in this script. [from kufa, city in iraq]
Ku klux klan n. Secret white racist society in the southern us. [origin uncertain]
Kümmel n. Sweet liqueur flavoured with caraway and cumin seeds. [german:
related to *cumin]
Kumquat n. (also cumquat) 1 small orange-like fruit. 2 shrub or small tree yielding this. [chinese kin kü gold orange]
Kung fu n. Chinese form of karate. [chinese]
Kurchatovium n. = *rutherfordium. [kurchatov, name of a russian physicist]
Kv abbr. Kilovolt(s).
Kw abbr. Kilowatt(s).
Kwh abbr. Kilowatt-hour(s).
Kyle n. (in scotland) narrow channel, strait. [gaelic caol strait]
L
L1 n. (also l) (pl. Ls or l’s) 1 twelfth letter of the alphabet. 2 (as a roman numeral) 50.
L2 abbr. (also l.) 1 learner driver. 2 lake.
L abbr. (also l.) 1 left. 2 line. 3 litre(s).
abbr. Pound(s) (money). [latin libra] La abbr. Los angeles.
La symb. Lanthanum. La var. Of *lah.
Lab. Abbr. Labour.
Lab n. Colloq. Laboratory. [abbreviation]
Label —n. 1 piece of paper etc. Attached to an object to give information about it. 2 short classifying phrase applied to a person etc. 3 logo, title, or trademark of a company. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) 1 attach a label to. 2 (usu. Foll. By as) assign to a category. 3 replace (an atom) by an atom of a usu. Radioactive isotope as a means of identification. [french]
Labial —adj. 1 a of the lips. B of, like, or serving as a lip. 2 (of a sound) requiring partial or complete closure of the lips. —n. Labial sound (e.g. P, m, v). [latin labia lips]
Labium n. (pl. Labia) (usu. In pl.) Each fold of skin of the two pairs enclosing the vulva. [latin, = lip]
Labor etc. Us & austral. Var. Of *labour etc.
Laboratory n. (pl. -ies) room, building, or establishment for scientific experiments, research, chemical manufacture, etc. [latin: related to *laborious]
Laborer n. (brit. Labourer) person doing unskilled, usu. Manual, work for wages.
Laborious adj. 1 needing hard work or toil. 2 (esp. Of literary style) showing signs of toil. laboriously adv. [latin: related to *labour]
Labour (us & austral. Labor) —n. 1 physical or mental work; exertion. 2 a workers, esp. Manual, considered as a political and economic force. B (labour) labour party. 3 process of childbirth. 4 particular task. —v. 1 work hard; exert oneself. 2 a elaborate needlessly (don’t labour the point). B (as laboured adj.)
Done with great effort; not spontaneous.
Labour camp n. Prison camp enforcing a regime of hard labour.
Labour day n. May 1 (or in the us and canada the first monday in september), celebrated in honour of working people.
Labourer n. (us laborer) person doing unskilled, usu. Manual, work for wages.
Labour exchange n. Colloq. Or hist. Employment exchange.
Labour party n. Political party formed to represent the interests of working people.
Labour-saving adj. Designed to reduce or eliminate work.
Labrador n. Retriever of a breed with a black or golden coat. [labrador in canada]
Laburnum n. Tree with drooping golden flowers yielding poisonous seeds. [latin]
Labyrinth n. 1 complicated network of passages etc. 2 intricate or tangled arrangement. 3 the complex structure of the inner ear. labyrinthine adj. [latin from greek]
Lac n. Resinous substance secreted as a protective covering by a se asian insect. [hindustani]
Lace —n. 1 fine open fabric or trimming, made by weaving thread in patterns. 2 cord etc. Passed through holes or hooks for fastening shoes etc. —v. (-cing) 1 (usu. Foll. By up) fasten or tighten with a lace or laces. 2 add spirits to (a drink). 3 (often foll. By through) pass (a shoelace etc.) Through. [latin laqueus noose]
Lacerate v. (-ting) 1 mangle or tear (esp. Flesh etc.). 2 cause pain to (the feelings etc.). laceration n. [latin lacer torn]
Lace-up —n. Shoe fastened with a lace. —attrib. Adj. (of a shoe etc.) Fastened by a lace or laces.
Lachrymal adj. (also lacrimal) of or for tears (lacrimal duct). [latin lacrima tear]
Lachrymose adj. Formal given to weeping; tearful.
Lack —n. (usu. Foll. By of) want, deficiency. —v. Be without or deficient in. [low german or dutch]
Lackey n. (pl. -s) 1 servile follower; toady. 2 footman, manservant. [catalan alacay]
Lacking adj. Absent or deficient (money was lacking; is lacking in determination).
Lackluster adj. (brit. Lacklustre) 1 lacking in vitality etc. 2 dull.
Lacklustre adj. (us lackluster) 1 lacking in vitality etc. 2 dull.
Laconic adj. Terse, using few words. laconically adv. [greek lakon spartan]
Lacquer —n. 1 varnish made of shellac or a synthetic substance. 2 substance sprayed on the hair to keep it in place. —v. Coat with lacquer. [french lacre *lac]
Lacrimal var. Of *lachrymal.
Lacrosse n. Game like hockey, but with the ball carried in a crosse. [french la the, *crosse]
Lactate1 v. (-ting) (of mammals) secrete milk. [as *lactation]
Lactate2 n. Salt or ester of lactic acid.
Lactation n. 1 secretion of milk. 2 suckling. [latin: related to *lactic]
Lacteal —adj. 1 of milk. 2 conveying chyle etc. —n. (in pl.) Anat. Vessels which absorb fats. [latin lacteus: related to *lactic]
Lactic adj. Of milk. [latin lac lactis milk]
Lactic acid n. Acid formed esp. In sour milk.
Lactose n. Sugar that occurs in milk.
Lacuna n. (pl. Lacunae or -s) 1 gap. 2 missing portion etc., esp. In an ancient ms etc. [latin: related to *lake1]
Lacy adj. (-ier, -iest) of or resembling lace fabric.
Lad n. 1 boy, youth. 2 colloq. Man. [origin unknown]
Ladder —n. 1 set of horizontal bars fixed between two uprights and used for climbing up or down. 2 vertical strip of unravelled stitching in a stocking etc. 3 hierarchical structure, esp. As a means of career advancement. —v. 1 cause a ladder in (a stocking etc.).
Ladder-back n. Upright chair with a back resembling a ladder.
Ladder-back n. Upright chair with a back resembling a ladder.
Lade v. (-ding; past part. Laden) 1 a load (a ship). B ship (goods). 2 (as laden adj.) (usu. Foll. By with) loaded, burdened. [old english]
La-di-da adj. Colloq. Pretentious or snobbish, esp. In manner or speech. [imitative]
Ladies’ man n. (also lady’s man) man fond of female company.
Ladle —n. Deep long-handled spoon used for serving liquids. —v. (-ling) (often foll. By out) transfer (liquid) with a ladle. [old english]
Lady n. (pl. -ies) 1 a woman regarded as being of superior social status or as having refined manners. B (lady) title of peeresses, female relatives of peers, the wives and widows of knights, etc. 2 (often attrib.) Woman; female (ask that lady; lady butcher). 3 colloq. Wife, girlfriend. 4 ruling woman (lady of the house). 5 (the ladies or ladies’) women’s public lavatory. [old english, = loaf-kneader]
Ladybird n. Small beetle, usu. Red with black spots.
Lady chapel n. Chapel dedicated to the virgin mary.
Lady day n. Feast of the annunciation, 25 mar.
Lady-in-waiting n. Lady attending a queen or princess.
Lady-killer n. Habitual seducer of women.
Ladylike adj. Like or befitting a lady.
Ladyship n. her (or your) ladyship respectful form of reference or address to a lady.
Lady’s slipper n. Plant of the orchid family with a slipper-shaped lip on its flowers.
Lag1 —v. (-gg-) fall behind; not keep pace. —n. Delay. [origin uncertain]
Lager n. A kind of light effervescent beer. [german, = store]
Lager lout n. Colloq. Youth behaving violently etc. As a result of excessive drinking.
Laggard n. Person who lags behind.
Lagging n. Material used to lag a boiler etc. Against loss of heat.
Lagoon n. Stretch of salt water separated from the sea by a sandbank, reef, etc. [latin *lacuna pool]
Lah n. (also la) mus. Sixth note of a major scale. [latin labii, word arbitrarily taken]
Laid past and past part. Of *lay1.
Laid-back adj. Relaxed; easygoing.
Laid paper n. Paper with the surface marked in fine ribs.
Laid up adj. Confined to bed or the house.
Lain past part. Of *lie1.
Lair n. 1 wild animal’s resting-place. 2 person’s hiding-place. [old english]
Laird n. Scot. Landed proprietor. [from *lord]
Laissez-faire n. (also laisser-faire) policy of non-interference. [french, = let act]
Laity n. Lay people, as distinct from the clergy. [from *lay2]
Lake1 n. Large body of water surrounded by land. [latin lacus]
Lake2 n. 1 reddish pigment orig. Made from lac. 2 pigment obtained by combining an organic colouring matter with a metallic oxide, hydroxide, or salt. [var. Of *lac]
Lake district n. (also the lakes) region of lakes in cumbria.
Lakh n. Ind. (usu. Foll. By of) hundred thousand (rupees etc.). [hindustani lakh]
Lam v. (-mm-) slang thrash; hit. [perhaps scandinavian]
Lama n. Tibetan or mongolian buddhist monk. [tibetan]
Lamasery n. (pl. -ies) monastery of lamas. [french]
Lamb —n. 1 young sheep. 2 its flesh as food. 3 mild, gentle, or kind person. —v. Give birth to lambs. the lamb (or lamb of god) name for christ. [old english]
Lambada n. Fast erotic brazilian dance in which couples dance with their stomachs touching each other. [portuguese, = a beating]
Lambda n. Eleventh letter of the greek alphabet (l, l). [greek]
Lambent adj. 1 (of a flame or a light) playing on a surface. 2 (of the eyes, sky, wit, etc.) Lightly brilliant. lambency n. [latin lambo lick]
Lambswool n. Soft fine wool from a young sheep.
Lame —adj. 1 disabled in the foot or leg. 2 a (of an excuse etc.) Unconvincing; feeble. B (of verse etc.) Halting. —v. (-ming) make lame; disable. lamely adv. Lameness n. [old english]
Lamé n. Fabric with gold or silver threads interwoven. [french]
Lame duck n. Helpless person or firm.
Lame duck n. Helpless person or firm.
Lament —n. 1 passionate expression of grief. 2 song etc. Of mourning etc. —v. (also absol.) 1 express or feel grief for or about. 2 (as lamented adj.) Used to refer to a recently dead person. lament for (or over) mourn or regret. [latin lamentor]
Lamina n. (pl. -nae) thin plate or scale. laminar adj. [latin]
Laminate —v. (-ting) 1 beat or roll into thin plates. 2 overlay with metal plates, a plastic layer, etc. 3 split into layers. —n. Laminated structure, esp. Of layers fixed together. —adj. In the form of thin plates. lamination n.
Lammas n. (in full lammas day) first day of august, formerly kept as harvest festival. [old english: related to loaf1, mass2]
Lamp n. 1 device for producing a steady light, esp.: a an electric bulb, and usu.
Its holder. B an oil-lamp. C a gas-jet and mantle. 2 device producing esp.
Ultraviolet or infrared radiation. [greek lampas torch]
Lampblack n. Pigment made from soot.
Lamplight n. Light from a lamp.
Lamplighter n. Hist. Person who lit street lamps.
Lampoon —n. Satirical attack on a person etc. —v. Satirize. lampoonist n. [french lampon]
Lamppost n. Tall post supporting a street-light.
Lamprey n. (pl. -s) eel-like aquatic animal with a sucker mouth. [latin lampreda]
Lampshade n. Translucent cover for a lamp.
Lancastrian —n. 1 native of lancashire or lancaster. 2 hist. Member or supporter of the house of lancaster in the wars of the roses. —adj. Of or concerning lancashire or lancaster, or the house of lancaster. [lancaster in lancashire]
Lance —n. Long spear, esp. One used by a horseman. —v. (-cing) 1 prick or cut open with a lancet. 2 pierce with a lance. [french from latin]
Lance-corporal n. Lowest rank of nco in the army.
Lanceolate adj. Shaped like a lance-head, tapering at each end.
Lancer n. 1 hist. Soldier of a cavalry regiment armed with lances. 2 (in pl.) A quadrille. B music for this.
Lancet n. Small broad two-edged surgical knife with a sharp point.
Lancet arch n. (also lancet light or window) narrow arch or window with a pointed head.
Land —n. 1 solid part of the earth’s surface. 2 a expanse of country; ground, soil. B this in relation to its use, quality, etc., or as a basis for agriculture. 3 country, nation, state. 4 a landed property. B (in pl.) Estates. —v. 1 a set or go ashore. B (often foll. By at) disembark. 2 bring (an aircraft) to the ground or another surface. 3 alight on the ground etc. 4 bring (a fish) to land. 5 (also refl.; often foll. By up) colloq. Bring to, reach, or find oneself in a certain situation or place. 6 colloq. A deal (a person etc. A blow etc.). B (foll. By with) present (a person) with (a problem, job, etc.). 7 colloq. Win or obtain (a prize, job, etc.). how the land lies what is the state of affairs. Land on one’s feet attain a good position, job, etc., by luck. landless adj. [old english]
Land-agent n. 1 steward of an estate. 2 agent for the sale of estates.
Landau n. Four-wheeled enclosed carriage with a divided top. [landau in germany]
Landed adj. 1 owning land. 2 consisting of land.
Landfall n. Approach to land, esp. After a sea or air journey.
Landfill n. 1 waste material etc. Used to landscape or reclaim land. 2 process of disposing of rubbish in this way.
Land-girl n. Woman doing farm work, esp. In wartime.
Landing n. 1 platform at the top of or part way up a flight of stairs. 2 coming to land. 3 place where ships etc. Land.
Landing-craft n. Craft designed for putting troops and equipment ashore.
Landing-gear n. Undercarriage of an aircraft.
Landing-stage n. Platform for disembarking goods and passengers.
Landlady n. 1 woman who owns and lets land or premises. 2 woman who keeps a public house, boarding-house, etc.
Land line n. Means of telecommunication over land.
Landlocked adj. Almost or entirely enclosed by land.
Landlord n. 1 man who owns and lets land or premises. 2 man who keeps a public house, boarding-house, etc.
Landlubber n. Person unfamiliar with the sea.
Landmark n. 1 conspicuous object in a district, landscape, etc. 2 prominent and critical event etc.
Land mass n. Large area of land.
Land-mine n. Explosive mine laid in or on the ground.
Landowner n. Owner of (esp. Much) land. landowning adj. & n.
Landscape —n. 1 scenery as seen in a broad view. 2 (often attrib.) Picture representing this; this genre of painting. —v. (-ping) improve (a piece of land) by landscape gardening. [dutch landscap]
Landscape gardening n. Laying out of grounds to resemble natural scenery.
Landslide n. 1 sliding down of a mass of land from a mountain, cliff, etc. 2 overwhelming victory in an election.
Landslip n. = *landslide 1.
Lane n. 1 narrow road. 2 division of a road for a stream of traffic. 3 strip of track etc. For a competitor in a race. 4 path regularly followed by a ship, aircraft, etc.
5 gangway between crowds of people. [old english]
Language n. 1 use of words in an agreed way as a method of human communication. 2 system of words of a particular community or country etc. 3 a faculty of speech. B style of expression; use of words, etc. (poetic language). 4 system of symbols and rules for writing computer programs. 5 any method of communication. 6 professional or specialized vocabulary. [latin lingua tongue]
Language laboratory n. Room equipped with tape recorders etc. For learning a foreign language.
Languish v. Lose or lack vitality. languish for droop or pine for. Languish under suffer under (depression, confinement, etc.). [latin langueo]
Languor n. 1 lack of energy; idleness. 2 soft or tender mood or effect. 3 oppressive stillness. languorous adj.
Lank adj. 1 (of hair, grass, etc.) Long and limp. 2 thin and tall. [old english]
Lanky adj. (-ier, -iest) ungracefully thin and long or tall. lankiness n.
Lanolin n. Fat found on sheep’s wool and used in cosmetics etc. [latin lana wool, oleum *oil]
Lantern n. 1 lamp with a transparent case protecting a flame etc. 2 raised structure on a dome, room, etc., glazed to admit light. 3 light-chamber of a lighthouse. [greek lampter torch]
Lantern jaws n.pl. Long thin jaws and chin.
Lanthanide n. Any element of the lanthanide series. [german: related to *lanthanum]
Lanthanide series n. Chem. Series of 15 metallic elements from lanthanum to lutetium in the periodic table, having similar chemical properties.
Lanthanum n. Metallic element, first of the lanthanide series. [greek lanthano escape notice]
Lanyard n. 1 cord worn round the neck or the shoulder, to which a knife etc. May be attached. 2 naut. Short rope or line used for securing, tightening, etc. [french laniere, assimilated to *yard1]
Laodicean half-hearted, esp. In religion or politics. [laodicea in asia minor (rev. 3:16)]
Lap1 n. 1 front of the body from the waist to the knees of a sitting person. 2 clothing covering this. in the lap of the gods beyond human control. In the lap of luxury in extremely luxurious surroundings. [old english]
Lap2 —n. 1 a one circuit of a racetrack etc. B section of a journey etc. 2 a amount of overlapping. B overlapping part. 3 single turn of thread etc. Round a reel etc. —v. (-pp-) 1 lead or overtake (a competitor in a race) by one or more laps. 2 (often foll. By about, round) fold or wrap (a garment etc.) Round. 3 (usu. Foll. By in) enfold in wraps etc. 4 (as lapped adj.) (usu. Foll. By in) enfolded caressingly. 5 cause to overlap. [probably from *lap1]
Lap3 —v. (-pp-) 1 a (esp. Of an animal) drink with the tongue. B (usu. Foll. By up, down) consume (liquid) greedily. C (usu. Foll. By up) consume (gossip, praise, etc.) Greedily. 2 (of waves etc.) Ripple; make a lapping sound against (the shore). —n. 1 a act of lapping. B amount of liquid taken up. 2 sound of wavelets. [old english]
Lap-dog n. Small pet dog.
Lapel n. Part of either side of a coat-front etc., folded back against itself. [from *lap1]
Lapidary —adj. 1 concerned with stone or stones. 2 engraved upon stone. 3 concise, well-expressed, epigrammatic. —n. (pl. -ies) cutter, polisher, or engraver, of gems. [latin lapis lapid-stone]
Lapis lazuli n. 1 blue mineral used as a gemstone. 2 bright blue pigment. 3 its colour. [related to lapidary, azure]
Laplander n. Native or inhabitant of lapland; lapp. [as *lapp]
Lap of honour n. Ceremonial circuit of a racetrack etc. By a winner.
Lapp n. 1 member of a mongol people of n. Scandinavia and nw russia. 2 their language. [swedish]
Lappet n. 1 small flap or fold of a garment etc. 2 hanging piece of flesh. [from *lap1]
Lapse —n. 1 slight error; slip of memory etc. 2 weak or careless decline into an inferior state. 3 (foll. By of) passage of time. —v. (-sing) 1 fail to maintain a position or standard. 2 (foll. By into) fall back into an inferior or previous state. 3 (of a right or privilege etc.) Become invalid through disuse, failure to renew, etc. 4 (as lapsed adj.) That has lapsed. [latin lapsus from labor laps-slip]
Laptop n. (often attrib.) Portable microcomputer suitable for use while travelling.
Lapwing n. Plover with a shrill cry. [old english: related to leap, wink: from its mode of flight]
Larboard n. & adj. Archaic = port3. [originally ladboard, perhaps ‘side on which cargo was taken in’: related to lade]
Larceny n. (pl. -ies) theft of personal property. larcenous adj. [anglo-french from latin latrocinium]
Usage in 1968 larceny was replaced as a statutory crime in english law by theft.
Larch n. 1 deciduous coniferous tree with bright foliage. 2 its wood. [latin larix – icis]
Lard —n. Pig fat used in cooking etc. —v. 1 insert strips of fat or bacon in (meat etc.) Before cooking. 2 (foll. By with) garnish (talk etc.) With strange terms. [french = bacon, from latin lardum]
Larder n. Room or large cupboard for storing food.
Lardy adj. Like lard.
Lardy-cake n. Cake made with lard, currants, etc.
Large adj. 1 of relatively great size or extent. 2 of the larger kind (large intestine). 3 comprehensive. 4 pursuing an activity on a large scale (large farmer). at large 1 at liberty. 2 as a body or whole. 3 at full length, with all details. largeness n. Largish adj. [latin largus copious]
Large as life adj. Colloq. In person, esp. Prominently.
Largely adv. To a great extent (largely my own fault).
Large-scale adj. Made or occurring on a large scale.
Largesse n. (also largess) money or gifts freely given. [latin largus: related to *large]
Largo mus. —adv. & adj. In a slow tempo and dignified style. —n. (pl. -s) largo passage or movement. [italian, = broad]
Lariat n. 1 lasso. 2 tethering-rope. [spanish la reata]
Lark1 n. Small bird with a tuneful song, esp. The skylark. [old english]
Lark2 colloq. —n. 1 frolic; amusing incident. 2 type of activity (fed up with this digging lark). —v. (foll. By about) play tricks. [origin uncertain]
Larkspur n. Plant with a spur-shaped calyx.
Larva n. (pl. -vae) stage of an insect’s development between egg and pupa. larval adj. [latin, = ghost]
Laryngeal adj. Of the larynx.
Laryngitis n. Inflammation of the larynx.
Larynx n. (pl. Larynges or -xes) hollow organ in the throat holding the vocal cords. [latin from greek]
Lasagne n. Pasta in the form of sheets. [italian pl., from latin lasanum cooking-pot]
Laser n. Device that generates an intense beam of coherent light, or other electromagnetic radiation, in one direction. [light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation]
Lash —v. 1 make a sudden whiplike movement. 2 beat with a whip etc. 3 (often foll. By against, down, etc.) (of rain etc.) Beat, strike. 4 criticize harshly. 5 rouse, incite. 6 (foll. By down, together, etc.) Fasten with a cord etc. —n. 1 sharp blow made by a whip etc. 2 flexible end of a whip. 3 eyelash. lash out 1 speak or hit out angrily. 2 colloq. Spend money extravagantly. [imitative]
Lashings n.pl. Colloq. (foll. By of) plenty.
Lass n. Esp. Scot. & n.engl. Or poet. Girl. [old norse]
Lassa fever n. Acute febrile viral disease of tropical africa. [lassa in nigeria]
Lassitude n. 1 languor. 2 disinclination to exert oneself. [latin lassus tired]
Lasso —n. (pl. -s or -es) rope with a noose at one end, esp. For catching cattle. —v. (-es, -ed) catch with a lasso. [spanish lazo: related to *lace]
Last1 —adj. 1 after all others; coming at or belonging to the end. 2 most recent; next before a specified time (last christmas). 3 only remaining (last chance). 4 (prec. By the) least likely or suitable (the last person i’d want). 5 lowest in rank (last place). —adv. 1 after all others (esp. In comb.: last-mentioned). 2 on the most recent occasion (when did you last see him?). 3 lastly. —n. 1 person or thing that is last, last-mentioned, most recent, etc. 2 (prec. By the) last mention or sight etc. (shall never hear the last of it). 3 last performance of certain acts (breathed his last). 4 (prec. By the) the end; death (fighting to the last). at last (or long last) in the end; after much delay. [old english, = latest]
Last2 v. 1 remain unexhausted or alive for a specified or considerable time (food to last a week). 2 continue for a specified time (match lasts an hour). last out be strong enough or sufficient for the whole of a given period. [old english]
Last3 n. Shoemaker’s model for shaping a shoe etc. stick to one’s last not meddle in what one does not understand. [old english]
Last-ditch attrib. Adj. (of an attempt etc.) Final, desperate.
Lasting adj. Permanent; durable.
Lastly adv. Finally; in the last place.
Last minute n. (also last moment) the time just before an important event (often (with hyphen) attrib.: last-minute panic).
Last name n. Surname.
Last post n. Bugle-call at military funerals or as a signal to retire for the night.
Last rites n.pl. Rites for a person about to die.
Last straw n. (prec. By the) slight addition to a burden that makes it finally unbearable.
Last trump n. (prec. By the) trumpet-blast to wake the dead on judgement day.
Last word n. (prec. By the) 1 final or definitive statement. 2 (often foll. By in) latest fashion.
Lat. Abbr. Latitude.
Latch —n. 1 bar with a catch and lever as a fastening for a gate etc. 2 spring-lock preventing a door from being opened from the outside without a key. —v. Fasten with a latch. latch on (often foll. By to) colloq. 1 attach oneself (to). 2 understand. On the latch fastened by the latch (sense 1) only. [old english]
Latchkey n. (pl. -s) key of an outer door.
Late —adj. 1 after the due or usual time; occurring or done after the proper time. 2 a far on in the day or night or in a specified period. B far on in development. 3 flowering or ripening towards the end of the season. 4 no longer alive; no longer having the specified status, former (my late husband; the late prime minister). 5 of recent date. —adv. 1 after the due or usual time. 2 far on in time. 3 at or till a late hour. 4 at a late stage of development. 5 formerly but not now (late of the scillies). late in the day colloq. At a late stage in the proceedings. lateness n. [old english]
Latecomer n. Person who arrives late.
Lateen adj. (of a ship) rigged with a lateen sail. [french voile latine latin sail]
Lateen sail n. Triangular sail on a long yard at an angle of 45° to the mast.
Lately adv. Not long ago; recently. [old english: related to *late]
Latent adj. Existing but not developed or manifest; concealed, dormant. latency
n. [latin lateo be hidden]
Latent heat n. Physics heat required to convert a solid into a liquid or vapour, or a liquid into a vapour, without change of temperature.
Lateral —adj. 1 of, at, towards, or from the side or sides. 2 descended from the sibling of a person in direct line. —n. Lateral shoot or branch. laterally adv. [latin latus later-side]
Lateral thinking n. Method of solving problems other than by using conventional logic.
Latex n. (pl. -xes) 1 milky fluid of esp. The rubber tree. 2 synthetic product resembling this. [latin, = liquid]
Lath n. (pl. Laths) thin flat strip of wood. [old english]
Lathe n. Machine for shaping wood, metal, etc., by rotating the article against cutting tools. [origin uncertain]
Lather —n. 1 froth produced by agitating soap etc. And water. 2 frothy sweat. 3 state of agitation. —v. 1 (of soap etc.) Form a lather. 2 cover with lather. 3 colloq. Thrash. [old english]
Latin —n. Language of ancient rome and its empire. —adj. 1 of or in latin. 2 of
the countries or peoples using languages descended from latin. 3 of the roman
the countries or peoples using languages descended from latin. 3 of the roman catholic church. [latin latium district around rome]
Latin america n. Parts of central and s. America where spanish or portuguese is the main language.
Latinate adj. Having the character of latin.
Latinize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) give a latin form to. latinization n.
Latish adj. & adv. Fairly late.
Latitude n. 1 a angular distance on a meridian north or south of the equator. B (usu. In pl.) Regions or climes. 2 tolerated variety of action or opinion. latitudinal adj. [latin latus broad]
Latitudinarian —adj. Liberal, esp. In religion. —n. Latitudinarian person.
Latrine n. Communal lavatory, esp. In a camp. [latin latrina]
Latter adj. 1 a second-mentioned of two, or last-mentioned of three or more. B (prec. By the; usu. Absol.) The second-or last-mentioned person or thing. 2 nearer the end (latter part of the year). 3 recent. 4 of the end of a period, the world, etc. [old english, = later]
Usage the use of latter to mean ‘last mentioned of three or more’ is considered incorrect by some people.
Latter-day attrib. Adj. Modern, contemporary.
Latter-day saints n.pl. Mormons’ name for themselves.
Latterly adv. 1 recently. 2 in the latter part of life or a period.
Lattice n. 1 structure of crossed laths or bars with spaces between, used as a screen, fence, etc. 2 regular periodic arrangement of atoms, ions, or molecules. latticed adj. [french lattis from latte *lath]
Lattice window n. Window with small panes set in diagonally crossing strips of lead.
Latvian —n. 1 a native or national of latvia in eastern europe. B person of latvian descent. 2 language of latvia. —adj. Of latvia, its people, or language.
Laud —v. Praise or extol. —n. 1 praise; hymn of praise. 2 (in pl.) The first morning prayer of the roman catholic church. [latin laus laud-]
Laudable adj. Commendable. laudability n. Laudably adv.
Usage laudable is sometimes confused with laudatory.
Laudanum n. Solution prepared from opium. [perhaps from medieval latin]
Laudatory adj. Praising.
Usage laudatory is sometimes confused with laudable.
Laugh —v. 1 make the sounds and movements usual in expressing lively amusement, scorn, etc. 2 express by laughing. 3 (foll. By at) ridicule, make fun of. —n. 1 sound, act, or manner of laughing. 2 colloq. Comical thing. laugh off get rid of (embarrassment or humiliation) by joking. Laugh up one’s sleeve laugh secretly. [old english]
Laughable adj. Ludicrous; amusing. laughably adv.
Laughing n. Laughter. no laughing matter serious matter. laughingly adv.
Laughing-gas n. Nitrous oxide as an anaesthetic.
Laughing jackass n. = *kookaburra.
Laughing stock n. Person or thing open to general ridicule.
Laughter n. Act or sound of laughing. [old english]
Launch1 —v. 1 set (a vessel) afloat. 2 hurl or send forth (a weapon, rocket, etc.). 3 start or set in motion (an enterprise, person, etc.). 4 formally introduce (a new product) with publicity etc. 5 (foll. By out, into, etc.) A make a start on (an enterprise etc.). B burst into (strong language etc.). —n. Act of launching. [anglo-norman launcher: related to *lance]
Launch2 n. 1 large motor boat. 2 man-of-war’s largest boat. [spanish lancha]
Launcher n. Structure to hold a rocket during launching.
Launch pad n. (also launching pad) platform with a supporting structure, for launching rockets from.
Launder v. 1 wash and iron (clothes etc.). 2 colloq. Transfer (funds) to conceal their origin. [french: related to *lave]
Launderette n. (also laundrette) establishment with coin-operated washing-machines and driers for public use.
Laundress n. Woman who launders, esp. Professionally.
Laundry n. (pl. -ies) 1 a place for washing clothes etc. B firm washing clothes etc. Commercially. 2 clothes or linen for laundering or newly laundered.
Laureate —adj. Wreathed with laurel as a mark of honour. —n. = *poet laureate. laureateship n. [related to *laurel]
Laurel n. 1 = *bay2. 2 (in sing. Or pl.) Wreath of bay-leaves as an emblem of victory or poetic merit. 3 any of various plants with dark-green glossy leaves. look to one’s laurels beware of losing one’s pre-eminence. Rest on one’s laurels see *rest1. [latin laurus bay]
Lav n. Colloq. Lavatory. [abbreviation]
Lava n. Matter flowing from a volcano and solidifying as it cools. [latin lavo wash]
Lavatorial adj. Of or like lavatories; (esp. Of humour) relating to excretion.
Lavatory n. (pl. -ies) 1 receptacle for urine and faeces, usu. With a means of disposal. 2 room or compartment containing this. [latin: related to *lava]
Lavatory paper n. = *toilet paper.
Lave v. (-ving) literary 1 wash, bathe. 2 (of water) wash against; flow along. [latin lavo wash]
Lavender n. 1 a evergreen shrub with purple aromatic flowers. B its flowers and stalks dried and used to scent linen etc. 2 pale mauve colour. [latin lavandula]
Lavender-water n. Light perfume made with distilled lavender.
Laver n. Edible seaweed. [latin]
Lavish —adj. 1 giving or producing in large quantities; profuse. 2 generous. —v. (often foll. By on) bestow or spend (money, effort, praise, etc.) Abundantly. lavishly adv. [french lavasse deluge: related to *lave]
Law n. 1 a rule enacted or customary in a community and recognized as commanding or forbidding certain actions. B body of such rules. 2 controlling influence of laws; respect for laws. 3 laws collectively as a social system or subject of study. 4 binding force (her word is law). 5 (prec. By the) a the legal profession. B colloq. The police. 6 (in pl.) Jurisprudence. 7 a the judicial remedy. B the lawcourts as providing this (go to law). 8 rule of action or procedure. 9 regularity in natural occurrences (laws of nature; law of gravity). 10 divine commandments. be a law unto oneself do what one considers right; disregard custom. Lay down the law be dogmatic or authoritarian. Take the law into one’s own hands redress a grievance by one’s own means, esp. By force. [old english from old norse, = thing laid down]
Law-abiding adj. Obedient to the laws.
Lawbreaker n. Person who breaks the law. lawbreaking n. & adj.
Lawcourt n. Court of law.
Lawful adj. Conforming with or recognized by law; not illegal. lawfully adv.
Lawfulness n.
Lawgiver n. Person who formulates laws; legislator.
Lawless adj. 1 having no laws or law enforcement. 2 disregarding laws.
lawlessness n.
Law lord n. Member of the house of lords qualified to perform its legal work.
Lawmaker n. Legislator.
Lawn1 n. Piece of closely-mown grass in a garden etc. [french launde glade]
Lawn2 n. Fine linen or cotton. [probably from laon in france]
Lawnmower n. Machine for cutting lawns.
Lawn tennis n. Tennis played with a soft ball on outdoor grass or a hard court.
Lawrencium n. Artificially made transuranic metallic element. [lawrence, name of a physicist]
Lawsuit n. Bringing of a dispute, claim, etc. Before a lawcourt.
Lawyer n. Legal practitioner, esp. A solicitor.
Lax adj. 1 lacking care or precision. 2 not strict. laxity n. Laxly adv. Laxness n. [latin laxus loose]
Laxative —adj. Facilitating evacuation of the bowels. —n. Laxative medicine. [latin: related to *lax]
Lay1 —v. (past and past part. Laid) 1 place on a surface, esp. Horizontally or in the proper or specified place. 2 put or bring into the required position or state (lay carpet). 3 make by laying (lay foundations). 4 (often absol.) (of a hen bird) produce (an egg). 5 cause to subside or lie flat. 6 (usu. Foll. By on); attribute or impute (blame etc.). 7 prepare or make ready (a plan or trap). 8 prepare (a table) for a meal. 9 arrange the material for (a fire). 10 put down as a wager; stake. 11 (foll. By with) coat or strew (a surface). 12 slang offens. Have sexual intercourse with (esp. A woman). —n. 1 way, position, or direction in which something lies. 2 slang offens. Partner (esp. Female) in, or act of, sexual intercourse. lay about one hit out on all sides. Lay aside 1 put to one side. 2 cease to consider. Lay at the door of impute to. Lay bare expose, reveal. Lay claim to claim as one’s own. Lay down 1 put on a flat surface. 2 give up (an office). 3 formulate (a rule). 4 store (wine) for maturing. 5 sacrifice (one’s life). Lay (one’s) hands on obtain, locate. Lay hands on seize or attack. Lay hold of seize. Lay in provide oneself with a stock of. Lay into colloq. Punish or scold harshly. Lay it on thick (or with a trowel) colloq. Flatter or exaggerate grossly. Lay low overthrow or humble. Lay off 1 discharge (unneeded workers) temporarily; make redundant. 2 colloq. Desist. Lay on 1 provide. 2 impose. 3 inflict (blows). 4 spread on (paint etc.).
Desist. Lay on 1 provide. 2 impose. 3 inflict (blows). 4 spread on (paint etc.). Lay open 1 break the skin of. 2 (foll. By to) expose (to criticism etc.). Lay out 1 spread out, expose to view. 2 prepare (a corpse) for burial. 3 colloq. Knock unconscious. 4 arrange (grounds etc.) According to a design.
Lay2 adj. 1 a non-clerical. B not ordained into the clergy. 2 a not professionally qualified. B of or done by such persons. [greek laos people]
Lay3 n. 1 short poem meant to be sung. 2 song. [french]
Lay4 past of *lie1.
Layabout n. Habitual loafer or idler.
Lay-by n. (pl. -bys) area at the side of a road where vehicles may stop.
Layer —n. 1 thickness of matter, esp. One of several, covering a surface. 2 person or thing that lays. 3 hen that lays eggs. 4 shoot fastened down to take root while attached to the parent plant. —v. 1 arrange in layers. 2 cut (hair) in layers. 3 propagate (a plant) by a layer.
Layette n. Set of clothing etc. For a newborn child. [french from dutch]
Lay figure n. 1 jointed figure of a human body used by artists for arranging drapery on etc. 2 unrealistic character in a novel etc. [dutch led joint]
Layman n. (fem. Laywoman) 1 non-ordained member of a church. 2 person without professional or specialized knowledge.
Lay-off n. Temporary discharge of workers; a redundancy.
Layout n. 1 way in which land, a building, printed matter, etc., is arranged or set out. 2 something arranged in a particular way; display.
Lay reader n. Lay person licensed to conduct some religious services.
Laze —v. (-zing) 1 spend time idly. 2 (foll. By away) pass (time) idly. —n. Spell of lazing. [back-formation from *lazy]
Lazy adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 disinclined to work, doing little work. 2 of or inducing idleness. lazily adv. Laziness n. [perhaps from low german]
Leach v. 1 make (a liquid) percolate through some material. 2 subject (bark, ore, ash, or soil) to the action of percolating fluid. 3 (foll. By away, out) remove (soluble matter) or be removed in this way. [old english]
Lead1 —v. (past and past part. Led) 1 cause to go with one, esp. By guiding or going in front. 2 a direct the actions or opinions of. B (often foll. By to, or to + infin.) Guide by persuasion or example (what led you to think that). 3 (also absol.) Provide access to; bring to a certain position (gate leads you into a field; road leads to lincoln). 4 pass or go through (a life etc. Of a specified kind). 5 a have the first place in. B (absol.) Go first; be ahead in a race etc. C (absol.) Be pre-eminent in some field. 6 be in charge of (leads a team). 7 (also absol.) Play
(a card) or a card of (a particular suit) as first player in a round. 8 (foll. By to) result in. 9 (foll. By with) (of a newspaper or news broadcast) have as its main story (led with the royal wedding). 10 (foll. By through) make (a liquid, strip of material, etc.) Pass through a certain course. —n. 1 guidance given by going in front; example. 2 a leading place (take the lead). B amount by which a competitor is ahead of the others. 3 clue. 4 strap etc. For leading a dog etc. 5 conductor (usu. A wire) conveying electric current to an appliance. 6 a chief part in a play etc. B person playing this. C (attrib.) Chief performer or instrument of a specified type (lead guitar). 7 cards a act or right of playing first. B card led. lead by the nose cajole into compliance. Lead off begin. Lead on entice dishonestly. Lead up the garden path colloq. Mislead. Lead up to form a preparation for; direct conversation towards. [old english]
Lead2 —n. 1 heavy bluish-grey soft metallic element. 2 a graphite. B thin length of this in a pencil. 3 lump of lead used in sounding water. 4 (in pl.) A strips of lead covering a roof. B piece of lead-covered roof. 5 (in pl.) Lead frames holding the glass of a lattice etc. 6 blank space between lines of print. —v. 1 cover, weight, or frame with lead. 2 space (printed matter) with leads. [old english]
Leaden adj. 1 of or like lead. 2 heavy or slow. 3 lead-coloured.
Leader n. 1 a person or thing that leads. B person followed by others. 2 principal player in a music group or of the first violins in an orchestra. 3 = *leading article. 4 shoot of a plant at the apex of a stem or of the main branch. leadership n.
Lead-free adj. (of petrol) without added lead compounds.
Lead-in n. Introduction, opening, etc.
Leading1 adj. Chief; most important.
Leading2 n. Printing = *lead2 n. 6.
Leading aircraftman n. Rank above aircraftman in the raf.
Leading article n. Newspaper article giving editorial opinion.
Leading light n. Prominent and influential person.
Leading note n. Mus. Seventh note of a diatonic scale.
Leading question n. Question prompting the answer wanted.
Usage leading question does not mean a ‘principal’ or ‘loaded’ or ‘searching’ question.
Lead pencil n. Pencil of graphite in wood.
Lead-poisoning n. Poisoning by absorption of lead into the body.
Leaf —n. (pl. Leaves) 1 each of several flattened usu. Green structures of a plant, growing usu. On the side of a stem. 2 a foliage regarded collectively. B state of bearing leaves (tree in leaf). 3 single thickness of paper. 4 very thin sheet of metal etc. 5 hinged part, extra section, or flap of a table etc. —v. 1 put forth leaves. 2 (foll. By through) turn over the pages of (a book etc.). leafage n. Leafy adj. (-ier, -iest). [old english]
Leaflet —n. 1 sheet of paper, pamphlet, etc. Giving information. 2 young leaf. 3 bot. Division of a compound leaf. —v. (-t-) distribute leaflets (to).
Leaf-mould n. Soil or compost consisting chiefly of decayed leaves.
Leaf-stalk n. Stalk joining a leaf to a stem.
League1 —n. 1 people, countries, groups, etc., combining for a particular purpose. 2 agreement to combine in this way. 3 group of sports clubs which compete for a championship. 4 class of contestants etc. —v. (-gues, -gued, – guing) (often foll. By together) join in a league. in league allied, conspiring. [latin ligo bind]
League2 n. Hist. Varying measure of distance, usu. About three miles. [latin from celtic]
League table n. List in ranked order of success etc.
Leak —n. 1 a hole through which matter passes accidentally in or out. B matter passing through thus. C act of passing through thus. 2 a similar escape of
electrical charge. B charge that escapes. 3 disclosure of secret information. —v. 1 a pass through a leak. B lose or admit through a leak. 2 disclose (secret information). 3 (often foll. By out) become known. have (or take) a leak slang urinate. leaky adj. (-ier, -iest). [low german or dutch]
Leakage n. Action or result of leaking.
Lean1 —v. (past and past part. Leaned or leant) 1 (often foll. By across, back, over, etc.) Be or place in a sloping position; incline from the perpendicular. 2 (foll. By against, on, upon) (cause to) rest for support against etc. 3 (foll. By on, upon) rely on. 4 (foll. By to, towards) be inclined or partial to. —n. Deviation from the perpendicular; inclination. lean on colloq. Put pressure on (a person) to act in a certain way. Lean over backwards see *backwards. [old english]
Lean2 —adj. 1 (of a person or animal) thin; having no superfluous fat. 2 (of meat) containing little fat. 3 meagre. —n. Lean part of meat. leanness n. [old english]
Leaning n. Tendency or partiality.
Lean-to n. (pl. -tos) building with its roof leaning against a larger building or a wall.
Lean years n.pl. Years of scarcity.
Leap —v. (past and past part. Leaped or leapt) jump or spring forcefully. —n. Forceful jump. by leaps and bounds with startlingly rapid progress. Leap in the
dark daring step or enterprise. [old english]
Leap-frog —n. Game in which players vault with parted legs over others bending down. —v. (-gg-) 1 perform such a vault (over). 2 overtake alternately.
Leap year n. Year with 366 days (including 29th feb. As an intercalary day).
Learn v. (past and past part. Learned or learnt) 1 gain knowledge of or skill in. 2 commit to memory. 3 (foll. By of) be told about. 4 (foll. By that, how, etc.) Become aware of. 5 receive instruction. 6 archaic or dial. Teach. [old english]
Learned adj. 1 having much knowledge acquired by study. 2 showing or requiring learning (a learned work). 3 (of a publication) academic.
Learner n. 1 person who is learning a subject or skill. 2 (in full learner driver) person who is learning to drive but has not yet passed a driving test.
Learning n. Knowledge acquired by study.
Lease —n. Contract by which the owner of property allows another to use it for a specified time, usu. In return for payment. —v. (-sing) grant or take on lease. new lease of (us on) life improved prospect of living, or of use after repair. [anglo-french lesser let, from latin laxo loosen]
Leasehold n. 1 holding of property by lease. 2 property held by lease.
leaseholder n.
Leash —n. Strap for holding a dog etc.; lead. —v. 1 put a leash on. 2 restrain. straining at the leash eager to begin. [french lesse: related to *lease]
Least —adj. 1 smallest, slightest. 2 (of a species etc.) Very small. —n. The least amount. —adv. In the least degree. at least 1 at any rate. 2 (also at the least) not less than. In the least (or the least) (usu. With neg.) At all (not in the least offended). To say the least putting the case moderately. [old english, superlative of *less]
Least common denominator n. = *lowest common denominator.
Least common multiple n. = *lowest common multiple.
Leather —n. 1 material made from the skin of an animal by tanning etc. 2 piece of leather for polishing with. 3 leather part(s) of a thing. 4 slang cricket-ball or football. 5 (in pl.) Leather clothes. —v. 1 beat, thrash. 2 cover with leather. 3 polish or wipe with a leather. [old english]
Leatherback n. Large marine turtle with a leathery shell.
Leather-bound adj. Bound in leather.
Leatherette n. Propr. Imitation leather.
Leather-jacket n. Crane-fly grub with a tough skin.
Leathery adj. 1 like leather. 2 tough.
Leave1 v. (-ving; past and past part. Left) 1 a go away from. B (often foll. By for) depart. 2 cause to or let remain; depart without taking. 3 (also absol.) Cease to reside at or belong to or work for. 4 abandon; cease to live with (one’s family etc.). 5 have remaining after one’s death. 6 bequeath. 7 (foll. By to + infin.) Allow (a person or thing) to do something independently. 8 (foll. By to) commit to another person etc. (leave that to me). 9 a abstain from consuming or dealing with. B (in passive; often foll. By over) remain over. 10 a deposit or entrust (a thing) to be attended to in one’s absence (left a message with his secretary). B depute (a person) to perform a function in one’s absence. 11 allow to remain or cause to be in a specified state or position (left the door open; left me exhausted). leave alone refrain from disturbing, not interfere with. Leave a person cold not impress or excite a person. Leave off 1 come to or make an end. 2 discontinue. Leave out omit; exclude. [old english]
Leave2 n. 1 (often foll. By to + infin.) Permission. 2 a (in full leave of absence) permission to be absent from duty. B period for which this lasts. on leave legitimately absent from duty. Take one’s leave (of) bid farewell (to). Take leave of one’s senses go mad. [old english]
Leaved adj. Having a leaf or leaves, esp. (in comb.) Of a specified kind or number (four-leaved clover).
Leaven —n. 1 substance causing dough to ferment and rise. 2 pervasive transforming influence; admixture. —v. 1 ferment (dough) with leaven. 2 permeate and transform; modify with a tempering element. [latin levo lift]
Leaves pl. Of *leaf.
Leave-taking n. Act of taking one’s leave.
Leavings n.pl. Things left over.
Lebanese —adj. Of lebanon. —n. (pl. Same) 1 native or national of lebanon. 2 person of lebanese descent.
Lech colloq. —v. (often foll. By after) lust. —n. 1 lecherous man. 2 lust. [back-formation from *lecher]
Lecher n. Lecherous man. [french lechier live in debauchery]
Lecherous adj. Lustful, having excessive sexual desire. lecherously adv.
Lechery n. Excessive sexual desire.
Lectern n. 1 stand for holding a book in a church etc. 2 similar stand for a lecturer etc. [latin lectrum from lego read]
Lecture —n. 1 talk giving specified information to a class etc. 2 long serious speech, esp. As a reprimand. —v. (-ring) 1 (often foll. By on) deliver lecture(s).
2 talk seriously or reprovingly to. lectureship n. [latin: related to *lectern]
Lecturer n. Person who lectures, esp. As a teacher in higher education.
Led abbr. Light-emitting diode.
Led past and past part. Of *lead1.
Lederhosen n.pl. Leather shorts as worn by some men in bavaria etc. [german, = leather trousers]
Ledge n. Narrow horizontal or shelflike projection. [origin uncertain]
Ledger n. Main record of the accounts of a business. [dutch]
Lee n. 1 shelter given by a close object (under the lee of). 2 (in full lee side) side away from the wind. [old english]
Leech n. 1 bloodsucking worm formerly much used medically. 2 person who sponges on others. [old english]
Leek n. 1 plant of the onion family with flat leaves forming a cylindrical bulb, used as food. 2 this as a welsh national emblem. [old english]
Leer —v. Look slyly, lasciviously, or maliciously. —n. Leering look. [perhaps from obsolete leer cheek]
Lees n.pl. 1 sediment of wine etc. 2 dregs. [french]
Leeward —adj. & adv. On or towards the side sheltered from the wind. —n.
Leeward region or side.
Leeway n. 1 allowable scope of action. 2 sideways drift of a ship to leeward of the desired course.
Left1 —adj. 1 on or towards the west side of the human body, or of any object, when facing north. 2 (also left) polit. Of the left. —adv. On or to the left side. — n. 1 left-hand part, region, or direction. 2 boxing a left hand. B blow with this. 3 (often left) group or section favouring socialism; socialists collectively. [old english, originally = ‘weak, worthless’]
Left2 past and past part. Of *leave1.
Left bank n. Bank of a river on the left facing downstream.
Left-hand attrib. Adj. 1 on or towards the left side of a person or thing. 2 done
Left-hand attrib. Adj. 1 on or towards the left side of a person or thing. 2 done with the left hand. 3 (of a screw) = *left-handed 4b.
Left-handed adj. 1 naturally using the left hand for writing etc. 2 (of a tool etc.) For use by the left hand. 3 (of a blow) struck with the left hand. 4 a turning to the left. B (of a screw) turned anticlockwise to tighten. 5 awkward, clumsy. 6 a (of a compliment) ambiguous. B of doubtful sincerity. left-handedly adv. Left-handedness n.
Left-hander n. 1 left-handed person. 2 left-handed blow.
Leftism n. Socialist political principles. leftist n. & adj.
Left luggage n. Luggage deposited for later retrieval.
Leftmost adj. Furthest to the left.
Leftover —n. (usu. In pl.) Surplus items (esp. Of food). —attrib. Adj. Remaining over, surplus.
Leftward —adv. (also leftwards) towards the left. —adj. Going towards or facing the left.
Left wing —n. 1 more socialist section of a political party or system. 2 left side of a football etc. Team on the field. —adj. (leftwing) socialist, radical. left-
winger n.
Lefty n. (pl. -ies) colloq. 1 polit. Often derog. Left-winger. 2 left-handed person.
Leg n. 1 each of the limbs on which a person or animal walks and stands. 2 leg of an animal or bird as food. 3 part of a garment covering a leg. 4 support of a chair, table, etc. 5 cricket the half of the field (divided lengthways) in which the batsman’s feet are placed. 6 a section of a journey. B section of a relay race. C stage in a competition. leg it (-gg-) colloq. Walk or run hard. Not have a leg to stand on be unable to support one’s argument by facts or sound reasons. On one’s last legs near death or the end of usefulness etc. legged adj. (also in comb.). [old norse]
Legacy n. (pl. -ies) 1 gift left in a will. 2 thing handed down by a predecessor. [latin lego bequeath]
Legal adj. 1 of or based on law; concerned with law. 2 appointed or required by law. 3 permitted by law. legally adv. [latin lex leg-law]
Legal aid n. State assistance for legal advice or action.
Legalese n. Colloq. Technical language of legal documents.
Legalistic adj. Adhering excessively to a law or formula. legalism n. Legalist n.
Legality n. (pl. -ies) 1 lawfulness. 2 (in pl.) Obligations imposed by law.
Legalize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 make lawful. 2 bring into harmony with the law. legalization n.
Legal separation see *separation.
Legal tender n. Currency that cannot legally be refused in payment of a debt.
Legate n. Ambassador of the pope. [latin lego depute]
Legatee n. Recipient of a legacy. [latin lego bequeath]
Legation n. 1 diplomatic minister and his or her staff. 2 this minister’s official residence. [latin: related to *legate]
Legato mus. —adv. & adj. In a smooth flowing manner. —n. (pl. -s) 1 legato passage. 2 legato playing. [italian, = bound, from ligo bind]
Leg before —adj. & adv. (in full leg before wicket) cricket (of a batsman) out because of stopping the ball, other than with the bat or hand, which would otherwise have hit the wicket. —n. Such a dismissal.
Leg-bye n. Cricket run scored from a ball that touches the batsman.
Legend n. 1 a traditional story; myth. B these collectively. 2 colloq. Famous or remarkable event or person. 3 inscription. 4 explanation on a map etc. Of symbols used. [latin legenda what is to be read]
Legendary adj. 1 of, based on, or described in a legend. 2 colloq. Remarkable.
Legerdemain n. 1 sleight of hand. 2 trickery, sophistry. [french, = light of hand]
Leger line n. Mus. Short line added for notes above or below the range of a staff. [var. Of *ledger]
Legging n. (usu. In pl.) 1 close-fitting knitted trousers for women or children. 2 stout protective outer covering for the lower leg.
Leggy adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 long-legged. 2 long-stemmed and weak. legginess n.
Legible adj. Clear enough to read; readable. legibility n. Legibly adv. [latin lego read]
Legion —n. 1 division of 3,000–6,000 men in the ancient roman army. 2 large organized body. —predic. Adj. Great in number (his good works were legion). [latin legio -onis]
Legionary —adj. Of a legion or legions. —n. (pl. -ies) member of a legion.
Legionary —adj. Of a legion or legions. —n. (pl. -ies) member of a legion.
Legionnaire n. Member of a legion. [french: related to *legion]
Legionnaires’ disease n. Form of bacterial pneumonia.
Legislate v. (-ting) make laws. legislator n. [from *legislation]
Legislation n. 1 law-making. 2 laws collectively. [latin lex legis law, latus past part. Of fero carry]
Legislative adj. Of or empowered to make legislation.
Legislature n. Legislative body of a state.
Legit adj. Colloq. Legitimate (in sense 2). [abbreviation]
Legitimate adj. 1 (of a child) born of parents married to each other. 2 lawful, proper, regular. 3 logically acceptable. legitimacy n. Legitimately adv. [latin legitimo legitimize, from lex legis law]
Legitimatize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) legitimize.
Legitimize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 make legitimate. 2 serve as a justification for. legitimization n.
Legless adj. 1 having no legs. 2 slang very drunk.
Lego n. Propr. Toy consisting of interlocking plastic building blocks. [danish legetøj toys]
Leg-of-mutton sleeve n. Sleeve which is full and loose on the upper arm but close-fitting on the forearm.
Leg-pull n. Colloq. Hoax.
Leg-room n. Space for the legs of a seated person.
Legume n. 1 leguminous plant. 2 edible part of a leguminous plant. [latin legumen -minis from lego pick, because pickable by hand]
Leguminous adj. Of the family of plants with seeds in pods (e.g. Peas and beans).
Leg up n. Help given to mount a horse etc., or to overcome an obstacle or problem; boost.
Leg warmer n. Either of a pair of tubular knitted garments covering the leg from ankle to knee or thigh.
Lei n. Polynesian garland of flowers. [hawaiian]
Leisure n. 1 free time. 2 enjoyment of free time. at leisure 1 not occupied. 2 in an unhurried manner. At one’s leisure when one has time. [anglo-french leisour from latin licet it is allowed]
Leisure centre n. Public building with sports facilities etc.
Leisured adj. Having ample leisure.
Leisurely —adj. Unhurried, relaxed. —adv. Without hurry. leisureliness n.
Leisurewear n. Informal clothes, esp. Sportswear.
Leitmotif n. (also leitmotiv) recurrent theme in a musical etc. Composition representing a particular person, idea, etc. [german: related to lead1, motive]
Lemming n. Small arctic rodent reputed to rush into the sea and drown during migration. [norwegian]
Lemon n. 1 a yellow oval citrus fruit with acidic juice. B tree bearing it. 2 pale
Lemon n. 1 a yellow oval citrus fruit with acidic juice. B tree bearing it. 2 pale yellow colour. 3 colloq. Person or thing regarded as a failure. lemony adj. [arabic laimun]
Lemonade n. 1 drink made from lemon juice. 2 synthetic substitute for this.
Lemon balm n. Bushy plant smelling and tasting of lemon.
Lemon curd n. (also lemon cheese) creamy conserve made from lemons.
Lemon geranium n. Lemon-scented pelargonium.
Lemon sole n. (pl. Same or -s) flat-fish of the plaice family. [french limande]
Lemur n. Tree-dwelling primate of madagascar. [latin lemures ghosts]
Lend v. (past and past part. Lent) 1 (usu. Foll. By to) grant (to a person) the use of (a thing) on the understanding that it or its equivalent shall be returned. 2 allow the use of (money) at interest. 3 bestow or contribute (lends a certain charm). lend an ear listen. Lend a hand help. Lend itself to (of a thing) be suitable for. lender n. [old english: related to *loan]
Length n. 1 measurement or extent from end to end. 2 extent in or of time. 3 distance a thing extends. 4 length of a horse, boat, etc., as a measure of the lead in a race. 5 long stretch or extent. 6 degree of thoroughness in action (went to great lengths). 7 piece of a certain length (length of cloth). 8 prosody quantity of
a vowel or syllable. 9 cricket a distance from the batsman at which the ball pitches. B proper amount of this. 10 length of a swimming-pool as a measure of distance swum. at length 1 in detail. 2 after a long time. [old english: related to *long1]
Lengthen v. Make or become longer.
Lengthways adv. In a direction parallel with a thing’s length.
Lengthwise —adv. Lengthways. —adj. Lying or moving lengthways.
Lengthy adj. (-ier, -iest) of unusual or tedious length. lengthily adv. Lengthiness n.
Lenient adj. Merciful, not severe. lenience n. Leniency n. Leniently adv. [latin lenis gentle]
Lens n. 1 piece of a transparent substance with one or (usu.) Both sides curved for concentrating or dispersing light-rays esp. In optical instruments. 2 combination of lenses used in photography. 3 transparent substance behind the iris of the eye. 4 = *contact lens. [latin lens lent-lentil (from the similarity of shape)]
Lent n. Eccl. Period of fasting and penitence from ash wednesday to holy saturday. lenten adj. [old english, = spring]
Lent past and past part. Of *lend.
Lentil n. 1 pea-like plant. 2 its seed, esp. Used as food. [latin lens]
Lento mus. —adj. Slow. —adv. Slowly. [italian]
Leo n. (pl. -s) 1 constellation and fifth sign of the zodiac (the lion). 2 person born when the sun is in this sign. [latin]
Leonine adj. 1 like a lion. 2 of or relating to lions. [latin: related to *leo]
Leopard n. Large african or asian animal of the cat family with a black-spotted yellowish or all black coat, panther. [greek leon lion, pardos panther]
Leotard n. Close-fitting one-piece garment worn by dancers etc. [léotard, name of a trapeze artist]
Leper n. 1 person with leprosy. 2 person who is shunned. [greek lepros scaly]
Lepidopterous adj. Of the order of insects with four scale-covered wings, including butterflies and moths. lepidopterist n. [greek lepis -idos scale, pteron wing]
Leprechaun n. Small mischievous sprite in irish folklore. [irish lu small, corp
Leprechaun n. Small mischievous sprite in irish folklore. [irish lu small, corp body]
Leprosy n. Contagious disease that damages the skin and nerves. leprous adj. [related to *leper]
Lesbian —n. Homosexual woman. —adj. Of female homosexuality. lesbianism n. [lesbos, name of an island in the aegean sea]
Lese-majesty n. 1 treason. 2 insult to a sovereign or ruler. 3 presumptuous conduct. [french lèse-majesté injured sovereignty]
Lesion n. 1 damage. 2 injury. 3 morbid change in the functioning or texture of an organ etc. [latin laedo laes-injure]
Less —adj. 1 smaller in extent, degree, duration, number, etc. 2 of smaller quantity, not so much (less meat). 3 colloq. Fewer (less biscuits). —adv. To a smaller extent, in a lower degree. —n. Smaller amount, quantity, or number (will take less; for less than £10). —prep. Minus (made £1,000 less tax). [old english]
Usage the use of less to mean ‘fewer’, as in sense 3, is regarded as incorrect in standard english.
-less suffix forming adjectives and adverbs: 1 from nouns, meaning ‘not having, without, free from’ (powerless). 2 from verbs, meaning ‘not accessible to, affected by, or performing the action of the verb’ (fathomless; ceaseless). [old english]
Lessee n. (often foll. By of) person holding a property by lease. [french: related to *lease]
Lessen v. Make or become less, diminish.
Lesser adj. (usu. Attrib.) Not so great as the other(s) (lesser evil; lesser mortals).
Lesson n. 1 spell of teaching. 2 (in pl.; foll. By in) systematic instruction. 3 thing learnt by a pupil. 4 experience that serves to warn or encourage (let that be a lesson). 5 passage from the bible read aloud during a church service. [french leçon from latin lego lect-]
Lessor n. Person who lets a property by lease. [anglo-french: related to *lease]
Lest conj. Formal 1 in order that not, for fear that (lest he forget). 2 that (afraid lest we should be late). [old english: related to *less]
Usage lest is followed by should or the subjunctive (see examples above).
Let1 —v. (-tt-; past and past part. Let) 1 a allow to, not prevent or forbid. B cause to (let me know). 2 (foll. By into) allow to enter. 3 grant the use of (rooms, land, etc.) For rent or hire. 4 allow or cause (liquid or air) to escape (let blood). 5 aux. Supplying the first and third persons of the imperative in exhortations (let us pray), commands (let it be done at once; let there be light), assumptions, etc. (let ab equal cd). —n. Act of letting a house, room, etc. let alone 1 not to
mention, far less or more (hasn’t got a television, let alone a video). 2 = let be. Let be not interfere with, attend to, or do. Let down 1 lower. 2 fail to support or satisfy, disappoint. 3 lengthen (a garment). 4 deflate (a tyre). Let down gently reject or disappoint without humiliating. Let drop (or fall) drop (esp. A word or hint) intentionally or by accident. Let go 1 release. 2 a (often foll. By of) lose one’s hold. B lose hold of. Let oneself go 1 act spontaneously. 2 neglect one’s appearance or habits. Let in 1 allow to enter (let the dog in; let in a flood of light). 2 (foll. By for) involve (a person, often oneself) in loss or difficulty. 3 (foll. By on) allow (a person) to share a secret, privileges, etc. Let loose release, unchain. Let off 1 a fire (a gun). B explode (a bomb). 2 allow or cause (steam etc.) To escape. 3 a not punish or compel. B (foll. By with) punish lightly.
Let2 —n. Obstruction of a ball or player in tennis etc., requiring the ball to be served again. —v. (-tt-; past and past part. Letted or let) archaic hinder, obstruct. without let or hindrance unimpeded. [old english: related to *late]
-let suffix forming nouns, usu. Diminutive (flatlet) or denoting articles of ornament or dress (anklet). [french]
Let-down n. Disappointment.
Lethal adj. Causing or sufficient to cause death. lethally adv. [latin letum death]
Lethargy n. 1 lack of energy. 2 morbid drowsiness. lethargic adj. Lethargically adv. [greek lethargos forgetful]
Let-out n. Colloq. Opportunity to escape a commitment etc.
Letter —n. 1 character representing one or more of the sounds used in speech. 2 a written or printed message, usu. Sent in an envelope by post. B (in pl.) Addressed legal or formal document. 3 precise terms of a statement, the strict verbal interpretation (letter of the law). 4 (in pl.) A literature. B acquaintance with books, erudition. —v. 1 inscribe letters on. 2 classify with letters. to the
letter with adherence to every detail. [french from latin littera]
Letter-bomb n. Terrorist explosive device in the form of a postal packet.
Letter-box n. Box or slot into which letters are posted or delivered.
Lettered adj. Well-read or educated.
Letterhead n. 1 printed heading on stationery. 2 stationery with this.
Letter of credit n. Letter from a bank authorizing the bearer to draw money from another bank.
Letterpress n. 1 printed words of an illustrated book. 2 printing from raised type.
Lettuce n. Plant with crisp leaves used in salads. [latin lactuca from lac lact-milk]
Let-up n. Colloq. 1 reduction in intensity. 2 relaxation of effort.
Leuco-comb. Form white. [greek leukos white]
Leucocyte n. White blood cell.
Leukaemia n. (us leukemia) malignant disease in which the bone-marrow etc. Produces too many leucocytes. [greek leukos white, haima blood]
Leukemia n. (brit. Leukaemia) malignant disease in which the bone-marrow etc. Produces too many leucocytes. [greek leukos white, haima blood]
Levant n. (prec. By the) archaic eastern mediterranean countries. [french, = point of sunrise, from latin levo lift]
Levantine —adj. Of or trading to the levant. —n. Native or inhabitant of the levant.
Levee n. Us 1 embankment against river floods. 2 natural embankment built up by a river. 3 landing-place. [french levée past part. Of lever raise: related to *levy]
Level —n. 1 horizontal line or plane. 2 height or value reached; position on a real or imaginary scale (eye level; sugar level; danger level). 3 social, moral, or intellectual standard. 4 plane of rank or authority (talks at cabinet level). 5 instrument giving a line parallel to the plane of the horizon. 6 level surface. 7 flat tract of land. —adj. 1 flat and even; not bumpy. 2 horizontal. 3 (often foll. By with) a on the same horizontal plane as something else. B having equality with something else. 4 even, uniform, equable, or well-balanced. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) 1 make level. 2 raze. 3 (also absol.) Aim (a missile or gun). 4 (also absol.; foll. By at, against) direct (an accusation etc.). do one’s level best colloq. Do one’s utmost. Find one’s level reach the right social, intellectual, etc. Position. Level down bring down to a standard. Level off make or become level. Level out make or become level. Level up bring up to a standard. On the level 1 honestly,
without deception. 2 honest, truthful. On a level with 1 in the same horizontal plane as. 2 equal with. [latin diminutive of libra balance]
Level crossing n. Crossing of a railway and a road, or two railways, at the same level.
Leveler n. (brit. Leveller) 1 person who advocates the abolition of social distinctions. 2 person or thing that levels.
Level-headed adj. Mentally well-balanced, sensible. level-headedness n.
Leveller n. (us leveler) 1 person who advocates the abolition of social distinctions. 2 person or thing that levels.
Level pegging n. Equality of scores etc.
Lever —n. 1 bar resting on a pivot, used to prise. 2 bar pivoted about a fulcrum (fixed point) which can be acted upon by a force (effort) in order to move a load. 3 projecting handle moved to operate a mechanism. 4 means of exerting moral pressure. —v. 1 use a lever. 2 (often foll. By away, out, up, etc.) Lift, move, etc. With a lever. [latin levo raise]
Leverage n. 1 action or power of a lever. 2 power to accomplish a purpose.
Leveraged buyout n. Buyout in which outside capital is used to enable the
management to buy up the company.
Usage the pronunciation is american because the practice takes place mainly in the us.
Leveret n. Young hare, esp. One in its first year. [latin lepus lepor-hare]
Leviathan n. 1 bibl. Sea-monster. 2 very large or powerful thing. [latin from hebrew]
Levis n.pl. (also levi’s propr.) Type of (orig. Blue) denim jeans or overalls reinforced with rivets. [levi strauss, name of the manufacturer]
Levitate v. (-ting) 1 rise and float in the air (esp. With reference to spiritualism). 2 cause to do this. levitation n. [latin levis light, after *gravitate]
Levity n. Lack of serious thought, frivolity. [latin levis light]
Levy —v. (-ies, -ied) 1 impose or collect compulsorily (payment etc.). 2 enrol (troops etc.). 3 wage (war). —n. (pl. -ies) 1 a collecting of a contribution, tax, etc. B contribution etc. Levied. 2 a act of enrolling troops etc. B (in pl.) Troopsenrolled. [latin levo raise]
Lexical adj. 1 of the words of a language. 2 of or as of a lexicon. [greek lexikos, lexikon: see *lexicon]
Lexicography n. Compiling of dictionaries. lexicographer n. [from lexicon, – graphy]
Lexicon n. 1 dictionary, esp. Of greek, hebrew, syriac, or arabic. 2 vocabulary of a person etc. [greek lexis word]
Leyden jar n. Early capacitor consisting of a glass jar with layers of metal foil on the outside and inside. [leyden (now leiden) in holland]
Lf abbr. Low frequency.
Li symb. Lithium.
Liability n. (pl. -ies) 1 being liable. 2 troublesome responsibility; handicap. 3 (in pl.) Debts etc. For which one is liable.
Liable predic. Adj. 1 legally bound. 2 (foll. By to) subject to. 3 (foll. By to + infin.) Under an obligation. 4 (foll. By to) exposed or open to (something undesirable). 5 (foll. By to + infin.) Apt, likely (it is liable to rain). 6 (foll. By for) answerable. [french lier bind, from latin ligo]
Usage use of liable in sense 5, though common, is considered incorrect by some
people.
Liaise v. (-sing) (foll. By with, between) colloq. Establish cooperation, act as a link. [back-formation from *liaison]
Liaison n. 1 communication or cooperation. 2 illicit sexual relationship. [french lier bind: see *liable]
Liana n. Climbing plant of tropical forests. [french]
Liar n. Person who tells a lie or lies.
Lib. Abbr. Liberal.
Lib n. Colloq. (in names of political movements) liberation. [abbreviation]
Libation n. 1 pouring out of a drink-offering to a god. 2 such a drink-offering. [latin]
Libel —n. 1 law a published false statement that is damaging to a person’s reputation. B act of publishing this. 2 false and defamatory misrepresentation or statement. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) 1 defame by libellous statements. 2 law publish a libel against. libellous adj. [latin libellus diminutive of liber book]
Liberal —adj. 1 abundant, ample. 2 giving freely, generous. 3 open-minded. 4 not strict or rigorous. 5 for the general broadening of the mind (liberal studies). 6 a favouring moderate political and social reform. B (liberal) of or characteristic of liberals. —n. 1 person of liberal views. 2 (liberal) supporter or member of a liberal party. liberalism n. Liberality n. Liberally adv. [latin liber free]
Usage in the uk the name liberal was discontinued in official political use in 1988 when the party regrouped to form the social and liberal democrats. In 1989 this name was officially replaced by liberal democratic party.
Liberal democrat n. Member of the party formed from the liberal party and the social democratic party.
Usage see note at liberal.
Liberalize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) make or become more liberal or less strict. liberalization n.
Liberate v. (-ting) 1 (often foll. By from) set free. 2 free (a country etc.) From an oppressor or enemy. 3 (often as liberated adj.) Free (a person) from rigid social conventions. liberation n. Liberator n. [latin liberare liberat-from liber free]
Libertine —n. Licentious person, rake. —adj. Licentious. [latin, = freedman, from liber free]
Liberty n. (pl. -ies) 1 freedom from captivity etc. 2 right or power to do as one
pleases. 3 (usu. In pl.) Right or privilege granted by authority. at liberty 1 free. 2 (foll. By to + infin.) Permitted. Take liberties (often foll. By with) behave in an unduly familiar manner. [latin: related to *liberal]
Libidinous adj. Lustful. [latin: related to *libido]
Libido n. (pl. -s) psychic drive or energy, esp. That associated with sexual desire. libidinal adj. [latin, = lust]
Libra n. 1 constellation and seventh sign of the zodiac (the scales). 2 person born when the sun is in this sign. [latin, = pound weight]
Librarian n. Person in charge of or assisting in a library. librarianship n.
Library n. (pl. -ies) 1 collection of books. 2 room or building where these are kept. 3 a similar collection of films, records, computer routines, etc. B place where these are kept. 4 set of books issued in similar bindings. [latin liber book]
Libretto n. (pl. -ti or -s) text of an opera etc. librettist n. [italian, = little book]
Lice pl. Of *louse.
Licence n. (us license) 1 official permit to own or use something, do something, or carry on a trade. 2 permission. 3 liberty of action, esp. When excessive. 4 writer’s or artist’s deliberate deviation from fact, correct grammar, etc. (poetic licence). [latin licet it is allowed]
License1 n. (brit. Licence) 1 official permit to own or use something, do something, or carry on a trade. 2 permission. 3 liberty of action, esp. When excessive. 4 writer’s or artist’s deliberate deviation from fact, correct grammar, etc. (poetic licence). [latin licet it is allowed]
License2 v. (-sing) 1 grant a licence to. 2 authorize the use of (premises) for a certain purpose.
Licensee n. Holder of a licence, esp. To sell alcoholic liquor.
Licentiate n. Holder of a certificate of professional competence. [medieval latin:
related to *licence]
Licentious adj. Sexually promiscuous. [latin: related to *licence]
Lichee var. Of *lychee.
Lichen n. Plant composed of a fungus and an alga in association, growing on and colouring rocks, tree-trunks, etc. [greek leikhen]
Lich-gate n. (also lych-gate) roofed gateway to a churchyard where a coffin awaits the clergyman’s arrival. [from lich = corpse]
Licit adj. Formal permitted, lawful. [latin: related to *licence]
Licit adj. Formal permitted, lawful. [latin: related to *licence]
Lick —v. 1 pass the tongue over. 2 bring into a specified condition by licking (licked it all up; licked it clean). 3 (of a flame etc.) Play lightly over. 4 colloq. Defeat. 5 colloq. Thrash. —n. 1 act of licking with the tongue. 2 colloq. Fast pace (at a lick). 3 smart blow. lick a person’s boots be servile. Lick into shape make presentable or efficient. Lick one’s lips (or chops) look forward with relish. Lick one’s wounds be in retirement regaining strength etc. After defeat. [old english]
Lick and a promise n. Colloq. Hasty performance of a task, esp. Washing oneself.
Licorice var. Of *liquorice.
Lid n. 1 hinged or removable cover, esp. For a container. 2 = *eyelid. put the lid on colloq. 1 be the culmination of. 2 put a stop to. lidded adj. (also in comb.). [old english]
Lido n. (pl. -s) public open-air swimming-pool or bathing-beach. [lido, name of a beach near venice]
Lie1 —v. (lies; lying; past lay; past part. Lain) 1 be in or assume a horizontal position on a surface; be at rest on something. 2 (of a thing) rest flat on a surface. 3 remain undisturbed or undiscussed etc. (let matters lie). 4 a be kept, remain, or be in a specified state or place (lie hidden; lie in wait; books lay unread). B (of abstract things) exist; be in a certain position or relation (answer lies in education). 5 a be situated (village lay to the east). B be spread out to view. —n. Way, direction, or position in which a thing lies. lie down assume a lying
position; have a short rest. Lie down under accept (an insult etc.) Without protest. Lie in stay in bed late in the morning. Lie low 1 keep quiet or unseen. 2 be discreet about one’s intentions. Lie with be the responsibility of (a person) (decision lies with you). Take lying down (usu. With neg.) Accept (an insult etc.) Without protest. [old english]
Usage the transitive use of lie, meaning lay, as in lie her on the bed, is incorrect in standard english.
Lie2 —n. 1 intentionally false statement (tell a lie). 2 something that deceives. —v. (lies, lied, lying) 1 tell a lie or lies. 2 (of a thing) be deceptive. give the lie to show the falsity of (a supposition etc.). [old english]
Lied n. (pl. Lieder) german song, esp. Of the romantic period. [german]
Lie-detector n. Instrument supposedly determining whether a person is lying, by testing for certain physiological changes.
Lie-down n. Short rest.
Liege usu. Hist. —adj. Entitled to receive, or bound to give, feudal service or allegiance. —n. 1 (in full liege lord) feudal superior or sovereign. 2 (usu. In pl.) Vassal, subject. [medieval latin laeticus, probably from germanic]
Lie-in n. Prolonged stay in bed in the morning.
Lien n. Law right to hold another’s property until a debt on it is paid. [latin ligo
bind]
Lie of the land n. State of affairs.
Lieu n. in lieu 1 instead. 2 (foll. By of) in the place of. [latin locus place]
Lieut. Abbr. Lieutenant.
Lieutenant n. 1 a army officer next in rank below captain. B naval officer next in rank below lieutenant commander. 2 deputy. lieutenancy n. (pl. -ies). [french: related to *lieu place, *tenant holder]
Lieutenant colonel n. (also lieutenant commander or general) officers ranking next below colonel, commander, or general.
Life n. (pl. Lives) 1 capacity for growth, functional activity, and continual change until death. 2 living things and their activity (insect life; is there life on mars?). 3 a period during which life lasts, or the period from birth to the present time or from the present time to death (have done it all my life; will regret it all my life). B duration of a thing’s existence or ability to function. 4 a person’s state of existence as a living individual (sacrificed their lives). B living person (many lives were lost). 5 a individual’s actions or fortunes; manner of existence (start a new life). B particular aspect of this (private life). 6 business and pleasures of the world (in paris you really see life). 7 energy, liveliness (full of life). 8 biography. 9 colloq. = *life sentence. for dear (or one’s) life as if or in order to escape death. For life for the rest of one’s life. Not on your life colloq. Most certainly not. [old english]
Life assurance n. = *life insurance.
Lifebelt n. Buoyant belt for keeping a person afloat.
Lifeblood n. 1 blood, as being necessary to life. 2 vital factor or influence.
Lifeboat n. 1 special boat for rescuing those in distress at sea. 2 ship’s small boat for use in emergency.
Lifebuoy n. Buoyant support for keeping a person afloat.
Life cycle n. Series of changes in the life of an organism, including reproduction.
Lifeguard n. Expert swimmer employed to rescue bathers from drowning.
Life guards n.pl. Regiment of the royal household cavalry.
Life insurance n. Insurance for a sum to be paid after a set period or on the death of the insured person if earlier.
Life-jacket n. Buoyant jacket for keeping a person afloat.
Lifeless adj. 1 dead. 2 unconscious. 3 lacking movement or vitality. lifelessly adv. [old english]
Lifelike adj. Closely resembling life or the person or thing represented.
Lifeline n. 1 rope etc. Used for life-saving. 2 sole means of communication or transport.
Lifelong adj. Lasting a lifetime.
Life peer n. Peer whose title lapses on death.
Life-preserver n. 1 short stick with a heavily loaded end. 2 life-jacket etc.
Lifer n. Slang person serving a life sentence.
Life sciences n.pl. Biology and related subjects.
Life sentence n. Sentence of imprisonment for an indefinite period.
Life-size adj. (also -sized) of the same size as the person or thing represented.
Lifestyle n. Way of life of a person or group.
Life-support machine n. Respirator.
Lifetime n. Duration of a person’s life.
Lift —v. 1 (often foll. By up, off, out, etc.) Raise or remove to a higher position. 2 go up; be raised; yield to an upward force. 3 give an upward direction to (the eyes or face). 4 elevate to a higher plane of thought or feeling. 5 (of fog etc.) Rise, disperse. 6 remove (a barrier or restriction). 7 transport (supplies, troops, etc.) By air. 8 colloq. A steal. B plagiarize (a passage of writing etc.). 9 dig up (esp. Potatoes etc.). —n. 1 lifting or being lifted. 2 ride in another person’s vehicle (gave them a lift).
Lift-off n. Vertical take-off of a spacecraft or rocket.
Ligament n. Band of tough fibrous tissue linking bones. [latin ligo bind]
Ligature —n. 1 tie or bandage. 2 mus. Slur, tie. 3 two or more letters joined, e.g.
4 bond; thing that unites. —v. (-ring) bind or connect with a ligature. [latin ligo bind]
Usage sense 3 of this word is sometimes confused with digraph, which means ‘two separate letters together representing one sound’.
Light1 —n. 1 the natural agent (electromagnetic radiation) that stimulates sight and makes things visible. 2 the medium or condition of the space in which this is present (just enough light to see). 3 appearance of brightness (saw a distant light). 4 source of light, e.g. The sun, a lamp, fire, etc. 5 (often in pl.) Traffic-light. 6 a flame or spark serving to ignite. B device producing this. 7 aspect in which a thing is regarded (appeared in a new light). 8 a mental illumination. B spiritual illumination by divine truth. 9 vivacity etc. In a person’s face, esp. In the eyes. 10 eminent person (leading light). 11 bright parts of a picture etc. 12 window or opening in a wall to let light in. —v. (past lit; past part. Lit or lighted) (attrib.) 1 set burning; begin to burn. 2 (often foll. By up) provide with light or lighting; make prominent by means of light. 3 show (a person) the way or surroundings with a light. 4 (usu. Foll. By up) (of the face or eyes) brighten with animation, pleasure, etc. —adj. 1 well provided with light; not dark. 2 (of a colour) pale (light blue; light-blue ribbon). bring (or come) to light reveal or be revealed. In a good (or bad) light giving a favourable (or unfavourable) impression. In the light of taking account of. Light up 1 colloq. Begin to smoke a cigarette etc. 2 = sense 2 of v. 3 = sense 4 of v. lightish adj. [old english]
Light2 —adj. 1 not heavy. 2 a relatively low in weight, amount, density, intensity, etc. (light arms, traffic, metal, rain). B deficient in weight (light coin). 3 a carrying or suitable for small loads (light railway). B (of a ship) unladen. C carrying only light arms, armaments, etc. 4 (of food) easy to digest. 5 (of entertainment, music, etc.) Intended for amusement only; not profound. 6 (of sleep or a sleeper) easily disturbed. 7 easily borne or done (light duties). 8 nimble; quick-moving (light step; light rhythm). 9 (of a building etc.) Graceful, elegant. 10 a free from sorrow; cheerful (light heart). B giddy (light in the head). —adv. 1 in a light manner (tread light; sleep light). 2 with a minimum load (travel light). —v. (past and past part. Lit or lighted) (foll. By on, upon) come upon or find by chance. make light of treat as unimportant. lightish adj. Lightly adv. Lightness n. [old english]
Light-bulb n. Glass bulb containing an inert gas and a metal filament, providing light when an electric current is passed through it.
Lighten1 v. 1 a make or become lighter in weight. B reduce the weight or load of. 2 bring relief to (the mind etc.). 3 mitigate (a penalty).
Lighten2 v. 1 shed light on. 2 make or grow bright.
Lighter1 n. Device for lighting cigarettes etc.
Lighter2 n. Boat, usu. Flat-bottomed, for transferring goods from a ship to a wharf or another ship. [dutch: related to *light2 in the sense ‘unload’]
Lighter-than-air attrib. Adj. (of an aircraft) weighing less than the air it displaces.
Light-fingered adj. Given to stealing.
Light flyweight n. 1 amateur boxing weight up to 48 kg. 2 amateur boxer of this weight.
Light-footed adj. Nimble.
Light-headed adj. Giddy, delirious. light-headedness n.
Light heavyweight n. 1 weight in certain sports between middleweight and heavyweight, in amateur boxing 75–81 kg: also called *cruiserweight. 2 sportsman of this weight.
Lighthouse n. Tower etc. Containing a beacon light to warn or guide ships at sea.
Light industry n. Manufacture of small or light articles.
Lighting n. 1 equipment in a room or street etc. For producing light. 2 arrangement or effect of lights.
Lighting-up time n. Time after which vehicles must show the prescribed lights.
Light meter n. Instrument for measuring the intensity of the light, esp. To show the correct photographic exposure.
Light middleweight n. 1 weight in amateur boxing of 67–71 kg. 2 amateur boxer of this weight.
Lightning —n. Flash of bright light produced by an electric discharge between clouds or between clouds and the ground. —attrib. Adj. Very quick. [from *lighten2]
Lightning-conductor n. (also lightning-rod) metal rod or wire fixed to an exposed part of a building or to a mast to divert lightning into the earth or sea.
Lights n.pl. Lungs of sheep, pigs, etc., used as a food esp. For pets. [from light2:
cf. lung]
Lightship n. Moored or anchored ship with a beacon light.
Lightweight —adj. 1 of below average weight. 2 of little importance or influence. —n. 1 lightweight person, animal, or thing. 2 a weight in certain sports between featherweight and welterweight, in amateur boxing 57–60 kg. B sportsman of this weight.
Light welterweight n. 1 weight in amateur boxing of 60–63.5 kg. 2 amateur boxer of this weight.
Light-year n. Distance light travels in one year, nearly 6 million million miles.
Ligneous adj. 1 (of a plant) woody. 2 of the nature of wood. [latin lignum wood]
Lignite n. Brown coal of woody texture.
Lignum vitae n. A hardwooded tree. [latin, = wood of life]
Likable var. Of *likeable.
Like1 —adj. (more like, most like) 1 a having some or all of the qualities of another, each other, or an original. B resembling in some way, such as (good writers like dickens). 2 characteristic of (not like them to be late). 3 in a suitable state or mood for (felt like working; felt like a cup of tea). —prep. In the manner of; to the same degree as (drink like a fish; acted like an idiot). —adv. 1 slang so to speak (did a quick getaway, like). 2 colloq. Likely, probably (as like as not). —conj. Colloq. 1 as (cannot do it like you do). 2 as if (ate like they were starving). —n. 1 counterpart; equal; similar person or thing. 2 (prec. By the) thing or things of the same kind (will never do the like again). and the like and similar things. Like anything colloq. Very much, vigorously. The likes of colloq. A person such as. More like it colloq. Nearer what is required. What is he (or it etc.) Like? What sort of person is he (or thing is it etc.)? [old english]
Usage the use of like as a conjunction is considered incorrect by some people.
Like2 —v. (-king) 1 find agreeable or enjoyable. 2 a choose to have; prefer (like my tea weak). B wish for or be inclined to (would like a nap; should like to come). —n. (in pl.) Things one likes or prefers. [old english]
Usage the use of like as a conjunction is considered incorrect by some people.
Like2 —v. (-king) 1 find agreeable or enjoyable. 2 a choose to have; prefer (like my tea weak). B wish for or be inclined to (would like a nap; should like to come). —n. (in pl.) Things one likes or prefers. [old english]
-like comb. Form forming adjectives from nouns, meaning ‘similar to, characteristic of’ (doglike; shell-like; tortoise-like).
Usage in formations not generally current the hyphen should be used. It may be
omitted when the first element is of one syllable, unless it ends in -l.
Likeable adj. (also likable) pleasant; easy to like. likeably adv.
Likelihood n. Probability. in all likelihood very probably.
Likely —adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 probable; such as may well happen or be true. 2 to be reasonably expected (not likely to come now). 3 promising; apparently suitable (a likely spot). —adv. Probably. not likely! Colloq. Certainly not, i refuse. [old norse: related to *like1]
Like-minded adj. Having the same tastes, opinions, etc.
Liken v. (foll. By to) point out the resemblance of (a person or thing to another). [from *like1]
Likeness n. 1 (usu. Foll. By between, to) resemblance. 2 (foll. By of) semblance or guise (in the likeness of a ghost). 3 portrait, representation.
Likewise adv. 1 also, moreover. 2 similarly (do likewise).
Liking n. 1 what one likes; one’s taste (is it to your liking?). 2 (foll. By for) regard or fondness; taste or fancy.
Lilac —n. 1 shrub with fragrant pinkish-violet or white blossoms. 2 pale pinkish-violet colour. —adj. Of this colour. [persian]
Liliaceous adj. Of the lily family. [related to *lily]
Lilliputian —n. Diminutive person or thing. —adj. Diminutive. [lilliput in swift’s gulliver’s travels]
Lilo n. (also li-lo propr.) (pl. -s) type of inflatable mattress. [from lie low]
Lilt —n. 1 light springing rhythm. 2 tune with this. —v. (esp. As lilting adj.) Speak etc. With a lilt; have a lilt. [origin unknown]
Lily n. (pl. -ies) 1 bulbous plant with large trumpet-shaped flowers on a tall stem. 2 heraldic fleur-de-lis. [latin lilium]
Lily-livered adj. Cowardly.
Lily of the valley n. Plant with white bell-shaped fragrant flowers.
Lily white adj. & n. (as adj. Often hyphenated) pure white.
Limb1 n. 1 arm, leg, or wing. 2 large branch of a tree. 3 branch of a cross. out on a limb isolated. [old english]
a limb isolated. [old english]
Limb2 n. Specified edge of the sun, moon, etc. [latin limbus hem, border]
Limber1 —adj. 1 lithe. 2 flexible. —v. (usu. Foll. By up) 1 make (oneself or a part of the body etc.) Supple. 2 warm up in preparation for athletic etc. Activity. [origin uncertain]
Limber2 —n. Detachable front part of a gun-carriage. —v. Attach a limber to. [perhaps from latin limo -onis shaft]
Limber2 —n. Detachable front part of a gun-carriage. —v. Attach a limber to. [perhaps from latin limo -onis shaft]
Limbo1 n. (pl. -s) 1 (in some christian beliefs) supposed abode of the souls of unbaptized infants, and of the just who died before christ. 2 intermediate state or condition of awaiting a decision etc. [latin in limbo: related to *limb2]
Limbo2 n. (pl. -s) w. Indian dance in which the dancer bends backwards to pass under a horizontal bar which is progressively lowered. [w. Indian word, perhaps = *limber1]
Lime1 —n. 1 (in full quicklime) white substance (calcium oxide) obtained by heating limestone. 2 (in full slaked lime) calcium hydroxide obtained by reacting quicklime with water, used as a fertilizer and in making mortar. —v. (-ming) treat with lime. limy adj. (-ier, -iest). [old english]
Lime2 n. 1 a fruit like a lemon but green, rounder, smaller, and more acid. B tree
Lime2 n. 1 a fruit like a lemon but green, rounder, smaller, and more acid. B tree which produces this fruit. 2 (in full lime-green) yellowish-green colour. [french from arabic]
Lime3 n. (in full lime-tree) tree with heart-shaped leaves and fragrant creamy blossom. [alteration of line = old english lind = *linden]
Limekiln n. Kiln for heating limestone.
Limelight n. 1 intense white light used formerly in theatres. 2 (prec. By the) the glare of publicity.
Limerick n. Humorous five-line verse with a rhyme-scheme aabba. [origin uncertain]
Limestone n. Rock composed mainly of calcium carbonate.
Limey n. (pl. -s) us slang offens. British person (orig. A sailor) or ship. [from *lime2, because of the former enforced consumption of lime juice in the british navy]
Limit —n. 1 point, line, or level beyond which something does not or may not extend or pass. 2 greatest or smallest amount permissible. —v. (-t-) 1 set or serve as a limit to. 2 (foll. By to) restrict. be the limit colloq. Be intolerable. Within limits with some degree of freedom. limitless adj. [latin limes limit-boundary, frontier]
Limitation n. 1 limiting or being limited. 2 limit (of ability etc.) (often in pl.:
know one’s limitations). 3 limiting circumstance.
Limited adj. 1 confined within limits. 2 not great in scope or talents. 3 restricted to a few examples (limited edition). 4 (after a company name) being a limited company.
Limited company n. (also limited liability company) company whose owners are legally responsible only to a specified amount for its debts.
Limn v. Archaic paint. [french luminer from latin lumino *illuminate]
Limo n. (pl. -s) us colloq. Limousine. [abbreviation]
Limousine n. Large luxurious car. [french]
Limp1 —v. Walk or proceed lamely or awkwardly. —n. Lame walk. [perhaps from obsolete limphalt: related to *halt2]
Limp2 adj. 1 not stiff or firm. 2 without energy or will. limply adv. Limpness n. [perhaps from *limp1]
Limpet n. Marine gastropod with a conical shell, sticking tightly to rocks. [old english]
english]
Limpet mine n. Delayed action mine attached to a ship’s hull.
Limpid adj. Clear, transparent. limpidity n. [latin]
Linage n. 1 number of lines in printed or written matter. 2 payment by the line.
Linchpin n. 1 pin passed through an axle-end to keep a wheel in position. 2 person or thing vital to an organization etc. [old english lynis = axle-tree]
Linctus n. Syrupy medicine, esp. A soothing cough mixture. [latin lingo lick]
Linden n. Lime-tree. [old english lind(e)]
Line1 —n. 1 continuous mark made on a surface. 2 similar mark, esp. A furrow or wrinkle. 3 use of lines in art. 4 a straight or curved continuous extent of length without breadth. B track of a moving point. 5 contour or outline (has a slimming line). 6 a curve connecting all points having a specified common property. B (the line) the equator. 7 a limit or boundary.
Line2 v. (-ning) 1 cover the inside surface of (a garment, box, etc.) With a layer of usu. Different material. 2 serve as a lining for. 3 colloq. Fill, esp. Plentifully. [obsolete line linen used for linings]
Lineage n. Lineal descent; ancestry. [latin: related to *line1]
Lineal adj. 1 in the direct line of descent or ancestry. 2 linear. lineally adv.
Lineament n. (usu. In pl.) Distinctive feature or characteristic, esp. Of the face. [latin: related to *line1]
Linear adj. 1 of or in lines. 2 long and narrow and of uniform breadth. linearity n. Linearly adv.
Linear b n. Form of bronze age writing found in greece: an earlier undeciphered form (linear a) also exists.
Lineation n. Marking with or drawing of lines.
Line-drawing n. Drawing in which images are produced with lines.
Linen —n. 1 cloth woven from flax. 2 (collect.) Articles made or orig. Made of linen, as sheets, shirts, underwear, etc. —adj. Made of linen. [old english: related to latin linum flax]
Linen basket n. Basket for dirty washing.
Line of fire n. Expected path of gunfire etc.
Line of vision n. Straight line along which an observer looks.
Line-out n. (in rugby) parallel lines of opposing forwards at right angles to the touchline for the throwing in of the ball.
Line printer n. Machine that prints output from a computer a line at a time.
Liner1 n. Ship or aircraft etc. Carrying passengers on a regular line.
Liner2 n. Removable lining.
Linesman n. Umpire’s or referee’s assistant who decides whether a ball has fallen within the playing area or not.
Line-up n. 1 line of people for inspection. 2 arrangement of persons in a team, band, etc.
Ling1 n. (pl. Same) long slender marine fish. [probably dutch]
Ling2 n. Any of various heathers. [old norse]
-ling suffix 1 denoting a person or thing: a connected with (hireling). B having the property of being (weakling) or undergoing (starveling). 2 denoting a diminutive (duckling), often derogatory (lordling). [old english]
diminutive (duckling), often derogatory (lordling). [old english]
Linger v. 1 stay about. 2 (foll. By over, on, etc.) Dally (linger over dinner; lingered on the final note). 3 (esp. Of an illness) be protracted. 4 (often foll. By on) be slow in dying. [old english lengan: related to *long1]
Lingerie n. Women’s underwear and nightclothes. [french linge linen]
Lingo n. (pl. -s or -es) colloq. 1 foreign language. 2 vocabulary of a special subject or group. [probably from portuguese lingoa from latin lingua tongue]
Lingua franca n. (pl. Lingua francas) 1 language used in common by speakers with different native languages. 2 system for mutual understanding. [italian, = frankish tongue]
Lingual adj. 1 of or formed by the tongue. 2 of speech or languages. lingually adv. [latin lingua tongue, language]
Linguist n. Person skilled in languages or linguistics.
Linguistic adj. Of language or the study of languages. linguistically adv.
Linguistics n. The study of language and its structure.
Liniment n. Embrocation. [latin linio smear]
Lining n. Material which lines a surface etc.
Link —n. 1 one loop or ring of a chain etc. 2 a connecting part; one in a series. B state or means of connection. 3 cuff-link. —v. 1 (foll. By together, to, with) connect or join (two things or one to another). 2 clasp or intertwine (hands or arms). 3 (foll. By on, to, in to) be joined; attach oneself to (a system, company, etc.). link up (foll. By with) connect or combine. [old norse]
Linkage n. 1 linking or being linked, esp. The linking of quite different political issues in negotiations. 2 link or system of links.
Linkman n. Person providing continuity in a broadcast programme.
Links n.pl. (treated as sing. Or pl.) Golf-course. [old english, = rising ground]
Link-up n. Act or result of linking up.
Linnaean adj. Of linnaeus or his system of classifying plants and animals.
Usage this word is spelt linnean in linnean society.
Linnet n. Brown-grey finch. [french linette from lin flax, because it eats flax-
Linnet n. Brown-grey finch. [french linette from lin flax, because it eats flax-seed]
Lino n. (pl. -s) linoleum. [abbreviation]
Linocut n. 1 design carved in relief on a block of linoleum. 2 print made from this.
Linoleum n. Canvas-backed material thickly coated with a preparation of linseed oil and powdered cork etc., esp. As a floor covering. [latin linum flax, oleum oil]
Linseed n. Seed of flax. [old english: related to *line1]
Linseed oil n. Oil extracted from linseed and used in paint and varnish.
Linsey-woolsey n. Fabric of coarse wool woven on a cotton warp. [probably from lindsey in suffolk + *wool]
Lint n. 1 linen or cotton with a raised nap on one side, used for dressing wounds. 2 fluff. [perhaps from french linette from lin flax]
Lintel n. Horizontal timber, stone, etc., across the top of a door or window. [french: related to *limit]
Lion n. 1 (fem. Lioness) large tawny flesh-eating wild cat of africa and s. Asia. 2 (the lion) zodiacal sign or constellation leo. 3 brave or celebrated person. [latin leo]
Lion-heart n. Courageous person. lion-hearted adj.
Lionize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) treat as a celebrity.
Lion’s share n. Largest or best part.
Lip —n. 1 either of the two fleshy parts forming the edges of the mouth-opening. 2 edge of a cup, vessel, etc., esp. The part shaped for pouring from. 3 colloq. Impudent talk. —v. (-pp-) 1 touch with the lips; apply the lips to. 2 touch lightly. lipped adj. (also in comb.). [old english]
Lipid n. Any of a group of fatlike substances that are insoluble in water but soluble in organic solvents, including fatty acids, oils, waxes, and steroids. [greek lipos fat]
Liposuction n. Technique in cosmetic surgery for removing excess fat from under the skin by suction.
Lip-read v. Understand (speech) from observing a speaker’s lip-movements.
Lip-service n. Insincere expression of support etc.
Lipstick n. Stick of cosmetic for colouring the lips.
Liquefy v. (-ies, -ied) make or become liquid. liquefaction n. [latin: related to *liquid]
Liqueur n. Any of several strong sweet alcoholic spirits. [french]
Liquid —adj. 1 having a consistency like that of water or oil, flowing freely but of constant volume. 2 having the qualities of water in appearance. 3 (of sounds) clear and pure. 4 (of assets) easily converted into cash. —n. 1 liquid substance. 2 phonet. Sound of l or r. [latin liqueo be liquid]
Liquidate v. (-ting) 1 wind up the affairs of (a firm) by ascertaining liabilities and apportioning assets. 2 pay off (a debt). 3 wipe out, kill. liquidator n. [medieval latin: related to *liquid]
Liquidation n. Liquidating, esp. Of a firm. go into liquidation (of a firm etc.) Be wound up and have its assets apportioned.
Liquid crystal n. Turbid liquid with some order in its molecular arrangement.
Liquid crystal display n. Visual display in electronic devices, in which the reflectivity of a matrix of liquid crystals changes as a signal is applied.
Liquidity n. (pl. -ies) 1 state of being liquid. 2 availability of liquid assets.
Liquidize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) reduce to a liquid state.
Liquidizer n. (also -iser) machine for liquidizing foods.
Liquor n. 1 alcoholic (esp. Distilled) drink. 2 other liquid, esp. That produced in cooking. [latin: related to *liquid]
Liquorice n. (also licorice) 1 black root extract used as a sweet and in medicine. 2 plant from which it is obtained. [greek glukus sweet, rhiza root]
Lira n. (pl. Lire pronunc. Same or) 1 chief monetary unit of italy. 2 chief monetary unit of turkey. [latin libra pound]
Lisle n. Fine cotton thread for stockings etc. [lille in france]
Lisp —n. Speech defect in which s is pronounced like th in thick and z is pronounced like th in this. —v. Speak or utter with a lisp. [old english]
Lissom adj. Lithe, agile. [ultimately from *lithe]
List1 —n. 1 number of items, names, etc., written or printed together as a record or aid to memory. 2 (in pl.) A palisades enclosing an area for a tournament. B scene of a contest. —v. 1 make a list of. 2 enter in a list. 3 (as listed adj.) A (of securities) approved for dealings on the stock exchange. B (of a building) of
securities) approved for dealings on the stock exchange. B (of a building) of historical importance and officially protected. enter the lists issue or accept a challenge. [old english]
List2 —v. (of a ship etc.) Lean over to one side. —n. Process or instance of listing. [origin unknown]
Listen v. 1 a make an effort to hear something. B attentively hear a person speaking. 2 (foll. By to) a give attention with the ear. B take notice of; heed. 3 (also listen out) (often foll. By for) seek to hear by waiting alertly. listen in 1 tap a telephonic communication. 2 use a radio receiving set. [old english]
Listener n. 1 person who listens. 2 person who listens to the radio.
Listeria n. Any of several bacteria infecting humans and animals eating contaminated food. [lister, name of a surgeon]
Listless adj. Lacking energy or enthusiasm. listlessly adv. Listlessness n. [from obsolete list inclination]
List price n. Price of something as shown in a published list.
Lit past and past part. Of *light1, *light2.
Litany n. (pl. -ies) 1 a series of supplications to god recited by a priest etc. With set responses by the congregation. B (the litany) that in the book of common prayer. 2 tedious recital (litany of woes). [greek litaneia prayer]
Litchi var. Of *lychee.
Liter n. (brit. Litre) metric unit of capacity equal to 1 cubic decimetre (1.76 pints). [greek litra]
Literacy n. Ability to read and write. [latin littera letter]
Literal —adj. 1 taking words in their basic sense without metaphor or allegory. 2 corresponding exactly to the original words (literal translation). 3 prosaic; matter-of-fact. 4 so called without exaggeration (literal bankruptcy). 5 of a letter or the letters of the alphabet. —n. Misprint. literally adv. [latin littera letter]
Literalism n. Insistence on a literal interpretation; adherence to the letter.
literalist n.
Literary adj. 1 of or concerned with books or literature etc. 2 (of a word or idiom) used chiefly by writers; formal. literariness n. [latin: related to *letter]
Literate —adj. Able to read and write; educated. —n. Literate person.
Literati n.pl. The class of learned people.
Literature n. 1 written works, esp. Those valued for form and style. 2 writings of
a country or period or on a particular subject. 3 literary production. 4 colloq.
Printed matter, leaflets, etc.
Lithe adj. Flexible, supple. [old english]
Lithium n. Soft silver-white metallic element. [greek lithion from lithos stone]
Lithography n. Process of printing from a plate so treated that ink adheres only to the design to be printed. lithographer n. Lithographic adj. Lithographically adv.
Lithuanian —n. 1 a native or national of lithuania in eastern europe. B person of lithuanian descent. 2 language of lithuania. —adj. Of lithuania, its people, or language.
Litigant —n. Party to a lawsuit. —adj. Engaged in a lawsuit. [related to *litigate]
Litigate v. (-ting) 1 go to law. 2 contest (a point) at law. litigation n. Litigator n. [latin lis lit-lawsuit]
Litigious adj. 1 fond of litigation. 2 contentious. [latin: related to *litigate]
Litmus n. Dye from lichens, turned red by acid and blue by alkali. [old norse, = dye-moss]
Litmus paper n. Paper stained with litmus, used to test for acids or alkalis.
Litmus test n. Colloq. Real or ultimate test.
Litotes n. (pl. Same) ironic understatement, esp. Using the negative (e.g. I shan’t be sorry for i shall be glad). [greek litos plain, meagre]
Litre n. (us liter) metric unit of capacity equal to 1 cubic decimetre (1.76 pints). [greek litra]
Litt.d. Abbr. Doctor of letters. [latin litterarum doctor]
Litter —n. 1 a refuse, esp. Paper, discarded in a public place. B odds and ends lying about. 2 young animals brought forth at one birth. 3 vehicle containing a couch and carried on men’s shoulders or by animals. 4 a kind of stretcher for the sick and wounded. 5 straw etc., as bedding for animals. 6 granulated material for use as an animal’s, esp. A cat’s, toilet indoors. —v. 1 make (a place) untidy with refuse. 2 give birth to (whelps etc.). 3 a provide (a horse etc.) With litter as bedding. B spread straw etc. On (a stable-floor etc.). [latin lectus bed]
Litterbug n. Colloq. Person who drops litter in the street etc.
Litter-lout n. Colloq. = *litterbug.
Little —adj. (littler, littlest; less or lesser, least) 1 small in size, amount, degree, etc.; often used affectionately or condescendingly (friendly little chap; silly little fool). 2 a short in stature. B of short distance or duration. 3 (prec. By a) a certain though small amount of (give me a little butter). 4 trivial (questions every little thing).
Little bear see *bear2.
Little by little adv. By degrees; gradually.
Little end n. The smaller end of a connecting-rod, attached to the piston.
Little grebe n. Small water-bird of the grebe family.
Little people n.pl. (prec. By the) fairies.
Little woman n. (prec. By the) colloq. Often derog. One’s wife.
Littoral —adj. Of or on the shore. —n. Region lying along a shore. [latin litus litor-shore]
litor-shore]
Liturgy n. (pl. -ies) 1 prescribed form of public worship. 2 (the liturgy) the book of common prayer. liturgical adj. Liturgically adv. [greek leitourgia public worship]
Livable var. Of *liveable.
Live1 v. (-ving) 1 have life; be or remain alive. 2 have one’s home (lives up the road). 3 (foll. By on) subsist or feed (lives on fruit). 4 (foll. By on, off) depend for subsistence (lives off the state; lives on a pension). 5 (foll. By on, by) sustain one’s position (live on their reputation; lives by his wits). 6 a spend or pass (lived a full life). B express in one’s life (lives his faith). 7 conduct oneself, arrange one’s habits, etc., in a specified way (live quietly). 8 (often foll. By on) (of a person or thing) survive; remain (memory lived on). 9 enjoy life to the full (not really living). live and let live condone others’ failings so as to be similarly tolerated. Live down cause (past guilt, a scandal, etc.) To be forgotten by blameless conduct thereafter. Live for regard as one’s life’s purpose (lives for her music). Live in (or out) reside on (or off) the premises of one’s work. Live it up colloq. Live gaily and extravagantly. Live a lie keep up a pretence. Live together (esp. Of a couple not married to each other) share a home and have a sexual relationship. Live up to fulfil. Live with 1 share a home with. 2 tolerate. [old english]
Live2 —adj. 1 (attrib.) That is alive; living. 2 (of a broadcast, performance, etc.) Heard or seen at the time of its performance or with an audience present. 3 of current interest or importance (a live issue). 4 glowing, burning (live coals). 5 (of a match, bomb, etc.) Not yet kindled or exploded. 6 (of a wire etc.) Charged with or carrying electricity. —adv. 1 in order to make a live broadcast (going live now to the house of commons). 2 as a live performance etc. (show went out live). [from *alive]
Liveable adj. (also livable) 1 colloq. (usu. Liveable-in) (of a house etc.) Fit to live in. 2 (of a life) worth living. 3 colloq. (usu. Liveable-with) (of a person) easy to live with.
Lived-in adj. 1 (of a room etc.) Showing signs of habitation. 2 colloq. (of a face) marked by experience.
Live-in attrib. Adj. (of a sexual partner, employee, etc.) Cohabiting; resident.
Livelihood n. Means of living; job, income. [old english: related to *life]
Livelong adj. In its entire length (the livelong day). [from obsolete lief, assimilated to *live1]
Lively adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 full of life; vigorous, energetic. 2 vivid (lively imagination). 3 cheerful. 4 joc. Exciting, dangerous (made things lively for him). liveliness n. [old english]
Liven v. (often foll. By up) colloq. Make or become lively, cheer up.
Liver1 n. 1 large glandular organ in the abdomen of vertebrates. 2 liver of some animals as food. [old english]
Liver2 n. Person who lives in a specified way (a fast liver).
Liveried adj. Wearing livery.
Liverish adj. 1 suffering from a liver disorder. 2 peevish, glum.
Liverpudlian —n. Native of liverpool. —adj. Of liverpool. [liverpool in nw england]
Liver sausage n. Sausage of cooked liver etc.
Liverwort n. Small mosslike or leafless plant sometimes lobed like a liver.
Livery n. (pl. -ies) 1 distinctive uniform of a member of a city company or of a servant. 2 distinctive guise or marking (birds in their winter livery). 3 distinctive colour scheme in which a company’s vehicles etc. Are painted. at livery (of a horse) kept for the owner for a fixed charge. [anglo-french liveré, past part. Of livrer *deliver]
Livery stable n. Stable where horses are kept at livery or let out for hire.
Lives pl. Of *life.
Livestock n. (usu. Treated as pl.) Animals on a farm, kept for use or profit.
Live wire n. Spirited person.
Livid adj. 1 colloq. Furious. 2 of a bluish leaden colour (livid bruise). [latin]
Living —n. 1 being alive (that’s what living is all about). 2 livelihood. 3 position held by a clergyman, providing an income. —adj. 1 contemporary; now alive. 2 (of a likeness) exact, lifelike. 3 (of a language) still in vernacular use. within living memory within the memory of people still alive.
Living-room n. Room for general day use.
Living wage n. Wage on which one can live without privation.
Lizard n. Reptile with usu. A long body and tail, four legs, and a rough or scaly hide. [latin lacertus]
Lj abbr. (pl. L jj) lord justice.
‘Ll v. (usu. After pronouns) shall, will (i’ll; that’ll). [abbreviation]
Llama n. S. American ruminant kept as a beast of burden and for its soft woolly fleece. [spanish from quechua]
Ll b abbr. Bachelor of laws. [latin legum baccalaureus]
Ll d abbr. Doctor of laws. [latin legum doctor]
Ll m abbr. Master of laws. [latin legum magister]
Lloyd’s n. Incorporated society of underwriters in london. [lloyd, proprietor of the coffee-house where the society originally met]
Lloyd’s list n. Daily publication devoted to shipping news.
Lloyd’s register n. Annual classified list of all ships.
Ln abbr. Natural logarithm.
Lo int. Archaic look. lo and behold joc. Formula introducing mention of a surprising fact. [old english]
Loach n. (pl. Same or -es) small freshwater fish. [french]
Load —n. 1 a what is carried or to be carried. B amount usu. Or actually carried
(often in comb.: lorry-load of bricks). 2 burden or commitment of work, responsibility, care, etc. 3 colloq. A (in pl.; often foll. By of) plenty, a lot (loads of money, people). B (a load of) a quantity (a load of nonsense). 4 amount of power carried by an electric circuit or supplied by a generating station. —v. 1 a put a load on or aboard. B place (a load) aboard a ship, on a vehicle, etc. 2 (often foll. By up) (of a vehicle or person) take a load aboard. 3 (often foll. By with) burden, strain (loaded with food). 4 (also load up) (foll. By with) overburden, overwhelm (loaded us with work, with abuse). 5 a put ammunition in (a gun), film in (a camera), a cassette in (a tape recorder), a program in (a computer), etc. B put (a film, cassette, etc.) Into a device. 6 give a bias to. get a load of slang take note of. [old english, = way]
Loaded adj. 1 slang a rich. B drunk. C us drugged. 2 (of dice etc.) Weighted. 3 (of a question or statement) carrying some hidden implication.
Loader n. 1 loading-machine. 2 (in comb.) Gun, machine, lorry, etc., loaded in a specified way (breech-loader; front-loader). -loading adj. (in comb.) (in sense 2).
Load line n. = *plimsoll line.
Loadstone var. Of *lodestone.
Loaf1 n. (pl. Loaves) 1 unit of baked bread, usu. Of a standard size or shape. 2 other food made in the shape of a loaf and cooked. 3 slang head as the seat of common sense. [old english]
Loaf2 v. (often foll. By about, around) spend time idly; hang about. [back-formation from *loafer]
Loathe v. (-thing) detest, hate. loathing n. [old english]
Loathsome adj. Arousing hatred or disgust; repulsive.
Loaves pl. Of *loaf1.
Lob —v. (-bb-) hit or throw (a ball etc.) Slowly or in a high arc. —n. Such a ball. [probably low german or dutch]
Lobar adj. Of a lobe, esp. Of the lung (lobar pneumonia).
Lobate adj. Having a lobe or lobes.
Lobby —n. (pl. -ies) 1 porch, ante-room, entrance-hall, or corridor. 2 a (in the house of commons) large hall used esp. For interviews between mps and the public. B (also division lobby) each of two corridors to which mps retire to vote. 3 a body of lobbyists (anti-abortion lobby). B organized rally of lobbying members of the public. 4 (prec. By the) group of journalists who receive unattributable briefings from the government (lobby correspondent). —v. (-ies, – ied) 1 solicit the support of (an influential person). 2 (of members of the public) inform in order to influence (legislators, an mp, etc.). 3 frequent a parliamentary lobby. [latin lobia lodge]
Lobbyist n. Person who lobbies an mp etc., esp. Professionally.
Lobe n. 1 lower soft pendulous part of the outer ear. 2 similar part of other organs, esp. The brain, liver, and lung. lobed adj. [greek lobos lobe, pod]
Lobelia n. Plant with bright, esp. Blue, flowers. [lobel, name of a botanist]
Lobotomy n. (pl. -ies) incision into the frontal lobe of the brain, formerly used in some cases of mental disorder. [from *lobe]
Lobscouse n. Sailor’s dish of meat stewed with vegetables and ship’s biscuit. [origin unknown]
Lobster n. 1 marine crustacean with two pincer-like claws. 2 its flesh as food. [latin locusta lobster, *locust]
Lobster-pot n. Basket for trapping lobsters.
Lobworm n. Large earthworm used as fishing-bait. [from *lob in obsolete sense ‘pendulous object’]
Local —adj. 1 belonging to, existing in, or peculiar to a particular place (local history). 2 of the neighbourhood (local paper). 3 of or affecting a part and not the whole (local anaesthetic). 4 (of a telephone call) to a nearby place and charged at a lower rate. —n. 1 inhabitant of a particular place. 2 (often prec. By the) colloq. Local public house. 3 local anaesthetic. locally adv. [latin locus place]
Local authority n. Administrative body in local government.
Local colour n. Touches of detail in a story etc. Designed to provide a realistic background.
Locale n. Scene or locality of an event or occurrence. [french local]
Local government n. System of administration of a county, district, parish, etc., by the elected representatives of those who live there.
Locality n. (pl. -ies) 1 district. 2 site or scene of a thing. 3 thing’s position. [latin:
related to *local]
related to *local]
Localize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 restrict or assign to a particular place. 2 invest with the characteristics of a particular place. 3 decentralize.
Local time n. Time in a particular place.
Local train n. Train stopping at all the stations on its route.
Locate v. (-ting) 1 discover the exact place of. 2 establish in a place; situate. 3 state the locality of. [latin: related to *local]
Usage in standard english, it is not acceptable to use locate to mean merely ‘find’ as in can’t locate my key.
Location n. 1 particular place. 2 locating. 3 natural, not studio, setting for a film etc. (filmed on location).
Loc. Cit. Abbr. In the passage cited. [latin loco citato]
Loch n. Scot. Lake or narrow inlet of the sea. [gaelic]
Loci pl. Of *locus.
Lock1 —n. 1 mechanism for fastening a door etc., with a bolt that requires a key of a particular shape to work it. 2 confined section of a canal or river within sluice-gates, for moving boats from one level to another. 3 a turning of a vehicle’s front wheels. B (in full full lock) maximum extent of this. 4 interlocked or jammed state. 5 wrestling-hold that keeps an opponent’s limb fixed. 6 (in full lock forward) player in the second row of a rugby scrum. 7 mechanism for exploding the charge of a gun. —v. 1 a fasten with a lock. B (foll. By up) shut (a house etc.) Thus. C (of a door etc.) Be lockable. 2 a (foll. By up, in, into) enclose (a person or thing) by locking. B (foll. By up) colloq. Imprison (a person). 3 (often foll. By up, away) store inaccessibly (capital locked up in land). 4 (foll. By in) hold fast (in sleep, an embrace, a struggle, etc.). 5 (usu. In passive) (of land, hills, etc.) Enclose. 6 make or become rigidly fixed. 7 (cause to) jam or catch. lock on to (of a missile etc.) Automatically find and then track (a target). Lock out 1 keep out by locking the door. 2 (of an employer) subject (employees) to a lockout. Under lock and key locked up. lockable adj. [old english]
Lock2 n. 1 portion of hair that hangs together. 2 (in pl.) The hair of the head (golden locks). [old english]
Locker n. (usu. Lockable) cupboard or compartment, esp. For public use.
Locket n. Small ornamental case for a portrait or lock of hair, worn on a chain round the neck. [french diminutive of loc latch, *lock1]
Lockjaw n. Form of tetanus in which the jaws become rigidly closed.
Lock-keeper n. Person in charge of a river or canal lock.
Lockout n. Employer’s exclusion of employees from the workplace until certain
terms are agreed to.
Locksmith n. Maker and mender of locks.
Lock, stock, and barrel adv. Completely.
Lock-up —n. 1 house or room for the temporary detention of prisoners. 2 premises that can be locked up, esp. A small shop. —attrib. Adj. That can be locked up (lock-up garage).
Loco1 n. (pl. -s) colloq. Locomotive engine. [abbreviation]
Loco2 predic. Adj. Slang crazy. [spanish]
Locomotion n. Motion or the power of motion from place to place. [latin *locus, *motion]
Locomotive —n. Engine for pulling trains. —adj. Of, having, or effecting locomotion.
Locum tenens n. (pl. Locum tenentes) (also colloq. Locum) deputy acting esp. For a doctor or clergyman. [latin, = (one) holding a place]
Locus n. (pl. Loci) 1 position or locality. 2 line or curve etc. Formed by all the points satisfying certain conditions, or by the defined motion of a point, line, or surface. [latin, = place]
Locus classicus n. (pl. Loci classici) best known or most authoritative passage on a subject. [latin: related to *locus]
Locust n. African or asian grasshopper migrating in swarms and consuming all vegetation. [latin locusta locust, *lobster]
Locution n. 1 word, phrase, or idiom. 2 style of speech. [latin loquor locut-speak]
Lode n. Vein of metal ore. [var. Of *load]
Lodestar n. 1 star used as a guide in navigation, esp. The pole star. 2 a guiding principle. B object of pursuit. [from *lode in obsolete sense ‘way, journey’]
Lodestone n. (also loadstone) 1 magnetic oxide of iron. 2 a piece of this used as a magnet. B thing that attracts.
Lodge —n. 1 small house at the entrance to a park or grounds of a large house, occupied by a gatekeeper etc. 2 small house used in the sporting seasons (hunting lodge). 3 porter’s room at the gate of a college, factory, etc. 4 members or meeting-place of a branch of a society such as the freemasons. 5 beaver’s or otter’s lair. —v. (-ging) 1 a reside or live, esp. As a lodger. B provide with temporary accommodation. 2 submit or present (a complaint etc.) For attention. 3 become fixed or caught; stick. 4 deposit (money etc.) For security. 5 (foll. By
in, with) place (power etc.) In a person. [french loge: related to *leaf]
Lodger n. Person paying for accommodation in another’s house.
Lodging n. 1 temporary accommodation (a lodging for the night). 2 (in pl.) Room or rooms rented for lodging in.
Loess n. Deposit of fine wind-blown soil, esp. In the basins of large rivers. [swiss german, = loose]
Loft —n. 1 attic. 2 room over a stable. 3 gallery in a church or hall. 4 pigeon-house. 5 backward slope on the face of a golf-club. 6 lofting stroke. —v. Send (a ball etc.) High up. [old english, = air, upper room]
Log1 —n. 1 unhewn piece of a felled tree; any large rough piece of wood, esp. Cut for firewood. 2 hist. Floating device for gauging a ship’s speed. 3 record of events occurring during the voyage of a ship or aircraft. 4 any systematic record of deeds, experiences, etc. 5 = *logbook. —v. (-gg-) 1 a enter (a ship’s speed, or other transport details) in a logbook. B enter (data etc.) In a regular record. 2 attain (a distance, speed, etc., thus recorded) (had logged over 600 miles). 3 cut into logs. log in = log on. Log on (or off) open (or close) one’s online access to a computer system. Sleep like a log sleep soundly. [origin unknown]
Log2 n. Logarithm. [abbreviation]
Logan n. (in full logan-stone) poised heavy stone rocking at a touch. [= (dial.) Logging, = rocking]
Loganberry n. (pl. -ies) dark red fruit, hybrid of a blackberry and a raspberry. [logan, name of a horticulturalist]
Logarithm n. One of a series of arithmetic exponents tabulated to simplify computation by making it possible to use addition and subtraction instead of multiplication and division. logarithmic adj. Logarithmically adv. [greek logos reckoning, arithmos number]
Logbook n. 1 book containing a detailed record or log. 2 vehicle registration document.
Log cabin n. Hut built of logs.
Logger n. Us lumberjack.
Loggerhead n. at loggerheads (often foll. By with) disagreeing or disputing. [probably dial. From logger wooden block]
Loggia n. Open-sided gallery or arcade. [italian, = *lodge]
Logging n. Work of cutting and preparing forest timber.
Logic n. 1 a science of reasoning. B particular system or method of reasoning. 2 a chain of reasoning (regarded as sound or unsound). B use of or ability in argument. 3 inexorable force, compulsion, or consequence (the logic of events). 4 a principles used in designing a computer etc. B circuits using this. logician n. [related to *-logic]
-logic comb. Form (also -logical) forming adjectives corresponding esp. To nouns in -logy (pathological; zoological). [greek -logikos]
Logical adj. 1 of or according to logic (the logical conclusion). 2 correctly reasoned. 3 defensible or explicable on the ground of consistency. 4 capable of correct reasoning. logicality n. Logically adv. [greek logos word, reason]
-logist comb. Form forming nouns meaning ‘person skilled in -logy’ (geologist).
Logistics n.pl. 1 organization of (orig. Military) services and supplies. 2 organization of any complex operation. logistic adj. Logistical adj. Logistically adv. [french loger lodge]
Log-jam n. Deadlock.
Logo n. (pl. -s) emblem of an organization used in its display material etc. [abbreviation of logotype from greek logos word]
-logy comb. Form forming nouns denoting: 1 a subject of study (biology). 2
speech or discourse or a characteristic of this (trilogy; tautology; phraseology). [greek -logia from logos word]
Loin n. 1 (in pl.) Side and back of the body between the ribs and the hip-bones. 2 joint of meat from this part of an animal. [french loigne from latin lumbus]
Loincloth n. Cloth worn round the hips, esp. As a sole garment.
Loiter v. 1 stand about idly; linger. 2 go slowly with frequent stops. loiter with intent linger in order to commit a felony. loiterer n. [dutch]
Loll v. 1 stand, sit, or recline in a lazy attitude. 2 hang loosely. [imitative]
Lollipop n. Hard sweet on a stick. [origin uncertain]
Lollipop man n. (also lollipop lady) colloq. Warden using a circular sign on a pole to stop traffic for children to cross the road.
Lollop v. (-p-) colloq. 1 flop about. 2 move in ungainly bounds. [probably from *loll, *trollop]
Lolly n. (pl. -ies) 1 colloq. Lollipop. 2 = *ice lolly. 3 slang money. [abbreviation]
Londoner n. Native or inhabitant of london.
London pride n. Pink-flowered saxifrage.
Lone attrib. Adj. 1 solitary; without companions. 2 isolated. 3 unmarried, single (lone parent). [from *alone]
Lone hand n. 1 hand played or player playing against the rest at cards. 2 person or action without allies.
Lonely adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 without companions (lonely existence). 2 sad because of this. 3 unfrequented, isolated, uninhabited. loneliness n.
Lonely hearts n.pl. People seeking friendship or marriage through a newspaper column, club, etc.
Loner n. Person or animal that prefers to be alone.
Lonesome adj. Esp. Us 1 lonely. 2 making one feel forlorn (a lonesome song).
Lone wolf n. Loner.
Long1 —adj. (longer; longest) 1 measuring much from end to end in space or time. 2 (following a measurement) in length or duration (2 metres long; two
time. 2 (following a measurement) in length or duration (2 metres long; two months long). 3 a consisting of many items (a long list). B seemingly more than the stated amount; tedious (ten long miles). 4 of elongated shape. 5 lasting or reaching far back or forward in time (long friendship). 6 far-reaching; acting at a distance; involving a great interval or difference. 7 (of a vowel or syllable) having the greater of the two recognized durations. 8 (of odds or a chance) reflecting a low level of probability. 9 (of stocks) bought in large quantities in advance, with the expectation of a rise in price. 10 (foll. By on) colloq. Well supplied with. —n. Long interval or period (will not take long; won’t be long). —adv. (longer; longest) 1 by or for a long time (long before; long ago). 2 (following nouns of duration) throughout a specified time (all day long). 3 (in compar.) After an implied point of time (shall not wait any longer). as (or so) long as provided that. Before long soon. In the long run (or term) eventually, ultimately. The long and the short of it 1 all that need be said. 2 the eventual outcome. Not by a long shot (or chalk) by no means. longish adj. [old english]
Long2 v. (foll. By for or to + infin.) Have a strong wish or desire for. [old english, = seem *long1 to]
Long. Abbr. Longitude.
Longboat n. Sailing-ship’s largest boat.
Longbow n. Bow drawn by hand and shooting a long feathered arrow.
Long-distance —attrib. Adj.travelling or operating between distant places. — adv. Between distant places (phone long-distance).
Long division n. Division of numbers with details of the calculations written down.
Long-drawn adj. (also long-drawn-out) prolonged.
Longeron n. Longitudinal member of a plane’s fuselage. [french]
Longevity n. Formal long life. [latin longus long, aevum age]
Long face n. Dismal expression.
Longhand n. Ordinary handwriting.
Long haul n. 1 transport over a long distance. 2 prolonged effort or task.
Longing —n. Intense desire. —adj. Having or showing this. longingly adv.
Long in the tooth predic. Adj. Colloq. Old.
Longitude n. 1 angular distance east or west from a standard meridian such as greenwich to the meridian of any place. 2 angular distance of a celestial body, esp. Along the ecliptic. [latin longitudo length, from longus long]
Longitudinal adj. 1 of or in length. 2 running lengthwise. 3 of longitude.
longitudinally adv.
longitudinally adv.
Long johns n.pl. Colloq. Long underpants.
Long jump n. Athletic contest of jumping as far as possible along the ground in one leap.
Long-life adj. (of milk etc.) Treated to prolong its period of usability.
Long-lived adj. Having a long life; durable.
Long-lost attrib. Adj. That has been lost for a long time.
Long-playing adj. (of a gramophone record) playing for about 20–30 minutes on each side.
Long-range adj. 1 having a long range. 2 relating to a period of time far into the future (long-range weather forecast).
Long-running adj. Continuing for a long time (a long-running musical).
Longshore attrib. Adj. 1 existing on or frequenting the shore. 2 directed along the shore. [from along shore]
Longshoreman n. Us docker.
Long shot n. 1 wild guess or venture. 2 bet at long odds.
Long sight n. Ability to see clearly only what is comparatively distant.
Long-sighted adj. 1 having long sight. 2 far-sighted. long-sightedness n.
Long-term adj. Of or for a long period of time (long-term plans).
Long wave n. Radio wave of frequency less than 300 khz.
Longways adv. (also longwise) = *lengthways.
Long-winded adj. (of a speech or writing) tediously lengthy.
Loo n. Colloq. Lavatory. [origin uncertain]
Loofah n. Rough bath-sponge made from the dried pod of a type of gourd. [arabic]
Look —v. 1 a (often foll. By at, down, up, etc.) Use one’s sight; turn one’s eyes in some direction. B turn one’s eyes on; examine (looked me in the eyes; looked us up and down). 2 a make a visual or mental search (i’ll look in the morning). B (foll. By at) consider, examine (must look at the facts). 3 (foll. By for) search for, seek, be on the watch for. 4 inquire (when one looks deeper). 5 have a specified appearance; seem (look a fool; future looks bleak). 6 (foll. By to) a consider; be concerned about (look to the future). B rely on (look to me for support). 7 (foll. By into) investigate. 8 (foll. By what, where, whether, etc.) Ascertain or observe by sight. 9 (of a thing) face some direction. 10 indicate (emotion etc.) By one’s looks. 11 (foll. By that) take care; make sure. 12 (foll. By to + infin.) Aim (am looking to finish it soon). —n. 1 act of looking; gaze, glance. 2 (in sing. Or pl.) Appearance of a face; expression. 3 appearance of a thing (by the look of it). 4 style, fashion (this year’s look; the wet look). —int. (also look here!) Calling attention, expressing a protest, etc. look after attend to; take care of. Look one’s age appear as old as one really is. Look back 1 (foll. By on, to) turn one’s thoughts to (something past). 2 (usu. With neg.) Cease to progress (he’s never looked back). Look down on (or look down one’s nose at) regard with contempt or superiority.
Look-alike n. Person or thing closely resembling another.
Looker n. 1 person of a specified appearance (good-looker). 2 colloq. Attractive woman.
Looker-on n. (pl. Lookers-on) spectator.
Look-in n. Colloq. Chance of participation or success (never gets a look-in).
Looking-glass n. Mirror.
Lookout n. 1 watch or looking out (on the lookout). 2 a observation-post. B person etc. Stationed to keep watch. 3 prospect (it’s a bad lookout). 4 colloq. Person’s own concern (that’s your lookout).
Loom1 n. Apparatus for weaving. [old english]
Loom2 v. 1 appear dimly, esp. As a vague and often threatening shape. 2 (of an event) be ominously close. [probably low german or dutch]
Loon n. 1 a kind of diving bird. 2 colloq. Crazy person (cf. *loony). [old norse]
Loony slang —n. (pl. -ies) lunatic. —adj. (-ier, -iest) crazy. looniness n. [abbreviation]
Loony-bin n. Slang offens. Mental home or hospital.
Loop —n. 1 a figure produced by a curve, or a doubled thread etc., that crosses itself. B thing, path, etc., forming this figure. 2 similarly shaped attachment used as a fastening. 3 ring etc. As a handle etc. 4 contraceptive coil. 5 (in full loop-line) railway or telegraph line that diverges from a main line and joins it again. 6 skating or aerobatic manoeuvre describing a loop. 7 complete circuit for an
electric current. 8 endless band of tape or film allowing continuous repetition. 9 sequence of computer operations repeated until some condition is satisfied. —v. 1 form or bend into a loop. 2 fasten with a loop or loops. 3 form a loop. 4 (also loop the loop) fly in a circle vertically. [origin unknown]
Loophole n. 1 means of evading a rule etc. Without infringing it. 2 narrow vertical slit in the wall of a fort etc.
Loopy adj. (-ier, -iest) slang crazy, daft.
Loose —adj. 1 not tightly held, fixed, etc. (loose handle; loose stones). 2 free from bonds or restraint. 3 not held together (loose papers). 4 not compact or dense (loose soil). 5 inexact (loose translation). 6 morally lax. 7 (of the tongue) indiscreet. 8 tending to diarrhoea. 9 (in comb.) Loosely (loose-fitting). —v. (-sing) 1 free; untie or detach; release. 2 relax (loosed my hold). 3 discharge (a missile). at a loose end unoccupied. On the loose 1 escaped from captivity. 2 enjoying oneself freely. loosely adv. Looseness n. Loosish adj. [old norse]
Loose cover n. Removable cover for an armchair etc.
Loose-leaf adj. (of a notebook etc.) With pages that can be removed and replaced.
Loosen v. Make or become loose or looser. loosen a person’s tongue make a person talk freely. Loosen up 1 relax. 2 limber up.
Loot —n. 1 spoil, booty. 2 slang money. —v. 1 rob or steal, esp. After rioting etc. 2 plunder. looter n. [hindi]
Lop v. (-pp-) 1 a (often foll. By off, away) cut or remove (a part or parts) from a whole, esp. Branches from a tree. B remove branches from (a tree). 2 (often foll. By off) remove (items) as superfluous. [old english]
Lope —v. (-ping) run with a long bounding stride. —n. Long bounding stride. [old norse: related to *leap]
Lop-eared adj. Having drooping ears. [related to *lob]
Lopsided adj. Unevenly balanced. lopsidedness n. [related to *lob]
Loquacious adj. Talkative. loquacity n. [latin loquor speak]
Loquat n. 1 small yellow egg-shaped fruit. 2 tree bearing it. [chinese]
Lord —n. 1 master or ruler. 2 hist. Feudal superior, esp. Of a manor. 3 peer of the realm or person with the title lord. 4 (lord) (often prec. By the) god or christ. 5 (lord) a prefixed as the designation of a marquis, earl, viscount, or baron, or (to the christian name) of the younger son of a duke or marquis. B (the lords) = *house of lords. —int. (lord, good lord, etc.) Expressing surprise, dismay, etc. lord it over domineer. [old english, = bread-keeper: related to loaf1, ward]
Lord chamberlain n. Official in charge of the royal household.
Lord chancellor n. (also lord high chancellor) highest officer of the crown, presiding in the house of lords etc.
Lord chief justice n. President of the queen’s bench division.
Lord lieutenant n. 1 chief executive authority and head of magistrates in each county. 2 hist. Viceroy of ireland.
Lordly adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 haughty, imperious. 2 suitable for a lord. lordliness n.
Lord mayor n. Title of the mayor in some large cities.
Lord privy seal n. Senior cabinet minister without official duties.
Lords and ladies n. Wild arum.
Lord’s day n. Sunday.
Lordship n. 1 (usu. Lordship) title used in addressing or referring to a man with the rank of lord (your lordship; his lordship). 2 (foll. By over) dominion, rule.
Lord’s prayer n. The our father.
Lords spiritual n.pl. Bishops in the house of lords.
Lord’s supper n. Eucharist.
Lords temporal n.pl. Members of the house of lords other than bishops.
Lore n. Body of traditions and knowledge on a subject or held by a particular group (bird lore; gypsy lore). [old english: related to *learn]
Lorgnette n. Pair of eyeglasses or opera-glasses on a long handle. [french lorgner to squint]
Lorn adj. Archaic desolate, forlorn. [old english, past part. Of *lose]
Lorry n. (pl. -ies) large vehicle for transporting goods etc. [origin uncertain]
Lose v. (-sing; past and past part. Lost) 1 be deprived of or cease to have, esp. By negligence. 2 be deprived of (a person) by death. 3 become unable to find, follow, or understand (lose one’s way). 4 let or have pass from one’s control or reach (lost my chance; lost his composure). 5 be defeated in (a game, lawsuit, battle, etc.). 6 get rid of (lost our pursuers; lose weight). 7 forfeit (a right to a thing). 8 spend (time, efforts, etc.) To no purpose.
Loser n. 1 person or thing that loses, esp. A contest (is a bad loser). 2 colloq.
Person who regularly fails.
Loss n. 1 losing or being lost. 2 thing or amount lost. 3 detriment resulting from losing. at a loss (sold etc.) For less than was paid for it. Be at a loss be puzzled or uncertain. [probably back-formation from *lost]
Loss-leader n. Item sold at a loss to attract customers.
Lost past and past part. Of *lose.
Lost cause n. Hopeless undertaking.
Lot n. 1 colloq. (prec. By a or in pl.) A a large number or amount (a lot of people; lots of milk). B colloq. Much (a lot warmer; smiles a lot). 2 a each of a set of objects used to make a chance selection. B this method of deciding (chosen by lot). 3 share or responsibility resulting from it. 4 person’s destiny, fortune, or condition. 5 (esp. Us) plot; allotment of land (parking lot). 6 article or set of articles for sale at an auction etc. 7 group of associated persons or things. cast (or draw) lots decide by lots. Throw in one’s lot with decide to share the fortunes of. The (or the whole) lot the total number or quantity. A whole lot colloq. Very much (is a whole lot better). [old english]
Usage in sense 1a, a lot of is somewhat informal, but acceptable in serious writing, whereas lots of is not acceptable.
Loth var. Of *loath.
Lothario n. (pl. -s) libertine. [name of a character in a play]
Lotion n. Medicinal or cosmetic liquid preparation applied externally. [latin lavo lot-wash]
Lottery n. (pl. -ies) 1 means of raising money by selling numbered tickets and giving prizes to the holders of numbers drawn at random. 2 thing whose success is governed by chance. [dutch: related to *lot]
Lotto n. Game of chance like bingo, but with numbers drawn by players instead of called. [italian]
Lotus n. 1 legendary plant inducing luxurious languor when eaten. 2 a kind of water lily etc., esp. Used symbolically in hinduism and buddhism. [greek lotos]
Lotus-eater n. Person given to indolent enjoyment.
Lotus position n. Cross-legged position of meditation with the feet resting on the thighs.
Loud hailer n. Electronic device for amplifying the voice.
Loudspeaker n. Apparatus that converts electrical signals into sound.
Lough n. Ir. Lake, arm of the sea. [irish: related to *loch]
Lounge —v. (-ging) 1 recline comfortably; loll. 2 stand or move about idly. —n. 1 place for lounging, esp.: a a sitting-room in a house. B a public room (e.g. In a hotel). C a place in an airport etc. With seats for waiting passengers. 2 spell of lounging. [origin uncertain]
Lounge bar n. More comfortable bar in a pub etc.
Lounge suit n. Man’s suit for ordinary day (esp. Business) wear.
Lour v. (also lower) 1 frown; look sullen. 2 (of the sky etc.) Look dark and threatening. [origin unknown]
Louse —n. 1 (pl. Lice) parasitic insect. 2 (pl. Louses) slang contemptible person. —v. (-sing) delouse. louse up slang make a mess of. [old english]
Lousy adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 colloq. Very bad; disgusting; ill (feel lousy). 2 (often foll. By with) colloq. Well supplied, teeming. 3 infested with lice. lousily adv. Lousiness n.
Lout n. Rough-mannered person. loutish adj. [origin uncertain]
Louvre n. (also louver) 1 each of a set of overlapping slats designed to admit air and some light and exclude rain. 2 domed structure on a roof with side openings for ventilation etc. louvred adj. [french lover skylight]
Lovable adj. (also loveable) inspiring love or affection.
Lovage n. Herb used for flavouring etc. [french levesche from latin ligusticum ligurian]
Lovat n. & adj. Muted green. [lovat in scotland]
Love —n. 1 deep affection or fondness. 2 sexual passion. 3 sexual relations. 4 a beloved one; sweetheart (often as a form of address). B colloq. Form of address regardless of affection. 5 colloq. Person of whom one is fond. 6 affectionate greetings (give him my love). 7 (in games) no score; nil. —v. (-ving) 1 feel love or a deep fondness for. 2 delight in; admire; greatly cherish. 3 colloq. Like very much (loves books). 4 (foll. By verbal noun, or to + infin.) Be inclined, esp. As a habit; greatly enjoy (children love dressing up; loves to run). fall in love (often foll. By with) suddenly begin to love. For love for pleasure not profit. For the love of for the sake of. In love (often foll. By with) enamoured (of). Make love (often foll. By to) 1 have sexual intercourse (with). 2 archaic pay amorous attention (to). Not for love or money colloq. Not in any circumstances. [old english]
Loveable var. Of *lovable.
Love affair n. Romantic or sexual relationship between two people.
Love-bird n. Parrot, esp. One seeming to show great affection for its mate.
Love bite n. Bruise made by a partner’s biting etc. During lovemaking.
Love-child n. Child of unmarried parents.
Love-hate relationship n. Intense relationship involving ambivalent emotions.
Love-in-a-mist n. Blue-flowered cultivated plant.
Loveless adj. Unloving or unloved or both.
Lovelies-bleeding n. Cultivated plant with drooping spikes of purple-red blooms.
Lovelorn adj. Pining from unrequited love.
Lovely —adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 colloq. Pleasing, delightful. 2 beautiful. —n. (pl. – ies) colloq. Pretty woman. lovely and colloq. Delightfully (lovely and warm). loveliness n. [old english]
Lovemaking n. 1 sexual play, esp. Intercourse. 2 archaic courtship.
Lovemaking n. 1 sexual play, esp. Intercourse. 2 archaic courtship.
Love-nest n. Colloq. Secluded retreat for (esp. Illicit) lovers.
Lover n. 1 person in love with another. 2 person with whom another is having sexual relations. 3 (in pl.) Unmarried couple in love or having sexual relations. 4 person who likes or enjoys a specified thing (music lover).
Love-seat n. Small sofa in the shape of an s, with two seats facing in opposite directions.
Loving —adj. Feeling or showing love; affectionate. —n. Affection; love.
lovingly adv.
Loving-cup n. Two-handled drinking-cup.
Low1 —adj. 1 not high or tall (low wall). 2 a not elevated in position (low altitude). B (of the sun) near the horizon. 3 of or in humble rank or position (of low birth).
Low2 —n. Sound made by cattle; moo. —v. Make this sound. [old english]
Low-born adj. Of humble birth.
Lowbrow —adj. Not intellectual or cultured. —n. Lowbrow person.
Low church n. Section of the church of england attaching little importance to ritual, priestly authority, and the sacraments.
Low-class adj. Of low quality or social class.
Low comedy n. Comedy bordering on farce.
Low countries n.pl. The netherlands, belgium, and luxembourg.
Low-down —adj. Mean, dishonourable. —n. Colloq. (prec. By the; usu. Foll. By on) relevant information.
Lower1 —adj. (compar. Of *low1). 1 less high in position or status. 2 situated below another part (lower lip). 3 a situated on less high land (lower egypt). B situated to the south (lower california). 4 (of a mammal, plant, etc.) Evolved to only a slight degree. —adv. In or to a lower position, status, etc. lowermost adj.
Lower2 v. 1 let or haul down. 2 make or become lower. 3 degrade.
Lower3 var. Of *lour.
Lower case n. Small letters.
Lower class n. Working class.
Lower house n. Larger and usu. Elected body in a legislature, esp. The house of commons.
Lowest adj. (superl. Of *low1) least high in position or status.
Lowest common denominator n. 1 math. Lowest common multiple of the denominators of several fractions. 2 the worst or most vulgar common feature of members of a group.
Lowest common multiple n. Math. Least quantity that is a multiple of two or more given quantities.
Low frequency n. Frequency, esp. In radio, 30 to 300 kilohertz.
Low gear n. Gear such that the driven end of a transmission revolves slower than the driving end.
Low-grade adj. Of low quality.
Low-key adj. Lacking intensity, restrained.
Lowland —n. (usu. In pl.) Lowlying country. —adj. Of or in lowland. lowlander n.
Low-level adj. (of a computer language) close in form to machine code.
Lowly adj. (-ier, -iest) humble; unpretentious. lowliness n.
Lowlying adj. Near to the ground or sea level.
Low-pitched adj. 1 (of a sound) low. 2 (of a roof) having only a slight slope.
Low pressure n. 1 low degree of activity or exertion. 2 atmospheric condition with the pressure below average.
Low-rise —adj. (of a building) having few storeys. —n. Such a building.
Low season n. Period of fewest visitors at a resort etc.
Low sunday n. Sunday after easter.
Low tide n. (also low water) time or level of the tide at its ebb.
Loyal adj. 1 (often foll. By to) faithful. 2 steadfast in allegiance etc. loyally adv. Loyalty n. (pl. -ies). [latin: related to *legal]
Loyalist n. 1 person who remains loyal to the legitimate sovereign etc. 2 (loyalist) (esp. Extremist) supporter of union between great britain and northern ireland. loyalism n.
Loyal toast n. Toast to the sovereign.
Lozenge n. 1 rhombus. 2 small sweet or medicinal tablet to be dissolved in the mouth. 3 lozenge-shaped object. [french]
Lp abbr. Long-playing (record).
L-plate n. Sign bearing the letter l, attached to a vehicle to show that it is being driven by a learner. [from *plate]
Lpo abbr. London philharmonic orchestra.
Lsd abbr. Lysergic acid diethylamide, a powerful hallucinogenic drug.
Lsd abbr. Lysergic acid diethylamide, a powerful hallucinogenic drug.
L.s.d. N. (also £.s.d.) 1 hist. Pounds, shillings, and pence (in former british currency). 2 money, riches. [latin librae, solidi, denarii]
Lse abbr. London school of economics.
Lso abbr. London symphony orchestra.
Lt. Abbr. 1 lieutenant. 2 light.
Ltd. Abbr. Limited.
Lu symb. Lutetium.
Lubber n. Clumsy fellow, lout. [origin uncertain]
Lubricant n. Substance used to reduce friction.
Lubricate v. (-ting) 1 apply oil or grease etc. To. 2 make slippery. lubrication n. Lubricator n. [latin lubricus slippery]
Lubricious adj. 1 slippery, evasive. 2 lewd. lubricity n. [latin: related to *lubricate]
Lucerne n. = *alfalfa. [provençal, = glow-worm, referring to its shiny seeds]
Lucid adj. 1 expressing or expressed clearly. 2 sane. lucidity n. Lucidly adv. Lucidness n. [latin lux luc-light]
Lucifer n. Satan. [latin: related to *lucid, fero bring]
Luck n. 1 good or bad fortune. 2 circumstances of life (beneficial or not) brought by this. 3 good fortune; success due to chance (in luck; out of luck). no such luck colloq. Unfortunately not. [low german or dutch]
Luckless adj. Unlucky; ending in failure.
Lucky adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 having or resulting from good luck. 2 bringing good luck (lucky charm). luckily adv.
Lucky dip n. Tub containing articles varying in value and chosen at random.
Lucrative adj. Profitable. lucratively adv. Lucrativeness n. [latin: related to *lucre]
Lucre n. Derog. Financial gain. [latin lucrum gain]
Luddite —n. 1 person opposed to industrial progress or new technology. 2 hist. Member of a band of english artisans who destroyed machinery (1811–16). — adj. Of the luddites. ludditism n. [ned lud, destroyer of machinery]
Ludo n. Simple board-game played with dice and counters. [latin, = i play]
Luff v. (also absol.) 1 steer (a ship) nearer the wind. 2 raise or lower (a crane’s jib). [french, probably from low german]
Lug —v. (-gg-) 1 drag or carry with effort. 2 pull hard. —n. 1 hard or rough pull. 2 colloq. Ear. 3 projection on an object by which it may be carried, fixed in place, etc. [probably scandinavian]
Luggage n. Suitcases, bags, etc., for a traveller’s belongings. [from *lug]
Lugger n. Small ship with four-cornered sails. [from *lugsail]
Lughole n. Slang ear.
Lugsail n. Four-cornered sail on a yard. [probably from *lug]
Lugubrious adj. Doleful. lugubriously adv. Lugubriousness n. [latin lugeo mourn]
Lugworm n. Large marine worm used as bait. [origin unknown]
Lukewarm adj. 1 moderately warm; tepid. 2 unenthusiastic, indifferent. [old english (now dial.) Luke warm, *warm]
Lull —v. 1 soothe or send to sleep. 2 (usu. Foll. By into) deceive (a person) into undue confidence (lulled into a false sense of security). 3 allay (suspicions etc.), usu. By deception. 4 (of noise, a storm, etc.) Abate or fall quiet. —n. Temporary quiet period. [imitative]
Lullaby n. (pl. -ies) soothing song to send a child to sleep. [related to *lull]
Lumbago n. Rheumatic pain in the muscles of the lower back. [latin lumbus loin]
Lumbar adj. Of the lower back area. [as *lumbago]
Lumbar puncture n. Withdrawal of spinal fluid from the lower back for diagnosis.
Lumber —n. 1 disused and cumbersome articles. 2 partly prepared timber. —v. 1 (usu. Foll. By with) leave (a person etc.) With something unwanted or unpleasant. 2 (usu. Foll. By up) obstruct, fill inconveniently. 3 cut and prepare forest timber. 4 move in a slow clumsy way. [origin uncertain]
Lumberjack n. Person who fells and transports lumber.
Lumber-jacket n. Jacket of the kind worn by lumberjacks.
Lumber-room n. Room where disused things are kept.
Luminary n. (pl. -ies) 1 literary natural light-giving body. 2 wise or inspiring person. 3 celebrated member of a group (show-business luminaries). [latin lumen lumin-light]
Luminescence n. Emission of light without heat. luminescent adj.
Luminous adj. 1 shedding light. 2 phosphorescent, visible in darkness (luminous paint). luminosity n.
Lump1 —n. 1 compact shapeless mass. 2 tumour; swelling, bruise. 3 heavy, dull, or ungainly person. 4 (prec. By the) slang casual workers in the building trade. —v. 1 (usu. Foll. By together etc.) Treat as all alike; put together in a lump. 2 (of sauce etc.) Become lumpy. lump in the throat feeling of pressure there, caused by emotion. [scandinavian]
Lump2 v. Colloq. Put up with ungraciously (like it or lump it). [imitative]
Lumpectomy n. (pl. -ies) surgical removal of a lump from the breast.
Lumpish adj. 1 heavy and clumsy. 2 stupid, lethargic.
Lump sugar n. Sugar in cubes.
Lump sum n. 1 sum covering a number of items. 2 money paid down at once.
Lumpy adj. (-ier, -iest) full of or covered with lumps. lumpily adv. Lumpiness n.
Lunacy n. (pl. -ies) 1 insanity. 2 mental unsoundness. 3 great folly. [latin: related to *lunar]
Lunar adj. Of, like, concerned with, or determined by the moon. [latin luna moon]
Lunar module n. Small craft for travelling between the moon and a spacecraft in orbit around it.
Lunar month n. 1 period of the moon’s revolution, esp. The interval between new moons (about 291/2 days). 2 (in general use) four weeks.
Lunate adj. Crescent-shaped.
Lunatic —n. 1 insane person. 2 wildly foolish person. —adj. Insane; extremely reckless or foolish. [related to *lunacy]
Lunatic asylum n. Hist. Mental home or hospital.
Lunatic fringe n. Extreme or eccentric minority group.
Lunation n. Interval between new moons, about 291/2 days. [medieval latin:
related to *lunar]
Lunch —n. Midday meal. —v. 1 take lunch. 2 entertain to lunch. [shortening of *luncheon]
Luncheon n. Formal lunch. [origin unknown]
Luncheon meat n. Tinned meat loaf of pork etc.
Luncheon voucher n. Voucher issued to employees and exchangeable for food at many restaurants and shops.
Lung n. Either of the pair of respiratory organs in humans and many other vertebrates. [old english: related to *light2]
Lunge —n. 1 sudden movement forward. 2 the basic attacking move in fencing. 3 long rope on which a horse is held and made to circle round its trainer. —v. (-ging) (usu. Foll. By at, out) deliver or make a lunge. [french allonger from long *long1]
Lupin n. Cultivated plant with long tapering spikes of flowers. [related to *lupine]
Lupine adj. Of or like wolves. [latin lupinus from lupus wolf]
Lupus n. Autoimmune inflammatory skin disease. [latin, = wolf]
Lurch1 —n. Stagger; sudden unsteady movement or leaning. —v. Stagger; move or progress unsteadily. [originally naut., of uncertain origin]
Lurch2 n. leave in the lurch desert (a friend etc.) In difficulties. [obsolete french lourche a kind of backgammon]
Lurcher n. Crossbred dog, usu. A working dog crossed with a greyhound. [related to *lurk]
Lure —v. (-ring) 1 (usu. Foll. By away, into) entice. 2 recall with a lure. —n. 1
thing used to entice. 2 (usu. Foll. By of) enticing quality (of a pursuit etc.). 3 falconer’s apparatus for recalling a hawk. [french from germanic]
Lurex n. Propr. 1 type of yarn incorporating a glittering metallic thread. 2 fabric made from this.
Lurid adj. 1 bright and glaring in colour. 2 sensational, shocking (lurid details). 3 ghastly, wan (lurid complexion). luridly adv. [latin]
Lurk v. 1 linger furtively. 2 a lie in ambush. B (usu. Foll. By in, under, about, etc.) Hide, esp. For sinister purposes. 3 (as lurking adj.) Dormant (a lurking suspicion). [perhaps from *lour]
Luscious adj. 1 richly sweet in taste or smell. 2 (of style) over-rich. 3 voluptuously attractive. [perhaps related to *delicious]
Lush2 n. Slang alcoholic, drunkard. [origin uncertain]
Lust —n. 1 strong sexual desire. 2 (usu. Foll. By for, of) passionate desire for or enjoyment of (lust for power; lust of battle). 3 sensuous appetite regarded as sinful (lusts of the flesh). —v. (usu. Foll. By after, for) have a strong or excessive (esp. Sexual) desire. lustful adj. Lustfully adv. [old english]
iridescent glaze on pottery and porcelain. lustrous adj. [latin lustro illumine]
iridescent glaze on pottery and porcelain. lustrous adj. [latin lustro illumine]
Lustre n. (us luster) 1 gloss, shining surface. 2 brilliance, splendour. 3 iridescent glaze on pottery and porcelain. lustrous adj. [latin lustro illumine]
Lusty adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 healthy and strong. 2 vigorous, lively. lustily adv. Lustiness n. [from *lust]
Lutanist var. Of *lutenist.
Lute1 n. Guitar-like instrument with a long neck and a pear-shaped body. [arabic]
Lute2 —n. Clay or cement for making joints airtight etc. —v. (-ting) apply lute to. [latin lutum mud]
Lutenist n. (also lutanist) lute-player. [related to *lute1]
Lutetium n. Silvery metallic element, the heaviest of the lanthanide series. [lutetia, ancient name of paris]
Lutheran —n. 1 follower of luther. 2 member of the lutheran church. —adj. Of luther, or the protestant reformation and the doctrines associated with him. lutheranism n. [martin luther, religious reformer]
Lux n. (pl. Same) the si unit of illumination. [latin]
Luxuriant adj. 1 growing profusely. 2 exuberant. 3 florid. luxuriance n. Luxuriantly adv. [latin: related to *luxury]
Usage luxuriant is sometimes confused with luxurious.
Luxuriate v. (-ting) 1 (foll. By in) take self-indulgent delight in, enjoy as a luxury. 2 relax in comfort.
Luxurious adj. 1 supplied with luxuries. 2 extremely comfortable. 3 fond of luxury. luxuriously adv. [latin: related to *luxury]
Usage luxurious is sometimes confused with luxuriant.
Luxury n. (pl. -ies) 1 choice or costly surroundings, possessions, etc. 2 thing giving comfort or enjoyment but not essential. 3 (attrib.) Comfortable and expensive (luxury flat). [latin luxus abundance]
Lv abbr. Luncheon voucher.
Lw symb. Lawrencium.
-ly1 suffix forming adjectives, esp. From nouns, meaning: 1 having the qualities
-ly1 suffix forming adjectives, esp. From nouns, meaning: 1 having the qualities of (princely). 2 recurring at intervals of (daily). [old english]
-ly2 suffix forming adverbs from adjectives (boldly; happily). [old english]
Lychee n. (also litchi, lichee) 1 sweet white juicy fruit in a brown skin. 2 tree, orig. From china, bearing this. [chinese]
Lych-gate var. Of *lich-gate.
Lycra n. Propr. Elastic polyurethane fabric used esp. For sportswear.
Lye n. 1 water made alkaline with wood ashes. 2 any alkaline solution for washing. [old english]
Lying pres. Part. Of *lie1, *lie2.
Lymph n. 1 colourless fluid from the tissues of the body, containing white blood cells. 2 this fluid used as a vaccine. [latin lympha]
Lymphatic adj. 1 of, secreting, or conveying lymph. 2 (of a person) pale, flabby, or sluggish.
Lymphatic system n. Network of vessels conveying lymph.
Lymph gland n. (also lymph node) small mass of tissue in the lymphatic system.
Lymphoma n. (pl. -s or -mata) tumour of the lymph nodes.
Lynch v. (of a mob) put (a person) to death without a legal trial. lynching n. [originally us, after lynch, 18th-c. Justice of the peace in virginia]
Lynch law n. Procedure followed when a person is lynched.
Lynx n. (pl. Same or -s) wild cat with a short tail and spotted fur. [greek lugx]
Lynx-eyed adj. Keen-sighted.
Lyre n. Ancient u-shaped stringed instrument. [greek lura]
Lyre-bird n. Australian bird, the male of which has a lyre-shaped tail display.
Lyric —adj. 1 (of poetry) expressing the writer’s emotions, usu. Briefly and in stanzas. 2 (of a poet) writing in this manner. 3 meant or fit to be sung, songlike. —n. 1 lyric poem. 2 (in pl.) Words of a song. [latin: related to *lyre]
Lyrical adj. 1 = *lyric. 2 resembling, or using language appropriate to, lyric poetry. 3 colloq. Highly enthusiastic (wax lyrical about). lyrically adv.
Lyricism n. Quality of being lyric.
Lyricist n. Writer of (esp. Popular) lyrics.
Lysergic acid diethylamide n. = *lsd. [from hydrolysis, ergot, *-ic]
-lysis comb. Form forming nouns denoting disintegration or decomposition (electrolysis). [greek lusis loosening]
-lyte suffix forming nouns denoting substances that can be decomposed (electrolyte). [greek lutos loosened]
M
M1 n. (pl. Ms or m’s) 1 thirteenth letter of the alphabet. 2 (as a roman numeral)
M abbr. (also m.) 1 male. 2 masculine. 3 married. 4 mile(s). 5 metre(s). 6 million(s). 7 minute(s). 8 milli-.
Ma abbr. Master of arts.
Ma n. Colloq. Mother. [abbreviation of *mama]
Ma’am n. Madam (used esp. In addressing royalty). [contraction]
Mac n. (also mack) colloq. Mackintosh. [abbreviation]
Macabre adj. Grim, gruesome. [french]
Macadam n. 1 broken stone as material for road-making. 2 = *tarmacadam. macadamize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing). [mcadam, name of a surveyor]
Macadamia n. Edible seed of an australian tree. [macadam, name of a chemist]
Macaque n. A kind of monkey, e.g. The rhesus monkey and barbary ape, with prominent cheek-pouches. [portuguese, = monkey]
Macaroni n. Small pasta tubes. [italian from greek]
Macaroon n. Small almond cake or biscuit. [italian: related to *macaroni]
Macaw n. Long-tailed brightly coloured american parrot. [portuguese macao]
Mccarthyism n. Hist. Hunting out and sacking of communists in the us. [mccarthy, name of a senator]
Mccoy n. the real mccoy colloq. The real thing; the genuine article. [origin uncertain]
Mace1 n. 1 staff of office, esp. Symbol of the speaker’s authority in the house of commons. 2 person bearing this. [french from romanic]
Mace2 n. Dried outer covering of the nutmeg as a spice. [latin macir]
Macédoine n. Mixed vegetables or fruit, esp. Diced or jellied. [french]
Macerate v. (-ting) 1 soften by soaking. 2 waste away by fasting. maceration n. [latin]
Mach n. (in full mach number) ratio of the speed of a body to the speed of sound in the surrounding medium. [mach, name of a physicist]
Machete n. Broad heavy knife, esp. Of central america. [spanish from latin]
Machiavellian adj. Elaborately cunning; scheming, unscrupulous. machiavellianism n. [machiavelli, name of a political writer]
Machination n. (usu. In pl.) Plot, intrigue. machinate v. (-ting). [latin: related to *machine]
Machine —n. 1 apparatus for applying mechanical power, having several interrelated parts. 2 particular machine, esp. A vehicle or an electrical or electronic apparatus. 3 controlling system of an organization etc. (party machine). 4 person who acts mechanically. 5 (esp. In comb.) Mechanical dispenser with slots for coins (cigarette machine). —v. (-ning) make or operate on with a machine. [greek mekhane]
Machine code n. (also machine language) computer language for a particular computer.
Mach one n. (also mach two etc.) The speed (or twice etc. The speed) of sound.
Macintosh var. Of *mackintosh.
Mack var. Of *mac.
Mackerel n. (pl. Same or -s) marine fish used as food. [anglo-french]
Mackerel sky n. Sky dappled with rows of small white fleecy clouds.
Mackintosh n. (also macintosh) 1 waterproof coat or cloak. 2 cloth waterproofed with rubber. [macintosh, name of its inventor]
Macramé n. 1 art of knotting cord or string in patterns to make decorative articles. 2 work so made. [arabic, = bedspread]
Macro-comb. Form 1 long. 2 large, large-scale. [greek makros long]
Macrobiotic —adj. Of a diet intended to prolong life, esp. Consisting of wholefoods. —n. (in pl.; treated as sing.) Theory of such a diet. [greek bios life]
Macrocarpa n. Evergreen tree, often cultivated for hedges or wind-breaks. [greek *macro-, karpos fruit]
Macrocosm n. 1 universe. 2 the whole of a complex structure. [from *macro-, *cosmos]
Macroeconomics n. The study of the economy as a whole. macroeconomic adj.
Macron n. Mark ( ) over a long or stressed vowel. [greek, neuter of makros long]
Macron n. Mark ( ) over a long or stressed vowel. [greek, neuter of makros long]
Macroscopic adj. 1 visible to the naked eye. 2 regarded in terms of large units.
Macula n. (pl. -lae) dark, esp. Permanent, spot in the skin. maculation n. [latin, = spot, mesh]
Mad adj. (madder, maddest) 1 insane; frenzied. 2 wildly foolish. 3 (often foll. By about, on) colloq. Wildly excited or infatuated. 4 colloq. Angry. 5 (of an animal) rabid. 6 wildly light-hearted. like mad colloq. With great energy or enthusiasm. madness n. [old english]
Madam n. 1 polite or respectful form of address or mode of reference to a woman. 2 colloq. Conceited or precocious girl or young woman. 3 woman brothel-keeper. [related to *madame]
Madame n. 1 (pl. Mesdames) mrs or madam (used of or to a french-speaking woman). 2 (madame) = *madam 1. [french ma dame my lady]
Madden v. 1 make or become mad. 2 irritate. maddening adj. Maddeningly adv.
Madder n. 1 herbaceous plant with yellowish flowers. 2 a red dye from its root.
B its synthetic substitute. [old english]
Made past and past part. Of *make. —adj. 1 built or formed (well-made). 2 successful (self-made man; be made). have (or have got) it made colloq. Be sure of success. Made for ideally suited to. Made of consisting of. Made of money colloq. Very rich.
Madeira n. 1 fortified white wine from madeira. 2 (in full madeira cake) a kind of sponge cake.
Mademoiselle n. (pl. Mesdemoiselles) 1 miss or madam (used of or to an unmarried french-speaking woman). 2 (mademoiselle) a young frenchwoman. B french governess. [french ma my, demoiselle *damsel]
Made to measure adj. Tailor-made.
Madhouse n. 1 colloq. Scene of confused uproar. 2 archaic mental home or hospital.
Madly adv. 1 in a mad manner. 2 colloq. A passionately. B extremely.
Madman n. Man who is mad.
Madonna n. 1 (prec. By the) the virgin mary. 2 (madonna) picture or statue of her. [italian, = my lady]
Madrigal n. Part-song, usu. Unaccompanied, for several voices. [italian]
Madwoman n. Woman who is mad.
Maelstrom n. 1 great whirlpool. 2 state of confusion. [dutch]
Maestro n. (pl. Maestri or -s) 1 distinguished musician, esp. A conductor, composer, or teacher. 2 great performer in any sphere. [italian]
Mae west n. Slang inflatable life-jacket. [name of a film actress]
Mafia n. 1 organized body of criminals, orig. In sicily, now also in italy and the us. 2 (mafia) group regarded as exerting an intimidating and corrupt power. [italian dial., = bragging]
Mafioso n. (pl. Mafiosi) member of the mafia. [italian: related to *mafia]
Mag n. Colloq. = *magazine 1. [abbreviation]
Magazine n. 1 illustrated periodical publication containing articles, stories, etc. 2 chamber holding cartridges to be fed automatically to the breech of a gun. 3 similar device in a slide projector etc. 4 military store for arms etc. 5 store for explosives. [arabic makazin]
Magenta —n. 1 shade of crimson. 2 aniline crimson dye. —adj. Of or coloured with magenta. [magenta in n. Italy]
Maggot n. Larva, esp. Of the housefly or bluebottle. maggoty adj. [perhaps an alteration of maddock, from old norse]
Magi pl. Of *magus.
Magic —n. 1 a supposed art of influencing or controlling events supernaturally. B witchcraft. 2 conjuring tricks. 3 inexplicable influence. 4 enchanting quality or phenomenon. —adj. 1 of magic. 2 producing surprising results. 3 colloq.
Wonderful, exciting. —v. (-ck-) change or create by or as if by magic. like magic very rapidly. Magic away cause to disappear as if by magic. [greek magikos: related to *magus]
Magical adj. 1 of magic. 2 resembling, or produced as if by, magic. 3 wonderful, enchanting. magically adv.
Magic eye n. Photoelectric device used for detection, automatic control, etc.
Magician n. 1 person skilled in magic. 2 conjuror.
Magic lantern n. Primitive form of slide projector.
Magisterial adj. 1 imperious. 2 authoritative. 3 of a magistrate. magisterially adv. [medieval latin: related to *master]
Magistracy n. (pl. -ies) 1 magisterial office. 2 magistrates collectively.
Magistrate n. 1 civil officer administering the law. 2 official conducting a court for minor cases and preliminary hearings. [latin: related to *master]
Magma n. (pl. -s) molten rock under the earth’s crust, from which igneous rock is formed by cooling. [greek masso knead]
Magna carta n. (also magna charta) charter of liberty obtained from king john in 1215. [medieval latin, = great charter]
Magnanimous adj. Nobly generous; not petty in feelings or conduct. magnanimity n. Magnanimously adv. [latin magnus great, animus mind]
Magnate n. Wealthy and influential person, usu. In business. [latin magnus great]
Magnesia n. 1 magnesium oxide. 2 hydrated magnesium carbonate, used as an antacid and laxative. [magnesia in asia minor]
Magnesium n. Silvery metallic element.
Magnet n. 1 piece of iron, steel, alloy, ore, etc., having the properties of attracting iron and of pointing approximately north and south when suspended. 2 lodestone. 3 person or thing that attracts. [greek magnes -etos of magnesia: related to *magnesia]
Magnetic adj. 1 a having the properties of a magnet. B produced or acting by magnetism. 2 capable of being attracted by or acquiring the properties of a magnet. 3 strongly attractive (magnetic personality). magnetically adv.
Magnetic field n. Area of force around a magnet.
Magnetic mine n. Underwater mine detonated by the approach of a large mass of metal, e.g. A ship.
Magnetic needle n. Piece of magnetized steel used as an indicator on the dial of a compass etc.
Magnetic north n. Point indicated by the north end of a magnetic needle.
Magnetic pole n. Point near the north or south pole where a magnetic needle dips vertically.
Magnetic storm n. Disturbance of the earth’s magnetic field by charged particles from the sun etc.
Magnetic tape n. Plastic strip coated with magnetic material for recording sound or pictures.
Magnetism n. 1 a magnetic phenomena and their science. B property of producing these. 2 attraction; personal charm.
Magnetize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 give magnetic properties to. 2 make into a magnet. 3 attract as a magnet does. magnetizable adj. Magnetization n.
Magneto n. (pl. -s) electric generator using permanent magnets (esp. For the ignition of an internal-combustion engine). [abbreviation of magneto-electric]
Magnificat n. Hymn of the virgin mary used as a canticle. [from its opening word]
Magnification n. 1 magnifying or being magnified. 2 degree of this.
Magnificent adj. 1 splendid, stately. 2 colloq. Fine, excellent. magnificence n. Magnificently adv. [latin magnificus from magnus great]
Magnify v. (-ies, -ied) 1 make (a thing) appear larger than it is, as with a lens. 2 exaggerate. 3 intensify. 4 archaic extol. magnifiable adj. Magnifier n. [latin:
related to *magnificent]
Magnifying glass n. Lens used to magnify.
Magnitude n. 1 largeness. 2 size. 3 importance. 4 a degree of brightness of a star. B class of stars arranged according to this (of the third magnitude). of the first magnitude very important. [latin magnus great]
Magnolia n. 1 tree with dark-green foliage and waxy flowers. 2 creamy-pink colour. [magnol, name of a botanist]
Magnox n. Magnesium-based alloy used to enclose uranium fuel elements in some nuclear reactors. [magnesium no oxidation]
Magnum n. (pl. -s) wine bottle twice the normal size. [latin, neuter of magnus great]
Magnum opus n. Great work of art, literature, etc., esp. An artist’s most important work. [latin]
Magpie n. 1 a kind of crow with a long tail and black and white plumage. 2 chatterer. 3 indiscriminate collector. [from mag, abbreviation of margaret, *pie2]
Magus n. (pl. Magi) 1 priest of ancient persia. 2 sorcerer. 3 (the magi) the ‘wise men’ from the east (matt. 2:1–12). [persian magus]
Magyar —n. 1 member of the chief ethnic group in hungary. 2 their language. — adj. Of this people. [native name]
Maharaja n. (also maharajah) hist. Title of some indian princes. [hindi, = great rajah]
Maharanee n. (also maharani) (pl. -s) hist. Maharaja’s wife or widow. [hindi, = great ranee]
Maharishi n. (pl. -s) great hindu sage. [hindi]
Mahatma n. 1 (in india etc.) Revered person. 2 one of a class of persons supposed by some buddhists to have preternatural powers. [sanskrit, = great soul]
Mah-jong n. (also -jongg) game played with 136 or 144 pieces called tiles. [chinese dial. Ma-tsiang sparrows]
Mahlstick var. Of *maulstick.
Mahogany n. (pl. -ies) 1 reddish-brown tropical wood used for furniture. 2 its colour. [origin unknown]
Mahonia n. Evergreen shrub with yellow bell-shaped flowers. [french or spanish]
Mahout n. (in india etc.) Elephant-driver. [hindi from sanskrit]
Maid n. 1 female servant. 2 archaic or poet. Girl, young woman. [abbreviation of *maiden]
Maiden n. 1 a archaic or poet. Girl; young unmarried woman. B (attrib.) Unmarried (maiden aunt). 2 = *maiden over. 3 (attrib.) (of a female animal) unmated. 4 (often attrib.) A horse that has never won a race. B race open only to such horses. 5 (attrib.) First (maiden speech; maiden voyage). maidenhood n. Maidenly adj. [old english]
Maidenhair n. Fern with hairlike stalks and delicate fronds.
Maidenhead n. 1 virginity. 2 hymen.
Maiden name n. Woman’s surname before marriage.
Maiden over n. Over in cricket in which no runs are scored.
Maid of honour n. 1 unmarried lady attending a queen or princess. 2 esp. Us principal bridesmaid.
Maidservant n. Female servant.
Mail1 —n. 1 a letters and parcels etc. Carried by post. B postal system. C one complete delivery or collection of mail. 2 email. 3 vehicle carrying mail. —v. Send by post or email. [french male wallet]
Mail2 n. Armour of metal rings or plates. [french maille from latin macula]
Mailbag n. Large sack for carrying mail.
Mailbox n. Us letter-box.
Mailing list n. List of people to whom advertising matter etc. Is posted.
Mail order n. Purchase of goods by post.
Mailshot n. Advertising material sent to potential customers.
Maim v. Cripple, disable, mutilate. [french mahaignier]
Main —adj. 1 chief, principal. 2 exerted to the full (by main force). —n. 1 principal duct etc. For water, sewage, etc. 2 (usu. In pl.; prec. By the) a central distribution network for electricity, gas, water, etc. B domestic electricity supply as distinct from batteries. 3 poet. High seas (spanish main). in the main mostly. [old english]
Main brace n. Brace attached to the main yard.
Main chance n. (prec. By the) one’s own interests.
Mainframe n. 1 central processing unit of a large computer. 2 (often attrib.) Large computer system.
Mainland n. Large continuous extent of land, excluding neighbouring islands.
Mainline v. (-ning) slang 1 take drugs intravenously. 2 inject (drugs) intravenously. mainliner n.
Main line n. Railway line linking large cities.
Mainly adv. Mostly; chiefly.
Mainmast n. Principal mast of a ship.
Mainsail n. 1 (in a square-rigged vessel) lowest sail on the mainmast. 2 (in a fore-and-aft rigged vessel) sail set on the after part of the mainmast.
Mainspring n. 1 principal spring of a watch, clock, etc. 2 chief motivating force; incentive.
Mainstay n. 1 chief support. 2 stay from the maintop to the foot of the foremast.
Mainstream n. 1 (often attrib.) Ultimately prevailing trend in opinion, fashion, etc. 2 type of swing jazz, esp. With solo improvisation. 3 principal current of ariver etc.
Maintain v. 1 cause to continue; keep up (an activity etc.). 2 support by work, expenditure, etc. 3 assert as true. 4 preserve (a house, machine, etc.) In good repair. 5 provide means for. [latin manus hand, teneo hold]
Maintained school n. School supported from public funds, state school.
Maintenance n. 1 maintaining or being maintained. 2 a provision of the means to support life. B alimony. [french: related to *maintain]
Maintop n. Platform above the head of the lower mainmast.
Maintopmast n. Mast above the head of the lower mainmast.
Main yard n. Yard on which the mainsail is extended.
Maiolica n. (also majolica) white tin-glazed earthenware decorated with metallic colours or enamelled. [italian, from the former name of majorca]
colours or enamelled. [italian, from the former name of majorca]
Maisonette n. 1 flat on more than one floor. 2 small house. [french maisonnette diminutive of maison house]
Maize n. 1 cereal plant of n. America. 2 cobs or grain of this. [french or spanish]
Maj. Abbr. Major.
Majestic adj. Stately and dignified; imposing. majestically adv.
Majesty n. (pl. -ies) 1 stateliness, dignity, or authority, esp. Of bearing, language, etc. 2 a royal power. B (majesty) (prec. By his, her, your) forms of description oraddress for a sovereign or a sovereign’s wife or widow (your majesty; her majesty the queen mother). [latin majestas: related to *major]
Majolica var. Of *maiolica.
Major —adj. 1 relatively great in size, intensity, scope, or importance. 2 (of surgery) serious. 3 mus. A (of a scale) having intervals of a semitone above its third and seventh notes. B (of an interval) greater by a semitone than a minor interval (major third). C (of a key) based on a major scale. 4 of full legal age. — n. 1 a army officer next below lieutenant-colonel. B officer in charge of a band section (drum major). 2 person of full legal age. 3 us a student’s main subject or course. B student of this. —v. (foll. By in) us study or qualify in (a subject) as one’s main subject. [latin, comparative of magnus great]
Major-domo n. (pl. -s) chief steward of a great household. [medieval latin major domus highest official of the household]
Majorette n. = *drum majorette. [abbreviation]
Major-general n. Officer next below a lieutenant-general.
Majority n. (pl. -ies) 1 (usu. Foll. By of) greater number or part. 2 a number of votes by which a candidate wins. B party etc. Receiving the greater number of votes. 3 full legal age. 4 rank of major. [medieval latin: related to *major]
Usage in sense 1, majority is strictly used only with countable nouns, as in the majority of people, and not (e.g.) The majority of the work.
Majority rule n. Principle that the greater number should exercise the greater power.
Make —v. (-king; past and past part. Made) 1 construct; create; form from parts or other substances. 2 cause or compel (made me do it). 3 a cause to exist; bring about (made a noise). B cause to become or seem (made him angry; made a fool of me; made him a knight). 4 compose; prepare; write (made her will; made a film). 5 constitute; amount to; be reckoned as (2 and 2 make 4). 6 a undertake (made a promise; make an effort). B perform (an action etc.) (made a face; made a bow). 7 gain, acquire, procure (money, a living, a profit, etc.). 8 prepare (tea, coffee, a meal, etc.). 9 a arrange (a bed) for use. B arrange and light materials for (a fire). 10 a proceed (made towards the river). B (foll. By to + infin.) Act as if with the intention to (he made to go). 11 colloq. A arrive at (a place) or in time
for (a train etc.). B manage to attend; manage to attend on (a certain day) or at (a certain time) (couldn’t make the meeting last week; can make any day except friday). C achieve a place in (made the first eleven). 12 establish or enact (a distinction, rule, law, etc.). 13 consider to be; estimate as (what do you make the total?). 14 secure the success or advancement of (his second novel made him; it made my day).
Makeshift —adj. Temporary. —n. Temporary substitute or device.
Make-up n. 1 cosmetics, as used generally or by actors. 2 character, temperament, etc. 3 composition (of a thing).
Makeweight n. 1 small quantity added to make up the weight. 2 person or thing supplying a deficiency.
Making n. (in pl.) 1 earnings; profit. 2 essential qualities or ingredients (has the makings of a pilot). be the making of ensure the success of. In the making in the course of being made or formed. [old english: related to *make]
Mal-comb. Form 1 a bad, badly (malpractice; maltreat). B faulty (malfunction). 2 not (maladroit). [french mal badly, from latin male]
Malachite n. Green mineral used for ornament. [greek molokhitis]
Maladjusted adj. (of a person) unable to adapt to or cope with the demands of a social environment. maladjustment n.
Maladminister v. Manage badly or improperly. maladministration n.
Maladroit adj. Clumsy; bungling. [french: related to *mal-]
Malady n. (pl. -ies) ailment, disease. [french malade sick]
Malaise n. 1 general bodily discomfort or lassitude. 2 feeling of unease or demoralization. [french: related to *ease]
Malapropism n. Comical misuse of a word in mistake for one sounding similar, e.g. Alligator for allegory. [mrs malaprop, name of a character in sheridan’s therivals]
Malaria n. Recurrent fever caused by a parasite transmitted by a mosquito bite. malarial adj. [italian, = bad air]
Malarkey n. Colloq. Humbug; nonsense. [origin unknown]
Malay —n. 1 member of a people predominating in malaysia and indonesia. 2 their language. —adj. Of this people or language. malayan n. & adj. [malay malayu]
malayu]
Malcontent —n. Discontented person. —adj. Discontented. [french: related to *mal-]
Male —adj. 1 of the sex that can beget offspring by fertilization. 2 of men or male animals, plants, etc.; masculine. 3 (of plants or flowers) containing stamens but no pistil. 4 (of parts of machinery etc.) Designed to enter or fill the corresponding hollow part (male screw). —n. Male person or animal. maleness n. [latin masculus from mas a male]
Male chauvinist n. = *chauvinist 2.
Malediction n. 1 curse. 2 utterance of a curse. maledictory adj. [latin maledictio:
related to *mal-]
Malefactor n. Criminal; evildoer. malefaction n. [latin male badly, facio fact-do]
Male menopause n. Colloq. Crisis of potency, confidence, etc., supposed to afflict some men in middle life.
Malevolent adj. Wishing evil to others. malevolence n. Malevolently adv. [latin volo wish]
Malfeasance n. Formal misconduct, esp. In an official capacity. [french: related to *mal-]
to *mal-]
Malformation n. Faulty formation. malformed adj.
Malfunction —n. Failure to function normally. —v. Fail to function normally.
Malice n. 1 desire to harm or cause difficulty to others; ill-will. 2 law harmful intent. [latin malus bad]
Malice aforethought n. Law intention to commit a crime, esp. Murder.
Malicious adj. Given to or arising from malice. maliciously adv.
Malign —adj. 1 (of a thing) injurious. 2 (of a disease) malignant. 3 malevolent. —v. Speak ill of; slander. malignity n. [latin malus bad]
Malignant adj. 1 a (of a disease) very virulent or infectious. B (of a tumour) spreading or recurring; cancerous. 2 harmful; feeling or showing intense ill-will. malignancy n. Malignantly adv. [latin: related to *malign]
Malinger v. Pretend to be ill, esp. To escape work. malingerer n. [french malingre sickly]
Mall n. 1 sheltered walk or promenade. 2 shopping precinct. [the mall, street in
london]
Mallard n. (pl. Same) a kind of wild duck. [french]
Malleable adj. 1 (of metal etc.) That can be shaped by hammering. 2 easily influenced; pliable. malleability n. Malleably adv. [medieval latin: related to *mallet]
Mallet n. 1 hammer, usu. Of wood. 2 implement for striking a croquet or polo ball. [latin malleus hammer]
Mallow n. Plant with hairy stems and leaves and pink or purple flowers. [latin malva]
Malmsey n. A strong sweet wine. [low german or dutch from monemvasia in greece]
Malnourished adj. Suffering from malnutrition. malnourishment n.
Malnutrition n. Condition resulting from the lack of foods necessary for health.
Malodorous adj. Evil-smelling.
Malpractice n. Improper, negligent, or criminal professional conduct.
Malt —n. 1 barley, or other grain, steeped, germinated, and dried, for brewing etc. 2 colloq. Malt whisky; malt liquor. —v. Convert (grain) into malt. malty adj.(-ier, -iest). [old english]
Malted milk n. Drink made from dried milk and extract of malt.
Maltese —n. (pl. Same) native or language of malta. —adj. Of malta.
Maltese cross n. Cross with the arms broadening outwards, often indented at the ends.
Malthusian adj. Of malthus’s doctrine that the population should be restricted so as to prevent an increase beyond its means of subsistence. malthusianism n. [malthus, name of a clergyman]
Maltose n. Sugar made from starch by enzymes in malt, saliva, etc. [french:
related to *malt]
Maltreat v. Ill-treat. maltreatment n. [french: related to *mal-]
Malt whisky n. Whisky made solely from malted barley.
Mama n. (also mamma) archaic mother. [imitative of child’s ma, ma]
Mamba n. Venomous african snake. [zulu imamba]
Mambo n. (pl. -s) latin american dance like the rumba. [american spanish]
Mamma var. Of *mama.
Mammal n. Warm-blooded vertebrate of the class secreting milk to feed its young. mammalian adj. & n. [latin mamma breast]
Mammary adj. Of the breasts.
Mammogram n. Image obtained by mammography. [latin mamma breast]
Mammography n. X-ray technique for screening the breasts for tumours etc.
Mammon n. Wealth regarded as a god or evil influence. [aramaic mamon]
Mammoth —n. Large extinct elephant with a hairy coat and curved tusks. —adj. Huge. [russian]
Man —n. (pl. Men) 1 adult human male. 2 a human being; person. B the human
race. 3 a workman (the manager spoke to the men). B manservant, valet. 4 (usu. In pl.) Soldiers, sailors, etc., esp. Non-officers. 5 suitable or appropriate person; expert (he is your man; the man for the job). 6 a husband (man and wife). B colloq. Boyfriend, lover. 7 human being of a specified type or historical period (renaissance man; peking man). 8 piece in chess, draughts, etc. 9 colloq. As a form of address. 10 person pursued; opponent (police caught their man). —v. (-nn-) 1 supply with a person or people for work or defence. 2 work, service, or defend (man the pumps). 3 fill (a post). as one man in unison. Be one’s own man be independent. To a man without exception. manlike adj. [old english]
Man about town n. Fashionable socializer.
Manacle —n. (usu. In pl.) 1 fetter for the hand; handcuff. 2 restraint. —v. (-ling) fetter with manacles. [latin manus hand]
Manage v. (-ging) 1 organize; regulate; be in charge of. 2 succeed in achieving; contrive (managed to come; managed a smile; managed to ruin the day). 3 (often foll. By with) succeed with limited resources etc.; be able to cope. 4 succeed in controlling. 5 (often prec. By can etc.) A cope with (couldn’t manage another bite). B be free to attend on or at (can manage monday). 6 use or wield (a tool etc.). manageable adj. [latin manus hand]
Management n. 1 managing or being managed. 2 a administration of business or public undertakings. B people engaged in this, esp. Those controlling a workforce.
Manager n. 1 person controlling or administering a business or part of a business. 2 person controlling the affairs, training, etc. Of a person or team in sports, entertainment, etc. 3 person of a specified level of skill in household or financial affairs etc. (a good manager). managerial adj.
Manageress n. Woman manager, esp. Of a shop, hotel, etc.
Managing director n. Director with executive control or authority.
Manatee n. Large aquatic plant-eating mammal. [spanish from carib]
Mancunian —n. Native of manchester. —adj. Of manchester. [latin mancunium]
Mandala n. Circular figure as a religious symbol of the universe. [sanskrit]
Mandamus n. Judicial writ issued as a command to an inferior court, or ordering a person to perform a public or statutory duty. [latin, = we command]
Mandarin n. 1 (mandarin) official language of china. 2 hist. Chinese official. 3 powerful person, esp. A top civil servant. 4 (in full mandarin orange) = *tangerine 1. [hindi mantri]
Mandate —n. 1 official command or instruction. 2 authority given by electors to
a government, trade union, etc. 3 authority to act for another. —v. (-ting) instruct (a delegate) how to act or vote. [latin mandatum, past part. Of mando command]
Mandatory adj. 1 compulsory. 2 of or conveying a command. mandatorily adv. [latin: related to *mandate]
Mandible n. 1 jaw, esp. The lower jaw in mammals and fishes. 2 upper or lower part of a bird’s beak. 3 either half of the crushing organ in the mouthparts of an insect etc. [latin mando chew]
Mandolin n. A kind of lute with paired metal strings plucked with a plectrum. mandolinist n. [french from italian]
Mandrake n. Poisonous narcotic plant with large yellow fruit. [greek mandragoras]
Mandrel n. 1 lathe-shaft to which work is fixed while being turned. 2 cylindrical rod round which metal or other material is forged or shaped. [origin unknown]
Mandrill n. Large w. African baboon. [probably from *man, *drill4]
Mane n. 1 long hair on the neck of a horse, lion, etc. 2 colloq. Person’s long hair. [old english]
Manège n. (also manege) 1 riding-school. 2 movements of a trained horse. 3
horsemanship. [italian: related to *manage]
Maneuver (brit. Manoeuvre) —n. 1 planned and controlled movement of a vehicle or body of troops etc. 2 (in pl.) Large-scale exercise of troops, ships, etc. 3 agile or skilful movement. 4 artful plan. —v. (-ring) 1 move (a thing, esp. A vehicle) carefully. 2 perform or cause (troops etc.) To perform manoeuvres. 3 a (usu. Foll. By into, out of, etc.) Manipulate (a person, thing, etc.) By scheming or adroitness. B use artifice. manoeuvrable adj. Manoeuvrability n. [medieval latin manu operor work with the hand]
Man friday n. Male helper or follower.
Manful adj. Brave; resolute. manfully adv.
Manganese n. 1 grey brittle metallic element. 2 black mineral oxide of this used in glass-making etc. [italian: related to *magnesia]
Mange n. Skin disease in hairy and woolly animals. [french mangeue itch, from latin manduco chew]
Mangel-wurzel n. (also mangold-) large beet used as cattle food. [german mangold beet, wurzel root]
Manger n. Box or trough for horses or cattle to feed from. [latin: related to *mange]
Mange-tout n. A kind of pea eaten in the pod. [french, = eat-all]
Mangle1 —n. Machine of two or more cylinders for squeezing water from and pressing wet clothes. —v. (-ling) press (clothes etc.) In a mangle. [dutch mangel]
Mangle2 v. (-ling) 1 hack or mutilate by blows. 2 spoil (a text etc.) By gross blunders. 3 cut roughly so as to disfigure. [anglo-french ma(ha)ngler: probably related to *maim]
Mango n. (pl. -es or -s) 1 tropical fruit with yellowish flesh. 2 tree bearing this. [tamil mankay]
Mangold-wurzel var. Of *mangel-wurzel.
Mangrove n. Tropical tree or shrub growing in shore-mud with many tangled roots above ground. [origin unknown]
Mangy adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 having mange. 2 squalid; shabby.
Manhandle v. (-ling) 1 colloq. Handle (a person) roughly. 2 move by human effort.
Manhole n. Covered opening in a pavement, sewer, etc. For workmen to gain access.
Manhood n. 1 state of being a man. 2 a manliness; courage. B a man’s sexual potency. 3 men of a country etc.
Man-hour n. Work done by one person in one hour.
Manhunt n. Organized search for a person, esp. A criminal.
Mania n. 1 mental illness marked by excitement and violence. 2 (often foll. By for) excessive enthusiasm; obsession. [greek mainomai be mad]
-mania comb. Form 1 denoting a special type of mental disorder (megalomania).
2 denoting enthusiasm or admiration (beatlemania).
Maniac —n. 1 colloq. Person behaving wildly (too many maniacs on the road). 2 colloq. Obsessive enthusiast. 3 person suffering from mania. —adj. Of or behaving like a maniac. maniacal adj. Maniacally adv.
-maniac comb. Form forming adjectives and nouns meaning ‘affected with – mania’ or ‘a person affected with -mania’ (nymphomaniac).
Manic adj. 1 of or affected by mania. 2 colloq. Wildly excited; frenzied; excitable. manically adv.
Manic-depressive —adj. Relating to a mental disorder with alternating periods of elation and depression. —n. Person with such a disorder.
Manicure —n. Cosmetic treatment of the hands and fingernails. —v. (-ring) give a manicure to (the hands or a person). manicurist n. [latin manus hand, cura care]
Manifest —adj. Clear or obvious to the eye or mind. —v. 1 show (a quality or feeling) by one’s acts etc. 2 show plainly to the eye or mind. 3 be evidence of; prove. 4 refl. (of a thing) reveal itself. 5 (of a ghost) appear. —n. Cargo or passenger list. manifestation n. Manifestly adv. [latin manifestus]
Manifesto n. (pl. -s) declaration of policies, esp. By a political party. [italian:
related to *manifest]
Manifold —adj. 1 many and various. 2 having various forms, parts, applications, etc. —n. 1 manifold thing. 2 pipe or chamber branching into several openings.[old english: related to *many, *-fold]
Manikin n. Little man; dwarf. [dutch]
Manila n. 1 (in full manila hemp) strong fibre of a kind of tree native to the philippines. 2 (also manila) strong brown paper made from this. [manila in the philippines]
Man in the street n. Ordinary person.
Manipulate v. (-ting) 1 handle, esp. With skill. 2 manage (a person, situation, etc.) To one’s own advantage, esp. Unfairly. 3 move (part of a patient’s body) by
hand in order to increase flexion etc. 4 computing edit or move (text, data, etc.). manipulable adj. Manipulation n. Manipulator n. [latin manus hand]
Manipulative adj. Tending to exploit a situation, person, etc., for one’s own ends. manipulatively adv.
Manna n. 1 substance miraculously supplied as food to the israelites in the wilderness (exod. 16). 2 unexpected benefit (esp. Manna from heaven). [old english ultimately from hebrew]
Manned adj. (of a spacecraft etc.) Having a human crew.
Manner n. 1 way a thing is done or happens. 2 (in pl.) A social behaviour (good manners). B polite behaviour (has no manners). C modes of life; social conditions. 3 outward bearing, way of speaking, etc. 4 style (in the manner of rembrandt). 5 kind, sort (not by any manner of means). in a manner of speaking in a way; so to speak. To the manner born colloq. Naturally at ease in a particular situation etc. [latin manus hand]
Mannered adj. 1 (in comb.) Having specified manners (ill-mannered). 2 esp. Art full of mannerisms.
Mannerism n. 1 habitual gesture or way of speaking etc. 2 a stylistic trick in art etc. B excessive use of these. mannerist n.
Mannerly adj. Well-mannered, polite.
Mannish adj. 1 (of a woman) masculine in appearance or manner. 2 characteristic of a man. mannishly adv.
Manoeuvre (us maneuver) —n. 1 planned and controlled movement of a vehicle or body of troops etc. 2 (in pl.) Large-scale exercise of troops, ships, etc. 3 agile or skilful movement. 4 artful plan. —v. (-ring) 1 move (a thing, esp. A vehicle) carefully. 2 perform or cause (troops etc.) To perform manoeuvres. 3 a (usu.
Foll. By into, out of, etc.) Manipulate (a person, thing, etc.) By scheming or adroitness. B use artifice. manoeuvrable adj. Manoeuvrability n. [medieval latin manu operor work with the hand]
Man of letters n. Scholar or author.
Man of the world see *world.
Man-of-war n. (pl. Men-of-war) warship.
Manor n. 1 (also manor-house) large country house with lands. 2 hist. Feudal lordship over lands. 3 slang district covered by a police station. manorial adj. [latin maneo remain]
Manpower n. Number of people available for work, service, etc.
Manqué adj. (placed after noun) that might have been but is not (an actor manqué). [french]
Mansard n. Roof with four sloping sides, each of which becomes steeper halfway down. [mansart, name of an architect]
Manse n. Ecclesiastical residence, esp. A scottish presbyterian minister’s house. [medieval latin: related to *manor]
Manservant n. (pl. Menservants) male servant.
Mansion n. 1 large grand house. 2 (in pl.) Large building divided into flats. [latin: related to *manor]
Manslaughter n. Unintentional but not accidental unlawful killing of a human
Manslaughter n. Unintentional but not accidental unlawful killing of a human being.
Mantel n. Mantelpiece or mantelshelf. [var. Of *mantle]
Mantelpiece n. 1 structure of wood, marble, etc. Above and around a fireplace. 2 = *mantelshelf.
Mantelshelf n. Shelf above a fireplace.
Mantilla n. Lace scarf worn by spanish women over the hair and shoulders. [spanish: related to *mantle]
Mantis n. (pl. Same or mantises) (in full praying mantis) predatory insect that holds its forelegs like hands folded in prayer. [greek, = prophet]
Mantissa n. Part of a logarithm after the decimal point. [latin, = makeweight]
Mantle —n. 1 loose sleeveless cloak. 2 covering (mantle of snow). 3 fragile lacelike tube fixed round a gas-jet to give an incandescent light. 4 region between the crust and the core of the earth. —v. (-ling) clothe; conceal, envelop. [latin mantellum cloak]
Man to man adv. Candidly.
Mantra n. 1 hindu or buddhist devotional incantation. 2 vedic hymn. [sanskrit, = instrument of thought]
Mantrap n. Trap for catching trespassers etc.
Manual —adj. 1 of or done with the hands (manual labour). 2 a worked by hand, not automatically (manual gear-change). B (of a vehicle) worked by manual gear-change. —n. 1 reference book. 2 organ keyboard played with the hands, not the feet. 3 colloq. Vehicle with manual transmission. manually adv. [latin manus hand]
Manufacture —n. 1 making of articles, esp. In a factory etc. 2 branch of industry (woollen manufacture). —v. (-ring) 1 make (articles), esp. On an industrial scale. 2 invent or fabricate (evidence, a story, etc.). manufacturer n. [latin manufactum made by hand]
Manuscript —n. 1 text written by hand. 2 author’s handwritten or typed text. 3 handwritten form (produced in manuscript). —adj. Written by hand. [medieval latin manuscriptus written by hand]
Manx —adj. Of the isle of man. —n. 1 former celtic language of the isle of man. 2 (prec. By the; treated as pl.) Manx people. [old norse]
Manx cat n. Tailless variety of cat.
Many —adj. (more; most) great in number; numerous (many people). —n. (as pl.) 1 many people or things. 2 (prec. By the) the majority of people. a good (or great) many a large number. Many’s the time often. Many a time many times. [old english]
Maoism n. Communist doctrines of mao zedong. maoist n. & adj. [mao zedong, name of a chinese statesman]
Maori —n. (pl. Same or -s) 1 member of the aboriginal people of new zealand. 2 their language. —adj. Of this people. [native name]
Map —n. 1 a flat representation of the earth’s surface, or part of it. B diagram of a route etc. 2 similar representation of the stars, sky, moon, etc. 3 diagram showing the arrangement or components of a thing. —v. (-pp-) 1 represent on a map. 2 math. Associate each element of (a set) with one element of another set. map out plan in detail. [latin mappa napkin]
Maple n. 1 any of various trees or shrubs grown for shade, ornament, wood, or sugar. 2 its wood. [old english]
Maple-leaf n. Emblem of canada.
Maple sugar n. Sugar produced by evaporating the sap of some kinds of maple.
Maple syrup n. Syrup made by evaporating maple sap or dissolving maple sugar.
Maquette n. Preliminary model or sketch. [italian macchia spot]
Maquis n. (pl. Same) 1 french resistance movement during the german occupation (1940–45). 2 member of this. [french, = brushwood]
Mar. Abbr. March.
Mar v. (-rr-) spoil; disfigure. [old english]
Marabou n. 1 large w. African stork. 2 its down as trimming etc. [french from arabic]
Maraca n. Clublike bean-filled gourd etc., shaken rhythmically in pairs in latin american music. [portuguese]
Maraschino n. (pl. -s) sweet liqueur made from black cherries. [italian]
Maraschino cherry n. Cherry preserved in maraschino and used in cocktails etc.
Marathon n. 1 long-distance running race, usu. Of 26 miles 385 yards (42.195 km). 2 long-lasting or difficult undertaking etc. [marathon in greece, scene of a
decisive battle in 490 bc: a messenger supposedly ran with news of the outcome to athens]
Maraud v. 1 make a plundering raid (on). 2 pilfer systematically. marauder n. [french maraud rogue]
Marble —n. 1 crystalline limestone capable of taking a polish, used in sculpture and architecture. 2 (often attrib.) A anything of marble (marble clock). B anything like marble in hardness, coldness, etc. (her features were marble). 3 a small, esp. Glass, ball as a toy. B (in pl.; treated as sing.) Game using these. 4 (in pl.) Slang one’s mental faculties (he’s lost his marbles). 5 (in pl.) Collection of sculptures (elgin marbles). —v. (-ling) 1 (esp. As marbled adj.) Stain or colour (paper, soap, etc.) To look like variegated marble. 2 (as marbled adj.) (of meat) striped with fat and lean. [latin marmor from greek]
Marble cake n. Mottled cake of light and dark sponge.
Marbling n. 1 colouring or marking like marble. 2 streaks of fat in lean meat.
Marcasite n. 1 yellowish crystalline iron sulphide. 2 crystals of this used in jewellery. [arabic markashita]
March n. Third month of the year. [latin martius of mars]
March1 —v. 1 (cause to) walk in a military manner with a regular tread (army marched past; marched him away). 2 a walk purposefully. B (often foll. By on) (of events etc.) Continue unrelentingly (time marches on). 3 (foll. By on)
advance towards (a military objective). —n. 1 a act of marching. B uniform military step (slow march). 2 long difficult walk. 3 procession as a demonstration. 4 (usu. Foll. By of) progress or continuity (march of events). 5 a music to accompany a march. B similar musical piece. marcher n. [french marcher]
March2 —n. Hist. 1 (usu. In pl.) Boundary, frontier (esp. Between england and scotland or wales). 2 tract of land between two countries, esp. Disputed. —v. (foll. By upon, with) (of a country, an estate, etc.) Border on. [french marche from medieval latin marca]
March1 —v. 1 (cause to) walk in a military manner with a regular tread (army marched past; marched him away). 2 a walk purposefully. B (often foll. By on) (of events etc.) Continue unrelentingly (time marches on). 3 (foll. By on) advance towards (a military objective). —n. 1 a act of marching. B uniform military step (slow march). 2 long difficult walk. 3 procession as a demonstration. 4 (usu. Foll. By of) progress or continuity (march of events). 5 a music to accompany a march. B similar musical piece. marcher n. [french marcher]
March2 —n. Hist. 1 (usu. In pl.) Boundary, frontier (esp. Between england and scotland or wales). 2 tract of land between two countries, esp. Disputed. —v. (foll. By upon, with) (of a country, an estate, etc.) Border on. [french marche from medieval latin marca]
March hare n. Hare exuberant in the breeding season (mad as a march hare).
Marching orders n.pl. 1 order for troops to mobilize etc. 2 dismissal (gave him his marching orders).
Marchioness n. 1 wife or widow of a marquess. 2 woman holding the rank of
Marchioness n. 1 wife or widow of a marquess. 2 woman holding the rank of marquess. [medieval latin: related to *march2]
March past —n. Marching of troops past a saluting-point at a review. —v. (of troops) carry out a march past.
Mardi gras n. 1 a shrove tuesday in some catholic countries. B merrymaking on this day. 2 last day of a carnival etc. [french, = fat tuesday]
Mare1 n. Female equine animal, esp. A horse. [old english]
Mare2 n. (pl. Maria or -s) 1 large dark flat area on the moon, once thought to be sea. 2 similar area on mars. [latin, = sea]
Mare’s nest n. Illusory discovery.
Mare’s tail n. 1 tall slender marsh plant. 2 (in pl.) Long straight streaks of cirrus cloud.
Margarine n. Butter-substitute made from vegetable oils or animal fats with milk etc. [greek margaron pearl]
Marge n. Colloq. Margarine. [abbreviation]
Margin —n. 1 edge or border of a surface. 2 blank border flanking print etc. 3 amount by which a thing exceeds, falls short, etc. (won by a narrow margin). 4 lower limit (his effort fell below the margin). —v. (-n-) provide with a margin or marginal notes. [latin margo -ginis]
Marginal adj. 1 of or written in a margin. 2 a of or at the edge. B insignificant (of merely marginal interest). 3 (of a parliamentary seat etc.) Held by a small majority. 4 close to the limit, esp. Of profitability. 5 (of land) difficult to cultivate; unprofitable. 6 barely adequate. marginally adv. [medieval latin: related to *margin]
Marginal cost n. Cost added by making one extra copy etc.
Marginalia n.pl. Marginal notes.
Marginalize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) make or treat as insignificant.
marginalization n.
Margin of error n. Allowance for miscalculation etc.
Marguerite n. Ox-eye daisy. [latin margarita pearl]
Maria pl. Of *mare2.
Marigold n. Plant with golden or bright yellow flowers. [mary (probably the
virgin), gold (dial.) Marigold]
Marijuana n. (also marihuana) dried leaves etc. Of hemp, smoked in cigarettes as a drug. [american spanish]
Marimba n. 1 xylophone played by natives of africa and central america. 2 modern orchestral instrument derived from this. [congo]
Marina n. Harbour for pleasure-yachts etc. [latin: related to *marine]
Marinade —n. 1 mixture of wine, vinegar, oil, spices, etc., for soaking meat, fish, etc. Before cooking. 2 meat, fish, etc., so soaked. —v. (-ding) soak in a marinade. [spanish marinar pickle in brine: related to *marine]
Marinate v. (-ting) = marinade. marination n. [french: related to marine]
Marine —adj. 1 of, found in, or produced by the sea. 2 a of shipping or naval matters (marine insurance). B for use at sea. —n. 1 soldier trained to serve on land or sea. 2 country’s shipping, fleet, or navy (merchant marine). [latin mare sea]
Mariner n. Seaman.
Marionette n. Puppet worked by strings. [french: related to mary]
Marital adj. Of marriage or marriage relations. [latin maritus husband]
Marital adj. Of marriage or marriage relations. [latin maritus husband]
Maritime adj. 1 connected with the sea or seafaring (maritime insurance). 2 living or found near the sea. [latin: related to *marine]
Marjoram n. Aromatic herb used in cookery. [french from medieval latin]
Mark1 —n. 1 spot, sign, stain, scar, etc., on a surface etc. 2 (esp. In comb.) A written or printed symbol (question mark). B number or letter denoting proficiency, conduct, etc. (black mark; 46 marks out of 50). 3 (usu. Foll. By of) sign of quality, character, feeling, etc. (mark of respect). 4 a sign, seal, etc., of identification. B cross etc. Made as a signature by an illiterate person. 5 lasting effect (war left its mark). 6 a target etc. (missed the mark). B standard, norm (his work falls below the mark). 7 line etc. Indicating a position. 8 (usu. Mark) (followed by a numeral) particular design, model, etc., of a car, aircraft, etc. (mark 2 ford granada). 9 runner’s starting-point in a race. —v. 1 a make a mark on. B mark with initials, name, etc. To identify etc. 2 correct and assess (a student’s work etc.). 3 attach a price to (marked the doll at £5). 4 notice or observe (marked his agitation). 5 a characterize (day was marked by storms). B acknowledge, celebrate (marked the occasion with a toast). 6 name or indicate on a map etc. (the pub isn’t marked). 7 keep close to (an opponent in sport) to hinder him. 8 (as marked adj.) Have natural marks (is marked with dark spots). beside (or off or wide of) the mark 1 irrelevant. 2 not accurate. Make one’s mark attain distinction; make an impression. One’s mark colloq. Opponent, object, etc., of one’s own size etc. (the little one’s more my mark). Mark down 1 reduce the price of (goods etc.). 2 make a written note of. 3 reduce the examination marks of. Mark off separate by a boundary etc. Mark out 1 plan (a course of action etc.). 2 destine (marked out for success). 3 trace out (boundaries etc.). Mark time 1 march on the spot without moving forward. 2 act routinely while awaiting an opportunity to advance. Mark up 1 add a proportion to the price of (goods etc.) For profit. 2 mark or correct (text etc.). Off the mark 1 having made a start. 2 = beside the mark. On the mark ready to start. On your mark (or marks) get ready to start (esp. A race). Up to the mark normal (esp. Of health). [old english]
Mark2 n. = *deutschmark. [german]
Mark-down n. Reduction in price.
Marked adj. 1 having a visible mark. 2 clearly noticeable (marked difference). 3 (of playing-cards) marked on their backs to assist cheating. markedly adv.
Marked man n. Person singled out, esp. For attack.
Marker n. 1 thing marking a position etc. 2 person or thing that marks. 3 broad-tipped felt-tipped pen. 4 scorer in a game.
Market —n. 1 gathering of buyers and sellers of provisions, livestock, etc. 2 space for this. 3 (often foll. By for) demand for a commodity etc. (no market for sheds). 4 place or group providing such a demand. 5 conditions etc. For buying or selling; rate of purchase and sale (market is sluggish). 6 = *stock market. —v. (-t-) 1 offer for sale, esp. By advertising etc. 2 archaic buy or sell goods in a market. be in the market for wish to buy. Be on the market be offered for sale. Put on the market offer for sale. marketer n. Marketing n. [latin mercor buy]
Marketable adj. Able or fit to be sold. marketability n.
Market-day n. Day on which a market is regularly held.
Marketeer n. 1 supporter of the ec and british membership of it. 2 marketer.
Market garden n. Farm where vegetables and fruit are grown for sale in markets.
Market-place n. 1 open space for a market. 2 commercial world.
Market price n. Price in current dealings.
Market research n. Surveying of consumers’ needs and preferences.
Market town n. Town where a market is held.
Market value n. Value if offered for sale.
Marking n. (usu. In pl.) 1 identification mark. 2 colouring of an animal’s fur etc.
Marksman n. Skilled shot, esp. With a pistol or rifle. marksmanship n.
Mark-up n. 1 amount added to a price by the retailer for profit. 2 corrections in a text.
Marl —n. Soil of clay and lime, used as fertilizer. —v. Apply marl to. marly adj. [medieval latin margila]
Marlin n. (pl. Same or -s) us long-nosed marine fish. [from *marlinspike]
Marlinspike n. Pointed iron tool used to separate strands of rope etc. [marling from dutch marlen from marren bind]
Marmalade n. Preserve of citrus fruit, usu. Oranges. [portuguese marmelo quince]
Marmite n. Propr. Thick brown spread made from yeast and vegetable extract. [french, = cooking-pot]
Marmoreal adj. Of or like marble. [latin: related to *marble]
Marmoset n. Small monkey with a long bushy tail. [french]
Marmot n. Heavy-set burrowing rodent with a short bushy tail. [latin mus mouse, mons mountain]
Marocain n. Fabric of ribbed crêpe. [french, = moroccan]
Maroon1 adj. & n. Brownish-crimson. [french marron chestnut]
Maroon2 v. 1 leave (a person) isolated, esp. On an island. 2 (of weather etc.) Cause (a person) to be forcibly detained. [french marron wild person, from spanish cimarrón]
Marque n. Make of car, as distinct from a specific model (the jaguar marque). [french, = *mark1]
Marquee n. Large tent for social functions etc. [french marquise]
Marquess n. British nobleman ranking between duke and earl. [var. Of *marquis]
Marquetry n. Inlaid work in wood, ivory, etc. [french: related to *marque]
Marquis n. (pl. -quises) foreign nobleman ranking between duke and count. [french: related to *march2]
Marquise n. 1 wife or widow of a marquis. 2 woman holding the rank of marquis.
Marram n. Shore grass that binds sand. [old norse, = sea-haulm]
Marriage n. 1 legal union of a man and a woman for cohabitation and often procreation. 2 act or ceremony marking this. 3 particular such union (a happy marriage). 4 intimate union, combination. [french marier *marry]
Marriageable adj. Free, ready, or fit for marriage. marriageability n.
Marriage bureau n. Company arranging introductions with a view to marriage.
Marriage certificate n. Certificate verifying a legal marriage.
Marriage guidance n. Counselling of people with marital problems.
Marriage licence n. Licence to marry.
Marriage lines n.pl. Marriage certificate.
Marriage of convenience n. Loveless marriage for gain.
Marriage settlement n. Legal property arrangement between spouses.
Married —adj. 1 united in marriage. 2 of marriage (married name; married life).
—n. (usu. In pl.) Married person (young marrieds).
Marron glacé n. (pl. Marrons glacés pronunc. Same) chestnut preserved in syrup. [french]
Marrow n. 1 large fleshy usu. Striped gourd eaten as a vegetable. 2 soft fatty substance in the cavities of bones. 3 essential part. to the marrow right through. [old english]
Marrowbone n. Bone containing edible marrow.
Marrowfat n. A kind of large pea.
Marry v. (-ies, -ied) 1 take, join, or give in marriage. 2 a enter into marriage. B (foll. By into) become a member of (a family) by marriage. 3 a unite intimately, combine. B pair (socks etc.). marry off find a spouse for. Marry up link, join. [latin maritus husband]
Marsala n. A dark sweet fortified dessert wine. [marsala in sicily]
Marseillaise n. French national anthem. [french marseille in france]
Marsh n. (often attrib.) Low watery land. marshy adj. (-ier, -iest). Marshiness n. [old english]
Marshal —n. 1 (marshal) high-ranking officer of state or in the armed forces (earl marshal; field marshal). 2 officer arranging ceremonies, controlling racecourses, crowds, etc. —v. (-ll-) 1 arrange (soldiers, one’s thoughts, etc.) In due order.
Marshalling yard n. Yard for assembling goods trains etc.
Marshal of the royal air force n. Highest rank in the raf.
Marsh gas n. Methane.
Marshland n. Land consisting of marshes.
Marshmallow n. Soft sticky sweet made of sugar, albumen, gelatin, etc. [*marsh mallow]
Marsh mallow n. Shrubby herbaceous plant.
Marsh marigold n. Golden-flowered plant.
Marsupial —n. Mammal giving birth to underdeveloped young subsequently carried in a pouch. —adj. Of or like a marsupial. [greek marsupion pouch]
Mart n. 1 trade centre. 2 auction-room. 3 market. [dutch: related to *market]
Martello n. (pl. -s) (also martello tower) small circular coastal fort. [cape mortella in corsica]
Marten n. Weasel-like carnivore with valuable fur. [dutch from french]
Martial adj. 1 of warfare. 2 warlike. [latin martialis of mars]
Martial arts n.pl. Oriental fighting sports such as judo and karate.
Martial law n. Military government with ordinary law suspended.
Martian —adj. Of the planet mars. —n. Hypothetical inhabitant of mars. [latin]
Martin n. A kind of swallow, esp. The house-martin and sand-martin. [probably st martin, name of a 4th-c. Bishop]
Martinet n. Strict disciplinarian. [martinet, name of a drill-master]
Martingale n. Strap(s) preventing a horse from rearing etc. [french, origin uncertain]
Martini n. (pl. -s) 1 propr. Type of vermouth. 2 cocktail of gin and french vermouth. [martini and rossi, name of a firm selling vermouth]
Martinmas n. St martin’s day, 11 nov. [from *mass2]
Martinmas n. St martin’s day, 11 nov. [from *mass2]
Martyr —n. 1 a person killed for persisting in a belief. B person who suffers for a cause etc. C person who suffers or pretends to suffer to get pity etc. 2 (foll. By to) colloq. Constant sufferer from (an ailment). —v. 1 put to death as a martyr. 2 torment. martyrdom n. [greek martur witness]
Marvel —n. 1 wonderful thing. 2 (foll. By of) wonderful example of (a quality). —v. (-ll-; us -l-) (foll. By at or that) feel surprise or wonder. [latin miror wonder at]
Marvellous adj. (us marvelous) 1 astonishing. 2 excellent. marvellously adv. [french: related to *marvel]
Marvelous adj. (brit. Marvellous) 1 astonishing. 2 excellent. marvellously adv. [french: related to *marvel]
Marxism n. Political and economic theories of marx, predicting the overthrow of capitalism and common ownership of the means of production in a classless society. marxist n. & adj.
Marxism-leninism n. Marxism as developed by lenin. marxist-leninist n. & adj.
Marzipan —n. Paste of ground almonds, sugar, etc., used in confectionery. —v. (-nn-) cover with marzipan. [german from italian]
Mascara n. Cosmetic for darkening the eyelashes. [italian, = mask]
Mascot n. Person, animal, or thing supposed to bring luck. [provençal masco witch]
Masculine —adj. 1 of men. 2 having manly qualities. 3 of or denoting the male gender. —n. Masculine gender or word. masculinity n. [latin: related to *male]
Maser n. Device used to amplify or generate coherent electromagnetic radiation in the microwave range. [microwave amplification by stimulated emission of radiation]
Mash —n. 1 soft or confused mixture. 2 mixture of boiled grain, bran, etc., fed to horses etc. 3 colloq. Mashed potatoes. 4 mixture of malt and hot water used in brewing. 5 soft pulp made by crushing, mixing with water, etc. —v. 1 crush (potatoes etc.) To a pulp. 2 dial. A infuse (tea). B (of tea) draw. masher n. [old english]
Mask —n. 1 covering for all or part of the face as a disguise or for protection against infection etc. 2 respirator. 3 likeness of a person’s face, esp. One from a mould (death-mask).
Masking tape n. Adhesive tape used in decorating to protect areas where paint is not wanted.
Masochism n. 1 sexual perversion involving one’s own pain or humiliation. 2 colloq. Enjoyment of what appears to be painful or tiresome. masochist n. Masochistic adj. Masochistically adv. [von sacher-masoch, name of a novelist]
Mason n. 1 person who builds with stone. 2 (mason) freemason. [french]
Masonic adj. Of freemasons.
Masonry n. 1 a stonework. B work of a mason. 2 (masonry) freemasonry.
Masque n. Musical drama with mime, esp. In the 16th and 17th c. [var. Of *mask]
Masquerade —n. 1 false show, pretence. 2 masked ball. —v. (-ding) (often foll. By as) appear falsely or in disguise. [spanish máscara mask]
Mass1 —n. 1 shapeless body of matter. 2 dense aggregation of objects (mass of fibres). 3 (in sing. Or pl.; usu. Foll. By of) large number or amount. 4 (usu. Foll. By of) unbroken expanse (of colour etc.). 5 (prec. By the) a the majority. B (in pl.) Ordinary people. 6 physics quantity of matter a body contains. 7 (attrib.) On a large scale (mass hysteria; mass audience). —v. Assemble into a mass or as one body. [latin massa from greek]
Mass2 n. (often mass) 1 eucharist, esp. In the roman catholic church. 2 celebration of this. 3 liturgy used in this. 4 musical setting of parts of this. [latin missa dismissal]
Massacre —n. 1 mass killing. 2 utter defeat or destruction. —v. (-ring) 1 kill (esp. Many people) cruelly or violently. 2 colloq. Defeat heavily. [french]
Massage —n. Rubbing and kneading of the muscles and joints with the hands, to relieve stiffness, cure strains, stimulate, etc. —v. (-ging) 1 apply massage to. 2 manipulate (statistics etc.) To give an acceptable result. 3 flatter (a person’s ego etc.). [french]
Massage parlour n. 1 establishment providing massage. 2 euphem. Brothel.
Masseur n. (fem. Masseuse) person who gives massage for a living. [french:
related to *massage]
Massif n. Compact group of mountain heights. [french: related to *massive]
Massive adj. 1 large and heavy or solid. 2 (of the features, head, etc.) Relatively large or solid. 3 exceptionally large or severe (massive heart attack). 4 substantial, impressive. massively adv. Massiveness n. [latin: related to *mass1]
Mass media n.pl. = *media 2.
Mass noun n. Gram. Noun that is not normally countable and cannot be used with the indefinite article (e.g. Bread).
Mass production n. Mechanical production of large quantities of a standardized article. mass-produce v.
Mast1 n. 1 long upright post of timber etc. On a ship’s keel to support sails. 2 post etc. For supporting a radio or television aerial. 3 flag-pole (half-mast). before the mast as an ordinary seaman. masted adj. (also in comb.). Master n. (also in comb.). [old english]
Mast2 n. Fruit of the beech, oak, etc., esp. As food for pigs. [old english]
Mastectomy n. (pl. -ies) surgical removal of a breast. [greek mastos breast]
Master —n. 1 person having control or ownership (master of the house; dog obeyed his master; master of the hunt). 2 captain of a merchant ship. 3 male teacher. 4 prevailing person. 5 a skilled tradesman able to teach others (often attrib.: master carpenter). B skilled practitioner (master of innuendo). 6 holder of a usu. Postgraduate university degree (master of arts). 7 revered teacher in philosophy etc. 8 great artist. 9 chess etc. Player at international level. 10 original copy of a film, recording, etc., from which others can be made. 11 (master) title for a boy not old enough to be called mr. 12 archaic employer. — attrib. Adj. 1 commanding, superior (master hand).
Master-class n. Class given by a famous musician etc.
Usage masterful is normally used of a person, whereas masterly is used of achievements, abilities, etc.
Master-key n. Key that opens several different locks.
Masterly adj. Very skilful.
Usage see note at masterful.
Mastermind —n. 1 person with an outstanding intellect. 2 person directing a scheme etc. —v. Plan and direct (a scheme etc.).
Master of ceremonies n. 1 person introducing speakers at a banquet or entertainers in a variety show. 2 person in charge of a ceremonial or social occasion.
Master of the rolls n. Judge who presides over the court of appeal.
Masterpiece n. 1 outstanding piece of artistry or workmanship. 2 person’s best work.
Master-stroke n. Skilful tactic etc.
Master-switch n. Switch controlling the supply of electricity etc. To an entire system.
Mastery n. 1 control, dominance. 2 (often foll. By of) comprehensive knowledge or skill.
Masthead n. 1 top of a ship’s mast, esp. As a place of observation or punishment.
2 title of a newspaper etc. At the head of the front page or editorial page.
Mastic n. 1 gum or resin from the mastic tree, used in making varnish. 2 (in full mastic tree) evergreen tree yielding this. 3 waterproof filler and sealant. [greek mastikhé]
Masticate v. (-ting) grind or chew (food) with one’s teeth. mastication n. Masticatory adj. [latin from greek]
Mastiff n. Dog of a large strong breed with drooping ears. [latin mansuetus tame]
Mastitis n. Inflammation of the breast or udder. [greek mastos breast]
Mastodon n. (pl. Same or -s) large extinct mammal resembling the elephant. [greek mastos breast, odous tooth]
Mastoid —adj. Shaped like a breast. —n. 1 = *mastoid process. 2 (usu. In pl.) Colloq. Inflammation of the mastoid process. [greek mastos breast]
Mastoid process n. Conical prominence on the temporal bone behind the ear.
Masturbate v. (-ting) (usu. Absol.) Sexually arouse (oneself or another) by
Masturbate v. (-ting) (usu. Absol.) Sexually arouse (oneself or another) by manual stimulation of the genitals. masturbation n. [latin]
Mat1 —n. 1 small piece of coarse material on a floor, esp. For wiping one’s shoes on. 2 piece of cork, rubber, etc., to protect a surface from a hot dish etc. Placed on it. 3 padded floor covering in gymnastics, wrestling, etc. —v. (-tt-) (esp. As matted adj.) Entangle or become entangled in a thick mass (matted hair). on the mat slang being reprimanded. [old english]
Mat2 var. Of *matt.
Matador n. Bullfighter whose task is to kill the bull. [spanish from matar kill:
related to mate in *checkmate]
Match1 —n. 1 contest or game in which players or teams compete. 2 a person as an equal contender (meet one’s match). B person or thing exactly like or corresponding to another. 3 marriage. 4 person viewed as a marriage prospect. —v. 1 correspond (to); be like or alike; harmonize (with) (his socks do not match; curtains match the wallpaper). 2 equal. 3 (foll. By against, with) place in conflict or competition with. 4 find material etc. That matches (another) (can you match this silk?).
Match2 n. 1 short thin piece of wood etc. With a combustible tip. 2 wick or cord etc. For firing a cannon etc. [french mesche]
Matchboard n. Tongued and grooved board fitting with similar boards.
Matchbox n. Box for holding matches.
Matchless adj. Incomparable.
Matchmaker n. Person who arranges marriages or schemes to bring couples together. matchmaking n.
Match point n. Tennis etc. 1 position when one side needs only one more point to win the match. 2 this point.
Matchstick n. Stem of a match.
Matchwood n. 1 wood suitable for matches. 2 minute splinters.
Mate1 —n. 1 friend or fellow worker. 2 colloq. Form of address, esp. To another man. 3 a each of a breeding pair, esp. Of birds. B colloq. Partner in marriage. C (in comb.) Fellow member or joint occupant of (team-mate; room-mate). 4 officer on a merchant ship. 5 assistant to a skilled worker (plumber’s mate). —v. (-ting) (often foll. By with) 1 come or bring together for breeding. 2 mech. Fit well. [low german]
Mate2 n. & v. (-ting) chess = *checkmate.
Mater n. Slang mother. [latin]
Usage mater is now only found in jocular or affected use.
Usage mater is now only found in jocular or affected use.
Material —n. 1 matter from which a thing is made. 2 cloth, fabric. 3 (in pl.) Things needed for an activity (building materials). 4 person or thing of a specified kind or suitable for a purpose (officer material). 5 (in sing. Or pl.) Information etc. For a book etc. 6 (in sing. Or pl., often foll. By of) elements, constituent parts, or substance. —adj. 1 of matter; corporeal; not spiritual. 2 of bodily comfort etc. (material well-being). 3 (often foll. By to) important, significant, relevant. [latin materia *matter]
Materialism n. 1 greater interest in material possessions and comfort than in spiritual values. 2 philos. Theory that nothing exists but matter. materialist n. Materialistic adj. Materialistically adv.
Materialize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 become actual fact; happen. 2 colloq.
Appear or be present. 3 represent in or assume bodily form. materialization n.
Materially adv. Substantially, significantly.
Matériel n. Means, esp. Materials and equipment in warfare. [french]
Maternal adj. 1 of or like a mother; motherly. 2 related through the mother (maternal uncle). 3 of the mother in pregnancy and childbirth. maternally adv. [latin mater mother]
Maternity n. 1 motherhood. 2 motherliness. 3 (attrib.) For women during pregnancy and childbirth (maternity leave; maternity dress). [french from
medieval latin: related to *maternal]
medieval latin: related to *maternal]
Matey (also maty) —adj. (-tier, -tiest) sociable; familiar, friendly. —n. (pl. -s) colloq. (as a form of address) mate. mateyness n. (also matiness). Matily adv.
Math n. Us colloq. Mathematics. [abbreviation]
Mathematical adj. 1 of mathematics. 2 rigorously precise. mathematically adv.
Mathematical tables n.pl. Tables of logarithms and trigonometric values etc.
Mathematics n.pl. 1 (also treated as sing.) Abstract science of number, quantity, and space. 2 (as pl.) Use of this in calculation etc. mathematician n. [greek manthano learn]
Maths n. Colloq. Mathematics. [abbreviation]
Matinee n. (brit. Matinée) afternoon performance in the theatre, cinema, etc. [french from matin morning: related to *matins]
Matinée n. (us matinee) afternoon performance in the theatre, cinema, etc. [french from matin morning: related to *matins]
Matinée coat n. (also matinée jacket) baby’s short knitted coat.
Matinée idol n. Handsome actor.
Matins n. (also mattins) (as sing. Or pl.) Morning prayer, esp. In the church of england. [latin matutinus of the morning]
Matriarch n. Female head of a family or tribe. matriarchal adj. [latin mater mother]
Matriarchy n. (pl. -ies) female-dominated system of society, with descent through the female line.
Matrices pl. Of *matrix.
Matricide n. 1 killing of one’s mother. 2 person who does this. [latin: related to *mater, *-cide]
Matriculate v. (-ting) enrol at a college or university. matriculation n. [medieval latin: related to *matrix]
Matrimony n. Rite or state of marriage. matrimonial adj. [latin matrimonium:
related to *mater]
Matrix n. (pl. Matrices or -es) 1 mould in which a thing is cast or shaped. 2 place
etc. In which a thing is developed. 3 rock in which gems, fossils, etc., are embedded. 4 math. Rectangular array of elements treated as a single element. [latin, = womb]
Matron n. 1 woman in charge of nursing in a hospital. 2 married, esp. Staid, woman. 3 woman nurse and housekeeper at a school etc. [latin matrona: related to *mater]
Usage in sense 1, senior nursing officer is now the official term.
Matronly adj. Like a matron, esp. Portly or staid.
Matron of honour n. Married woman attending the bride at a wedding.
Matt (also mat) —adj. Not shiny or glossy; dull. —n. (in full matt paint) paint giving a dull flat finish. [french: related to *mate2]
Matter —n. 1 physical substance having mass and occupying space, as distinct from mind and spirit. 2 specified substance (colouring matter; reading matter). 3 (prec. By the; often foll. By with) (thing) amiss (something the matter with him). 4 content as distinct from style, form, etc. 5 (often foll. By of, for) situation etc. Under consideration or as an occasion for (regret etc.) (matter for concern; matter of discipline). 6 pus or a similar substance discharged from the body. —v. (often foll. By to) be of importance; have significance. as a matter of fact in reality; actually. For that matter 1 as far as that is concerned. 2 and indeed also. A matter of approximately; amounting to (a matter of 40 years). No matter 1 (foll. By when, how, etc.) Regardless of. 2 it is of no importance. [latin materia timber, substance]
Maxi n. (pl. -s) colloq. Maxi-coat, -skirt, etc. [abbreviation]
Maxi-comb. Form very large or long. [abbreviation of maximum; cf. mini-]
Maxilla n. (pl. -llae) jaw or jawbone, esp. (in vertebrates) the upper jaw. maxillary adj. [latin]
Maxim n. General truth or rule of conduct briefly expressed. [french or medieval latin: related to *maximum]
Maxima pl. Of *maximum.
Maximal adj. Of or being a maximum.
Maximize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) make as large or great as possible. maximization n. [latin: related to *maximum]
Usage maximize should not be used in standard english to mean ‘to make as good as possible’ or ‘to make the most of’.
Maximum —n. (pl. -ma) highest possible amount, size, etc. —adj. Greatest in amount, size, etc. [latin maximus greatest]
May n. 1 fifth month of the year. 2 (may) hawthorn, esp. In blossom. [latin maius of the goddess maia]
May v.aux. (3rd sing. Present may; past might) 1 expressing: a (often foll. By well for emphasis) possibility (it may be true; you may well lose your way). B permission (may i come in?). C a wish (may he live to regret it). D uncertainty or irony (who may you be?; who are you, may i ask?). 2 in purpose clauses and after wish, fear, etc. (hope he may succeed). be that as it may (or that is as may be) it is possible (but) (be that as it may, i still want to go). May as well = might as well (see *might1). [old english]
Usage in sense 1b, both can and may are used to express permission; in more formal contexts may is preferred since can also denotes capability (can i move? = am i physically able to move?; may i move? = am i allowed to move?).
Maya n. 1 (pl. Same or -s) member of an ancient indian people of central america. 2 their language. mayan adj. & n. [native name]
Maybe adv. Perhaps. [from it may be]
May day n. 1 may as a spring festival or international holiday in honour of workers.
Mayday n. International radio distress-signal. [representing pronunciation of french m’aidez help me]
Mayflower n. Any of various flowers that bloom in may.
Mayfly n. A kind of insect living briefly in spring.
Mayhem n. Destruction; havoc. [anglo-french mahem: related to *maim]
Mayn’t contr. May not.
Mayonnaise n. 1 thick creamy dressing of egg-yolks, oil, vinegar, etc. 2 dish dressed with this (egg mayonnaise). [french]
Mayor n. 1 head of the corporation of a city or borough. 2 head of a district council with the status of a borough. mayoral adj. [latin: related to *major]
Mayoralty n. (pl. -ies) 1 office of mayor. 2 period of this.
Mayoress n. 1 woman mayor. 2 wife or official consort of a mayor.
Maypole n. Decorated pole for dancing round on may day.
May queen n. Girl chosen to preside over may day festivities.
Maze n. 1 network of paths and hedges designed as a puzzle for those who enter it. 2 labyrinth. 3 confused network, mass, etc. [related to *amaze]
Mazurka n. 1 lively polish dance in triple time. 2 music for this. [french or german from polish]
Mb abbr. 1 bachelor of medicine. 2 computing megabyte. [sense 1 from latin medicinae baccalaureus]
Mba abbr. Master of business administration.
Mbe abbr. Member of the order of the british empire.
Mbo abbr. Management buyout.
Mc abbr. 1 master of ceremonies. 2 military cross. 3 member of congress.
Mcc abbr. Marylebone cricket club.
Mccarthyism, mccoy see at macc-.
Md abbr. 1 doctor of medicine. 2 managing director. [sense 1 from latin medicinae doctor]
Md symb. Mendelevium.
Me abbr. Myalgic encephalomyelitis, a condition with prolonged flu-like symptoms and depression.
symptoms and depression.
Me1 pron. 1 objective case of *i2 (he saw me). 2 colloq. = i2 (it’s me all right; is taller than me). [old english accusative and dative of i2]
Me2 n. (also mi) mus. Third note of a major scale. [latin mira, word arbitrarily taken]
Mea culpa —n. Acknowledgement of error. —int. Expressing this. [latin, = by my fault]
Mead n. Alcoholic drink of fermented honey and water. [old english]
Meadow n. 1 piece of grassland, esp. One used for hay. 2 low marshy ground, esp. Near a river. meadowy adj. [old english]
Meadowsweet n. Fragrant meadow and marsh plant with creamy-white flowers.
Meager adj. (brit. Meagre) 1 scant in amount or quality. 2 lean, thin. [anglo-french megre from latin macer]
Meagre adj. (us meager) 1 scant in amount or quality. 2 lean, thin. [anglo-french megre from latin macer]
Meal1 n. 1 occasion when food is eaten. 2 the food eaten at a meal. make a meal of colloq. Treat (a task etc.) Too laboriously or fussily. [old english]
Meal2 n. 1 grain or pulse ground to powder. 2 scot. Oatmeal. 3 us maize flour. [old english]
Meals on wheels n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) Regular voluntary esp. Lunch deliveries to old people, invalids, etc.
Meal-ticket n. Colloq. Person or thing that is a source of maintenance or income.
Mealtime n. Usual time of eating.
Mealy adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 of, like, or containing meal. 2 (of a complexion) pale.
mealiness n.
Mealy-mouthed adj. Afraid to speak plainly.
Mean1 v. (past and past part. Meant) 1 have as one’s purpose or intention (meant no harm by it; i didn’t mean to break it). 2 design or destine for a purpose (meant to be used). 3 intend to convey or refer to (i mean richmond in surrey). 4 (often foll. By that) entail, involve, portend, signify (this means war; means that he is dead). 5 (of a word) have as its equivalent in the same or another language. 6 (foll. By to) be of specified importance to (that means a lot to me). mean business colloq. Be in earnest. Mean it not be joking or exaggerating. Mean well have good intentions. [old english]
Mean2 adj. 1 niggardly; not generous. 2 ignoble, small-minded. 3 (of capacity, understanding, etc.) Inferior, poor. 4 shabby; inadequate (mean hovel). 5 a malicious, ill-tempered. B us vicious or aggressive in behaviour. 6 us colloq. Skilful, formidable (a mean fighter). no mean a very good (no mean feat). meanly adv. Meanness n. [old english]
Mean3 —n. 1 median point (mean between modesty and pride). 2 a term midway between the first and last terms of an arithmetical etc. Progression. B quotient of the sum of several quantities and their number; average. —adj. 1 (of a quantity) equally far from two extremes. 2 calculated as a mean. [latin medianus *median]
Mean2 adj. 1 niggardly; not generous. 2 ignoble, small-minded. 3 (of capacity, understanding, etc.) Inferior, poor. 4 shabby; inadequate (mean hovel). 5 a malicious, ill-tempered. B us vicious or aggressive in behaviour. 6 us colloq. Skilful, formidable (a mean fighter). no mean a very good (no mean feat). meanly adv. Meanness n. [old english]
Mean3 —n. 1 median point (mean between modesty and pride). 2 a term midway between the first and last terms of an arithmetical etc. Progression. B quotient of the sum of several quantities and their number; average. —adj. 1 (of a quantity) equally far from two extremes. 2 calculated as a mean. [latin medianus *median]
Meander —v. 1 wander at random. 2 (of a stream) wind about. —n. 1 (in pl.) Sinuous windings of a river, path, etc. 2 circuitous journey. [greek maiandros, a winding river in ancient phrygia]
Meanie n. (also meany) (pl. -ies) colloq. Niggardly or small-minded person.
Meaning —n. 1 what is meant. 2 significance. 3 importance. —adj. Expressive, significant (meaning glance). meaningly adv.
Meaningful adj. 1 full of meaning; significant. 2 logic able to be interpreted.
meaningfully adv. Meaningfulness n.
Meaningless adj. Having no meaning or significance. meaninglessly adv.
Meaninglessness n.
Means n.pl. 1 (often treated as sing.) Action, agent, device, or method producing a result (means of quick travel). 2 a money resources (live beyond one’s means). B wealth (man of means). by all means certainly. By means of by the agency etc. Of. By no means certainly not. [from *mean3]
Mean sea level n. Level halfway between high and low water.
Means test —n. Inquiry into income as a basis for eligibility for state benefit etc.
—v. (means-test) subject to or base on a means test.
Meant past and past part. Of *mean1.
Meantime —adv. = *meanwhile. —n. Intervening period (esp. In the meantime).
Usage as an adverb, meantime is less common than meanwhile.
Usage as an adverb, meantime is less common than meanwhile.
Meanwhile —adv. 1 in the intervening period of time. 2 at the same time. —n.
Intervening period (esp. In the meanwhile).
Meany var. Of *meanie.
Measles n.pl. (also treated as sing.) Infectious viral disease marked by a red rash. [low german masele or dutch masel]
Measure —n. 1 size or quantity found by measuring. 2 system or unit of measuring (liquid measure; 20 measures of wheat). 3 rod, tape, vessel, etc. For measuring. 4 (often foll. By of) degree, extent, or amount (a measure of wit). 5 factor determining evaluation etc. (sales are the measure of popularity). 6 (usu. In pl.) Suitable action to achieve some end. 7 legislative bill, act, etc. 8 prescribed extent or quantity. 9 poetic metre. 10 mineral stratum (coal measures). —v. (-ring) 1 ascertain the extent or quantity of (a thing) by comparison with a known standard. 2 be of a specified size. 3 ascertain the size of (a person) for clothes. 4 estimate (a quality etc.) By some criterion. 5 (often foll. By off) mark (a line etc. Of a given length). 6 (foll. By out) distribute in measured quantities. 7 (foll. By with, against) bring (oneself or one’s strength etc.) Into competition with. beyond measure excessively. For good measure as a finishing touch. In some measure partly. Measure up 1 take the measurements (of). 2 (often foll.
Measurement n. 1 measuring. 2 amount measured. 3 (in pl.) Detailed dimensions.
Meat n. 1 animal flesh as food. 2 (often foll. By of) substance; chief part. meatless adj. [old english]
Meatball n. Small round ball of minced meat.
Meat loaf n. Minced meat etc. Moulded and baked.
Meat safe n. Ventilated cupboard for storing meat.
Meaty adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 full of meat; fleshy. 2 of or like meat. 3 substantial, full of interest, satisfying. meatiness n.
Mecca n. Place one aspires to visit. [mecca, muslim holy city in arabia]
Mechanic n. Person skilled in using or repairing machinery. [latin: related to *machine]
Mechanical adj. 1 of machines or mechanisms. 2 working or produced by machinery. 3 (of an action etc.) Automatic; repetitive. 4 (of an agency, principle,
machinery. 3 (of an action etc.) Automatic; repetitive. 4 (of an agency, principle, etc.) Belonging to mechanics. 5 of mechanics as a science. mechanically adv. [latin: related to *mechanic]
Mechanical engineer n. Person qualified in the design, construction, etc. Of machines.
Mechanics n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) 1 branch of applied mathematics dealing with motion etc. 2 science of machinery. 3 routine technical aspects of a thing (mechanics of local government).
Mechanism n. 1 structure or parts of a machine. 2 system of parts working together. 3 process; method (defence mechanism; no mechanism for complaints). mechanistic adj. [greek: related to *machine]
Mechanize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 introduce machines in (a factory etc.).
2 make mechanical. 3 equip with tanks, armoured cars, etc. mechanization n.
Med n. Colloq. Mediterranean sea. [abbreviation]
Medal n. Commemorative metal disc etc., esp. Awarded for military or sporting prowess. [latin: related to *metal]
Medalist n. (brit. Medallist) winner of a (specified) medal (gold medallist).
Medallion n. 1 large medal. 2 thing so shaped, e.g. A decorative panel etc. [italian: related to *medal]
Medallist n. (us medalist) winner of a (specified) medal (gold medallist).
Meddle v. (-ling) (often foll. By with, in) interfere in others’ concerns. meddler n. [latin: related to *mix]
Meddlesome adj. Interfering.
Media n.pl. 1 pl. Of *medium. 2 (usu. Prec. By the) mass communications (esp.
Newspapers and broadcasting) regarded collectively.
Usage media is commonly used with a singular verb (e.g. The media is biased), but this is not generally accepted (cf. *data).
Median —adj. Situated in the middle. —n. 1 straight line drawn from any vertex of a triangle to the middle of the opposite side. 2 middle value of a series. [latin: related to *medial]
Mediate v. (-ting) 1 (often foll. By between) intervene (between disputants) to
settle a quarrel etc. 2 bring about (a result) thus. mediation n. Mediator n. [latin medius middle]
Medic n. Colloq. Medical practitioner or student. [latin medicus physician]
Medical —adj. Of medicine in general or as distinct from surgery (medical ward). —n. Colloq. Medical examination. medically adv.
Medical certificate n. Certificate of fitness or unfitness for work etc.
Medical examination n. Examination to determine a person’s physical fitness.
Medical officer n. Person in charge of the health services of a local authority etc.
Medical practitioner n. Physician or surgeon.
Medicament n. = *medicine 2.
Medicare n. Us federally funded health insurance scheme for the elderly. [from medical, care]
Medicate v. (-ting) 1 treat medically. 2 impregnate with medicine etc. medicative adj. [latin medicare medicat-]
Medication n. 1 = *medicine 2. 2 treatment using drugs.
Medicinal adj. (of a substance) healing. medicinally adv.
Medicine n. 1 science or practice of the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, esp. As distinct from surgery. 2 drug etc. For the treatment or prevention of disease, esp. Taken by mouth. take one’s medicine submit to something disagreeable. [latin medicina]
Medicine man n. Tribal, esp. N. American indian, witch-doctor.
Medieval adj. (also mediaeval) 1 of the middle ages. 2 colloq. Old-fashioned. [latin medium aevum middle age]
Medieval history n. History of the 5th–15th c.
Medieval latin n. Latin of about ad 600–1500.
Mediocre adj. 1 indifferent in quality. 2 second-rate. [latin mediocris]
Mediocrity n. (pl. -ies) 1 being mediocre. 2 mediocre person.
Meditate v. (-ting) 1 (often foll. By on, upon) engage in (esp. Religious) contemplation. 2 plan mentally. meditation n. Meditator n. [latin meditor]
Meditative adj. 1 inclined to meditate. 2 indicative of meditation, thoughtful.
meditatively adv. Meditativeness n.
Mediterranean adj. Of the sea bordered by s. Europe, sw asia, and n. Africa, or its surrounding region (mediterranean cookery). [latin mediterraneus inland]
Medium —n. (pl. Media or -s) 1 middle quality, degree, etc. Between extremes (find a happy medium). 2 means of communication (medium of television). 3 substance, e.g. Air, through which sense-impressions are conveyed. 4 physical environment etc. Of a living organism. 5 means. 6 material or form used by an artist, composer, etc. 7 liquid (e.g. Oil or gel) used for diluting paints. 8 (pl. -s) person claiming to communicate with the dead. —adj. 1 between two qualities, degrees, etc. 2 average (of medium height). [latin medius middle]
Medium-range adj. (of an aircraft, missile, etc.) Able to travel a medium distance.
Medium wave n. Radio wave of frequency between 300 khz and 3 mhz.
Medlar n. 1 tree bearing small brown apple-like fruits, eaten when decayed. 2 such a fruit. [french medler from greek mespile]
Medley n. (pl. -s) 1 varied mixture. 2 collection of tunes etc. Played as one piece.
[french medlee]
Medulla n. 1 inner part of certain organs etc., e.g. The kidney. 2 soft internal tissue of plants. medullary adj. [latin]
Medulla oblongata n. Lowest part of the brainstem, formed from a continuation of the spinal cord.
Medusa n. (pl. Medusae or -s) jellyfish. [greek medousa, name of a gorgon]
Meek adj. Humble and submissive or gentle. meekly adv. Meekness n. [old norse]
Meerkat n. S. African mongoose. [dutch, = sea-cat]
Meerschaum n. 1 soft white clay-like substance. 2 tobacco-pipe with its bowl made from this. [german, = sea-foam]
Meet1 —v. (past and past part. Met) 1 encounter (a person etc.) Or (of two or more people) come together by accident or design; come face to face (with) (met on the bridge). 2 be present by design at the arrival of (a person, train, etc.). 3 come or seem to come together or into contact (with); join (where the sea and the sky meet; jacket won’t meet). 4 make the acquaintance of (delighted to meet you; all met at oxford). 5 come together for business, worship, etc. (union met management). 6 a deal with or answer (a demand, objection, etc.) (met the proposal with hostility). B satisfy or conform with (agreed to meet the new terms). 7 pay (a bill etc.); honour (a cheque) (meet the cost). 8 (often foll. By with) experience, encounter, or receive (met their death; met with hostility). 9
confront in battle etc. —n. 1 assembly for a hunt. 2 assembly for sport, esp. Athletics. make ends meet see *end. Meet the case be adequate. Meet the eye be visible or evident. Meet a person half way compromise with. Meet up colloq. (often foll. By with) = sense 1 of v. Meet with 1 see sense 8 of v. 2 receive (a reaction) (met with her approval). 3 esp. Us = sense 1 of v. [old english]
Meet2 adj. Archaic fitting, proper. [related to *mete]
Meeting n. 1 coming together. 2 assembly of esp. A society, committee, etc. 3 = *race meeting.
Mega slang —adj. 1 excellent. 2 enormous. —adv. Extremely.
Mega-comb. Form 1 large. 2 one million (106) in the metric system of measurement. 3 slang extremely; very big (mega-stupid; mega-project). [greek megas great]
Megabuck n. Us slang million dollars.
Megabyte n. Computing 1,048,576 (i.e. 220) bytes as a measure of data capacity, or loosely 1,000,000.
Megadeath n. Death of one million people (in war).
Megahertz n. (pl. Same) one million hertz, esp. As a measure of radio frequency.
Megalith n. Large stone, esp. As a prehistoric monument or part of one. megalithic adj. [greek lithos stone]
Megalomania n. 1 mental disorder producing delusions of grandeur. 2 passion for grandiose schemes. megalomaniac adj. & n. [greek megas great, *mania]
Megalosaurus n. (pl. -ruses) large flesh-eating dinosaur with stout hind legs and small forelimbs. [greek megas great, sauros lizard]
Megaphone n. Large funnel-shaped device for amplifying the voice. [greek megas great, phone sound]
Megastar n. Colloq. Very famous entertainer etc.
Megaton n. Unit of explosive power equal to one million tons of tnt.
Megavolt n. One million volts, esp. As a unit of electromotive force.
Megawatt n. One million watts, esp. As a measure of electrical power.
Megohm n. One million ohms.
Meiosis n. (pl. Meioses) 1 cell division that results in gametes with half the normal chromosome number. 2 = *litotes. [greek meion less]
Melamine n. 1 white crystalline compound producing resins. 2 (in full melamine resin) plastic made from this and used esp. For laminated coatings. [from arbitrary melam, *amine]
Melancholia n. Depression and anxiety. [latin: related to *melancholy]
Melancholy —n. 1 pensive sadness. 2 a mental depression. B tendency to this. —adj. Sad; saddening, depressing; expressing sadness. melancholic adj. [greek melas black, khole bile]
Mélange n. Mixture, medley. [french mêler mix]
Melanin n. Dark pigment in the hair, skin, etc., causing tanning in sunlight. [greek melas black]
Melanoma n. Malignant skin tumour.
Melba toast n. Very thin crisp toast. [melba, name of a soprano]
Meld v. Merge, blend. [origin uncertain]
Melee n. (brit. Mêlée) 1 confused fight, skirmish, or scuffle. 2 muddle. [french:
related to *medley]
Mêlée n. (us melee) 1 confused fight, skirmish, or scuffle. 2 muddle. [french:
related to *medley]
Mellifluous adj. (of a voice etc.) Pleasing, musical, flowing. mellifluously adv. Mellifluousness n. [latin mel honey, fluo flow]
Mellow —adj. 1 (of sound, colour, light) soft and rich, free from harshness. 2 (of character) gentle; mature. 3 genial, jovial. 4 euphem. Partly intoxicated. 5 (of fruit) soft, sweet, and juicy. 6 (of wine) well-matured, smooth. 7 (of earth) rich, loamy. —v. Make or become mellow. mellowly adv. Mellowness n. [origin unknown]
Melodeon n. (also melodion) 1 small organ similar to the harmonium. 2 small german accordion. [from melody, harmonium]
Melodic adj. Of melody; melodious. melodically adv. [greek: related to *melody]
Melodious adj. 1 of, producing, or having melody. 2 sweet-sounding. melodiously adv. Melodiousness n. [french: related to *melody]
Melodrama n. 1 sensational play etc. Appealing blatantly to the emotions. 2 this type of drama. 3 theatrical language, behaviour, etc. melodramatic adj. Melodramatically adv. [greek melos music, *drama]
Melody n. (pl. -ies) 1 single notes arranged to make a distinctive recognizable pattern; tune. 2 principal part in harmonized music. 3 musical arrangement of words. 4 sweet music, tunefulness. [greek melos song: related to *ode]
Melon n. 1 sweet fleshy fruit of various climbing plants of the gourd family. 2 such a gourd. [greek melon apple]
Melt v. 1 become liquefied or change to liquid by the action of heat; dissolve. 2 (as molten adj.) (esp. Of metals etc.) Liquefied by heat (molten lava; molten lead). 3 (of food) be delicious, seeming to dissolve in the mouth. 4 soften, or (of a person, the heart, etc.) Be softened, by pity, love, etc. (a melting look). 5 (usu. Foll. By into) merge imperceptibly; change into (night melted into dawn). 6 (often foll. By away) (of a person) leave or disappear unobtrusively (melted into the background). melt away disappear by or as if by liquefaction. Melt down 1 melt (esp. Metal) for reuse. 2 become liquid and lose structure. [old english]
Meltdown n. 1 melting of a structure, esp. The overheated core of a nuclear reactor. 2 disastrous event, esp. A rapid fall in share values.
Melting point n. Temperature at which a solid melts.
Melting-pot n. Place for mixing races, theories, etc.
Member n. 1 person etc. Belonging to a society, team, group, etc. 2 (member) person elected to certain assemblies etc. 3 part of a larger structure, e.g. Of a group of figures or a mathematical set. 4 a part or organ of the body, esp. A
limb. B = *penis. [latin membrum limb]
Membership n. 1 being a member. 2 number or body of members.
Membrane n. 1 pliable sheetlike tissue connecting or lining organs in plants and animals. 2 thin pliable sheet or skin. membranous adj. [latin membrana skin, parchment: related to *member]
Memento n. (pl. -es or -s) souvenir of a person or event. [latin, imperative of memini remember]
Memento mori n. Skull etc. As a reminder of death. [latin, = remember you must die]
Memo n. (pl. -s) colloq. Memorandum. [abbreviation]
Memoir n. 1 historical account etc. Written from personal knowledge or special sources. 2 (in pl.) Autobiography, esp. Partial or dealing with specific events or people. 3 essay on a learned subject. [french mémoire: related to *memory]
Memorabilia n.pl. Souvenirs of memorable events. [latin: related to *memorable]
Memorandum n. (pl. -da or -s) 1 note or record for future use. 2 informal written message, esp. In business, diplomacy, etc. [see *memorable]
Memorial —n. Object etc. Established in memory of a person or event. —attrib. Adj. Commemorating (memorial service). [latin: related to *memory]
Memorize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) commit to memory.
Memory n. (pl. -ies) 1 faculty by which things are recalled to or kept in the mind. 2 a this in an individual (my memory is failing). B store of things remembered (deep in my memory). 3 recollection; remembrance, esp. Of a person etc.; person or thing remembered (memory of better times; his mother’s memory). 4 storage capacity of a computer etc. 5 posthumous reputation (his memory lives on; of blessed memory). 6 length of remembered time of a specific person, group, etc. (within living memory). 7 remembering (deed worthy of memory). from memory as remembered (without checking). In memory of to keep alive the remembrance of. [latin memoria from memor mindful]
Memory lane n. (usu. Prec. By down, along) joc. Sentimental remembering.
Memsahib n. Anglo-ind. Hist. Indian name for a european married woman in india. [from ma’am, sahib]
Men pl. Of *man.
Menace —n. 1 threat. 2 dangerous thing or person. 3 joc. Pest, nuisance. —v. (-cing) threaten. menacingly adv. [latin minax from minor threaten]
Ménage n. Household. [latin: related to *manor]
Ménage à trois n. (pl. Ménages à trois) household of three, usu. A married couple and a lover. [french, = household of three]
Menagerie n. Small zoo. [french: related to *ménage]
Mend —v. 1 restore to good condition; repair. 2 regain health. 3 improve (mend matters). —n. Darn or repair in material etc. mend one’s ways reform oneself. On the mend recovering, esp. In health. [anglo-french: related to *amend]
Mendacious adj. Lying, untruthful. mendacity n. (pl. -ies). [latin mendax]
Mendelevium n. Artificially made transuranic radioactive metallic element. [mendeleev, name of a chemist]
Mendelian adj. Of mendel’s theory of heredity by genes. [mendel, name of a botanist]
Mendicant —adj. 1 begging. 2 (of a friar) living solely on alms. —n. 1 beggar. 2 mendicant friar. [latin mendicus beggar]
Mending n. 1 action of repairing. 2 things, esp. Clothes, to be mended.
Mending n. 1 action of repairing. 2 things, esp. Clothes, to be mended.
Menfolk n.pl. Men, esp. The men of a family.
Menhir n. Usu. Prehistoric monument of a tall upright stone. [breton men stone, hir long]
Meninges n.pl. Three membranes enclosing the brain and spinal cord. [greek menigx membrane]
Meningitis n. (esp. Viral) infection and inflammation of the meninges.
Meniscus n. (pl. Menisci) 1 curved upper surface of liquid in a tube. 2 lens convex on one side and concave on the other. [greek meniskos crescent, from mene moon]
Menopause n. 1 ceasing of menstruation. 2 period in a woman’s life (usu. 45–55) when this occurs. menopausal adj. [greek men month, *pause]
Menorah n. Seven-branched jewish candelabrum. [hebrew, = candlestick]
Menses n.pl. Flow of menstrual blood etc. [latin, pl. Of mensis month]
Mens rea n. Law criminal intent. [latin, = guilty mind]
Menstrual adj. Of menstruation. [latin menstruus monthly]
Menstrual cycle n. Process of ovulation and menstruation.
Menstruate v. (-ting) undergo menstruation.
Menstruation n. Process of discharging blood etc. From the uterus, usu. At monthly intervals from puberty to menopause.
Mensuration n. 1 measuring. 2 measuring of lengths, areas, and volumes. [latin:
related to *measure]
Menswear n. Clothes for men.
-ment suffix 1 forming nouns expressing the means or result of verbal action (abridgement; embankment). 2 forming nouns from adjectives (merriment; oddment). [latin -mentum]
Mental adj. 1 of, in, or done by the mind. 2 caring for mental patients. 3 colloq. Insane. mentally adv. [latin mens ment-mind]
Insane. mentally adv. [latin mens ment-mind]
Mental age n. Degree of mental development in terms of the average age at which such development is attained.
Mental block n. Inability due to subconscious mental factors.
Mental deficiency n. Abnormally low intelligence.
Mentality n. (pl. -ies) mental character or disposition; kind or degree of intelligence.
Mental patient n. Sufferer from mental illness.
Mental reservation n. Silent qualification made while seeming to agree.
Menthol n. Mint-tasting organic alcohol found in oil of peppermint etc., used as a flavouring and to relieve local pain. [latin: related to *mint1]
Mentholated adj. Treated with or containing menthol.
Mention —v. 1 refer to briefly or by name. 2 reveal or disclose (do not mention this to anyone). 3 (usu. As mention in dispatches) award a minor military honour to in war. —n. 1 reference, esp. By name. 2 minor military or other honour. don’t mention it polite reply to an apology or thanks. Not to mention and also. [latin mentio]
Mentor n. Experienced and trusted adviser. [mentor in homer’s odyssey]
Menu n. 1 list of dishes available in a restaurant etc., or to be served at a meal. 2 computing list of options displayed on a vdu. [latin: related to *minute2]
Mep abbr. Member of the european parliament.
Mephistophelean adj. Fiendish. [mephistopheles, evil spirit to whom faust sold his soul in german legend]
Mercantile adj. 1 of trade, trading. 2 commercial. [latin: related to *merchant]
Mercantile marine n. Merchant shipping.
Mercator projection n. (also mercator’s projection) map of the world projected on to a cylinder so that all the parallels of latitude have the same length as the equator. [mercator, name of a geographer]
Mercenary —adj. Primarily concerned with or working for money etc. —n. (pl. – ies) hired soldier in foreign service. mercenariness n. [latin from merces reward]
Mercer n. Dealer in textile fabrics. [latin merx merc-goods]
Mercerize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) treat (cotton) with caustic alkali to strengthen and make lustrous. [mercer, name of its alleged inventor]
Merchandise —n. Goods for sale. —v. (-sing) 1 trade, traffic (in). 2 advertise or promote (goods, an idea, or a person). [french: related to *merchant]
Merchant n. 1 wholesale trader, esp. With foreign countries. 2 esp. Us & scot. Retail trader. 3 colloq. Usu. Derog. Person devoted to a specified activity etc. (speed merchant). [latin mercor trade (v.)]
Merchantable adj. Saleable, marketable.
Merchant bank n. Bank dealing in commercial loans and finance.
Merchantman n. (pl. -men) merchant ship.
Merchant navy n. Nation’s commercial shipping.
Merchant ship n. Ship carrying merchandise.
Merciful adj. Showing mercy. mercifulness n.
Mercifully adv. 1 in a merciful manner. 2 fortunately (mercifully, the sun came out).
Merciless adj. Showing no mercy. mercilessly adv.
Mercurial adj. 1 (of a person) volatile. 2 of or containing mercury. [latin: related to *mercury]
Mercury n. 1 silvery heavy liquid metallic element used in barometers, thermometers, etc. 2 (mercury) planet nearest to the sun. mercuric adj. Mercurous adj. [latin mercurius, roman messenger-god]
Mercy —n. (pl. -ies) 1 compassion or forbearance towards defeated enemies or offenders or as a quality. 2 act of mercy. 3 (attrib.) Done out of compassion (mercy killing). 4 thing to be thankful for (small mercies). —int. Expressing surprise or fear. at the mercy of 1 in the power of. 2 liable to danger or harm from. Have mercy on (or upon) show mercy to. [latin merces reward, pity]
Mere1 attrib. Adj. (merest) being solely or only what is specified (a mere boy; no mere theory). merely adv. [latin merus unmixed]
Mere2 n. Dial. Or poet. Lake. [old english]
Mere2 n. Dial. Or poet. Lake. [old english]
Meretricious adj. Showily but falsely attractive. [latin meretrix prostitute]
Merganser n. (pl. Same or -s) a diving duck. [latin mergus diver, anser goose]
Merge v. (-ging) 1 (often foll. By with) a combine. B join or blend gradually. 2 (foll. By in) (cause to) lose character and identity in (something else). [latin mergo dip]
Merger n. Combining, esp. Of two commercial companies etc. Into one.
Meridian n. 1 a circle of constant longitude, passing through a given place and the terrestrial poles. B corresponding line on a map. 2 (often attrib.) Prime; full splendour. [latin meridies midday]
Meridional adj. 1 of or in the south (esp. Of europe). 2 of a meridian.
Meringue n. 1 sugar, whipped egg-whites, etc., baked crisp. 2 small cake of this, esp. Filled with whipped cream. [french]
Merino n. (pl. -s) 1 (in full merino sheep) variety of sheep with long fine wool. 2 soft cashmere-like material, orig. Of merino wool. 3 fine woollen yarn. [spanish]
Merit —n. 1 quality of deserving well. 2 excellence, worth. 3 (usu. In pl.) A thing that entitles one to reward or gratitude. B intrinsic rights and wrongs (merits of a case). —v. (-t-) deserve. [latin meritum value, from mereor deserve]
Meritocracy n. (pl. -ies) 1 government by those selected for merit. 2 group selected in this way. 3 society governed thus.
Meritorious adj. Praiseworthy.
Merlin n. Small falcon. [anglo-french]
Mermaid n. Legendary creature with a woman’s head and trunk and a fish’s tail. [from *mere2 ‘sea’, *maid]
Merry adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 a joyous. B full of laughter or gaiety. 2 colloq. Slightly drunk. make merry be festive. merrily adv. Merriment n. Merriness n. [old english]
Merry-go-round n. 1 a fairground ride with revolving model horses or cars. B = *roundabout 2a. 2 cycle of bustling activity.
Merrymaking n. Festivity, fun. merrymaker n.
Mésalliance n. Marriage with a social inferior. [french]
Mescal n. Peyote cactus. [spanish from nahuatl]
Mescal buttons n.pl. Disc-shaped dried tops from the mescal, esp. As an
Mescal buttons n.pl. Disc-shaped dried tops from the mescal, esp. As an intoxicant.
Mescaline n. (also mescalin) hallucinogenic alkaloid present in mescal buttons.
Mesdames pl. Of *madame.
Mesdemoiselles pl. Of *mademoiselle.
Mesembryanthemum n. S. African fleshy-leaved plant with bright daisy-like flowers that open fully in sunlight. [greek, = noon flower]
Mesh —n. 1 network fabric or structure. 2 each of the open spaces in a net or sieve etc. 3 (in pl.) A network. B snare. —v. 1 (often foll. By with) (of the teeth of a wheel) be engaged. 2 be harmonious. 3 catch in a net. in mesh (of the teeth of wheels) engaged. [dutch]
Mesmerize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 hypnotize. 2 fascinate, spellbind. mesmerism n. Mesmerizingly adv. [mesmer, name of a physician]
Meso-comb. Form middle, intermediate. [greek mesos middle]
Mesolithic adj. Of the part of the stone age between the palaeolithic and neolithic periods. [greek lithos stone]
Mesomorph n. Person with a compact muscular body. [greek morphe form]
Meson n. Elementary particle believed to help hold nucleons together in the atomic nucleus. [from *meso-]
Mesosphere n. Region of the atmosphere from the top of the stratosphere to an altitude of about 80 km.
Mesozoic —adj. Of the geological era marked by the development of dinosaurs, and the first mammals, birds, and flowering plants. —n. This era. [greek zoion animal]
Mess —n. 1 dirty or untidy state of things. 2 state of confusion, embarrassment, or trouble. 3 something spilt etc. 4 disagreeable concoction. 5 a soldiers etc. Dining together. B army dining-hall. C meal taken there. 6 domestic animal’s excreta. 7 archaic portion of liquid or pulpy food. —v. 1 (often foll. By up) make a mess of; dirty; muddle.
Message n. 1 communication sent by one person to another. 2 exalted or spiritual communication. 3 (in pl.) Scot., ir., & n.engl. Shopping. get the message colloq. Understand (a hint etc.). [latin mitto miss-send]
Messeigneurs pl. Of *monseigneur.
Messenger n. Person who carries a message.
Messiah n. 1 a promised deliverer of the jews. B christ regarded as this. 2 liberator of an oppressed people. [hebrew, = anointed]
Messianic adj. 1 of the messiah. 2 inspired by hope or belief in a messiah. [french: related to *messiah]
Messieurs pl. Of *monsieur.
Mess kit n. Soldier’s cooking and eating utensils.
Messrs pl. Of mr. [abbreviation of messieurs]
Messy adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 untidy or dirty. 2 causing or accompanied by a mess. 3 difficult to deal with; awkward. messily adv. Messiness n.
Met1 past and past part. Of *meet1.
Met2 adj. Colloq. 1 meteorological. 2 metropolitan. 3 (the met) a (in full the met office) meteorological office. B metropolitan police in london. [abbreviation]
Meta-comb. Form 1 denoting change of position or condition (metabolism). 2 denoting position: a behind, after, or beyond (metaphysics). B of a higher or second-order kind (metalanguage). [greek meta with, after]
Metabolism n. All the chemical processes in a living organism producing energy and growth. metabolic adj. [greek metabole change: related to *meta-, greek ballo throw]
Metabolite n. Substance formed in or necessary for metabolism.
Metabolize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) process or be processed by metabolism.
Metacarpus n. (pl. -carpi) 1 part of the hand between the wrist and the fingers. 2 set of five bones in this. metacarpal adj. [related to meta-, carpus]
Metal —n. 1 a any of a class of workable elements such as gold, silver, iron, or tin, usu. Good conductors of heat and electricity and forming basic oxides. B alloy of any of these. 2 molten material for making glass. 3 (in pl.) Rails of a railway line. 4 = *road-metal. —adj. Made of metal. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) 1 make or mend (a road) with road-metal. 2 cover or fit with metal. [greek metallon mine]
Metalanguage n. 1 form of language used to discuss language. 2 system of propositions about propositions.
Metal detector n. Electronic device for locating esp. Buried metal.
Metallic adj. 1 of or like metal or metals (metallic taste). 2 sounding like struck metal. 3 shiny (metallic blue). metallically adv.
Metalliferous adj. (of rocks) containing metal.
Metallize v. (also -ise; us metalize) (-zing or -sing) 1 render metallic. 2 coat with a thin layer of metal.
Metallography n. Descriptive science of metals.
Metalloid n. Element intermediate in properties between metals and non-metals, e.g. Boron, silicon, and germanium.
Metallurgy n. 1 science of metals and their application. 2 extraction and purification of metals. metallurgic adj. Metallurgical adj. Metallurgist n. [greek metallon *metal, -ourgia working]
Metalwork n. 1 art of working in metal. 2 metal objects collectively.
metalworker n.
Metamorphic adj. 1 of metamorphosis. 2 (of rock) transformed naturally, e.g. By heat or pressure. metamorphism n. [from *meta-, greek morphe form]
Metamorphose v. (-sing) (often foll. By to, into) change in form or nature.
Metamorphosis n. (pl. -phoses) 1 change of form, esp. From a pupa to an insect etc. 2 change of character, conditions, etc. [greek morphe form]
Metaphor n. 1 application of a name or description to something to which it is
Metaphor n. 1 application of a name or description to something to which it is not literally applicable (e.g. A glaring error). 2 instance of this. metaphoric adj. Metaphorical adj. Metaphorically adv. [latin from greek]
Metaphysic n. System of metaphysics.
Metaphysical adj. 1 of metaphysics. 2 colloq. Excessively abstract or theoretical.
3 (of esp. 17th-c. English poetry) subtle and complex in imagery.
Metaphysics n.pl. (usu. Treated as sing.) 1 branch of philosophy dealing with the nature of existence, truth, and knowledge. 2 colloq. Abstract talk; mere theory. [greek, as having followed physics in aristotle’s works]
Metastasis n. (pl. -stases) transference of a bodily function, disease, etc., from one part or organ to another. [greek, = removal]
Metatarsus n. (pl. -tarsi) 1 part of the foot between the ankle and the toes. 2 set of five bones in this. metatarsal adj. [related to meta-, tarsus]
Mete v. (-ting) (usu. Foll. By out) literary apportion or allot (punishment or reward). [old english]
Meteor n. 1 small solid body from outer space that becomes incandescent when entering the earth’s atmosphere. 2 streak of light from a meteor. [greek meteoros lofty]
Meteoric adj. 1 rapid; dazzling (meteoric rise to fame). 2 of meteors.
meteorically adv.
Meteorite n. Fallen meteor, or fragment of natural rock or metal from outer space.
Meteoroid n. Small body that becomes visible as it passes through the earth’s atmosphere as a meteor.
Meteorology n. The study of atmospheric phenomena, esp. For forecasting the weather. meteorological adj. Meteorologist n. [greek meteorologia: related to *meteor]
Meter1 —n. 1 instrument that measures or records, esp. Gas, electricity, etc. Used, distance travelled, etc. 2 = parking-meter. —v. Measure or record by meter. [from mete]
Meter1 n. (brit. Metre) metric unit and the base si unit of linear measure, equal to about 39.4 inches. metreage n. [greek metron measure]
Meter2 n. (brit. Metre) 1 a poetic rhythm, esp. As determined by the number and length of feet in a line. B metrical group or measure. 2 basic rhythm of music. [related to *metre1]
-meter comb. Form 1 forming nouns denoting measuring instruments (barometer). 2 forming nouns denoting lines of poetry with a specified number of measures (pentameter). [greek metron measure]
Methadone n. Narcotic analgesic drug used esp. As a substitute for morphine or heroin. [6-dimethylamino-4, 4-diphenyl-3-heptanone]
Methanal n. = *formaldehyde. [from methane, aldehyde]
Methane n. Colourless odourless inflammable gaseous hydrocarbon, the main constituent of natural gas. [from *methyl]
Methanoic acid n. = *formic acid. [related to *methane]
Methanol n. Colourless volatile inflammable liquid hydrocarbon, used as a solvent. [from methane, alcohol]
Methinks v. (past methought) archaic it seems to me. [old english: related to *me1, *think]
Method n. 1 way of doing something; systematic procedure. 2 orderliness; regular habits. method in one’s madness sense in apparently foolish or strange behaviour. [greek: related to *meta-, hodos way]
Methodical adj. Characterized by method or order. methodically adv.
Methodist —n. Member of a protestant denomination originating in the 18th-c.
Methodist —n. Member of a protestant denomination originating in the 18th-c.
Wesleyan evangelistic movement. —adj. Of methodists or methodism.
methodism n.
Methodology n. (pl. -ies) 1 body of methods used in a particular activity. 2 science of method. methodological adj. Methodologically adv.
Methought past of *methinks.
Meths n. Colloq. Methylated spirit. [abbreviation]
Methyl n. Univalent hydrocarbon radical ch3, present in many organic compounds. [greek methu wine, hule wood]
Methyl alcohol n. = *methanol.
Methylate v. (-ting) 1 mix or impregnate with methanol. 2 introduce a methyl group into (a molecule or compound).
Methylated spirit n. (also methylated spirits n.pl.) Alcohol treated to make it unfit for drinking and exempt from duty.
Meticulous adj. 1 giving great attention to detail. 2 very careful and precise. meticulously adv. Meticulousness n. [latin metus fear]
Métier n. 1 one’s trade, profession, or field of activity. 2 one’s forte. [latin:
related to *minister]
Metonymy n. Substitution of the name of an attribute or adjunct for that of the thing meant (e.g. Crown for king, the turf for horse-racing). [greek: related to *meta-, onuma name]
Metre1 n. (us meter) metric unit and the base si unit of linear measure, equal to about 39.4 inches. metreage n. [greek metron measure]
Metre2 n. (us meter) 1 a poetic rhythm, esp. As determined by the number and length of feet in a line. B metrical group or measure. 2 basic rhythm of music. [related to *metre1]
Metre-kilogram-second n. Denoting a system of measure using the metre, kilogram, and second.
Metric adj. Of or based on the metre. [french: related to *metre1]
-metric comb. Form (also -metrical) forming adjectives corresponding to nouns in -meter and -metry (thermometric; geometric).
Metrical adj. 1 of or composed in metre (metrical psalms). 2 of or involving measurement (metrical geometry). metrically adv. [greek: related to *metre2]
Metricate v. (-ting) convert to a metric system. metrication n.
Metric system n. Decimal measuring system with the metre, litre, and gram (or kilogram) as units of length, volume, and mass.
Metric ton n. (also metric tonne) 1,000 kilograms (2205 lb).
Metro n. (pl. -s) underground railway system, esp. In paris. [french shortened from métropolitain metropolitan]
Metronome n. Device ticking at a selected rate to mark time for musicians. [greek metron measure, nomos law]
Metropolis n. Chief city, capital. [greek meter mother, polis city]
Metropolitan —adj. 1 of a metropolis. 2 of or forming a mother country as distinct from its colonies etc. (metropolitan france). —n. 1 bishop having authority over the bishops of a province. 2 inhabitant of a metropolis.
-metry comb. Form forming nouns denoting procedures and systems involving measurement (geometry).
Mettle n. 1 quality or strength of character. 2 spirit, courage. on one’s mettle keen to do one’s best. mettlesome adj. [from *metal n.]
Mev abbr. Mega-electronvolt(s).
Mew1 —n. Characteristic cry of a cat, gull, etc. —v. Utter this sound. [imitative]
Mew2 n. Gull, esp. The common gull. [old english]
Mewl v. 1 whimper. 2 mew like a cat. [imitative]
Mews n. (treated as sing.) Stabling round a yard etc., now used esp. For housing. [originally sing. Mew ‘cage for hawks’: french from latin muto change]
Mexican —n. 1 native or national of mexico. 2 person of mexican descent. — adj. Of mexico or its people. [spanish]
Methyl n. Univalent hydrocarbon radical ch3, present in many organic compounds. [greek methu wine, hule wood]
Methyl alcohol n. = *methanol.
Methylate v. (-ting) 1 mix or impregnate with methanol. 2 introduce a methyl group into (a molecule or compound).
Methylated spirit n. (also methylated spirits n.pl.) Alcohol treated to make it unfit for drinking and exempt from duty.
Meticulous adj. 1 giving great attention to detail. 2 very careful and precise. meticulously adv. Meticulousness n. [latin metus fear]
Métier n. 1 one’s trade, profession, or field of activity. 2 one’s forte. [latin:
related to *minister]
Metonymy n. Substitution of the name of an attribute or adjunct for that of the thing meant (e.g. Crown for king, the turf for horse-racing). [greek: related to *meta-, onuma name]
Metre1 n. (us meter) metric unit and the base si unit of linear measure, equal to about 39.4 inches. metreage n. [greek metron measure]
Metre2 n. (us meter) 1 a poetic rhythm, esp. As determined by the number and length of feet in a line. B metrical group or measure. 2 basic rhythm of music. [related to *metre1]
Metre-kilogram-second n. Denoting a system of measure using the metre, kilogram, and second.
Metric adj. Of or based on the metre. [french: related to *metre1]
-metric comb. Form (also -metrical) forming adjectives corresponding to nouns in -meter and -metry (thermometric; geometric).
Metrical adj. 1 of or composed in metre (metrical psalms). 2 of or involving measurement (metrical geometry). metrically adv. [greek: related to *metre2]
Metricate v. (-ting) convert to a metric system. metrication n.
Metric system n. Decimal measuring system with the metre, litre, and gram (or kilogram) as units of length, volume, and mass.
Metric ton n. (also metric tonne) 1,000 kilograms (2205 lb).
Metro n. (pl. -s) underground railway system, esp. In paris. [french shortened from métropolitain metropolitan]
Metronome n. Device ticking at a selected rate to mark time for musicians. [greek metron measure, nomos law]
Metropolis n. Chief city, capital. [greek meter mother, polis city]
Metropolitan —adj. 1 of a metropolis. 2 of or forming a mother country as distinct from its colonies etc. (metropolitan france). —n. 1 bishop having authority over the bishops of a province. 2 inhabitant of a metropolis.
-metry comb. Form forming nouns denoting procedures and systems involving measurement (geometry).
measurement (geometry).
Mettle n. 1 quality or strength of character. 2 spirit, courage. on one’s mettle keen to do one’s best. mettlesome adj. [from *metal n.]
Mev abbr. Mega-electronvolt(s).
Mew1 —n. Characteristic cry of a cat, gull, etc. —v. Utter this sound. [imitative]
Mew2 n. Gull, esp. The common gull. [old english]
Mewl v. 1 whimper. 2 mew like a cat. [imitative]
Mews n. (treated as sing.) Stabling round a yard etc., now used esp. For housing. [originally sing. Mew ‘cage for hawks’: french from latin muto change]
Mexican —n. 1 native or national of mexico. 2 person of mexican descent. — adj. Of mexico or its people. [spanish]
Mezzanine n. Storey between two others (usu. Between the ground and first floors). [italian: related to *median]
Mezzo mus. —adv. Half, moderately. —n. (in full mezzo-soprano) (pl. -s) 1 female singing-voice between soprano and contralto. 2 singer with this voice.
[latin medius middle]
Mezzo forte adj. & adv. Fairly loud(ly).
Mezzo piano adj. & adv. Fairly soft(ly).
Mezzotint n. 1 method of printing or engraving in which a plate is roughened by scraping to produce tones and halftones. 2 print so produced. [italian: related to mezzo, tint]
Mf abbr. Mezzo forte.
Mg symb. Magnesium.
Mg abbr. Milligram(s).
Mgr. Abbr. 1 manager. 2 monseigneur. 3 monsignor.
Mhz abbr. Megahertz.
M.i.5 abbr. Uk department of military intelligence concerned with state security.
Miaow —n. Characteristic cry of a cat. —v. Make this cry. [imitative]
Miasma n. (pl. -mata or -s) archaic infectious or noxious vapour. [greek, = defilement]
Mica n. Silicate mineral found as glittering scales in granite etc. Or in crystals separable into thin transparent plates. [latin, = crumb]
Mice pl. Of *mouse.
Michaelmas n. Feast of st michael, 29 september. [related to *mass2]
Michaelmas daisy n. Autumn-flowering aster.
Mick n. Slang offens. Irishman. [pet form of michael]
Mickey n. (also micky) take the mickey (often foll. By out of) slang tease, mock, ridicule. [origin uncertain]
Mickey finn n. Slang drugged drink intended to make the victim unconscious. [origin uncertain]
Mickle n. (also muckle) archaic or scot. Large amount. many a little makes a mickle (orig. Erroneously many a mickle makes a muckle) small amounts accumulate. [old norse]
Micky var. Of *mickey.
Micro n. (pl. -s) colloq. 1 = *microcomputer. 2 = *microprocessor.
Micro-comb. Form 1 small (microchip). 2 denoting a factor of one millionth (10-6) (microgram). [greek mikros small]
Microbe n. Micro-organism (esp. A bacterium causing disease or fermentation). microbial adj. Microbic adj. [greek mikros small, bios life]
Microbiology n. The study of micro-organisms. microbiologist n.
Microchip n. Small piece of semiconductor (usu. Silicon) used to carry integrated circuits.
Microcircuit n. Integrated circuit on a microchip.
Microclimate n. Small localized climate, e.g. Inside a greenhouse.
Microcomputer n. Small computer with a microprocessor as its central processor.
Microcosm n. (often foll. By of) miniature representation, e.g. Mankind or a community seen as a small-scale model of the universe; epitome. microcosmic adj. [from micro-, cosmos]
Microdot n. Microphotograph of a document etc. Reduced to the size of a dot.
Micro-electronics n. Design, manufacture, and use of microchips and microcircuits.
Microfiche n. (pl. Same or -s) small flat piece of film bearing microphotographs of documents etc. [from *micro-, french fiche slip of paper]
Microfilm —n. Length of film bearing microphotographs of documents etc. —v.
Photograph on microfilm.
Microlight n. A kind of motorized hang-glider.
Micromesh n. (often attrib.) Fine-meshed material, esp. Nylon.
Micrometer n. Gauge for accurate small-scale measurement.
Micron n. One-millionth of a metre. [greek mikros small]
Micro-organism n. Microscopic organism, e.g. Bacteria, protozoa, and viruses.
Microphone n. Instrument for converting sound waves into electrical energy for reconversion into sound after transmission or recording. [from *micro-, greek phone sound]
Microphotograph n. Photograph reduced to a very small size. [from *micro-]
Microprocessor n. Integrated circuit containing all the functions of a computer’s central processing unit.
Microscope n. Instrument with lenses for magnifying objects or details invisible to the naked eye. [from micro-, -scope]
Microscopic adj. 1 visible only with a microscope. 2 extremely small. 3 of or by means of a microscope. microscopically adv.
Microscopy n. Use of microscopes.
Microsecond n. One-millionth of a second.
Microsurgery n. Intricate surgery using microscopes.
Microwave —n. 1 electromagnetic wave with a wavelength in the range 0.001–
Microwave —n. 1 electromagnetic wave with a wavelength in the range 0.001– 0.3m. 2 (in full microwave oven) oven using microwaves to cook or heat food quickly. —v. (-ving) cook in a microwave oven.
Micturition n. Formal urination. [latin]
Mid attrib. Adj. (usu. In comb.) The middle of (mid-air; mid-june). [old english]
Midday n. (often attrib.) Middle of the day; noon. [old english: related to mid, day]
Midden n. 1 dunghill. 2 refuse heap. [scandinavian: related to *muck]
Middle —attrib. Adj. 1 at an equal distance, time, or number from extremities; central. 2 intermediate in rank, quality, etc. 3 average (of middle height). —n. 1 (often foll. By of) middle point, position, or part. 2 waist. in the middle of 1 in the process of. 2 during. [old english]
Middle age n. Period between youth and old age. middle-aged adj.
Middle ages n. (prec. By the) period of european history from c.1000 to 1453.
Middle-age spread n. (also middle-aged spread) increased bodily girth at middle age.
Middlebrow colloq. —adj. Having or appealing to non-intellectual or
conventional tastes. —n. Middlebrow person.
Middle c n. C near the middle of the piano keyboard, (in notation) the note between the treble and bass staves.
Middle class n. Social class between the upper and the lower, including professional and business workers. middle-class adj.
Middle distance n. 1 (in a landscape) part between the foreground and the background. 2 athletics race distance of esp. 400 or 800 metres.
Middle ear n. Cavity behind the eardrum.
Middle east n. (prec. By the) area covered by countries from egypt to iran inclusive. middle eastern adj.
Middle english n. English language from c.1150 to 1500.
Middle game n. Central phase of a chess game.
Middleman n. 1 trader who handles a commodity between producer and consumer. 2 intermediary.
Middle name n. 1 name between first name and surname. 2 colloq. Person’s
Middle name n. 1 name between first name and surname. 2 colloq. Person’s most characteristic quality (tact is my middle name).
Middle-of-the-road adj. 1 moderate; avoiding extremes. 2 of general appeal.
Middle school n. School for children from about 9 to 13 years.
Middle-sized adj. Of medium size.
Middleweight n. 1 weight in certain sports between welterweight and light heavyweight, in amateur boxing 71–5 kg. 2 sportsman of this weight.
Midfield n. Football central part of the pitch, away from the goals. midfielder n.
Midge n. Gnatlike insect. [old english]
Midget n. 1 extremely small person or thing. 2 (attrib.) Very small.
Midi n. (also midi) an interface allowing electronic musical instruments, synthesizers, and computers to be interconnected and used simultaneously. [abbreviation of musical instrument digital interface]
Midi system n. Set of compact stacking components of hi-fi equipment.
Midland —n. 1 (the midlands) inland counties of central england. 2 middle part of a country. —adj. Of or in the midland or midlands.
Mid-life n. Middle age.
Mid-life crisis n. Crisis of self-confidence in early middle age.
Midnight n. Middle of the night; 12 o’clock at night. [old english]
Midnight blue adj. & n. (as adj. Often hyphenated) very dark blue.
Midnight sun n. Sun visible at midnight during the summer in polar regions.
Mid-off n. Cricket position of the fielder near the bowler on the off side.
Mid-on n. Cricket position of the fielder near the bowler on the on side.
Midriff n. Front of the body just above the waist. [old english, = mid-belly]
Midshipman n. Naval officer ranking next above a cadet.
Midships adv. = *amidships.
Midst —prep. Poet. Amidst. —n. Middle. in the midst of among; in the middle of. In our (or your or their) midst among us (or you or them). [related to *mid]
Midstream —n. Middle of a stream etc. —adv. (also in midstream) in the middle of an action etc. (abandoned the project midstream).
Midsummer n. Period of or near the summer solstice, about 21 june. [old english]
Midsummer day n. (also midsummer’s day) 24 june.
Midsummer madness n. Extreme folly.
Midway adv. In or towards the middle of the distance between two points.
Midwest n. Region of the us adjoining the northern mississippi.
Midwicket n. Cricket position of a fielder on the leg side opposite the middle of
Midwicket n. Cricket position of a fielder on the leg side opposite the middle of the pitch.
Midwife n. Person trained to assist at childbirth. midwifery n. [originally = with-woman]
Midwinter n. Period of or near the winter solstice, about 22 dec. [old english]
Mien n. Literary person’s look or bearing. [probably obsolete demean]
Miff v. Colloq. (usu. As miffed adj.) Offend. [origin uncertain]
Might1 past of *may, used esp.: 1 in reported speech, expressing possibility (said he might come) or permission (asked if i might leave) (cf. may 1, 2). 2 (foll. By perfect infin.) Expressing a possibility based on a condition not fulfilled (if you’d looked you might have found it). 3 (foll. By present infin. Or perfect infin.) Expressing complaint that an obligation or expectation is not or has not been fulfilled (they might have asked). 4 expressing a request (you might call in at the butcher’s). 5 colloq. A = may 1 (it might be true). B (in tentative questions) = may 2 (might i have the pleasure of this dance?). C = may 1 d (who might yoube?). might as well expressing lukewarm acquiescence (might as well try).
Might2 n. Strength, power. with might and main with all one’s power. [old english: related to *may]
Might-have-been n. Colloq. 1 past possibility that no longer applies. 2 person of unfulfilled promise.
Mightn’t contr. Might not.
Mighty —adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 powerful, strong. 2 massive, bulky. 3 colloq. Great, considerable. —adv. Colloq. Very (mighty difficult). mightily adv. Mightiness n. [old english: related to *might2]
Mignonette n. Plant with fragrant grey-green flowers. [french, diminutive of mignon small]
Migraine n. Recurrent throbbing headache often with nausea and visual disturbance. [greek hemikrania: related to hemi-, cranium]
Migrant —adj. Migrating. —n. Migrant person or animal, esp. A bird.
Migrate v. (-ting) 1 move from one place and settle in another, esp. Abroad. 2 (of a bird or fish) change its habitation seasonally. 3 move under natural forces. migration n. Migrator n. Migratory adj. [latin migro]
Mikado n. (pl. -s) hist. Emperor of japan. [japanese, = august door]
Mike n. Colloq. Microphone. [abbreviation]
Mil n. One-thousandth of an inch, as a unit of measure for the diameter of wire etc. [latin mille thousand]
Milady n. (pl. -ies) (esp. As a form of address) english noblewoman. [french from my lady]
Milage var. Of *mileage.
Milch adj. Giving milk. [old english: related to *milk]
Milch cow n. Source of easy profit.
Mild —adj. 1 (esp. Of a person) gentle and conciliatory. 2 not severe or harsh. 3 (of the weather) moderately warm. 4 (of flavour etc.) Not sharp or strong. 5 tame, feeble; lacking vivacity. —n. Dark mild draught beer (cf. *bitter). mildish adj. Mildness n. [old english]
Mildew —n. 1 destructive growth of minute fungi on plants. 2 similar growth on damp paper, leather, etc. —v. Taint or be tainted with mildew. mildewy adj. [old english]
Mildly adv. In a mild fashion. to put it mildly as an understatement.
Mild-mannered adj. = *mild 1.
Mild steel n. Strong and tough steel not readily tempered.
Mile n. 1 (also statute mile) unit of linear measure equal to 1,760 yards (approx. 1.6 kilometres). 2 (in pl.) Colloq. Great distance or amount (miles better). 3 race extending over a mile. [latin mille thousand]
Mileage n. (also milage) 1 number of miles travelled, esp. By a vehicle per unit of fuel. 2 colloq. Profit, advantage.
Miler n. Colloq. Person or horse specializing in races of one mile.
Milestone n. 1 stone beside a road marking a distance in miles. 2 significant event or point in a life, history, project, etc.
Milfoil n. Common yarrow with small white flowers. [latin: related to mile, foil2]
Milieu n. (pl. Milieux or -s) person’s environment or social surroundings. [french]
Militant —adj. 1 combative; aggressively active in support of a cause. 2 engaged in warfare. —n. Militant person. militancy n. Militantly adv. [latin: related to *militate]
Militarism n. 1 aggressively military policy etc. 2 military spirit. militarist n.
Militaristic adj.
Militarize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 equip with military resources. 2 make military or warlike. 3 imbue with militarism. militarization n.
Military —adj. Of or characteristic of soldiers or armed forces. —n. (as sing. Or pl.; prec. By the) the army. militarily adv. [latin miles milit-soldier]
Military honours n.pl. Burial rites of a soldier, royalty, etc., performed by the military.
Military police n. (as pl.) Army police force disciplining soldiers.
Militate v. (-ting) (usu. Foll. By against) have force or effect; tell. [latin: related to *military]
Usage militate is often confused with mitigate.
Militia n. Military force, esp. One conscripted in an emergency. militiaman n. [latin, = military service]
Milk —n. 1 opaque white fluid secreted by female mammals for the nourishment of their young. 2 milk of cows, goats, or sheep as food. 3 milklike juice of the coconut etc. —v. 1 draw milk from (a cow etc.). 2 exploit (a person or situation) to the utmost. [old english]
Milk and honey n. Abundance; prosperity.
Milk and water n. Feeble or insipid writing, speech, etc.
Milk chocolate n. Chocolate made with milk.
Milk float n. Small usu. Electric vehicle used in delivering milk.
Milkmaid n. Girl or woman who milks cows or works in a dairy.
Milkman n. Person who sells or delivers milk.
Milk of magnesia n. Propr. White suspension of magnesium hydroxide usu. In water, taken as an antacid or laxative.
Milk-powder n. Dehydrated milk.
Milk pudding n. Pudding, esp. Of rice, baked with milk.
Milk round n. 1 fixed route for milk delivery. 2 regular trip with calls at several places.
Milk run n. Routine expedition etc.
Milk shake n. Drink of whisked milk, flavouring, etc.
Milksop n. Weak or timid man or youth.
Milk tooth n. Temporary tooth in young mammals.
Milky adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 of, like, or mixed with milk. 2 (of a gem or liquid) cloudy; not clear. milkiness n.
Milky way n. Luminous band of stars; the galaxy.
Mill —n. 1 a building fitted with a mechanical device for grinding corn. B such a device. 2 device for grinding any solid to powder etc. (pepper-mill). 3 a building fitted with machinery for manufacturing processes etc. (cotton-mill). B such machinery. —v. 1 grind (corn), produce (flour), or hull (seeds) in a mill. 2 (esp. As milled adj.) Produce a ribbed edge on (a coin). 3 cut or shape (metal) with a rotating tool. 4 (often foll. By about, around) move aimlessly, esp. In a confused mass. go (or put) through the mill undergo (or cause to undergo) intensive work, pain, training, etc. [latin molo grind]
Millefeuille n. Rich cake of puff pastry split and filled with jam, cream, etc. [french, = thousand-leaf]
Millennium n. (pl. -s or millennia) 1 period of 1,000 years, esp. That of christ’s prophesied reign on earth (rev. 20:1–5). 2 (esp. Future) period of happiness and
prosperity. millennial adj. [latin mille thousand]
Millepede var. Of *millipede.
Miller n. 1 proprietor or tenant of a mill, esp. A corn-mill. 2 person operating a milling machine. [related to *mill]
Miller’s thumb n. Small spiny freshwater fish.
Millesimal —adj. 1 thousandth. 2 of, belonging to, or dealing with, a thousandth or thousandths. —n. Thousandth part. [latin mille thousand]
Millet n. 1 cereal plant bearing small nutritious seeds. 2 seed of this. [latin milium]
Millet-grass n. Tall woodland grass.
Milli-comb. Form thousand, esp. Denoting a factor of one thousandth. [latin mille thousand]
Milliard n. One thousand million. [french mille thousand]
Usage milliard is now largely superseded by billion.
Millibar n. Unit of atmospheric pressure equivalent to 100 pascals.
Milligram n. (also -gramme) one-thousandth of a gram.
Milliliter n. (brit. -litre) one-thousandth of a litre (0.002 pint).
Millilitre n. (us -liter) one-thousandth of a litre (0.002 pint).
Millimeter n. (brit. -metre) one-thousandth of a metre (0.039 in.).
Millimetre n. (us -meter) one-thousandth of a metre (0.039 in.).
Milliner n. Person who makes or sells women’s hats. millinery n. [milan in italy]
Million n. & adj. (pl. Same or (in sense 2) -s) (in sing. Prec. By a or one) 1 thousand thousand. 2 (in pl.) Colloq. Very large number. 3 million pounds or dollars. millionth adj. & n. [french, probably from italian mille thousand]
Millionaire n. (fem. Millionairess) person who has over a million pounds, dollars, etc. [french millionnaire: related to *million]
Millipede n. (also millepede) small crawling invertebrate with a long segmented body with two pairs of legs on each segment. [latin mille thousand, pes ped-foot]
Millisecond n. One-thousandth of a second.
Millpond n. Pool of water retained by a dam for operating a mill-wheel. like a millpond (of water) very calm.
Mill-race n. Current of water that drives a mill-wheel.
Millstone n. 1 each of two circular stones for grinding corn. 2 heavy burden or responsibility.
Mill-wheel n. Wheel used to drive a water-mill.
Millworker n. Factory worker.
Millwright n. Person who designs or builds mills.
Milometer n. Instrument for measuring the number of miles travelled by a vehicle.
Milord n. (esp. As a form of address) english nobleman. [french from my lord]
Milt n. 1 spleen in mammals. 2 sperm-filled reproductive gland or the sperm of a
Milt n. 1 spleen in mammals. 2 sperm-filled reproductive gland or the sperm of a male fish. [old english]
Mime —n. 1 acting without words, using only gestures. 2 performance using mime. 3 (also mime artist) mime actor. —v. (-ming) 1 (also absol.) Convey by mime. 2 (often foll. By to) mouth words etc. In time with a soundtrack (mime to a record). [greek mimos]
Mimeograph —n. 1 machine which duplicates from a stencil. 2 copy so produced. —v. Reproduce by this process. [greek mimeomai imitate]
Mimetic adj. Of or practising imitation or mimicry. [greek mimetikos: see *mimeograph]
Mimic —v. (-ck-) 1 imitate (a person, gesture, etc.) Esp. To entertain or ridicule. 2 copy minutely or servilely. 3 resemble closely. —n. Person skilled in imitation. mimicry n. [greek mimikos: related to *mime]
Mimosa n. 1 shrub with globular usu. Yellow flowers. 2 acacia plant with showy yellow flowers. [latin: related to *mime]
Min. Abbr. 1 minister. 2 ministry.
Min. Abbr. 1 minute(s). 2 minimum. 3 minim (fluid measure).
Mina var. Of *myna.
Minaret n. Slender turret next to a mosque, from which the muezzin calls at hours of prayer. [french or spanish from turkish from arabic]
Minatory adj. Formal threatening, menacing. [latin minor threaten]
Mince —v. (-cing) 1 cut up or grind (esp. Meat) finely. 2 (usu. As mincing adj.) Speak or esp. Walk effeminately or affectedly. —n. Minced meat. mince matters (or one’s words) (usu. With neg.) Speak evasively or unduly mildly. mincer n. [latin minutia something small]
Mincemeat n. Mixture of currants, sugar, spices, suet, etc. make mincemeat of utterly defeat.
Mince pie n. Pie containing mincemeat.
Mind —n. 1 a seat of consciousness, thought, volition, and feeling. B attention, concentration (mind keeps wandering). 2 intellect. 3 memory (can’t call it to mind). 4 opinion (of the same mind). 5 way of thinking or feeling (the victorian mind). 6 focussed will (put one’s mind to it). 7 sanity (lose one’s mind). 8 person in regard to mental faculties (a great mind). —v.
Minded adj. 1 (in comb.) A inclined to think in some specified way, or with a specified interest (mathematically minded; fair-minded; car-minded). B having a specified kind of mind (high-minded). 2 (usu. Foll. By to + infin.) Disposed or inclined.
Minder n. 1 (often in comb.) Person employed to look after a person or thing (child minder). 2 slang bodyguard.
Mindful adj. (often foll. By of) taking heed or care; giving thought (to).
mindfully adv.
Mindless adj. 1 lacking intelligence; brutish (mindless violence). 2 not requiring thought or skill (mindless work). 3 (usu. Foll. By of) heedless of (advice etc.). mindlessly adv. Mindlessness n.
Mind-read v. Discern the thoughts of (another person). mind-reader n.
Mine1 poss. Pron. The one(s) of or belonging to me (it is mine; mine are over there). of mine of or belonging to me (a friend of mine). [old english]
Mine2 —n. 1 excavation to extract metal, coal, salt, etc. 2 abundant source (of information etc.). 3 military explosive device placed in the ground or in the water. —v. (-ning) 1 obtain (metal, coal, etc.) From a mine. 2 (also absol., often foll. By for) dig in (the earth etc.) For ore etc. Or to tunnel. 3 lay explosive mines under or in. mining n. [french]
Minefield n. 1 area planted with explosive mines. 2 colloq. Hazardous subject or situation.
Minelayer n. Ship or aircraft for laying explosive mines.
Miner n. Person who works in a mine. [french: related to *mine2]
Mineral n. (often attrib.) 1 inorganic substance. 2 substance obtained by mining. 3 (often in pl.) Artificial mineral water or similar carbonated drink. [french or medieval latin: related to *mine2]
Mineralize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) impregnate (water etc.) With a mineral substance.
Mineralogy n. The study of minerals. mineralogical adj. Mineralogist n.
Mineral water n. 1 natural water often containing dissolved salts. 2 artificial imitation of this, esp. Soda water.
Minestrone n. Soup containing vegetables and pasta, beans, or rice. [italian]
Minesweeper n. Ship for clearing explosive mines from the sea.
Mineworker n. Miner.
Ming n. (often attrib.) Chinese porcelain made during the ming dynasty (1368– 1644).
Mingle v. (-ling) 1 mix, blend. 2 (often foll. By with) mix socially. [old english]
Mini n. (pl. -s) 1 colloq. Miniskirt. 2 (mini) propr. Make of small car. [abbreviation]
Mini-comb. Form miniature; small of its kind (minibus).
Mini-comb. Form miniature; small of its kind (minibus).
Miniature —adj. 1 much smaller than normal. 2 represented on a small scale. — n. 1 any miniature object. 2 detailed small-scale portrait. 3 this genre. in miniature on a small scale. miniaturist n. (in senses 2 and 3 of n.). [latin minium red lead]
Miniaturize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) produce in a smaller version; make small. miniaturization n.
Minibus n. Small bus for about twelve passengers.
Minicab n. Car used as a taxi, hireable only by telephone.
Minicomputer n. Computer of medium power.
Minim n. 1 mus. Note equal to two crotchets or half a semibreve. 2 one-sixtieth of a fluid drachm, about a drop. [latin minimus least]
Minima pl. Of *minimum.
Minimal adj. 1 very minute or slight. 2 being a minimum. minimally adv.
Minimalism n. 1 art use of simple or primary forms, often geometric and massive. 2 mus. Repetition of short phrases incorporating changes very gradually. minimalist n. & adj.
Minimize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 reduce to, or estimate at, the smallest possible amount or degree. 2 estimate or represent at less than true value or importance. minimization n.
Minimum (pl. Minima) —n. Least possible or attainable amount (reduced to a minimum). —adj. That is a minimum. [latin: related to *minim]
Minimum wage n. Lowest wage permitted by law or agreement.
Minion n. Derog. Servile subordinate. [french mignon]
Minipill n. Contraceptive pill containing a progestogen only (not oestrogen).
Miniseries n. (pl. Same) short series of related television programmes.
Miniskirt n. Very short skirt.
Minister —n. 1 head of a government department. 2 clergyman, esp. In the presbyterian and nonconformist churches. 3 diplomat, usu. Ranking below an ambassador. —v. (usu. Foll. By to) help, serve, look after (a person, cause, etc.). ministerial adj. [latin, = servant]
Minister of state n. Government minister, esp. Holding a rank below that of head of department.
Minister of the crown n. Parl. Member of the cabinet.
Minister without portfolio n. Government minister not in charge of a specific department of state.
Ministration n. 1 (usu. In pl.) Help or service (kind ministrations). 2 ministering, esp. In religious matters. 3 (usu. Foll. By of) supplying of help, justice, etc. ministrant adj. & n. [latin: related to *minister]
Ministry n. (pl. -ies) 1 a government department headed by a minister. B building for this. 2 a (prec. By the) vocation, office, or profession of a religious minister. B period of tenure of this. 3 (prec. By the) body of ministers of a government or religion. 4 period of government under one prime minister. 5 ministering, ministration. [latin: related to *minister]
Mink n. (pl. Same or -s) 1 small semi-aquatic stoatlike animal bred for its thick brown fur. 2 this fur. 3 coat of this. [swedish]
Minnow n. Small freshwater carp. [old english]
Minoan —adj. Of the bronze age civilization centred on crete (c.3000–1100 bc). —n. Person of this civilization. [minos, legendary king of crete]
Minor —adj. 1 lesser or comparatively small in size or importance (minor poet). 2 mus. A (of a scale) having intervals of a semitone above its second, fifth, and seventh notes. B (of an interval) less by a semitone than a major interval. C (of a key) based on a minor scale. —n. 1 person under full legal age. 2 us student’s subsidiary subject or course. —v. (foll. By in) us study (a subject) as a subsidiary. [latin, = less]
Minority n. (pl. -ies) 1 (often foll. By of) smaller number or part, esp. In politics.
2 state of having less than half the votes or support (in the minority). 3 small group of people differing from others in race, religion, language, etc. 4 (attrib.) Of or done by the minority (minority interests). 5 a being under full legal age.
Minster n. 1 large or important church. 2 church of a monastery. [old english:
related to *monastery]
Minstrel n. 1 medieval singer or musician. 2 (usu. In pl.) Entertainer with a blacked face singing ostensibly black songs in a group. [related to *minister]
Mint1 n. 1 aromatic herb used in cooking. 2 peppermint. 3 peppermint sweet. minty adj. (-ier, -iest). [latin menta from greek]
Mint2 —n. 1 (esp. State) establishment where money is coined. 2 colloq. Vast sum (making a mint). —v. 1 make (a coin) by stamping metal. 2 invent, coin (a word, phrase, etc.). in mint condition as new. [latin moneta]
Minuet —n. 1 slow stately dance for two in triple time. 2 music for this, often as a movement in a suite etc. —v. (-t-) dance a minuet. [french diminutive]
Minus —prep. 1 with the subtraction of (7 minus 4 equals 3). 2 below zero (minus 2°). 3 colloq. Lacking (returned minus their dog). —adj. 1 math. Negative. 2 electronics having a negative charge. —n. 1 = *minus sign. 2 math. Negative quantity. 3 colloq. Disadvantage. [latin, neuter of *minor]
Minuscule adj. Colloq. Extremely small or unimportant. [latin diminutive:
related to *minus]
Minus sign n. The symbol –, indicating subtraction or a negative value.
Minute1 —n. 1 sixtieth part of an hour. 2 distance covered in one minute (ten minutes from the shops). 3 a moment (expecting her any minute). B (prec. By the) colloq. Present time (not here at the minute). C (prec. By the, foll. By a clause) as soon as (the minute you get back). 4 sixtieth part of an angular degree. 5 (in pl.) Summary of the proceedings of a meeting. 6 official memorandum authorizing or recommending a course of action. —v. (-ting) 1 record in minutes. 2 send the minutes of a meeting to. up to the minute completely up to date. [latin minuo lessen]
Minute2 adj. (-est) 1 very small. 2 accurate, detailed. minutely adv. [latin minutus: related to *minute1]
Minute steak n. Thin quickly-cooked slice of steak.
Minutiae n.pl. Very small, precise, or minor details. [latin: related to *minute1]
Minx n. Pert, sly, or playful girl. [origin unknown]
Miocene geol. —adj. Of the fourth epoch of the tertiary period. —n. This epoch. [greek meion less, kainos new]
Miracle n. 1 extraordinary, supposedly supernatural, event. 2 remarkable occurrence or development (economic miracle). 3 (usu. Foll. By of) remarkable
specimen (a miracle of ingenuity). [latin mirus wonderful]
Miracle play n. Medieval play on biblical themes.
Miraculous adj. 1 being a miracle. 2 supernatural. 3 remarkable, surprising. miraculously adv. [french or medieval latin: related to *miracle]
Mirage n. 1 optical illusion caused by atmospheric conditions, esp. The appearance of a pool of water in a desert etc. From the reflection of light. 2 illusory thing. [latin miro look at]
Miras abbr. Mortgage interest relief at source.
Mire —n. 1 area of swampy ground. 2 mud, dirt. —v. (-ring) 1 plunge or sink in a mire. 2 involve in difficulties. 3 bespatter; besmirch. miry adj. [old norse]
Mirror —n. 1 polished surface, usu. Of coated glass, reflecting an image. 2 anything reflecting or illuminating a state of affairs etc. —v. Reflect in or as in a mirror. [latin miro look at]
Mirror image n. Identical image or reflection with left and right reversed.
Mirth n. Merriment, laughter. mirthful adj. [old english: related to *merry]
Mis-1 prefix added to verbs and verbal derivatives: meaning ‘amiss’, ‘badly’, ‘wrongly’, ‘unfavourably’ (mislead; misshapen; mistrust). [old english]
Mis-2 prefix occurring in some verbs, nouns, and adjectives meaning ‘badly’, ‘wrongly’, ‘amiss’, ‘ill-’, or having a negative force (misadventure; mischief). [latin minus]
Misadventure n. 1 law accident without crime or negligence (death by misadventure). 2 bad luck. 3 a misfortune.
Misalliance n. Unsuitable alliance, esp. A marriage.
Misanthrope n. (also misanthropist) 1 person who hates mankind. 2 person who avoids human society. misanthropic adj. Misanthropically adv. [greek misos hatred, anthropos man]
Misanthropy n. Condition or habits of a misanthrope.
Misapply v. (-ies, -ied) apply (esp. Funds) wrongly. misapplication n.
Misapprehend v. Misunderstand (words, a person). misapprehension n.
Misappropriate v. (-ting) take (another’s money etc.) For one’s own use; embezzle. misappropriation n.
Misbehave v. & refl. (-ving) behave badly. misbehaviour n.
Misc. Abbr. Miscellaneous.
Miscalculate v. (-ting) calculate wrongly. miscalculation n.
Miscarriage n. Spontaneous premature expulsion of a foetus from the womb.
Miscarriage of justice n. Failure of the judicial system to attain justice.
Miscarry v. (-ies, -ied) 1 (of a woman) have a miscarriage. 2 (of a plan etc.) Fail.
Miscast v. (past and past part. -cast) allot an unsuitable part to (an actor) or unsuitable actors to (a play etc.).
Miscegenation n. Interbreeding of races, esp. Of whites and non-whites. [related to mix, genus]
Miscellaneous adj. 1 of mixed composition or character. 2 (foll. By a plural noun) of various kinds. miscellaneously adv. [latin misceo mix]
Miscellany n. (pl. -ies) 1 mixture, medley. 2 book containing various literary compositions. [latin: related to *miscellaneous]
Mischance n. 1 bad luck. 2 instance of this. [french: related to *mis-2]
Mischief n. 1 troublesome, but not malicious, conduct, esp. Of children (get into mischief). 2 playfulness; malice (eyes full of mischief). 3 harm, injury (do someone a mischief). make mischief create discord. [french: related to *mis-2, chever happen]
Mischievous adj. 1 (of a person) disposed to mischief. 2 (of conduct) playful; malicious. 3 harmful. mischievously adv. Mischievousness n.
Miscible adj. Capable of being mixed. miscibility n. [medieval latin: related to *mix]
Misconceive v. (-ving) 1 (often foll. By of) have a wrong idea or conception. 2 (as misconceived adj.) Badly planned, organized, etc. misconception n. [from *mis-1]
Misconduct n. Improper or unprofessional behaviour.
Misconstrue v. (-strues, -strued, -struing) interpret wrongly. misconstruction n.
Miscreant n. Vile wretch, villain. [french: related to *mis-2, creant believer]
Misdeed n. Evil deed, wrongdoing, crime. [old english]
Misdemeanor n. (brit. Misdemeanour) 1 misdeed. 2 hist indictable offence less serious than a felony. [from *mis-1]
Misdemeanour n. (us misdemeanor) 1 misdeed. 2 hist indictable offence less serious than a felony. [from *mis-1]
Misdiagnose v. (-sing) diagnose incorrectly. misdiagnosis n.
Misdial v. (also absol.) (-ll-; us -l-) dial (a telephone number etc.) Incorrectly.
Misdirect v. Direct wrongly. misdirection n.
Misdoing n. Misdeed.
Miser n. 1 person who hoards wealth and lives miserably. 2 avaricious person. miserly adj. [latin, = wretched]
Miserable adj. 1 wretchedly unhappy or uncomfortable. 2 contemptible, mean. 3 causing wretchedness or discomfort (miserable weather). miserableness n. Miserably adv. [latin: related to *miser]
Misericord n. Projection under a choir stall seat serving (when the seat is turned up) to support a person standing. [latin misericordia pity]
Misery n. (pl. -ies) 1 condition or feeling of wretchedness. 2 cause of this. 3 colloq. Constantly depressed or discontented person. [latin: related to *miser]
Misfield —v. (also absol.) (in cricket, baseball, etc.) Field (the ball) badly. —n. Instance of this. [from *mis-1]
Misfire —v. (-ring) 1 (of a gun, motor engine, etc.) Fail to go off or start or function smoothly. 2 (of a plan etc.) Fail to have the intended effect. —n. Such failure.
Misfit n. 1 person unsuited to an environment, occupation, etc. 2 garment etc.
That does not fit.
Misfortune n. 1 bad luck. 2 instance of this.
Misgive v. (-ving; past -gave; past part. -given) (of a person’s mind, heart, etc.) Fill (a person) with suspicion or foreboding.
Misgiving n. (usu. In pl.) Feeling of mistrust or apprehension.
Misgovern v. Govern badly. misgovernment n.
Misguided adj. Mistaken in thought or action. misguidedly adv. Misguidedness n.
Mishandle v. (-ling) 1 deal with incorrectly or inefficiently. 2 handle roughly or rudely.
Mishap n. Unlucky accident.
Mishear v. (past and past part. -heard) hear incorrectly or imperfectly.
Mishit —v. (-tt-; past and past part. -hit) hit (a ball etc.) Badly. —n. Faulty or bad hit.
Mishmash n. Confused mixture. [reduplication of *mash]
Misinform v. Give wrong information to, mislead. misinformation n. [from *mis-1]
Misinterpret v. (-t-) 1 interpret wrongly. 2 draw a wrong inference from.
misinterpretation n.
Misjudge v. (-ging) (also absol.) 1 judge wrongly. 2 have a wrong opinion of.
misjudgement n. (also -judgment).
Miskey v. (-keys, -keyed) key (data) wrongly.
Mislay v. (past and past part. -laid) accidentally put (a thing) where it cannot readily be found.
Mislead v. (past and past part. -led) cause to infer what is not true; deceive. misleading adj. [old english]
Mismanage v. (-ging) manage badly or wrongly. mismanagement n. [from *mis-1]
Mismatch —v. Match unsuitably or incorrectly. —n. Bad match.
Misnomer n. 1 name or term used wrongly. 2 wrong use of a name or term. [anglo-french: related to *mis-2, nommer to name]
Misogyny n. Hatred of women. misogynist n. Misogynistic adj. [greek misos hatred, gune woman]
Misplace v. (-cing) 1 put in the wrong place. 2 bestow (affections, confidence, etc.) On an inappropriate object. misplacement n.
Misprint —n. Printing error. —v. Print wrongly.
Misprision n. Law 1 (in full misprision of a felony or of treason) deliberate concealment of one’s knowledge of a crime, treason, etc. 2 wrong action or omission. [anglo-french: related to *mis-2, prendre take]
Mispronounce v. (-cing) pronounce (a word etc.) Wrongly. mispronunciation n. [from *mis-1]
Misquote v. (-ting) quote inaccurately. misquotation n.
Misread v. (past and past part. -read) read or interpret wrongly.
Misrepresent v. Represent wrongly; give a false account or idea of.
misrepresentation n.
Misrule —n. Bad government; disorder. —v. (-ling) govern badly.
Miss1 —v. 1 (also absol.) Fail to hit, reach, find, catch, etc. (an object or goal). 2 fail to catch (a bus, train, etc.) Or see (an event) or meet (a person). 3 fail to seize
(an opportunity etc.) (missed my chance). 4 fail to hear or understand (missed what you said). 5 a regret the loss or absence of (did you miss me?). B notice the loss or absence of (won’t be missed until evening). 6 avoid (go early to miss the traffic). 7 (of an engine etc.) Fail, misfire. —n. Failure to hit, reach, attain, connect, etc. be missing not have (am missing a page) (see also *missing).
Miss2 n. 1 (miss) a title of an unmarried woman or girl. B title of a beauty queen (miss world). 2 title used to address a female schoolteacher, shop assistant, etc. 3 girl or unmarried woman. [from *mistress]
Missal n. Rc ch. 1 book containing the texts for the mass throughout the year. 2 book of prayers. [latin missa *mass2]
Missile n. 1 object or weapon suitable for throwing at a target or for discharge from a machine. 2 weapon directed by remote control or automatically. [latin mitto miss-send]
Missing adj. 1 not in its place; lost. 2 (of a person) not yet traced or confirmed as alive but not known to be dead. 3 not present.
Missing link n. 1 thing lacking to complete a series. 2 hypothetical intermediate type, esp. Between humans and apes.
Mission n. 1 a task or goal assigned to a person or group. B journey undertaken as part of this. C person’s vocation. 2 military or scientific operation or expedition. 3 body of persons sent to conduct negotiations or propagate a religious faith. 4 missionary post. [latin: related to *missile]
Missionary —adj. Of or concerned with religious missions. —n. (pl. -ies) person doing missionary work. [latin: related to *mission]
Missionary position n. Colloq. Position for sexual intercourse with the woman lying on her back and the man lying on top and facing her.
Missis n. (also missus) colloq. Or joc. 1 form of address to a woman. 2 wife. the missis my or your wife. [from *mistress]
Missive n. 1 joc. Letter. 2 official letter. [latin: related to *missile]
Misspell v. (past and past part. -spelt or -spelled) spell wrongly.
Misspend v. (past and past part. -spent) (esp. As misspent adj.) Spend amiss or wastefully.
Misstate v. (-ting) state wrongly or inaccurately. misstatement n.
Missus var. Of *missis.
Missus var. Of *missis.
Mist —n. 1 a water vapour near the ground in minute droplets limiting visibility. B condensed vapour obscuring glass etc. 2 dimness or blurring of the sight caused by tears etc. 3 cloud of particles resembling mist. —v. (usu. Foll. By up, over) cover or become covered with mist or as with mist. [old english]
Mistake —n. 1 incorrect idea or opinion; thing incorrectly done or thought. 2 error of judgement. —v. (-king; past mistook; past part. Mistaken) 1 misunderstand the meaning of. 2 (foll. By for) wrongly take or identify (mistook me for you). 3 choose wrongly (mistake one’s vocation). [old norse: related to *mis-1, *take]
Mistaken adj. 1 wrong in opinion or judgement. 2 based on or resulting from this (mistaken loyalty; mistaken identity). mistakenly adv.
Mister n. Colloq. Or joc. Form of address to a man. [from *master; cf. *mr]
Mistime v. (-ming) say or do at the wrong time. [related to *mis-1]
Mistle thrush n. (also missel thrush) large thrush with a spotted breast, feeding on mistletoe berries. [old english]
Mistletoe n. Parasitic plant with white berries growing on apple and other trees. [old english]
Mistook past of *mistake.
Mistral n. Cold n or nw wind in s. France. [latin: related to *master]
Mistreat v. Treat badly. mistreatment n.
Mistress n. 1 female head of a household. 2 a woman in authority. B female owner of a pet. 3 female teacher. 4 woman having an illicit sexual relationship with a (usu. Married) man. [french maistre master, -ess]
Mistrial n. Trial rendered invalid by error.
Mistrust —v. 1 be suspicious of. 2 feel no confidence in. —n. 1 suspicion. 2 lack of confidence. mistrustful adj. Mistrustfully adv.
Misty adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 of or covered with mist. 2 dim in outline. 3 obscure, vague (misty idea). mistily adv. Mistiness n. [old english: related to *mist]
Misunderstand v. (past and past part. -understood) 1 understand incorrectly. 2 misinterpret the words or actions of (a person).
Misunderstanding n. 1 failure to understand correctly. 2 slight disagreement or quarrel.
Misusage n. 1 wrong or improper usage. 2 ill-treatment.
Misuse —v. (-sing) 1 use wrongly; apply to the wrong purpose. 2 ill-treat. —n.
Wrong or improper use or application.
Mit abbr. Massachusetts institute of technology.
Mite1 n. Small arachnid, esp. Of a kind found in cheese etc. [old english]
Mite2 n. 1 any small monetary unit. 2 small object or person, esp. A child. 3 modest contribution. [probably the same as *mite1]
Miter (brit. Mitre) —n. 1 tall deeply-cleft headdress worn by bishops and abbots, esp. As a symbol of office. 2 joint of two pieces of wood etc. At an angle of 90°, such that the line of junction bisects this angle. —v. (-ring) 1 bestow a mitre on. 2 join with a mitre. [greek mitra turban]
Mitigate v. (-ting) make less intense or severe. mitigation n. [latin mitis mild]
Mitosis n. Biol. Type of cell division that results in two nuclei each having the same number and kind of chromosomes as the parent nucleus. mitotic adj. [greek mitos thread]
Mitre (us miter) —n. 1 tall deeply-cleft headdress worn by bishops and abbots, esp. As a symbol of office. 2 joint of two pieces of wood etc. At an angle of 90°, such that the line of junction bisects this angle. —v. (-ring) 1 bestow a mitre on. 2 join with a mitre. [greek mitra turban]
Mitt n. 1 (also mitten) glove with only two compartments, one for the thumb and the other for all four fingers. 2 glove leaving the fingers and thumb-tip exposed. 3 slang hand or fist. 4 baseball glove. [latin: related to *moiety]
Mix —v. 1 combine or put together (two or more substances or things) so that the constituents of each are diffused among those of the other(s). 2 prepare (a compound, cocktail, etc.) By combining the ingredients. 3 combine (activities etc.) (mix business and pleasure). 4 a join, be mixed, or combine, esp. Readily (oil and water will not mix). B be compatible. C be sociable (must learn to mix). 5 a (foll. By with) (of a person) be harmonious or sociable with; have regular dealings with. B (foll. By in) participate in. 6 drink different kinds of (alcoholic liquor) in close succession. 7 combine (two or more sound signals) into one. —n. 1 a mixing; mixture. B proportion of materials in a mixture. 2 ingredients prepared commercially for making a cake, concrete, etc. be mixed up in (or with) be involved in or with (esp. Something undesirable). Mix it colloq. Start fighting. Mix up 1 mix thoroughly. 2 confuse. [back-formation from *mixed]
Mixed adj. 1 of diverse qualities or elements. 2 containing persons from various backgrounds etc. 3 for persons of both sexes (mixed school). [latin misceo mix]
Mixed bag n. Diverse assortment.
Mixed blessing n. Thing having advantages and disadvantages.
Mixed doubles n.pl. Tennis doubles game with a man and a woman on each side.
Mixed economy n. Economic system combining private and state enterprise.
Mixed farming n. Farming of both crops and livestock.
Mixed feelings n.pl. Mixture of pleasure and dismay about something.
Mixed grill n. Dish of various grilled meats and vegetables etc.
Mixed marriage n. Marriage between persons of different race or religion.
Mixed metaphor n. Combination of inconsistent metaphors (e.g. This tower of strength will forge ahead).
Mixed-up adj. Colloq. Mentally or emotionally confused; socially ill-adjusted.
Mixer n. 1 machine for mixing foods etc. 2 person who manages socially in a specified way (a good mixer). 3 (usu. Soft) drink to be mixed with another. 4 device that receives two or more separate signals from microphones etc. And combines them in a single output.
Mixer tap n. Tap through which both hot and cold water can be drawn together.
Mixture n. 1 process or result of mixing. 2 combination of ingredients, qualities, characteristics, etc. [latin: related to *mixed]
Mix-up n. Confusion, misunderstanding.
Mizen n. (also mizzen) (in full mizen-sail) lowest fore-and-aft sail of a fully rigged ship’s mizen-mast. [italian: related to *mezzanine]
Mizen-mast n. Mast next aft of the mainmast.
Ml abbr. 1 millilitre(s). 2 mile(s).
M.litt. Abbr. Master of letters. [latin magister litterarum]
Mlle abbr. (pl. -s) mademoiselle.
Mm abbr. 1 messieurs. 2 military medal.
Mm abbr. Millimetre(s).
Mme abbr. (pl. -s) madame.
Mn symb. Manganese.
Mnemonic —adj. Of or designed to aid the memory. —n. Mnemonic word, verse, etc. mnemonically adv. [greek mnemon mindful]
Mo abbr. 1 medical officer. 2 money order.
Mo symb. Molybdenum.
Mo n. (pl. -s) colloq. Moment. [abbreviation]
Moa n. (pl. -s) extinct flightless new zealand bird resembling the ostrich. [maori]
Moan —n. 1 long murmur expressing physical or mental suffering or pleasure. 2 low plaintive sound of wind etc. 3 colloq. Complaint; grievance. —v. 1 make a moan or moans. 2 colloq. Complain, grumble. 3 utter with moans. moaner n. [old english]
Moat n. Defensive ditch round a castle etc., usu. Filled with water. [french mote mound]
Mob —n. 1 disorderly crowd; rabble. 2 (prec. By the) usu. Derog. The populace. 3 colloq. Gang; group. —v. (-bb-) crowd round in order to attack or admire. [latin mobile vulgus excitable crowd]
Mob-cap n. Hist. Woman’s large indoor cap covering all the hair. [obsolete mob, originally = slut]
Mobile —adj. 1 movable; able to move easily or get out and about. 2 (of the face etc.) Readily changing its expression. 3 (of a shop etc.) Accommodated in a vehicle so as to serve various places. 4 (of a person) able to change his or her social status. —n. Decoration that may be hung so as to turn freely. mobility n. [latin moveo move]
Mobile home n. Large caravan usu. Permanently parked and used as a residence.
Mobilize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) esp. Mil. Make or become ready for service or action. mobilization n.
Möbius strip n. Math. One-sided surface formed by joining the ends of a narrow rectangle after twisting one end through 180°. [möbius, name of a mathematician]
Mobster n. Slang gangster.
Moccasin n. Soft flat-soled shoe orig. Worn by n. American indians. [american indian]
Mocha n. 1 coffee of fine quality. 2 flavouring made with this. [mocha, port on the red sea]
Mock —v. 1 (often foll. By at) ridicule; scoff (at); act with scorn or contempt for. 2 mimic contemptuously. 3 defy or delude contemptuously. —attrib. Adj. 1 sham, imitation. 2 as a trial run (mock exam). —n. (in pl.) Colloq. Mock examinations. mockingly adv. [french moquer]
Mocker n. Person who mocks. put the mockers on slang 1 bring bad luck to. 2 put a stop to.
Mockery n. (pl. -ies) 1 derision, ridicule. 2 counterfeit or absurdly inadequate representation. 3 ludicrously or insultingly futile action etc.
Mockingbird n. Bird that mimics the notes of other birds.
Mock orange n. White-flowered heavy-scented shrub.
Mock turtle soup n. Soup made from a calf’s head etc. To resemble turtle soup.
Mock-up n. Experimental model or replica of a proposed structure etc.
Mod abbr. Ministry of defence.
Mod colloq. —adj. Modern. —n. Young person (esp. In the 1960s) of a group known for its smart modern dress. [abbreviation]
Modal adj. 1 of mode or form, not of substance. 2 gram. A of the mood of a verb. B (of an auxiliary verb, e.g. Would) used to express the mood of another verb. 3 mus. Denoting a style of music using a particular mode. [latin: related to *mode]
Mod cons n.pl. Modern conveniences.
Mode n. 1 way in which a thing is done. 2 prevailing fashion or custom. 3 mus. Any of several types of scale. [french and latin modus measure]
Model —n. 1 representation in three dimensions of an existing person or thing or of a proposed structure, esp. On a smaller scale (often attrib.: model train). 2 simplified description of a system etc., to assist calculations and predictions. 3 figure in clay, wax, etc., to be reproduced in another material. 4 particular design or style, esp. Of a car. 5 a exemplary person or thing. B (attrib.) Ideal, exemplary. 6 person employed to pose for an artist or photographer or to wear clothes etc. For display. 7 garment etc. By a well-known designer, or a copy of this. —v. (-ll-; us -l-) 1 a fashion or shape (a figure) in clay, wax, etc. B (foll. By after, on, etc.) Form (a thing in imitation of). 2 a act or pose as a model. B (of a person acting as a model) display (a garment). [latin: related to *mode]
Modem n. Combined device for modulation and demodulation, e.g. Between a computer and a telephone line. [portmanteau word]
Moderate —adj. 1 avoiding extremes; temperate in conduct or expression. 2 fairly large or good. 3 (of the wind) of medium strength. 4 (of prices) fairly low. —n. Person who holds moderate views, esp. In politics. —v. (-ting) 1 make or become less violent, intense, rigorous, etc. 2 (also absol.) Act as moderator of or to. moderately adv. Moderateness n. [latin]
Moderation n. 1 moderateness. 2 moderating. in moderation in a moderate manner or degree.
Moderato adj. & adv. Mus. At a moderate pace. [italian]
Moderator n. 1 arbitrator, mediator. 2 presiding officer. 3 presbyterian minister presiding over an ecclesiastical body. 4 physics substance used in a nuclear reactor to retard neutrons.
Modern —adj. 1 of present and recent times. 2 in current fashion; not antiquated. —n. Person living in modern times. modernity n. [latin modo just now]
Modern english n. English from about 1500 onwards.
Modernism n. Modern ideas or methods, esp. In art. modernist n. & adj.
Modernize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 make modern; adapt to modern needs or habits. 2 adopt modern ways or views. modernization n.
Modest adj. 1 having or expressing a humble or moderate estimate of one’s own merits. 2 diffident, bashful. 3 decorous. 4 moderate or restrained in amount, extent, severity, etc. 5 unpretentious, not extravagant. modestly adv. Modesty n. [french from latin]
Modicum n. (foll. By of) small quantity. [latin: related to *mode]
Modification n. 1 modifying or being modified. 2 change made. modificatory adj. [latin: related to *modify]
Modify v. (-ies, -ied) 1 make less severe or extreme. 2 make partial changes in. 3 gram. Qualify or expand the sense of (a word etc.). [latin: related to *mode]
Modish adj. Fashionable. modishly adv.
Modiste n. Milliner; dressmaker. [french: related to *mode]
Modulate v. (-ting) 1 a regulate or adjust. B moderate. 2 adjust or vary the tone or pitch of (the speaking voice). 3 alter the amplitude or frequency of (a wave) by using a wave of a lower frequency to convey a signal. 4 mus. (cause to) change from one key to another. modulation n. [latin: related to *module]
Module n. 1 standardized part or independent unit in construction, esp. Of furniture, a building, or an electronic system. 2 independent self-contained unit of a spacecraft. 3 unit or period of training or education. modular adj. [latin: related to *modulus]
Modulus n. (pl. Moduli) math. Constant factor or ratio. [latin, = measure: related to *mode]
Modus operandi n. (pl. Modi operandi) method of working. [latin, = way of operating]
Modus vivendi n. (pl. Modi vivendi) 1 way of living or coping. 2 arrangement between people who agree to differ. [latin, = way of living]
Mog n. (also moggie) slang cat. [originally a dial. Word]
Mogadon n. Propr. Hypnotic drug used to treat insomnia.
Mogul n. 1 colloq. Important or influential person. 2 (mogul) hist. A mongolian. B (often the great mogul) emperor of delhi in the 16th–19th c. [persian and arabic: related to *mongol]
Mohair n. 1 hair of the angora goat. 2 yarn or fabric from this. [ultimately from arabic, = choice]
Mohammedan var. Of *muhammadan.
Mohican —adj. (of a hairstyle) with the head shaved except for a strip of hair from the middle of the forehead to the back of the neck, often worn in long spikes. —n. Such a hairstyle. [mohicans, n. American indian people]
Moiety n. (pl. -ies) law or literary 1 half. 2 each of the two parts of a thing. [latin medietas from medius middle]
Moire n. (in full moire antique) watered fabric, usu. Silk. [french: related to
Moire n. (in full moire antique) watered fabric, usu. Silk. [french: related to *mohair]
Moiré adj. 1 (of silk) watered. 2 (of metal) having a clouded appearance. [french:
related to *moire]
Moiré pattern n. Pattern observed when one pattern of lines etc. Is superimposed on another.
Moist adj. Slightly wet; damp. [french]
Moisten v. Make or become moist.
Moisture n. Water or other liquid diffused in a small quantity as vapour, or within a solid, or condensed on a surface.
Moisturize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) make less dry (esp. The skin by use of a cosmetic). moisturizer n.
Molar —adj. (usu. Of a mammal’s back teeth) serving to grind. —n. Molar tooth. [latin mola millstone]
Molasses n.pl. (treated as sing.) 1 uncrystallized syrup extracted from raw sugar. 2 us treacle. [portuguese from latin mel honey]
Mold1 (brit. Mould) —n. 1 hollow container into which a substance is poured or pressed to harden into a required shape. 2 a vessel for shaping puddings etc. B pudding etc. Made in this way. 3 form or shape. 4 frame or template for producing mouldings. 5 character or type (in heroic mould). —v. 1 make (an object) in a required shape or from certain ingredients (moulded out of clay). 2 give shape to. 3 influence the development of. [french modle from latin *modulus]
Mold2 n. (brit. Mould) furry growth of fungi occurring esp. In moist warm conditions. [old norse]
Mold3 n. (brit. Mould) 1 loose earth. 2 upper soil of cultivated land, esp. When rich in organic matter. [old english]
Molder v. (brit. Moulder) 1 decay to dust. 2 (foll. By away) rot or crumble. 3 deteriorate. [from *mould3]
Molding n. (brit. Moulding) 1 ornamentally shaped outline of plaster etc. As an architectural feature, esp. In a cornice. 2 similar feature in woodwork etc.
Moldy adj. (brit. Mouldy) (-ier, -iest) 1 covered with mould. 2 stale; out of date.
3 colloq. Dull, miserable. mouldiness n.
Mole1 n. 1 small burrowing mammal with dark velvety fur and very small eyes. 2 slang spy established in a position of trust in an organization. [low german or dutch]
Mole2 n. Small permanent dark spot on the skin. [old english]
Mole3 n. 1 massive structure serving as a pier, breakwater, or causeway. 2 artificial harbour. [latin moles mass]
Mole4 n. Chem. The si unit of amount of a substance equal to the quantity containing as many elementary units as there are atoms in 0.012 kg of carbon-12. [german mol from molekül *molecule]
Molecular adj. Of, relating to, or consisting of molecules. molecularity n.
Molecular weight n. = *relative molecular mass.
Molecule n. 1 smallest fundamental unit (usu. A group of atoms) of a chemical compound that can take part in a chemical reaction. 2 (in general use) small particle. [latin diminutive: related to *mole3]
Molehill n. Small mound thrown up by a mole in burrowing. make a mountain out of a molehill overreact to a minor difficulty.
Molest v. 1 annoy or pester (a person). 2 attack or interfere with (a person), esp. Sexually. molestation n. Molester n. [latin molestus troublesome]
Moll n. Slang 1 gangster’s female companion. 2 prostitute. [pet form of mary]
Mollify v. (-ies, -ied) appease. mollification n. [latin mollis soft]
Mollusc n. (us mollusk) invertebrate with a soft body and usu. A hard shell, e.g. Snails and oysters. [latin molluscus soft]
Mollusk n. (brit. Mollusc) invertebrate with a soft body and usu. A hard shell, e.g. Snails and oysters. [latin molluscus soft]
Mollycoddle v. (-ling) coddle, pamper. [related to moll, coddle]
Molotov cocktail n. Crude incendiary device, usu. A bottle filled with inflammable liquid. [molotov, name of a russian statesman]
Molt (brit. Moult) —v. (also absol.) Shed (feathers, hair, a shell etc.) In the process of renewing plumage, a coat, etc. —n. Moulting. [latin muto change]
Molten adj. Melted, esp. Made liquid by heat. [from *melt]
Molto adv. Mus. Very. [latin multus much]
Molybdenum n. Silver-white metallic element added to steel to give strength and resistance to corrosion. [greek molubdos lead]
Mom n. Us colloq. Mother. [abbreviation of *momma]
Moment n. 1 very brief portion of time. 2 an exact point of time (i came the moment you called). 3 importance (of no great moment). 4 product of a force and the distance from its line of action to a point. at the moment now. In a moment very soon. Man (or woman etc.) Of the moment the one of importance at the time in question. [latin: related to *momentum]
Momentary adj. Lasting only a moment; transitory. momentarily adv. [latin:
related to *moment]
Moment of truth n. Time of crisis or test.
Momentous adj. Very important. momentously adv. Momentousness n.
Momentum n. (pl. Momenta) 1 quantity of motion of a moving body, the product of its mass and velocity. 2 impetus gained by movement. 3 strength or continuity derived from an initial effort. [latin moveo move]
Momma n. Us colloq. Mother. [var. Of *mama]
Mommy n. (pl. -ies) esp. Us colloq. = *mummy1.
Mon. Abbr. Monday.
Mon. Abbr. Monday.
Monad n. 1 the number one; unit. 2 philos. Ultimate unit of being (e.g. A soul, an atom, a person, god). monadic adj. [greek monas -ados unit]
Monarch n. Sovereign with the title of king, queen, emperor, empress, or equivalent. monarchic adj. Monarchical adj. [greek: related to *mono-, arkho rule]
Monarchism n. Advocacy of monarchy. monarchist n. [french: related to *monarch]
Monarchy n. (pl. -ies) 1 form of government with a monarch at the head. 2 state with this. monarchial adj. [greek: related to *monarch]
Monastery n. (pl. -ies) residence of a community of monks. [latin monasterium from greek monazo alone]
Monastic adj. Of or like monasteries or monks, nuns, etc. monastically adv. Monasticism n. [greek: related to *monastery]
Monday —n. Day of the week following sunday. —adv. Colloq. 1 on monday. 2 (mondays) on mondays; each monday. [old english]
Monetarism n. Control of the supply of money as the chief method of stabilizing the economy. monetarist n. & adj.
Monetary adj. 1 of the currency in use. 2 of or consisting of money. [latin:
related to *money]
Money n. 1 coins and banknotes as a medium of exchange. 2 (pl. -eys or -ies) (in pl.) Sums of money. 3 a wealth. B wealth as power (money talks). C rich person or family (married into money). for my money in my opinion; for my preference. In the money colloq. Having or winning a lot of money. Money for jam (or old rope) colloq. Profit for little or no trouble. [latin moneta]
Moneybags n.pl. (treated as sing.) Colloq. Usu. Derog. Wealthy person.
Moneyed adj. Wealthy.
Money-grubber n. Colloq. Person greedily intent on amassing money. money-grubbing n. & adj.
Moneylender n. Person who lends money at interest.
Moneymaker n. 1 person who earns much money. 2 thing, idea, etc., that produces much money. moneymaking n. & adj.
Money market n. Trade in short-term stocks, loans, etc.
Money order n. Order for payment of a specified sum, issued by a bank or post
Money order n. Order for payment of a specified sum, issued by a bank or post office.
Money-spinner n. Thing that brings in a profit.
Money’s worth see *one’s money’s-worth.
Monger n. (usu. In comb.) 1 dealer, trader (fishmonger). 2 usu. Derog. Promoter, spreader (warmonger; scaremonger). [latin mango dealer]
Mongol —adj. 1 of the asian people. 2 resembling this people. 3 (mongol) often offens. Suffering from down’s syndrome. —n. 1 mongolian. 2 (mongol) often offens. Person suffering from down’s syndrome. [native name: perhaps from mong brave]
Mongolian —n. 1 native or inhabitant of mongolia. 2 language of mongolia. — adj. Of or relating to mongolia or its people or language.
Mongolism n. = *down’s syndrome.
Usage the term down’s syndrome is now preferred.
Mongoloid —adj. 1 characteristic of the mongolians, esp. In having a broad flat yellowish face. 2 (mongoloid) often offens. Having the characteristic symptoms of down’s syndrome. —n. Mongoloid or mongoloid person.
Mongoose n. (pl. -s) small flesh-eating civet-like mammal. [marathi]
Mongrel —n. 1 dog of no definable type or breed. 2 other animal or plant resulting from the crossing of different breeds or types. —adj. Of mixed origin, nature, or character. [related to *mingle]
Monies see *money 2.
Monism n. 1 doctrine that only one ultimate principle or being exists. 2 theory denying the duality of matter and mind. monist n. Monistic adj. [greek monos single]
Monitor —n. 1 person or device for checking or warning. 2 school pupil with disciplinary or other special duties. 3 a television receiver used in a studio to select or verify the picture being broadcast. B = *visual display unit. 4 person who listens to and reports on foreign broadcasts etc. 5 detector of radioactive contamination. —v. 1 act as a monitor of. 2 maintain regular surveillance over. 3 regulate the strength of (a recorded or transmitted signal). [latin moneo warn]
Monitory adj. Literary giving or serving as a warning. [latin monitorius: related to *monitor]
Monk n. Member of a religious community of men living under vows. monkish adj. [greek monakhos from monos alone]
Monkey —n. (pl. -eys) 1 any of various primates, including marmosets, baboons etc., esp. A small long-tailed kind. 2 mischievous person, esp. A child. —v. (-eys, -eyed) 1 (often foll. By with) tamper or play mischievous tricks. 2 (foll. By around, about) fool around. [origin unknown]
Monkey business n. Colloq. Mischief.
Monkey-nut n. Peanut.
Monkey-puzzle n. Tree with hanging prickly branches.
Monkey tricks n.pl. Colloq. Mischief.
Monkey wrench n. Wrench with an adjustable jaw.
Monkshood n. Poisonous plant with hood-shaped flowers.
Mono-comb. Form (usu. Mon-before a vowel) one, alone, single. [greek monos alone]
Monochromatic adj. 1 (of light or other radiation) of a single colour or wavelength. 2 containing only one colour. monochromatically adv.
Monochrome —n. Photograph or picture done in one colour or different tones of this, or in black and white only. —adj. Having or using only one colour or in black and white only. [from *mono-, greek khroma colour]
Monocle n. Single eyeglass. monocled adj. [latin: related to *mono-, oculus eye]
Monocotyledon n. Flowering plant with one cotyledon. monocotyledonous adj.
Monocular adj. With or for one eye. [related to *monocle]
Monody n. (pl. -ies) 1 ode sung by a single actor in a greek tragedy. 2 poem lamenting a person’s death. monodist n. [greek: related to mono-, ode]
Monogamy n. Practice or state of being married to one person at a time. monogamous adj. [greek gamos marriage]
Monogram n. Two or more letters, esp. A person’s initials, interwoven as a device.
Monograph n. Treatise on a single subject. Monolingual adj. Speaking or using only one language.
Monolith n. 1 single block of stone, esp. Shaped into a pillar etc. 2 person or thing like a monolith in being massive, immovable, or solidly uniform. monolithic adj. [greek lithos stone]
Monologue n. 1 a scene in a drama in which a person speaks alone. B dramatic composition for one performer. 2 long speech by one person in a conversation etc. [french from greek monologos speaking alone]
Monomania n. Obsession by a single idea or interest. monomaniac n. & adj.
Monophonic adj. (of sound-reproduction) using only one channel of transmission. [greek phone sound]
Monoplane n. Aeroplane with one set of wings.
Monopolist n. Person who has or advocates a monopoly. monopolistic adj.
Monopolize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 obtain exclusive possession or control of (a trade or commodity etc.). 2 dominate or prevent others from sharing in (a conversation etc.). monopolization n. Monopolizer n.
Monopoly n. (pl. -ies) 1 a exclusive possession or control of the trade in a commodity or service. B this conferred as a privilege by the state. 2 (foll. By of, us on) exclusive possession, control, or exercise. [greek poleo sell]
Monorail n. Railway with a single-rail track.
Monosodium glutamate n. Sodium salt of glutamic acid used to enhance the flavour of food. [latin gluten glue]
Monosyllable n. Word of one syllable. monosyllabic adj.
Monotheism n. Doctrine that there is only one god. monotheist n. Monotheistic adj.
Monotone —n. 1 sound or utterance continuing or repeated on one note without change of pitch. 2 sameness of style in writing. —adj. Without change of pitch.
Monotonous adj. Lacking in variety; tedious through sameness. monotonously adv. Monotony n.
Monovalent adj. Univalent.
Monoxide n. Oxide containing one oxygen atom.
Monseigneur n. (pl. Messeigneurs) title given to an eminent french person, esp. A prince, cardinal, archbishop, or bishop. [french mon my, *seigneur]
Monsieur n. (pl. Messieurs) title used of or to a french-speaking man, corresponding to mr or sir. [french mon my, sieur lord]
Monsignor n. (pl. -nori) title of various roman catholic priests and officials. [italian: related to *monseigneur]
Monsoon n. 1 wind in s. Asia, esp. In the indian ocean. 2 rainy season accompanying the summer monsoon. [arabic mawsim]
Monster n. 1 imaginary creature, usu. Large and frightening, made up of incongruous elements. 2 inhumanly cruel or wicked person. 3 misshapen animal or plant. 4 large, usu. Ugly, animal or thing. 5 (attrib.) Huge. [latin monstrum from moneo warn]
Monstrance n. Rc ch. Vessel in which the host is exposed for veneration. [latin monstro show]
Monstrosity n. (pl. -ies) 1 huge or outrageous thing. 2 monstrousness. 3 = monster 3. [latin: related to monstrous]
Monstrous adj. 1 like a monster; abnormally formed. 2 huge. 3 a outrageously wrong or absurd. B atrocious. monstrously adv. Monstrousness n. [latin: related to *monster]
Montage n. 1 selection, cutting, and piecing together as a consecutive whole, of separate sections of cinema or television film. 2 a composite whole made from
juxtaposed photographs etc. B production of this. [french: related to *mount1]
Month n. 1 (in full calendar month) a each of twelve periods into which a year is divided. B period of time between the same dates in successive calendar months. 2 period of 28 days. [old english]
Monthly —adj. Done, produced, or occurring once every month. —adv. Every month. —n. (pl. -ies) monthly periodical.
Month of sundays n. Colloq. Very long period.
Monument n. 1 anything enduring that serves to commemorate or celebrate, esp. A structure or building. 2 stone etc. Placed over a grave or in a church etc. In memory of the dead. 3 ancient building or site etc. That has been preserved. 4 lasting reminder. [latin moneo remind]
Monumental adj. 1 a extremely great; stupendous (monumental effort). B (of a work of art etc.) Massive and permanent. 2 of or serving as a monument. monumentally adv.
Monumental mason n. Maker of tombstones etc.
Moo —n. (pl. -s) cry of cattle. —v. (moos, mooed) make this sound. [imitative]
Mooch v. Colloq. 1 (usu. Foll. By about, around) wander aimlessly around. 2
esp. Us cadge; steal. [probably from french muchier skulk]
Mood1 n. 1 state of mind or feeling. 2 fit of bad temper or depression. in the mood (usu. Foll. By for, or to + infin.) Inclined. [old english]
Mood2 n. 1 gram. Form or set of forms of a verb indicating whether it expresses a fact, command, wish, etc. (subjunctive mood). 2 distinction of meaning expressed by different moods. [alteration of *mode]
Moody —adj. (-ier, -iest) given to changes of mood; gloomy, sullen. —n. (pl. – ies) colloq. Bad mood; tantrum. moodily adv. Moodiness n. [related to *mood1]
Moon —n. 1 a natural satellite of the earth, orbiting it monthly, illuminated by the sun and reflecting some light to the earth. B this regarded in terms of its waxing and waning in a particular month (new moon). C the moon when visible (there is no moon tonight). 2 satellite of any planet. 3 (prec. By the) colloq. Something desirable but unattainable (promised me the moon). —v. 1 wander about aimlessly or listlessly. 2 slang expose one’s buttocks. many moons ago a long time ago. Moon over act dreamily thinking about (a loved one). Over the moon colloq. Extremely happy. moonless adj. [old english]
Moonbeam n. Ray of moonlight.
Moon boot n. Thickly-padded boot for low temperatures.
Moon-face n. Round face.
Moonie n. Colloq. Offens. Member of the unification church. [sun myung moon, name of its founder]
Moonlight —n. 1 light of the moon. 2 (attrib.) Lit by the moon. —v. (-lighted) colloq. Have two paid occupations, esp. One by day and one by night. moonlighter n.
Moonlight flit n. Hurried departure by night, esp. To avoid paying a debt.
Moonlit adj. Lit by the moon.
Moonscape n. 1 surface or landscape of the moon. 2 area resembling this; wasteland.
Moonshine n. 1 foolish or unrealistic talk or ideas. 2 slang illicitly distilled or smuggled alcohol.
Moonshot n. Launching of a spacecraft to the moon.
Moor n. Member of a muslim people of nw africa. moorish adj. [greek mauros]
Moor1 n. 1 open uncultivated upland, esp. When covered with heather. 2 tract of ground preserved for shooting. [old english]
Moor2 v. Attach (a boat etc.) To a fixed object. moorage n. [probably low german]
Moorhen n. Small waterfowl.
Mooring n. 1 (often in pl.) Place where a boat etc. Is moored. 2 (in pl.) Set of permanent anchors and chains.
Moorland n. Extensive area of moor.
Moose n. (pl. Same) n. American deer; elk. [narragansett]
Moot —adj. Debatable, undecided (moot point). —v. Raise (a question) for discussion. —n. Hist. Assembly. [old english]
Mop —n. 1 bundle of yarn or cloth or a sponge on the end of a stick, for
cleaning floors etc. 2 similarly-shaped implement for various purposes. 3 thick mass of hair. 4 mopping or being mopped (gave it a mop). —v. (-pp-) 1 wipe or clean with or as with a mop. 2 a wipe tears or sweat etc. From (one’s face etc.). B wipe away (tears etc.). mop up 1 wipe up with or as with a mop. 2 colloq.
Absorb. 3 dispatch; make an end of. 4 a complete the occupation of (a district etc.) By capturing or killing enemy troops left there. B capture or kill (stragglers). [origin uncertain]
Mope —v. (-ping) 1 be depressed or listless. 2 wander about listlessly. —n. Person who mopes. mopy adj. (-ier, -iest). [origin unknown]
Moped n. Two-wheeled low-powered motor vehicle with pedals. [swedish:
related to motor, pedal]
Moquette n. Thick pile or looped material used for upholstery etc. [french]
Moraine n. Area of debris carried down and deposited by a glacier. [french]
Moral —adj. 1 a concerned with goodness or badness of human character or behaviour, or with the distinction between right and wrong. B concerned with accepted rules and standards of human behaviour. 2 a virtuous in general conduct. B capable of moral action. 3 (of rights or duties etc.) Founded on moral not actual law. 4 associated with the psychological rather than the physical (moral courage; moral support). —n. 1 moral lesson of a fable, story, event, etc. 2 (in pl.) Moral behaviour, e.g. In sexual conduct. morally adv. [latin mos mor-custom]
Morale n. Confidence, determination, etc. Of a person or group. [french moral:
related to *moral]
Moralist n. 1 person who practises or teaches morality. 2 person who follows a natural system of ethics. moralistic adj.
Morality n. (pl. -ies) 1 degree of conformity to moral principles. 2 right moral conduct. 3 science of morals. 4 particular system of morals (commercial morality).
Morality play n. Hist. Drama with personified abstract qualities and including a moral lesson.
Moralize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 (often foll. By on) indulge in moral reflection or talk. 2 make moral or more moral. moralization n.
Moral law n. The conditions to be satisfied by any right course of action.
Moral philosophy n. Branch of philosophy concerned with ethics.
Moral victory n. Defeat that has some of the satisfactory elements of victory.
Morass n. 1 entanglement; confusion. 2 literary bog. [french marais related to *marsh]
Moratorium n. (pl. -s or -ria) 1 (often foll. By on) temporary prohibition or suspension (of an activity). 2 a legal authorization to debtors to postpone payment. B period of this postponement. [latin moror delay]
Morbid adj. 1 a (of the mind, ideas, etc.) Unwholesome. B given to morbid feelings. 2 colloq. Melancholy. 3 med. Of the nature of or indicative of disease. morbidity n. Morbidly adv. [latin morbus disease]
More —adj. Greater in quantity or degree; additional (more problems than last time; bring some more water). —n. Greater quantity, number, or amount (more than three people; more to it than meets the eye). —adv. 1 to a greater degree or extent. 2 forming the comparative of adjectives and adverbs, esp. Those of more than one syllable (more absurd; more easily). more and more to an increasing degree. More of to a greater extent. More or less approximately; effectively; nearly. What is more as an additional point. [old english]
Moreish adj. (also morish) colloq. (of food) causing a desire for more.
Morello n. (pl. -s) sour kind of dark cherry. [italian, = blackish]
Moreover adv. Besides, in addition to what has been said.
Mores n.pl. Customs or conventions of a community. [latin, pl. Of mos custom]
Morganatic adj. 1 (of a marriage) between a person of high rank and one of lower rank, the spouse and children having no claim to the possessions or title of the person of higher rank. 2 (of a spouse) married in this way. [latin morganaticus from germanic, = ‘morning gift’, from a husband to his wife on the morning after consummation of a marriage]
Morgue n. 1 mortuary. 2 (in a newspaper office) room or file of miscellaneous information. [french, originally the name of a paris mortuary]
Moribund adj. 1 at the point of death. 2 lacking vitality. [latin morior die]
Morish var. Of *moreish.
Mormon n. Member of the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints. mormonism n. [mormon, name of the supposed author of the book on which mormonism is founded]
Morn n. Poet. Morning. [old english]
Mornay n. Cheese-flavoured white sauce. [origin uncertain]
Morning n. 1 early part of the day, ending at noon or lunch-time (this morning; during the morning). 2 attrib. Taken, occurring, or appearing during the morning (morning coffee). in the morning colloq. Tomorrow morning. [from *morn]
Morning after n. Colloq. = *hangover 1.
Morning-after pill n. Contraceptive pill taken some hours after intercourse.
Morning coat n. Coat with tails, and with the front cut away.
Morning dress n. Man’s morning coat and striped trousers.
Morning glory n. Twining plant with trumpet-shaped flowers.
Morning sickness n. Nausea felt in the morning in esp. Early pregnancy.
Morning star n. Planet, usu. Venus, seen in the east before sunrise.
Morocco n. (pl. -s) fine flexible leather of goatskin tanned with sumac. [morocco in nw africa]
Moron n. 1 colloq. Very stupid person. 2 adult with a mental age of 8–12. moronic adj. [greek moros foolish]
Morose adj. Sullen, gloomy. morosely adv. Moroseness n. [latin mos mor-manner]
manner]
Morpheme n. Linguistics meaningful unit of a language that cannot be further divided (e.g. In, come, -ing, forming incoming). [greek morphe form]
Morphia n. (in general use) = *morphine.
Morphine n. Narcotic drug from opium, used to relieve pain. [latin morpheus god of sleep]
Morphology n. The study of the forms of things, esp. Of animals and plants and of words and their structure. morphological adj. [greek morphe form]
Morris dance n. Traditional english dance in fancy costume, with ribbons and bells. morris dancer n. Morris dancing n. [morys, var. Of moorish: related to *moor]
Morrow n. (usu. Prec. By the) literary the following day. [related to *morn]
Morse —n. (in full morse code) code in which letters are represented by combinations of long and short light or sound signals. —v. (-sing) signal by morse code. [morse, name of an electrician]
Morsel n. Mouthful; small piece (esp. Of food). [latin morsus bite]
Mortal —adj. 1 subject to death. 2 causing death; fatal. 3 (of combat) fought to
the death. 4 associated with death (mortal agony). 5 (of an enemy) implacable. 6 (of pain, fear, an affront, etc.) Intense, very serious. 7 colloq. Long and tedious (for two mortal hours). 8 colloq. Conceivable, imaginable (every mortal thing; of no mortal use). —n. Human being. mortally adv. [latin mors mort-death]
Mortality n. (pl. -ies) 1 being subject to death. 2 loss of life on a large scale. 3 a number of deaths in a given period etc. B (in full mortality rate) death rate.
Mortal sin n. Sin that deprives the soul of divine grace.
Mortar —n. 1 mixture of lime or cement, sand, and water, for bonding bricks or stones. 2 short large-bore cannon for firing shells at high angles. 3 vessel in which ingredients are pounded with a pestle. —v. 1 plaster or join with mortar. 2 bombard with mortar shells. [latin mortarium]
Mortarboard n. 1 academic cap with a stiff flat square top. 2 flat board for holding mortar.
Mortgage —n. 1 a conveyance of property to a creditor as security for a debt (usu. One incurred by the purchase of the property). B deed effecting this. 2 sum of money lent by this. —v. (-ging) convey (a property) by mortgage. mortgageable adj. [french, = dead pledge: related to *gage1]
Mortgagee n. Creditor in a mortgage.
Mortgager n. (also mortgagor) debtor in a mortgage.
Mortgage rate n. Rate of interest charged by a mortgagee.
Mortice var. Of *mortise.
Mortician n. Us undertaker. [latin mors mort-death]
Mortify v. (-ies, -ied) 1 a cause (a person) to feel shamed, humiliated, or sorry. B wound (a person’s feelings). 2 bring (the body, the flesh, the passions, etc.) Into subjection by self-denial or discipline. 3 (of flesh) be affected by gangrene or necrosis. mortification n. Mortifying adj. [latin: related to *mortician]
Mortise (also mortice) —n. Hole in a framework designed to receive the end of another part, esp. A tenon. —v. (-sing) 1 join securely, esp. By mortise and tenon. 2 cut a mortise in. [french from arabic]
Mortise lock n. Lock recessed in the frame of a door etc.
Mortuary —n. (pl. -ies) room or building in which dead bodies are kept until burial or cremation. —attrib. Adj. Of death or burial. [medieval latin mortuus dead]
Mosaic adj. Of moses. [french from moses in the old testament]
Mosaic n. 1 a picture or pattern produced by arranging small variously coloured pieces of glass or stone etc. B this as an art form. 2 diversified thing. 3 (attrib.) Of or like a mosaic. [greek: ultimately related to *muse2]
Mosaic law n. The laws attributed to moses and listed in the pentateuch.
Moselle n. Dry white wine from the moselle valley in germany.
Mosey v. (-eys, -eyed) (often foll. By along) slang go in a leisurely manner. [origin unknown]
Moslem var. Of *muslim.
Mosque n. Muslim place of worship. [arabic masgid]
Mosquito n. (pl. -es) biting insect, esp. One of which the female punctures the skin with a long proboscis to suck blood. [spanish and portuguese, diminutive of mosca fly]
Mosquito-net n. Net to keep off mosquitoes.
Moss n. 1 small flowerless plant growing in dense clusters in bogs, on the ground, trees, stones, etc. 2 scot. & n.engl. Bog, esp. A peatbog. mossy adj. (-ier, -iest). [old english]
Most —adj. 1 greatest in quantity or degree. 2 the majority of (most people think so). —n. 1 greatest quantity or number (this is the most i can do). 2 the majority (most of them are missing). —adv. 1 in the highest degree. 2 forming the superlative of adjectives and adverbs, esp. Those of more than one syllable (most absurd; most easily). 3 us colloq. Almost. at most no more or better than (this is at most a makeshift). At the most 1 as the greatest amount. 2 not more than. For the most part 1 mainly. 2 usually.
-most suffix forming superlative adjectives and adverbs from prepositions and other words indicating relative position (foremost; uttermost). [old english]
Mostly adv. 1 mainly. 2 usually.
Most reverend n. Title of archbishops.
Mot abbr. (in full mot test) compulsory annual test of vehicles of more than a specified age. [ministry of transport]
Mot n. (pl. Mots pronunc. Same) = *bon mot. [french, = word]
Mote n. Speck of dust. [old english]
Motel n. Roadside hotel for motorists. [from motor hotel]
Motet n. Mus. Short religious choral work. [french: related to *mot]
Moth n. 1 nocturnal insect like a butterfly but without clubbed antennae. 2 insect of this type breeding in cloth etc., on which its larva feeds. [old english]
Mothball n. Ball of naphthalene etc. Placed in stored clothes to deter moths. in mothballs stored unused for a considerable time.
Moth-eaten adj. 1 damaged by moths. 2 time-worn.
Mother —n. 1 female parent. 2 woman, quality, or condition etc. That gives rise to something else (necessity is the mother of invention). 3 (in full mother superior) head of a female religious community. —v. 1 treat as a mother does. 2 give birth to; be the mother or origin of. motherhood n. Motherless adj. [old english]
Mother carey’s chicken n. = *storm petrel 1.
Mother country n. Country in relation to its colonies.
Mother earth n. The earth as mother of its inhabitants.
Mothering sunday n. = *mother’s day.
Motherin-law n. (pl. Mothers-in-law) husband’s or wife’s mother.
Motherland n. One’s native country.
Motherly adj. Kind or tender like a mother. motherliness n.
Mother-of-pearl n. Smooth iridescent substance forming the inner layer of the shell of oysters etc.
Mother’s day n. Day when mothers are honoured with presents, (in the uk) the fourth sunday in lent, (in the us) the second sunday in may.
Mother tongue n. Native language.
Mothproof —adj. (of clothes) treated so as to repel moths. —v. Treat (clothes) in this way.
Motif n. 1 theme that is repeated and developed in an artistic work. 2 decorative design or pattern. 3 ornament sewn separately on a garment. [french: related to *motive]
Motion —n. 1 moving; changing position. 2 gesture. 3 formal proposal put to a committee, legislature, etc. 4 application to a court for an order. 5 a an evacuation of the bowels. B (in sing. Or pl.) Faeces. —v. (often foll. By to + infin.) 1 direct (a person) by a gesture. 2 (often foll. By to a person) make a gesture directing (motioned to me to leave). go through the motions do something perfunctorily or superficially. In motion moving; not at rest. Put (or
set) in motion set going or working. motionless adj. [latin: related to *move]
Motion picture n. (esp. Us) cinema film.
Motivate v. (-ting) 1 supply a motive to; be the motive of. 2 cause (a person) to act in a particular way. 3 stimulate the interest of (a person in an activity). motivation n. Motivational adj.
Motive —n. 1 what induces a person to act in a particular way. 2 = *motif. — adj. 1 tending to initiate movement. 2 concerned with movement. [latin motivus: related to *move]
Motive power n. Moving or impelling power, esp. A source of energy used to drive machinery.
Mot juste n. (pl. Mots justes pronunc. Same) most appropriate expression.
Motley —adj. (-lier, -liest) 1 diversified in colour. 2 of varied character (a motley crew). —n. Hist. Jester’s particoloured costume. [origin unknown]
Moto-cross n. Cross-country racing on motor cycles. [from motor, cross]
Motor —n. 1 thing that imparts motion. 2 machine (esp. One using electricity or internal combustion) supplying motive power for a vehicle or other machine. 3 = *car 1. 4 (attrib.) A giving, imparting, or producing motion. B driven by a motor (motor-mower). C of or for motor vehicles. D anat. Relating to muscular movement or the nerves activating it. —v. Go or convey in a motor vehicle.
[latin: related to *move]
Motor bike n. Colloq. = *motor cycle.
Motor boat n. Motor-driven boat.
Motorcade n. Procession of motor vehicles. [from *motor, after cavalcade]
Motor car n. = *car 1.
Motor cycle n. Two-wheeled motor vehicle without pedal propulsion. motor cyclist n.
Motorist n. Driver of a car.
Motorize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) 1 equip with motor transport. 2 provide with a motor.
Motorman n. Driver of an underground train, tram, etc.
Motor scooter see *scooter.
Motor vehicle n. Road vehicle powered by an internal-combustion engine.
Motorway n. Road for fast travel, with separate carriageways and limited access.
Motown n. Music with elements of rhythm and blues, associated with detroit. [motor town, = detroit in us]
Mottle v. (-ling) (esp. As mottled adj.) Mark with spots or smears of colour. [back-formation from *motley]
Motto n. (pl. -es) 1 maxim adopted as a rule of conduct. 2 phrase or sentence accompanying a coat of arms. 3 appropriate inscription. 4 joke, maxim, etc. In a paper cracker. [italian: related to *mot]
Mould1 (us mold) —n. 1 hollow container into which a substance is poured or pressed to harden into a required shape. 2 a vessel for shaping puddings etc. B pudding etc. Made in this way. 3 form or shape. 4 frame or template for producing mouldings. 5 character or type (in heroic mould). —v. 1 make (an object) in a required shape or from certain ingredients (moulded out of clay). 2 give shape to. 3 influence the development of. [french modle from latin *modulus]
Mould2 n. (us mold) furry growth of fungi occurring esp. In moist warm conditions. [old norse]
Mould3 n. (us mold) 1 loose earth. 2 upper soil of cultivated land, esp. When rich in organic matter. [old english]
Moulder v. (us molder) 1 decay to dust. 2 (foll. By away) rot or crumble. 3 deteriorate. [from *mould3]
Moulding n. (us molding) 1 ornamentally shaped outline of plaster etc. As an architectural feature, esp. In a cornice. 2 similar feature in woodwork etc.
Mouldy adj. (us moldy) (-ier, -iest) 1 covered with mould. 2 stale; out of date. 3 colloq. Dull, miserable. mouldiness n.
Moult (us molt) —v. (also absol.) Shed (feathers, hair, a shell etc.) In the process of renewing plumage, a coat, etc. —n. Moulting. [latin muto change]
Mound n. 1 raised mass of earth, stones, etc. 2 heap or pile; large quantity. 3 hillock. [origin unknown]
Mount1 —v. 1 ascend; climb on to. 2 a get up on (a horse etc.) To ride it. B set on horseback. C (as mounted adj.) Serving on horseback (mounted police). 3 a (often foll. By up) accumulate. B (of a feeling) increase. 4 (often foll. By on, in) set (an object) on a support or in a backing, frame, etc., esp. For viewing. 5 organize, arrange, set in motion (a play, exhibition, attack, guard, etc.). 6 (of a male animal) get on to (a female) to copulate. —n. 1 backing, etc. On which a picture etc. Is set for display. 2 horse for riding. 3 setting for a gem etc. [latin: related to *mount2]
Mount2 n. Archaic (except before a name): mountain, hill (mount everest). [latin mons mont-]
Mount2 n. Archaic (except before a name): mountain, hill (mount everest). [latin mons mont-]
Mountain n. 1 large abrupt natural elevation of the ground. 2 large heap or pile; huge quantity. 3 large surplus stock (butter mountain). make a mountain out of a molehill see molehill. [latin: related to mount2]
Mountain ash n. Tree with scarlet berries; rowan.
Mountain bike n. Sturdy bike with many gears for riding over rough terrain.
Mountaineer —n. Person who practises mountain-climbing. —v. Climb mountains as a sport. mountaineering n.
Mountain lion n. Puma.
Mountainous adj. 1 having many mountains. 2 huge.
Mountain range n. Continuous line of mountains.
Mountain sickness n. Sickness caused by thin air at great heights.
Mountainside n. Sloping side of a mountain.
Mountainside n. Sloping side of a mountain.
Mountebank n. 1 swindler; charlatan. 2 hist. Itinerant quack. [italian, = mount on bench]
Mountie n. Colloq. Member of the royal canadian mounted police. [abbreviation]
Mounting n. 1 = mount1 n. 1. 2 in senses of mount1 v.
Mourn v. (often foll. By for, over) feel or show deep sorrow or regret for (a dead person, a lost thing, a past event, etc.). [old english]
Mourner n. Person who mourns, esp. At a funeral.
Mournful adj. Doleful, sad, expressing mourning. mournfully adv. Mournfulness n.
Mourning n. 1 expressing of sorrow for a dead person, esp. By wearing black clothes. 2 such clothes.
Mouse —n. (pl. Mice) 1 small rodent, esp. Of a kind infesting houses. 2 timid or feeble person. 3 (pl. -s) computing small hand-held device controlling the cursor on a vdu screen. —v. (-sing) (of a cat, owl, etc.) Hunt mice. mouser n. [old english]
Mousetrap n. 1 trap for catching mice. 2 (often attrib.) Colloq. Poor quality cheese.
Moussaka n. (also mousaka) greek dish of minced meat, aubergine, etc. [greek or turkish]
Mousse n. 1 a dessert of whipped cream, eggs, etc., usu. Flavoured with fruit or chocolate. B meat or fish purée made with whipped cream etc. 2 foamy substance applied to the hair to enable styling. [french, = froth]
Moustache n. (us mustache) hair left to grow on a man’s upper lip. [greek mustax]
Mousy adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 of or like a mouse. 2 (of a person) timid, feeble. 3 nondescript light brown.
Mouth —n. (pl. Mouths) 1 a external opening in the head, through which most animals take in food and emit communicative sounds. B (in humans and some animals) cavity behind it containing the means of biting and chewing and the vocal organs. 2 opening of a container, cave, trumpet, etc. 3 place where a river enters the sea. 4 an individual as needing sustenance (an extra mouth to feed). 5 colloq. A meaningless or ineffectual talk. B impudent talk; cheek. —v. (-thing) 1 say or speak by moving the lips but with no sound. 2 utter or speak insincerely or without understanding (mouthing platitudes). put words into a person’s mouth represent a person as having said something. Take the words out of a person’s mouth say what another was about to say. [old english]
Mouthful n. (pl. -s) 1 quantity of food etc. That fills the mouth. 2 small quantity.
3 colloq. Long or complicated word or phrase.
Mouth-organ n. = *harmonica.
Mouthpiece n. 1 part of a musical instrument, telephone, etc., placed next to the lips. 2 colloq. Person who speaks for another or others.
Mouth-to-mouth adj. (of resuscitation) in which a person breathes into a subject’s lungs through the mouth.
Mouthwash n. Liquid antiseptic etc. For rinsing the mouth or gargling.
Mouth-watering adj. (of food etc.) Having a delicious smell or appearance.
Movable adj. (also moveable) 1 that can be moved. 2 variable in date from year to year (movable feast). [related to *move]
Move —v. (-ving) 1 (cause to) change position or posture. 2 put or keep in motion; rouse, stir. 3 a take a turn in a board-game. B change the position of (a piece) in a board-game. 4 (often foll. By about, away, off, etc.) Go or proceed. 5 take action, esp. Promptly (moved to reduce crime). 6 make progress (project is moving fast). 7 (also absol.) Change (one’s home or place of work). 8 (foll. By in) be socially active in (a specified group etc.) (moves in the best circles). 9 affect (a person) with (usu. Tender) emotion. 10 (foll. By to) provoke (a person to laughter etc.) (was moved to tears). 11 (foll. By to, or to + infin.) Prompt or incline (a person to a feeling or action). 12 (cause to) change one’s attitude (nothing can move me on this issue). 13 a cause (the bowels) to be evacuated. B
(of the bowels) be evacuated. 14 (often foll. By that) propose in a meeting, etc. 15 (foll. By for) make a formal request or application. 16 sell; be sold. —n. 1 act or process of moving. 2 change of house, premises, etc. 3 step taken to secure an object. 4 a changing of the position of a piece in a board-game. B player’s turn to do this. get a move on colloq. Hurry up. Make a move take action. Move along (or on) advance, progress, esp. To avoid crowding etc. Move away go to live in another area. Move heaven and earth (foll. By to + infin.) Make extraordinary efforts. Move in 1 take up residence in a new home. 2 get into a position of readiness or proximity (for an offensive action etc.). Move in with start to share accommodation with (an existing resident). Move out leave one’s home. Move over (or up) adjust one’s position to make room for another. On the move moving. [latin moveo]
Moveable var. Of *movable.
Movement n. 1 a moving or being moved. B instance of this (watched his every movement). 2 moving parts of a mechanism (esp. A clock or watch). 3 a body of persons with a common object (peace movement). B campaign undertaken by them. 4 (in pl.) Person’s activities and whereabouts. 5 mus. Principal division of a longer musical work. 6 motion of the bowels. 7 rise or fall in price(s) on the stock market. 8 progress.
Mover n. 1 person, animal, or thing that moves or dances, esp. In a specified way. 2 person who moves a proposition. 3 (also prime mover) originator.
Movie n. Esp. Us colloq. Cinema film.
Moving adj. Emotionally affecting. movingly adv.
Moving staircase n. Escalator.
Mow v. (past part. Mowed or mown) 1 (also absol.) Cut (grass, hay, etc.) With a scythe or machine. 2 cut down the produce of (a field) or the grass etc. Of (a lawn) by mowing. mow down kill or destroy randomly or in great numbers. mower n. [old english]
Mozzarella n. Italian curd cheese, orig. Of buffalo milk. [italian]
Mp abbr. Member of parliament.
Mp abbr. Mezzo piano.
M.p.g. Abbr. Miles per gallon.
M.p.h. Abbr. Miles per hour.
M.phil. Abbr. Master of philosophy.
Mr n. (pl. Messrs) 1 title of a man without a higher title (mr jones). 2 title prefixed to a designation of office etc. (mr president; mr speaker). [abbreviation of *mister]
Mrs n. (pl. Same) title of a married woman without a higher title (mrs jones).
Mrs n. (pl. Same) title of a married woman without a higher title (mrs jones). [abbreviation of *mistress]
Ms abbr. 1 (pl. Mss) manuscript. 2 multiple sclerosis.
Ms n. Title of a married or unmarried woman without a higher title. [combination of *mrs, *miss2]
M.sc. Abbr. Master of science.
Ms-dos abbr. Propr. Computing microsoft disk operating system.
Mt. Abbr. Mount.
Mu n. 1 twelfth greek letter (m, m). 2 (m, as a symbol) = *micro-2. [greek]
Much —adj. 1 existing or occurring in a great quantity (much trouble; too much noise). 2 (prec. By as, how, that, etc.) With relative sense (i don’t know how much money you want). —n. 1 a great quantity (much of that is true). 2 (prec. By as, how, that, etc.) With relative sense (we do not need that much). 3 (usu. In neg.) Noteworthy or outstanding example (not much to look at). —adv. 1 in a great degree (much to my surprise; is much the same; i much regret it; much annoyed; much better; much the best). 2 for a large part of one’s time; often (he is not here much). as much so (i thought as much). A bit much colloq. Excessive, immoderate. Much as even though (cannot come, much as i would like to). Much of a muchness very nearly the same. Not much of a colloq. A rather poor. [from *mickle]
Mucilage n. 1 viscous substance obtained from plants. 2 adhesive gum. [latin:
related to *mucus]
Muck —n. 1 colloq. Dirt or filth; anything disgusting. 2 farmyard manure. 3 colloq. Mess. —v. 1 (usu. Foll. By up) colloq. A bungle (a job). B make dirty or untidy. 2 (foll. By out) remove manure from. make a muck of colloq. Bungle. Muck about (or around) colloq. 1 potter or fool about. 2 (foll. By with) fool or interfere with. Muck in (often foll. By with) colloq. Share tasks etc. Equally. [scandinavian]
Mucker n. Slang friend, mate. [probably from muck in: related to *muck]
Muckle var. Of *mickle.
Muckrake v. (-king) search out and reveal scandal. muckraker n. Muckraking n.
Muck-spreader n. Machine for spreading dung. muck-spreading n.
Mucky adj. (-ier, -iest) covered with muck, dirty.
Mucous adj. Of or covered with mucus. mucosity n. [latin mucosus: related to *mucus]
Mucous membrane n. Mucus-secreting tissue lining body cavities etc.
Mucus n. Slimy substance secreted by a mucous membrane. [latin]
Mud n. Soft wet earth. fling (or sling or throw) mud speak disparagingly or slanderously. One’s name is mud one is in disgrace. [german]
Muddle —v. (-ling) (often foll. By up) 1 bring into disorder. 2 bewilder, confuse. —n. 1 disorder. 2 confusion. muddle along (or on) progress in a haphazard way. Muddle through succeed despite one’s inefficiency. [perhaps dutch, related to *mud]
Muddy —adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 like mud. 2 covered in or full of mud. 3 (of liquid, colour, or sound) not clear, impure. 4 vague, confused. —v. (-ies, -ied) make muddy. muddiness n.
Mudflap n. Flap hanging behind the wheel of a vehicle, to prevent splashes.
Mud-flat n. Stretch of muddy land uncovered at low tide.
Mudguard n. Curved strip over a bicycle wheel etc. To protect the rider from splashes.
Mud pack n. Cosmetic paste applied thickly to the face.
Mud pack n. Cosmetic paste applied thickly to the face.
Mud-slinger n. Colloq. Person given to making abusive or disparaging remarks.
mud-slinging n.
Muesli n. Breakfast food of crushed cereals, dried fruits, nuts, etc., eaten with milk. [swiss german]
Muezzin n. Muslim crier who proclaims the hours of prayer. [arabic]
Muff1 n. Covering, esp. Of fur, for keeping the hands or ears warm. [dutch mof]
Muff2 v. Colloq. 1 bungle. 2 miss (a catch, ball, etc.). [origin unknown]
Muffin n. 1 light flat round spongy cake, eaten toasted and buttered. 2 us similar round cake made from batter or dough. [origin unknown]
Muffle v. (-ling) 1 (often foll. By up) wrap or cover for warmth, or to deaden sound. 2 (usu. As muffled adj.) Stifle (an utterance). [perhaps french moufle thick glove, *muff1]
Muffler n. 1 wrap or scarf worn for warmth. 2 thing used to deaden sound. 3 us silencer of a vehicle.
Mufti n. Civilian clothes (in mufti). [arabic]
Mug1 —n. 1 a drinking-vessel, usu. Cylindrical with a handle and no saucer. B its contents. 2 slang gullible person. 3 slang face or mouth. —v. (-gg-) attack and rob, esp. In public. a mug’s game colloq. Foolish or unprofitable activity. mugger n. Mugful n. (pl. -s). Mugging n. [scandinavian]
Mug2 v. (-gg-) (usu. Foll. By up) slang learn (a subject) by concentrated study. [origin unknown]
Muggins n. (pl. Same or mugginses) colloq. Gullible person (often meaning oneself: so muggins had to pay). [perhaps from the surname]
Mug shot n. Slang photograph of a face, esp. For police records.
Muhammadan n. & adj. (also mohammedan) = *muslim. [muhammad, name of a prophet]
Usage the term muhammadan is not used by muslims, and is often regarded as offensive.
Mujahidin n.pl. (also mujahedin, -deen) guerrilla fighters in islamic countries, esp. Muslim fundamentalists. [persian and arabic: related to *jihad]
Mulatto n. (pl. -s or -es) person of mixed white and black parentage. [spanish mulato young mule]
Mulberry n. (pl. -ies) 1 tree bearing edible purple or white berries, and leaves used to feed silkworms. 2 its fruit. 3 dark-red or purple. [latin morum mulberry, *berry]
Mulch —n. Layer of wet straw, leaves, or plastic, etc., spread around or over a plant to enrich or insulate the soil. —v. Treat with mulch. [old english, = soft]
Mule1 n. 1 offspring of a male donkey and a female horse, or (in general use) of a female donkey and a male horse (cf. *hinny). 2 stupid or obstinate person. 3 (in full spinning mule) a kind of spinning-machine. [latin mulus]
Mule2 n. Backless slipper. [french]
Muleteer n. Mule-driver. [french muletier: related to *mule1]
Mulish adj. Stubborn.
Mull1 v. (often foll. By over) ponder, consider. [probably dutch]
Mull2 v. Warm (wine or beer) with added sugar, spices, etc. [origin unknown]
Mull3 n. Scot. Promontory. [origin uncertain]
Mullah n. Muslim learned in theology and sacred law. [ultimately arabic mawla]
Mullet n. (pl. Same) any of several kinds of marine fish valued for food. [greek mullos]
Mulligatawny n. Highly seasoned soup orig. From india. [tamil, = pepper-water]
Mullion n. Vertical bar dividing the lights in a window. mullioned adj. [probably french moinel middle: related to *mean3]
Multi-comb. Form many. [latin multus much, many]
Multi-access adj. (of a computer system) allowing access to the central processor from several terminals simultaneously.
Multicoloured adj. Of many colours.
Multicultural adj. Of several cultural groups. multiculturalism n.
Multidirectional adj. Of, involving, or operating in several directions.
Multidirectional adj. Of, involving, or operating in several directions.
Multifarious adj. 1 many and various. 2 of great variety. multifariousness n. [latin multifarius]
Multiform adj. 1 having many forms. 2 of many kinds.
Multilateral adj. 1 (of an agreement etc.) In which three or more parties participate. 2 having many sides. multilaterally adv.
Multilingual adj. In, speaking, or using several languages.
Multimedia —attrib. Adj. Using more than one medium of communication. —n.
= *hypermedia.
Multimillion attrib. Adj. Costing or involving several million (pounds, dollars, etc.) (multimillion dollar fraud).
Multimillionaire n. Person with a fortune of several millions.
Multinational —adj. 1 operating in several countries. 2 of several nationalities.
—n. Multinational company.
Multiple —adj. 1 having several parts, elements, or components. 2 many and
various. —n. Number that contains another without a remainder (56 is a multiple of 7). [latin multiplus: related to *multiplex]
Multiple-choice adj. (of an examination question) accompanied by several possible answers from which the correct one has to be chosen.
Multiple sclerosis see *sclerosis.
Multiple sclerosis see *sclerosis.
Multiplex adj. Manifold; of many elements. [latin: related to *multi-, -plex – plicis -fold]
Multiplicand n. Quantity to be multiplied by another.
Multiplication n. Multiplying.
Multiplication sign n. Sign (×) to indicate that one quantity is to be multiplied by another.
Multiplication table n. List of multiples of a particular number, usu. From 1 to 12.
Multiplicity n. (pl. -ies) 1 manifold variety. 2 (foll. By of) great number.
Multiplier n. Quantity by which a given number is multiplied.
Multiply v. (-ies, -ied) 1 (also absol.) Obtain from (a number) another that is a specified number of times its value (multiply 6 by 4 and you get 24). 2 increase in number, esp. By procreation. 3 produce a large number of (instances etc.). 4 a breed (animals). B propagate (plants). [latin multiplico: related to *multiplex]
Multi-purpose attrib. Adj. Having several purposes.
Multiracial adj. Of several races.
Multi-storey attrib. Adj. Having several storeys.
Multitude n. 1 (often foll. By of) great number. 2 large gathering of people; crowd. 3 (the multitude) the common people. [french from latin]
Multitudinous adj. 1 very numerous. 2 consisting of many individuals. [latin:
related to *multitude]
Multi-user attrib. Adj. (of a computer system) having a number of simultaneous users.
Mum1 n. Colloq. = *mummy1.
Mum2 adj. Colloq. Silent (keep mum). mum’s the word say nothing. [imitative]
Mumble —v. (-ling) speak or utter indistinctly. —n. Indistinct utterance or sound. [related to *mum2]
Mumbo-jumbo n. (pl. -s) 1 meaningless or ignorant ritual. 2 meaningless or unnecessarily complicated language; nonsense. [mumbo jumbo, name of a supposed african idol]
Mummer n. Actor in a traditional mime. [french momeur: cf. *mum2]
Mummery n. (pl. -ies) 1 ridiculous (esp. Religious) ceremonial. 2 performance by mummers. [french momerie: related to *mummer]
Mummify v. (-ies, -ied) preserve (a body) as a mummy. mummification n.
Mummy1 n. (pl. -ies) colloq. Mother. [imitative of a child’s pronunciation]
Mummy2 n. (pl. -ies) body of a human being or animal embalmed for burial, esp. In ancient egypt. [persian mum wax]
Mumps n.pl. (treated as sing.) Infectious disease with swelling of the neck and face. [imitative of mouth-shape]
Munch v. Eat steadily with a marked action of the jaws. [imitative]
Mundane adj. 1 dull, routine. 2 of this world. mundanely adv. Mundanity n. [latin mundus world]
Mung n. (in full mung bean) leguminous indian plant used as food. [hindi mung]
Municipal adj. Of a municipality or its self-government. municipalize v. (also – ise) (-zing or -sing). Municipally adv. [latin municipium free city]
Municipality n. (pl. -ies) 1 town or district having local self-government. 2 governing body of this area.
Munificent adj. (of a giver or a gift) splendidly generous. munificence n. [latin munus gift: related to *-fic]
Muniment n. (usu. In pl.) Document kept as evidence of rights or privileges etc. [latin munio fortify]
Munition n. (usu. In pl.) Military weapons, ammunition etc. [latin, = fortification: related to *muniment]
Muon n. Physics unstable elementary particle like an electron, but with a much greater mass. [m (*mu), the symbol for it]
greater mass. [m (*mu), the symbol for it]
Mural —n. Painting executed directly on a wall. —adj. Of, on, or like a wall. [latin murus wall]
Murder —n. 1 intentional unlawful killing of a human being by another. 2 colloq. Unpleasant, troublesome, or dangerous state of affairs. —v. 1 kill (a human being) intentionally and unlawfully. 2 colloq. A utterly defeat. B spoil by a bad performance, mispronunciation, etc. cry blue murder colloq. Make an extravagant outcry. Get away with murder colloq. Do whatever one wishes and escape punishment.
Murderous adj. 1 (of a person, weapon, action, etc.) Capable of, intending, or involving murder or great harm. 2 colloq. Extremely arduous or unpleasant.
Murk n. Darkness, poor visibility. [probably scandinavian]
3 suspiciously obscure (murky past). murkily adv. Murkiness n.
Murmur —n. 1 subdued continuous sound, as made by waves, a brook, etc. 2 softly spoken or nearly inarticulate utterance. 3 subdued expression of discontent. —v. 1 make a murmur. 2 utter (words) in a low voice. 3 (usu. Foll. By at, against) complain in low tones, grumble. [latin]
Murphy’s law n. Joc. Any of various maxims about the perverseness of things. [murphy, irish surname]
Murrain n. Infectious disease of cattle. [anglo-french moryn]
Mus.b. Abbr. (also mus. Bac.) Bachelor of music. [latin musicae baccalaureus]
Muscadet n. 1 a dry white wine from the loire region of france. 2 variety of grape used for this. [muscadet grape]
Muscat n. 1 sweet usu. Fortified white wine made from musk-flavoured grapes. 2 this grape. [provençal: related to *musk]
Muscatel n. 1 = *muscat. 2 raisin from a muscat grape.
Muscle —n. 1 fibrous tissue producing movement in or maintaining the position of an animal body. 2 part of an animal body that is composed of muscles. 3 strength, power. —v. (-ling) (foll. By in, in on) colloq. Force oneself on others; intrude by forceful means. not move a muscle be completely motionless. [latin diminutive of mus mouse]
Muscle-bound adj. With muscles stiff and inelastic through excessive exercise.
Muscle-man n. Man with highly developed muscles.
Muscovite —n. Native or citizen of moscow. —adj. Of moscow. [from muscovy, principality of moscow]
Muscovy duck n. Crested duck with red markings on its head. [muscovy, principality of moscow]
Muscular adj. 1 of or affecting the muscles. 2 having well-developed muscles. 3 robust. muscularity n.
Muscular christianity n. Christian life of cheerful physical activity as described in the writings of charles kingsley.
Muscular dystrophy n. Hereditary progressive wasting of the muscles.
Musculature n. Muscular system of a body or organ.
Mus.d. Abbr. (also mus. Doc.) Doctor of music. [latin musicae doctor]
Muse1 v. (-sing) 1 (usu. Foll. By on, upon) ponder, reflect. 2 say meditatively. [french]
Muse2 n. 1 (in greek and roman mythology) any of the nine goddesses who inspire poetry, music, etc. 2 (usu. Prec. By the) poet’s inspiration. [greek mousa]
Museum n. Building used for storing and exhibiting objects of historical, scientific, or cultural interest. [greek: related to *muse2]
Museum piece n. 1 specimen of art etc. Fit for a museum. 2 derog. Old-fashioned or quaint person or object.
Mush n. 1 soft pulp. 2 feeble sentimentality. 3 us maize porridge. [apparently var. Of *mash]
Mushroom —n. 1 edible fungus with a stem and domed cap. 2 pinkish-brown colour of this. —v. Appear or develop rapidly. [french mousseron from latin]
Mushroom cloud n. Mushroom-shaped cloud from a nuclear explosion.
Mushy adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 like mush; soft. 2 feebly sentimental. mushiness n.
Music n. 1 art of combining vocal or instrumental sounds in a harmonious or expressive way. 2 sounds so produced. 3 musical composition. 4 written or printed score of this. 5 pleasant natural sound. music to one’s ears something one is pleased to hear. [greek: related to *muse2]
Musical —adj. 1 of music. 2 (of sounds etc.) Melodious, harmonious. 3 fond of, sensitive to, or skilled in music. 4 set to or accompanied by music. —n. Musical film or play. musicality n. Musically adv.
Musical box n. Box containing a mechanism which plays a tune.
Musical chairs n.pl. 1 party game in which the players compete in successive
rounds for a decreasing number of chairs. 2 series of changes or political manoeuvring etc.
Music centre n. Equipment combining radio, record-player, tape recorder, etc.
Music-hall n. 1 variety entertainment with singing, dancing, etc. 2 theatre for this.
Musician n. Person who plays a musical instrument, esp. Professionally. musicianly adj. Musicianship n. [french: related to *music]
Musicology n. The academic study of music. musicologist n. Musicological adj.
Music stand n. Support for sheet music.
Music stool n. Piano stool.
Musk n. 1 substance secreted by the male musk deer and used in perfumes. 2 plant which orig. Had a smell of musk. musky adj. (-ier, -iest). Muskiness n. [latin muscus from persian]
Musk deer n. Small hornless asian deer.
Musket n. Hist. Infantryman’s (esp. Smooth-bored) light gun. [italian moschetto
Musketry n. 1 muskets; soldiers armed with muskets. 2 knowledge of handling small arms.
Musk ox n. Shaggy n. American ruminant with curved horns.
Muskrat n. 1 large n. American aquatic rodent with a musky smell. 2 its fur.
Musk-rose n. Rambling rose smelling of musk.
Muslim (also moslem) —n. Follower of the islamic religion. —adj. Of the muslims or their religion. [arabic: related to *islam]
Muslin n. Fine delicately woven cotton fabric. [italian mussolo mosul in iraq]
Musquash n. = *muskrat. [algonquian]
Mussel n. Bivalve mollusc, esp. Of the kind used for food. [old english: related to *muscle]
Must1 —v.aux. (present must; past had to or in indirect speech must) (foll. By infin., or absol.) 1 a be obliged to (you must go to school). B in ironic questions (must you slam the door?). 2 be certainly (you must be her sister). 3 ought to (must see what can be done). 4 expressing insistence (must ask you to leave). 5 (foll. By not + infin.) A not be permitted to, be forbidden to (must not smoke). B ought not; need not (mustn’t think he’s angry; must not worry). C expressing insistence that something should not be done (they must not be told). —n. Colloq. Thing that should not be missed (this exhibition is a must). i must say often iron. I cannot refrain from saying (i must say he tries hard; a fine way to behave, i must say). Must needs see *needs. [old english]
Usage in sense 1a, the negative (i.e. Lack of obligation) is expressed by not have to or need not; must not denotes positive forbidding, as in you must not smoke.
Must2 n. Grape juice before fermentation is complete. [old english from latin]
Mustache n. (brit. Moustache) hair left to grow on a man’s upper lip. [greek mustax]
Mustang n. Small wild horse of mexico and california. [spanish]
Mustard n. 1 a plant with slender pods and yellow flowers. B seeds of this crushed into a paste and used as a spicy condiment. 2 plant eaten at the seedling stage, often with cress. 3 brownish-yellow colour. [romanic: related to *must2]
Mustard gas n. Colourless oily liquid, whose vapour is a powerful irritant.
Muster —v. 1 collect (orig. Soldiers) for inspection, to check numbers, etc. 2 collect, gather together. 3 summon (courage etc.). —n. Assembly of persons for inspection. pass muster be accepted as adequate. [latin monstro show]
Mustn’t contr. Must not.
Mustn’t contr. Must not.
Musty adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 mouldy, stale. 2 dull, antiquated. mustily adv. Mustiness n. [perhaps an alteration of moisty: related to *moist]
Mutable adj. Literary liable to change. mutability n. [latin muto change]
Mutagen n. Agent promoting genetic mutation. mutagenic adj. Mutagenesis n. [from mutation, -gen]
Mutant —adj. Resulting from mutation. —n. Mutant organism or gene.
Mutate v. (-ting) (cause to) undergo mutation.
Mutation n. 1 change, alteration. 2 genetic change which, when transmitted to offspring, gives rise to heritable variations. 3 mutant. [latin muto change]
Mutatis mutandis adv. (in comparing cases) making the necessary alterations.
Mutatis mutandis adv. (in comparing cases) making the necessary alterations. [latin]
Mute —adj. 1 silent, refraining from or temporarily bereft of speech. 2 (of a person or animal) dumb. 3 not expressed in speech (mute protest). 4 (of a letter) not pronounced. —n. 1 dumb person. 2 device for damping the sound of a musical instrument. 3 unsounded consonant. —v. (-ting) 1 deaden or soften the sound of (esp. A musical instrument). 2 a tone down, make less intense. B (as muted adj.) (of colours etc.) Subdued. mutely adv. Muteness n. [latin mutus]
Mute button n. Device on a telephone to temporarily prevent the caller from hearing what is being said at the receiver’s end, or on a television etc. To temporarily turn off the sound.
Mute swan n. Common white swan.
Mutilate v. (-ting) 1 a deprive (a person or animal) of a limb or organ. B destroy the use of (a limb or organ). 2 excise or damage part of (a book etc.). mutilation n. [latin mutilus maimed]
Mutineer n. Person who mutinies. [romanic: related to *move]
Mutinous adj. Rebellious; ready to mutiny. mutinously adv.
Mutiny —n. (pl. -ies) open revolt, esp. By soldiers or sailors against their officers. —v. (-ies, -ied) (often foll. By against) revolt; engage in mutiny.
Mutt n. 1 slang ignorant or stupid person. 2 derog. Dog. [abbreviation of *mutton-head]
Mutter —v. 1 (also absol.) Utter (words) in a barely audible manner. 2 (often foll. By against, at) murmur or grumble. —n. 1 muttered words or sounds. 2 muttering. [related to *mute]
Mutton n. Flesh of sheep as food. [medieval latin multo sheep]
Mutton dressed as lamb n. Colloq. Middle-aged or elderly woman dressed to appear younger.
Mutton-head n. Colloq. Stupid person.
Mutual adj. 1 (of feelings, actions, etc.) Experienced or done by each of two or more parties to or towards the other(s) (mutual affection). 2 colloq. Common to two or more persons (a mutual friend). 3 having the same (specified) relationship to each other (mutual well-wishers). mutuality n. Mutually adv. [latin mutuus borrowed]
Usage the use of mutual in sense 2, although often found, is considered incorrect by some people, for whom common is preferable.
Muzak n. 1 propr. System of piped music used in public places. 2 (muzak) recorded light background music. [fanciful var. Of *music]
Muzzle —n. 1 projecting part of an animal’s face, including the nose and mouth. 2 guard, usu. Of straps or wire, put over an animal’s nose and mouth to stop it biting or feeding. 3 open end of a firearm. —v. (-ling) 1 put a muzzle on. 2 impose silence on. [medieval latin musum]
My poss. Pron. (attrib.) 1 of or belonging to me. 2 affectionate, patronizing, etc. Form of address (my dear boy). 3 in expressions of surprise (my god!; oh my!). 4 colloq. Indicating a close relative etc. Of the speaker (my johnny’s ill again). my lady (or lord) form of address to certain titled persons. [from *mine1]
Myalgia n. Muscular pain. myalgic adj. [greek mus muscle]
Mycelium (pl. -lia) microscopic threadlike parts of a fungus. [greek mukes mushroom]
Mycenaean —adj. Of the late bronze age civilization in greece (c.1500–1100 bc), depicted in the homeric poems. —n. Person of this civilization. [latin mycenaeus]
Mycology n. 1 the study of fungi. 2 fungi of a particular region. mycologist n. [greek mukes mushroom]
Myna n. (also mynah, mina) talking bird of the starling family. [hindi]
Myopia n. 1 short-sightedness. 2 lack of imagination or insight. myopic adj. Myopically adv. [greek muo shut, ops eye]
Myriad literary —n. An indefinitely great number. —adj. Innumerable. [greek murioi 10,000]
Myrrh n. Gum resin used in perfume, medicine, incense, etc. [latin myrrha from greek]
Myrtle n. Evergreen shrub with shiny leaves and white scented flowers. [greek murtos]
Myself pron. 1 emphat. Form of *i2 or me1 (i saw it myself). 2 refl. Form of me1 (i was angry with myself). be myself see oneself. I myself i for my part (i myself am doubtful). [old english: related to me1, *self]
Mysterious adj. Full of or wrapped in mystery. mysteriously adv. [french: related to *mystery]
Mystery n. (pl. -ies) 1 secret, hidden, or inexplicable matter. 2 secrecy or obscurity. 3 (attrib.) Secret, undisclosed (mystery guest). 4 practice of making a secret of things (engaged in mystery and intrigue). 5 (in full mystery story) fictional work dealing with a puzzling event, esp. A murder. 6 a religious truth
divinely revealed. 7 (in pl.) A secret religious rites of the ancient greeks, romans, etc. B archaic eucharist. [greek musterion: related to *mystic]
Mystery play n. Miracle play.
Mystery tour n. Pleasure trip to an unspecified destination.
Mystic —n. Person who seeks by contemplation etc. To achieve unity with the deity, or who believes in the spiritual apprehension of truths that are beyond the understanding. —adj. = *mystical. mysticism n. [greek mustes initiated person]
Mystical adj. 1 of mystics or mysticism. 2 mysterious; occult; of hidden meaning. 3 spiritually allegorical or symbolic. mystically adv.
Mystify v. (-ies, -ied) 1 bewilder, confuse. 2 wrap in mystery. mystification n. [french: related to mystic or mystery]
Mystique n. Atmosphere of mystery and veneration attending some activity, person, profession, etc. [french: related to *mystic]
Myth n. 1 traditional story usu. Involving supernatural or imaginary persons and embodying popular ideas on natural or social phenomena etc. 2 such narratives collectively. 3 widely held but false notion. 4 fictitious person, thing, or idea. 5 allegory (platonic myth). mythical adj. Mythically adv. [greek muthos]
Mythology n. (pl. -ies) 1 body of myths. 2 the study of myths. mythological adj. Mythologize v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing). [greek: related to *myth]
Myxomatosis n. Viral disease of rabbits. [greek muxa mucus]
Affiliate Disclosure: This blog may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you click on the link and make a purchase. This comes at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers. Your support helps keep this blog running and allows me to continue providing you with quality content. Thank you for your support!
The provided text consists of excerpts from Jane Austen’s novel Sense and Sensibility. It primarily follows the Dashwood family after the death of their father leaves them in a precarious financial situation due to the inheritance laws of the time. The narrative explores the contrasting personalities and romantic relationships of the two eldest daughters, Elinor and Marianne, as they navigate societal expectations, financial concerns, and the complexities of love. The excerpts detail their interactions with various suitors, family members, and acquaintances, highlighting themes of sense versus sensibility, societal pressures on women, and the pursuit of happiness through marriage. The challenges and triumphs of the Dashwood sisters form the central focus of these passages.
Sense and Sensibility Study Guide
Quiz
Answer each question in 2-3 sentences.
Describe the financial situation of Mrs. Dashwood and her daughters after Mr. Henry Dashwood’s death.
What was Mr. John Dashwood’s initial intention regarding his half-sisters’ financial well-being, and how did his wife influence this intention?
Contrast the personalities of Marianne and Elinor Dashwood as presented in the early chapters.
Explain why Mrs. Dashwood was pleased with the cottage at Barton, despite its smaller size compared to Norland Park.
Describe Sir John Middleton’s character and his role in the lives of the Dashwood sisters after their arrival in Devonshire.
What were Marianne’s initial impressions of Mr. Willoughby, and what aspects of his personality seemed to captivate her?
Summarize Elinor’s feelings and concerns regarding her connection with Edward Ferrars during their time in Devonshire.
What was Lucy Steele’s secret, and what were her motivations for confiding in Elinor?
Describe John Dashwood’s reaction to the news of Edward Ferrars’s engagement to Miss Morton. What did he suggest to Elinor regarding Colonel Brandon?
Explain the circumstances surrounding Willoughby’s abrupt departure from Barton Park. What reasons did Mrs. Dashwood and Elinor suspect?
Quiz Answer Key
Upon Mr. Henry Dashwood’s death, the Norland estate was entailed to his grandson, leaving his widow and daughters with very little financial security. Their mother had no fortune, and their father had only seven thousand pounds at his own disposal, along with a life interest in half of his first wife’s fortune, which was also secured for his son. This meant Mrs. Dashwood and her daughters had a limited income and were dependent on the generosity of others.
Mr. John Dashwood initially intended to give his half-sisters three thousand pounds as a promise to his deceased father. However, his wife, Fanny, vehemently opposed this idea, arguing that it would severely diminish their son’s inheritance and that the Miss Dashwoods had no real claim on his generosity due to their half-blood relation. Ultimately, under his wife’s influence, his generosity dwindled to vague promises of minor assistance.
Marianne is portrayed as highly emotional, romantic, and expressive, readily displaying her feelings and passionate about art and nature. Elinor, in contrast, is sensible, reserved, and more concerned with propriety and the practical aspects of life, often keeping her emotions private and acting with prudence and reason.
Despite its smaller size, Mrs. Dashwood was pleased with the cottage at Barton because she saw its potential for improvement and enjoyed the process of adding to and decorating her living space. She had enough ready money at the time to enhance its elegance and looked forward to making further alterations in the spring. Furthermore, a change of scenery was likely welcome after the discomfort of remaining at Norland under Mrs. John Dashwood’s supervision.
Sir John Middleton is depicted as a cheerful, good-natured, and hospitable man who enthusiastically welcomes the Dashwood sisters to Devonshire. He enjoys company and matchmaking, and while not particularly intellectual or perceptive, he shows genuine kindness and strives to ensure the comfort and amusement of his guests.
Marianne was immediately and intensely attracted to Mr. Willoughby, captivated by his apparent shared appreciation for nature, poetry, and sensibility. She perceived him as a kindred spirit, open, and expressive, mirroring her own emotional nature, which led to a swift and seemingly deep attachment.
Elinor developed a strong affection for Edward Ferrars but remained cautious and reserved due to his reserved nature and her uncertainty about his true feelings and his potential obligations to others. She valued his good sense and kindness but was often left in a state of anxious suspense, trying to interpret his subtle actions and words without allowing herself to be carried away by unfounded hope.
Lucy Steele’s secret was her long-standing, though undeclared, engagement to Edward Ferrars. Her motivations for confiding in Elinor stemmed from a mixture of a desire for a confidante (albeit a rival), a need to gauge Elinor’s own feelings for Edward, and a strategic move to secure Elinor’s potential future influence and support for their eventual marriage, particularly concerning Edward’s family.
John Dashwood was initially surprised and somewhat dismissive of Edward’s commitment to Lucy, viewing it as foolish and detrimental to Edward’s prospects, especially given the loss of Mrs. Ferrars’s financial support. He then enthusiastically suggested to Elinor that she should pursue a relationship with the wealthy and respectable Colonel Brandon, believing it to be a socially advantageous match that would please everyone, including his wife and Mrs. Ferrars.
Willoughby’s abrupt departure from Barton Park was seemingly due to an urgent summons to London from Mrs. Smith. Mrs. Dashwood believed Mrs. Smith suspected his attachment to Marianne and disapproved, using business as an excuse to remove him. Elinor was more reserved in her judgment but found his secrecy and sudden departure from his usual character perplexing and unsettling, fostering a suspicion of something unpleasant.
Essay Format Questions
Explore the significance of the title Sense and Sensibility in relation to the characters of Elinor and Marianne Dashwood. How do their contrasting approaches to life and love drive the plot and themes of the novel?
Analyze the role of social class and financial security in Sense and Sensibility. How do the characters’ economic circumstances and their awareness of social standing influence their choices, relationships, and overall happiness?
Discuss the portrayal of marriage in Sense and Sensibility. What different perspectives on marriage are presented through the various characters and their relationships? What does the novel suggest about the ideal basis for a successful marriage?
Examine the theme of communication and miscommunication in Sense and Sensibility. How do secrets, misunderstandings, and failures to express true feelings affect the relationships between the characters and the unfolding of the narrative?
Consider the development of either Elinor or Marianne Dashwood throughout the course of the novel. How do their experiences with love, disappointment, and societal expectations lead to personal growth or change in their perspectives?
Glossary of Key Terms
Entailment: A legal device restricting the inheritance of property to a specific line of heirs, preventing the current owner from selling or bequeathing it freely.
Life Interest: The right to use or derive income from a property for the duration of one’s life, after which ownership passes to another designated person.
Bequest: Something left to someone in a will.
Moiety: A half or one of two equal parts.
Sanguine: Optimistic or positive, especially in an apparently bad or difficult situation.
Alloy: Something that debases or spoils something else that is otherwise pure or valuable.
Decorum: Propriety and good taste in behavior or appearance.
Curricle: A light, open, two-wheeled carriage drawn by two horses abreast.
Protege: A person who is guided and supported by an older and more experienced or influential person.
Picturesque: Visually attractive, especially in a quaint or charming way, often resembling a painting. In the context of the novel, it refers to an appreciation for the rugged and irregular beauty of nature.
Jargon: Special words or expressions used by a profession or group that are difficult for others to understand.
Beau: A fashionable young man; a dandy.
Chambers (in the Temple): Offices and residential quarters for lawyers in the Temple, a historic district in London.
Gig: A light, two-wheeled carriage pulled by one horse.
Nicety: Excessive fastidiousness or fussiness, especially concerning details.
Affluence: The state of having a great deal of money; wealth.
Complacency: A feeling of smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one’s achievements.
Concerto: A musical composition for a solo instrument or instruments accompanied by an orchestra, especially one conceived on a large scale.
Solicitation: The act of earnestly asking for or trying to obtain something.
Curacy: The position or work of a curate, a member of the clergy employed to assist a rector or vicar.
Hussif: A small sewing case or bag.
Liberality: Generosity.
Disinterested: Not influenced by personal feelings, opinions, or self-interest.
Fastidious: Very attentive to and concerned about accuracy and detail; very concerned about matters of cleanliness.
Avarice: Extreme greed for wealth or material gain.
Dissembling: Concealing one’s true motives, feelings, or beliefs.
Ingratiating: Intended to gain approval or favor; fawning.
Virulence: Bitter hostility.
Imprudence: Not showing care for the consequences of an action; rash.
Complacency (forced): A superficial or insincere display of satisfaction or contentment.
Briefing Document: Analysis of “Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility” Excerpts
Date: October 26, 2023 Prepared for: Literary Analysis Subject: Initial Themes and Important Ideas in Excerpts from “Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility”
This briefing document outlines the main themes and important ideas emerging from the provided excerpts of Jane Austen’s “Sense and Sensibility.” The focus is on character introductions, initial conflicts, societal expectations, and the contrasting personalities of the central figures. Quotes from the text are included to illustrate key points.
1. Inheritance and Financial Security:
The novel opens with the death of Mr. Henry Dashwood and the unfair distribution of his estate. The bulk of the property, Norland, is entailed to his son from his first marriage and his grandson, leaving his widow and three daughters (Elinor, Marianne, and Margaret) with a meager inheritance of £7,000 and £1,000 each.
“Mr. Dashwood had wished for it more for the sake of his wife and daughters than for himself or his son;—but to his son, and his son’s son, a child of four years old, it was secured, in such a way, as to leave to himself no power of providing for those who were most dear to him…”
This immediately establishes the precarious financial situation of the Dashwood women and the societal importance of securing a comfortable fortune through marriage.
Mr. John Dashwood’s initial intention to provide for his half-sisters is quickly dissuaded by his self-serving and materialistic wife, Fanny. This highlights the power dynamics within marriage and the influence of financial considerations on familial obligations.
“To take three thousand pounds from the fortune of their dear little boy would be impoverishing him to the most dreadful degree.” – Mrs. John Dashwood
“[H]ow excessively comfortable your mother-in-law and her daughters may live on the interest of seven thousand pounds, besides the thousand pounds belonging to each of the girls…” – Mrs. John Dashwood, rationalizing her husband’s inaction.
2. Contrasting Personalities: Sense vs. Sensibility:
The excerpts introduce Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, who embody the central theme of “sense” (reason and practicality) versus “sensibility” (emotion and romanticism).
Elinor is depicted as reserved and possessing “strength of understanding and coolness of judgment.”
Marianne is portrayed as highly emotional, valuing intense feeling and open expression.
“Margaret, the other sister, was a good-humored, well-disposed girl; but as she had already imbibed a good deal of Marianne’s romance, without having much of her sense…”
Their differing approaches to love and social interactions are evident in their reactions to Mr. Willoughby and their contrasting views on social decorum.
Marianne’s passionate outburst against Elinor’s restrained description of her feelings for an unnamed man (“Esteem him! Like him! Cold-hearted Elinor! Oh! worse than cold-hearted! Ashamed of being otherwise.”) clearly illustrates her sensibility.
3. Social Expectations and Propriety:
The excerpts reveal the strict social expectations placed upon women in this era, particularly regarding financial security and marriage.
Characters like Mrs. John Dashwood and Lady Middleton represent conventional societal values and often judge others based on superficial appearances and social standing.
Mrs. John Dashwood’s concern about maintaining appearances and her disapproval of her husband’s potential generosity towards his half-sisters exemplify this.
The interactions between Elinor, Marianne, and Mrs. Jennings highlight the tension between genuine emotion and social propriety. Marianne’s open and expressive nature often clashes with the more reserved expectations of society.
Marianne’s defense of her unchaperoned visit to Allenham with Mr. Willoughby (“If the impertinent remarks of Mrs. Jennings are to be the proof of impropriety in conduct, we are all offending every moment of our lives.”) demonstrates her disregard for conventional judgment when it conflicts with her feelings.
4. Courtship and Romantic Interests:
The beginnings of potential romantic relationships are introduced with the arrival of Edward Ferrars and Mr. Willoughby in the Dashwoods’ new neighborhood.
Elinor’s cautious and reserved feelings for Edward contrast sharply with Marianne’s immediate and passionate attachment to Willoughby.
Elinor’s guarded admission of her feelings (“Believe them to be stronger than I have declared; believe them, in short, to be such as his merit, and the suspicion—the hope of his affection for me may warrant, without imprudence or folly.”) showcases her sense and restraint.
Marianne’s immediate connection with Willoughby is evident in their shared appreciation for poetry and sensibility, as well as Sir John Middleton’s teasing observations.
The importance of financial prospects in marriage is hinted at, particularly in Sir John Middleton’s assessment of Willoughby as “very well worth catching.”
5. The Role of Family and Relationships:
Family dynamics play a significant role, as seen in the strained relationship between Mr. John Dashwood and his stepmother and half-sisters, influenced by his wife.
The bond between Elinor and Marianne is central, despite their contrasting personalities. Elinor often acts as a voice of reason for her more impulsive sister.
The introduction of other characters like Mrs. Jennings and Sir John Middleton suggests the importance of social connections and the role of community in their lives.
6. Social Commentary:
Austen subtly critiques the societal emphasis on wealth and status, particularly in the unfair inheritance laws and the mercenary attitudes towards marriage displayed by some characters.
The contrast between genuine kindness (e.g., Sir John Middleton’s hospitality) and self-interest (e.g., Mrs. John Dashwood’s behavior) provides a commentary on human nature within this social context.
Sir John’s genuine delight in accommodating the Dashwood sisters (“The friendliness of his disposition made him happy in accommodating those, whose situation might be considered, in comparison with the past, as unfortunate.”) stands in stark contrast to the self-serving motives of others.
Important Developments and Plot Points:
The Dashwood family’s move to Barton Cottage in Devonshire due to their reduced circumstances.
The immediate connection between Marianne and Mr. Willoughby, marked by shared sensibility and seemingly mutual affection.
Elinor’s growing but reserved attachment to Edward Ferrars.
The interference of self-interested individuals like Mrs. John Dashwood, who prioritize financial gain over familial duty and affection.
The introduction of Colonel Brandon as another potential suitor, though initially dismissed by Marianne due to his age and perceived lack of romanticism.
Willoughby’s sudden and unexplained departure for London, causing distress and confusion, particularly for Marianne.
The arrival of Lucy Steele and her sister Anne, introducing another layer of social maneuvering and potential romantic rivalry, particularly concerning Edward Ferrars. Lucy’s seemingly innocent but potentially calculated remarks hint at a hidden connection with Edward.
Lucy’s pointed comment, “Perhaps, Miss Marianne…you think young men never stand upon engagements, if they have no mind to keep them, little as well as great,” delivered while Elinor is present, creates suspicion about Edward’s situation.
Overall Themes Emerging:
The conflict between reason and emotion in navigating life and relationships.
The societal pressures and expectations surrounding women, particularly in relation to marriage and financial security.
The importance of social propriety versus genuine feeling.
The complexities of courtship and the influence of wealth and social status on romantic choices.
The dynamics of family relationships and the impact of individual characters on each other’s well-being.
These initial excerpts lay the groundwork for a story exploring the challenges faced by women in a society where their financial and social standing is largely dependent on marriage, and how individuals with differing temperaments navigate the complexities of love, loss, and social expectations. The contrasting approaches of Elinor and Marianne promise to be a central focus as the narrative unfolds.
Frequently Asked Questions about Sense and Sensibility:
1. What are the immediate financial circumstances of Mrs. Dashwood and her daughters at the beginning of the story?
Upon the death of Mr. Henry Dashwood, the Norland estate passes to his son from a previous marriage and then to the son’s young child, severely limiting the inheritance of Mr. Dashwood’s second wife and their three daughters, Elinor, Marianne, and Margaret. Mrs. Dashwood has no independent fortune, and Mr. Dashwood leaves only seven thousand pounds at his disposal. Each daughter is bequeathed a thousand pounds by their uncle, leaving them with a precarious financial situation and dependent on the goodwill of their half-brother.
2. How does the behavior of John and Fanny Dashwood after inheriting Norland affect Mrs. Dashwood and her daughters?
John and Fanny Dashwood, motivated by selfishness and a desire to preserve their son’s inheritance, quickly establish themselves as the masters of Norland and subtly degrade Mrs. Dashwood and her daughters to the status of mere visitors. While John initially proposes they stay, Fanny actively discourages any generosity towards her stepmother and sisters-in-law. They rationalize minimizing any financial assistance, convincing themselves that Mrs. Dashwood and her daughters can live comfortably on their small income and that any significant contribution would be an unnecessary drain on their own finances.
3. What are the contrasting personalities and approaches to love and life exhibited by Elinor and Marianne Dashwood?
Elinor embodies “sense,” characterized by her prudence, self-control, and practicality in social interactions and matters of the heart. She values discretion and suppresses her deeper emotions. Marianne represents “sensibility,” displaying intense emotions, romantic idealism, and an unrestrained expression of her feelings. She prioritizes passion and sincerity, sometimes to the detriment of social conventions and her own emotional well-being. Their contrasting approaches often lead to disagreements and misunderstandings.
4. What is the nature of Marianne’s initial romantic attachment to Mr. Willoughby, and what leads to her heartbreak?
Marianne is immediately and intensely drawn to the charming and seemingly ardent Mr. Willoughby. Their courtship is characterized by shared passions, open declarations, and a disregard for social proprieties, leading Marianne to believe in a deep and mutual commitment. However, Willoughby abruptly leaves Devonshire and later sends a cold and dismissive letter breaking off their connection. Marianne’s heartbreak stems from his apparent betrayal, inconstancy, and her deep emotional investment in what she believed was a genuine and profound love.
5. How does Colonel Brandon’s character and his feelings for Marianne contrast with Mr. Willoughby’s?
Colonel Brandon is portrayed as a reserved, honorable, and genuinely kind man who develops a quiet and steadfast affection for Marianne. Unlike Willoughby’s impulsive passion, Brandon’s love is patient and respectful of Marianne’s feelings, even when she clearly favors another. While Marianne initially dismisses him as dull and unromantic due to his age and serious demeanor, Brandon’s consistent integrity and eventual revelation of Willoughby’s past misconduct highlight his superior moral character and genuine concern for Marianne’s welfare.
6. What are Elinor’s feelings for Edward Ferrars, and what obstacles do they face?
Elinor develops a deep and steady affection for Edward Ferrars, characterized by shared values and intellectual compatibility. However, their relationship is fraught with obstacles. Edward is financially dependent on his mother, who strongly disapproves of Elinor due to her lack of fortune. Additionally, Elinor discovers that Edward is secretly engaged to Lucy Steele, a manipulative and ambitious young woman who strategically maintains his commitment while pursuing other prospects. Elinor bears her feelings with stoicism and discretion, enduring the pain of this knowledge in silence.
7. What role do social conventions and societal expectations play in the characters’ choices and experiences?
Social conventions and societal expectations heavily influence the characters’ actions and fates. Financial considerations dictate marriage prospects and social standing. The importance of securing a comfortable establishment for women is a central theme, driving the concerns of Mrs. Dashwood and the marriage strategies of characters like Lucy Steele. Propriety of behavior, especially for young women, is constantly scrutinized, as seen in the reactions to Marianne’s unrestrained expressions of affection for Willoughby. Characters navigate these expectations, sometimes conforming to them and sometimes challenging them, with varying consequences.
8. How do the experiences of Elinor and Marianne ultimately lead to their personal growth and different but equally fulfilling resolutions?
Through their respective romantic disappointments and subsequent reflections, both Elinor and Marianne undergo significant personal growth. Marianne learns the dangers of excessive sensibility and the importance of balancing passion with prudence and self-control. She comes to appreciate Colonel Brandon’s steadfast character and eventually finds happiness in a more mature and stable love. Elinor, while always possessing a strong sense of responsibility, learns to acknowledge and trust her own deeper emotions. The resolution sees both sisters finding marital happiness that aligns with their evolved understanding of love and life, demonstrating that both “sense” and “sensibility,” when tempered with experience, can lead to contentment.
Norland Inheritance and Family Dynamics
The sources provide a significant example of family inheritance issues through the story of the Dashwood family and the Norland estate.
The late owner of Norland Park, a single, elderly gentleman, intended to leave his estate to his nephew, Mr. Henry Dashwood. This established Mr. Henry Dashwood as the legal inheritor.
However, the old gentleman’s will ultimately created disappointment. While he did leave the estate to his nephew, it was “on such terms as destroyed half the value of the bequest”.
Specifically, the estate was “tied up for the benefit of [Mr. Henry Dashwood’s] grandson, a child of four years old”. This meant that Mr. Henry Dashwood had “no power of providing for those who were most dear to him, and who most needed a provision”, namely his wife and three daughters from his second marriage. He could not charge the estate or sell its valuable woods to support them.
This inheritance arrangement highlights a conflict between the lineal descent of property (to the grandson) and the immediate needs of the deceased’s close relatives (his nephew’s wife and daughters).
Despite this disappointment, the old gentleman did leave one thousand pounds a-piece to his three grand-nieces (Mr. Henry Dashwood’s daughters) as a mark of affection. This small provision contrasts sharply with the significant Norland inheritance being strictly entailed.
The financial disparity within Mr. Henry Dashwood’s family is further emphasized by the fact that his son from his first marriage was “amply provided for” by his mother’s large fortune. This pre-existing wealth made the Norland inheritance less crucial for him compared to his half-sisters, whose independent fortune was “but small”. Their mother had no fortune, and their father only had seven thousand pounds at his own disposal, with the rest of his first wife’s fortune secured for her son.
Upon the death of Mr. Henry Dashwood, the Norland estate immediately passed to his son, Mr. John Dashwood. This was his legal right as the inheritor through the entailment.
Mrs. John Dashwood’s immediate arrival at Norland after the funeral, without notice to her mother-in-law, highlights the power dynamics created by inheritance. She became the mistress of the house, effectively “degraded” her mother-in-law and sisters-in-law to the status of visitors.
The sources also touch upon the expectations and disappointments associated with potential inheritance. Mr. John Dashwood initially felt capable of generosity towards his half-sisters upon inheriting Norland, envisioning giving them a substantial sum. However, his wife quickly dissuaded him, emphasizing the financial implications for their own son and questioning the claims of his half-sisters. This illustrates how spousal influence can impact decisions regarding inherited wealth.
The discussion between Mr. and Mrs. John Dashwood regarding providing for his mother and sisters reveals differing perspectives on familial obligation and the use of inherited resources. Mrs. John Dashwood is strongly against diminishing her son’s future inheritance, while Mr. John Dashwood feels some sense of duty due to his father’s last request. They ultimately rationalize providing minimal, indirect assistance rather than a direct financial contribution.
The importance of securing financial stability through inheritance or marriage is a recurring theme. Characters like Mrs. Ferrars are depicted as being highly concerned with their sons marrying well financially. Her attempts to prevent Edward from marrying Lucy due to Lucy’s lack of fortune and her subsequent decision to favor Robert financially illustrate this societal emphasis.
The narrative also presents a contrasting view through Colonel Brandon, who offers Edward a living out of kindness and regard for his character, despite Edward’s current financial difficulties due to his mother’s disinheritance. This highlights that not all provisions for family members are solely based on legal inheritance.
In summary, the inheritance of the Norland estate sets the stage for many of the central conflicts and character dynamics in the excerpts. The entailment of the property, the limited financial means of some family members, and the contrasting views on familial responsibility and the use of inherited wealth drive the plot and influence the relationships between the characters. The emphasis on marrying for financial security further underscores the societal importance of inheritance and financial provision within families.
Sense and Sensibility: Social Expectations of Marriage
The sources reveal several key social expectations surrounding marriage in the society depicted in Jane Austen’s “Sense and Sensibility.” These expectations are often intertwined with financial security, social standing, and familial considerations.
Financial Security is a Primary Consideration: Marriage is frequently viewed as a means of securing financial stability and improving one’s fortune.
Mrs. John Dashwood believes that with the ten thousand pounds divided among the Dashwood sisters upon their mother’s death, they will be able to “do well” if they marry or live comfortably on the interest if they do not.
Some mothers might encourage a match with Edward Ferrars because he is the eldest son of a rich man, while others might be cautious because his fortune depends on his mother’s will.
Mrs. Ferrars desires her sons to “marry well”. She later offers Edward a significant income if he marries Miss Morton, who has a substantial fortune.
Willoughby initially courts Marianne but ultimately chooses to marry Miss Grey, who has fifty thousand pounds, explicitly to improve his financially strained circumstances. He acknowledges that his “false ideas of the necessity of riches” influenced this decision.
Colonel Brandon is considered an “excellent match” for Marianne by Mrs. Jennings because “HE was rich, and SHE was handsome”.
Elinor recognizes that “wealth has much to do” with grandeur in society.
Concerns are raised about Edward and Lucy’s potential poverty if they marry without a significant income.
Lucy Steele continues her engagement with Edward despite his disinheritance, possibly hoping for a change in his fortunes or recognizing the respectability of the connection.
Social Standing and Connections are Important: Marriage is expected to enhance or maintain one’s social standing and create advantageous family connections.
Mrs. Ferrars wishes to see her son “connected with some of the great men of the day”. She considers Edward’s engagement to Lucy Steele a “low connection”.
Lady Middleton is initially inclined to call on Mrs. Willoughby after her marriage because she will be “a woman of elegance and fortune”.
Mr. John Dashwood considers a marriage between Robert and Miss Morton “a very desirable connection on both sides” due to her social standing.
Age and Expectations of Marriage: There are implicit expectations about when individuals should marry.
Marianne believes that a woman of twenty-seven “can never hope to feel or inspire affection again” and might only marry for “provision and security” if her home is uncomfortable or her fortune small. Her view suggests a societal pressure for women to marry young.
Mrs. Jennings is actively involved in “projecting weddings among all the young people of her acquaintance”, indicating a social norm of seeking marriage.
Love and Affection vs. Practicality: While romantic love is valued by some characters, practical considerations often outweigh it in the context of marriage expectations.
Mrs. Dashwood believes that “difference of fortune should keep no couple asunder who were attracted by resemblance of disposition”. However, the actions of other characters, like Willoughby and Mrs. Ferrars, demonstrate that this is not a universally held view.
Marianne initially holds idealistic views about love and marriage, expecting “perfection” in a partner. Her subsequent disappointment highlights the clash between romantic ideals and social realities.
Elinor, while loving Edward, also recognizes the practical difficulties of their potential union due to his financial dependence.
Marriages based purely on convenience or financial benefit are acknowledged, though Marianne views them as “commercial exchange[s]” rather than true marriages.
Familial Influence on Marriage Choices: Family members, particularly mothers, exert significant influence over marriage decisions.
Mrs. Ferrars actively opposes Edward’s engagement to Lucy and tries to persuade him to marry Miss Morton.
Mr. John Dashwood and his wife discuss the financial implications of his sisters marrying.
Mrs. Dashwood encourages the connection between Elinor and Edward based on their perceived affection and compatibility. She also later hopes for a match between Marianne and Colonel Brandon.
Social Judgment of Marriages: Marriages are judged based on whether they meet these social expectations, particularly regarding financial and social suitability.
Mrs. Ferrars considers Edward’s potential marriage to Elinor a “lesser evil” than marrying Lucy Steele, implying a social hierarchy in terms of marriage partners.
Willoughby’s marriage to Miss Grey, despite his previous attachment to Marianne, is presented as a consequence of his financial needs and societal pressures to secure his future.
Lucy Steele’s successful marriage to Robert Ferrars, despite her prior engagement to Edward, can be seen as a triumph of “earnest, an unceasing attention to self-interest” in securing financial advantage.
In conclusion, the excerpts illustrate a society where marriage is heavily influenced by expectations of financial security and social advancement. While affection and personal compatibility are considered, they often take a secondary role to practical considerations and familial pressures in shaping marital choices and social judgments. The contrasting experiences of the characters highlight the complexities and potential conflicts arising from these social expectations surrounding marriage.
Sense and Sensibility: The Dashwood Sisters
The sources present a clear contrast between the characters of the Dashwood sisters, primarily Elinor and Marianne, with their younger sister Margaret playing a less central role in this dichotomy. The distinction between Elinor’s “sense” and Marianne’s “sensibility” is a central theme illustrated through their differing personalities and reactions to events.
Elinor Dashwood embodies sense and prudence. She is portrayed as possessing “a strength of understanding, and coolness of judgment” which enables her to be the counsellor of her mother, despite being only nineteen. Her disposition is affectionate and her feelings strong, “but she knew how to govern them“. This self-command is a defining characteristic, contrasting sharply with her mother and younger sister.
For example, Elinor, though deeply afflicted by her own concerns (implied through her “struggle” and effort), could still “consult with her brother, could receive her sister-in-law on her arrival, and treat her with proper attention; and could strive to rouse her mother to similar exertion, and encourage her to similar forbearance“. This demonstrates her ability to act rationally and considerately despite her own emotional state.
Her approach to her feelings for Edward also highlights her sense. While she believes their regard to be mutual, she requires “greater certainty of it” before finding Marianne’s conjectures agreeable. She speaks of her feelings for him in a “quiet way“, acknowledging esteem and liking, but stopping short of declaring assured love until his sentiments are fully known. This cautiousness contrasts with Marianne’s immediate and fervent expressions of affection.
Elinor recognizes the potential “inconveniences attending such feelings as Marianne’s“, believing that a better acquaintance with the world would be her sister’s “greatest possible advantage”. This pragmatic view further underscores her sensible nature.
Marianne Dashwood, on the other hand, epitomizes sensibility and emotion. She is described as “sensible and clever; but eager in everything: her sorrows, her joys, could have no moderation“. She is “generous, amiable, interesting: she was everything but prudent“. Her resemblance to her mother is noted as “strikingly great“, suggesting a shared tendency towards strong and unrestrained feelings.
Marianne and her mother “encouraged each other now in the violence of their affliction“, voluntarily renewing their sorrow and resolving against ever admitting consolation. This intense emotionality is the antithesis of Elinor’s self-control.
Her immediate and passionate reaction to Willoughby, based on shared appreciation for music and dancing, showcases her sensibility. She readily believes in the depth and permanence of their connection.
Marianne’s indignant response to Elinor’s quiet expressions of regard for Edward (“Esteem him! Like him! Cold-hearted Elinor! Oh! worse than cold-hearted! Ashamed of being otherwise. Use those words again, and I will leave the room this moment.”) vividly illustrates the difference in their emotional expression and expectations.
Her difficulty in tolerating anyone with “impertinence, vulgarity, inferiority of parts, or even difference of taste from herself”, especially heightened by her emotional distress, further emphasizes her refined sensibility and proneness to strong reactions.
Margaret Dashwood, the youngest sister, is described as “a good-humored, well-disposed girl; but as she had already imbibed a good deal of Marianne’s romance, without having much of her sense, she did not, at thirteen, bid fair to equal her sisters at a more advanced period of life“. This brief description positions her as leaning towards Marianne’s romantic sensibility but lacking her intellectual depth, suggesting she will likely not possess Elinor’s grounded sense.
The contrast between Elinor and Marianne is a driving force in the narrative:
Their differing reactions to love and courtship are a primary example. Marianne falls quickly and deeply in love with Willoughby, openly displaying her affection and distress, while Elinor maintains a reserved demeanor regarding her feelings for Edward, even in the face of uncertainty.
Their approaches to social interactions also differ. Marianne struggles with politeness when she does not feel genuine regard, while Elinor understands the necessity of social graces, even if it requires suppressing her true feelings. This is evident in their contrasting reactions to Mrs. Jennings and the Miss Steeles.
Their ways of coping with distress highlight their fundamental differences. Marianne gives herself wholly to sorrow, seeking to increase her wretchedness, whereas Elinor, though deeply affected, strives to exert herself, maintain composure, and consider the well-being of others.
In conclusion, the contrasting characters of Elinor and Marianne Dashwood serve as a central exploration of the themes of sense and sensibility within the novel. Elinor’s reason and self-control are juxtaposed with Marianne’s passionate emotions and impulsive nature, leading to different experiences, reactions, and ultimately, paths to happiness. Margaret, though less developed, serves as a potential intermediary, hinting at a blend of romanticism without the full depth of sensibility. The interplay between these sisterly characters provides a rich tapestry for examining individual responses to societal expectations, love, and loss.
Sense and Sensibility: The Power of Financial Security
The sources strongly emphasize the critical importance of financial security in the society depicted in “Sense and Sensibility”. This is evident in discussions about inheritance, marriage prospects, and overall well-being. Our previous conversation also extensively covered how financial security was a primary consideration in social expectations surrounding marriage.
Here’s a breakdown of the importance of financial security as portrayed in the sources:
Inheritance and Provision: The opening of the novel immediately establishes the significance of financial provision. Mr. Henry Dashwood’s son, John, is already “amply provided for” through his mother’s fortune. In contrast, his half-sisters’ future prospects are heavily reliant on their father inheriting the Norland estate, as their mother has “nothing,” and their father’s personal wealth is limited. This disparity in financial standing sets the stage for many of the subsequent events and anxieties related to the Dashwood women’s futures.
Marriage as a Financial Strategy: Marriage is frequently portrayed as a crucial avenue for achieving or maintaining financial stability and social standing.
Mrs. John Dashwood worries that her husband’s initial intention to give his sisters three thousand pounds apiece would “impoverishing him to the most dreadful degree” and rob their son. Her concern underscores the perceived financial imperative of securing her own child’s future.
The discussions surrounding the Dashwood sisters’ potential marriages often revolve around their lack of fortune. Mrs. John Dashwood believes that the ten thousand pounds they will inherit (approximately three thousand each) is a “very comfortable fortune for any young woman” and sufficient for them to “do well” if they marry.
Mothers are depicted as considering the financial implications of potential matches for their children. Some might encourage a connection with Edward Ferrars due to his prospects as the eldest son of a rich man, while others, like Mrs. Ferrars, prioritize even greater wealth and higher social standing, as seen in her desire for Edward to marry Miss Morton, who has thirty thousand pounds and is the daughter of a nobleman. Mrs. Ferrars is willing to settle a thousand a year on Edward if he marries Miss Morton.
Willoughby’s decision to abandon Marianne and marry Miss Grey, who possesses a fifty thousand pound fortune, is explicitly driven by his need to improve his “never large” and debt-ridden financial circumstances. He acknowledges his “false ideas of the necessity of riches” as a motivating factor.
Financial Dependence and Lack of Independence: The absence of financial independence creates significant vulnerabilities for characters.
Edward Ferrars laments his lack of a profession and the resulting dependence, stating it has been a “heavy misfortune” to him, leaving him an “idle, helpless being”. His financial reliance on his mother dictates his life choices and contributes to his unhappiness.
The precarious financial situation of Edward and Lucy if they were to marry is a recurring concern. Their combined income from his two thousand pounds and a potential curacy is viewed as insufficient to maintain a comfortable life. Mrs. Jennings vividly imagines their potential poverty with “a child every year” on a limited income.
Social Judgment Based on Financial Status: A person’s financial standing significantly influences how they are perceived and treated by society.
Lady Middleton is more inclined to associate with those of wealth and social standing, intending to call on Mrs. Willoughby after her marriage because she will be “a woman of elegance and fortune”.
Mr. John Dashwood’s congratulations to Elinor on her acquaintance with the wealthy Mrs. Jennings suggest that financial connections are seen as advantageous and a potential source of future benefit. He even speculates on the inheritance Elinor might receive from her.
Financial Concerns as a Source of Conflict and Anxiety: Discussions about money frequently generate tension and drive plot developments.
The disagreement between Mr. and Mrs. John Dashwood over the financial provision for his stepmother and sisters highlights how differing financial perspectives can cause domestic discord.
Mrs. Ferrars’s vehement opposition to Edward’s engagement with Lucy stems primarily from Lucy’s lack of fortune and the perceived social and financial disadvantage of such a match. Her threats to disinherit Edward underscore the immense power she wields through her wealth.
In conclusion, the excerpts from “Sense and Sensibility” provide numerous examples of how financial security is paramount in this social context. It dictates inheritance, shapes marriage opportunities and choices, determines social standing, creates dependencies and anxieties, and fuels both personal and interpersonal conflicts. The characters’ actions and motivations are frequently intertwined with the pursuit or maintenance of financial well-being, highlighting its indispensable role in their lives and within the social fabric of the novel.
Love and Sensibility: Elinor and Marianne’s Contrasting Hearts
The sources provide rich material for discussing the interplay between love and sensibility, primarily through the contrasting experiences and perspectives of Elinor and Marianne Dashwood. Their approaches to love are deeply intertwined with their core personalities, reflecting the central theme of “sense” versus “sensibility” that we discussed previously [See Conversation History].
Marianne embodies the “sensibility” aspect in her approach to love.
She falls quickly and passionately in love with Willoughby, driven by an immediate connection based on shared tastes and emotional resonance. Her feelings are intense and openly expressed, aligning with her generally eager and unreserved nature.
Marianne’s sensibility leads her to prioritize romantic ideals and emotional intensity in a relationship. She believes that a perfect union requires a complete coincidence of taste and feeling, as illustrated by her expectations for a partner who would share her passion for the same books and music. She finds Edward’s more reserved manner and less enthusiastic appreciation for the arts to be a significant deficiency.
Her distress upon Willoughby’s sudden departure and subsequent coldness is profound and unrestrained. She gives herself over entirely to her sorrow, highlighting the vulnerability inherent in such heightened sensibility when faced with disappointment.
Even after Willoughby’s betrayal, Marianne initially struggles to accept his faults, suggesting that her emotional investment makes it difficult for her to apply reason and judgment to his character. Her continued affection and desire to justify him demonstrate the powerful sway of her sensibility over her understanding.
Elinor, in contrast, exemplifies “sense” in her engagement with love.
Her affection for Edward Ferrars develops more gradually and is characterized by a greater degree of caution and self-control. While she feels a strong attachment (“believe them to be stronger than I have declared”), she refrains from fully trusting in its reciprocation until she has more certainty. This aligns with her generally prudent and self-governing nature [See Conversation History].
Elinor’s “sense” allows her to observe and interpret Edward’s reserved behavior more rationally, recognizing his shyness rather than immediately concluding a lack of affection. She is less swayed by immediate impressions and more inclined to consider underlying reasons for behavior.
Even when faced with the unsettling information from Lucy Steele regarding her supposed engagement to Edward, Elinor, despite her own distress, maintains a composed exterior and diligently seeks to understand the situation. Her ability to manage her emotions and act with consideration for others, even in personal anguish, showcases her strength of “sense” [See Conversation History].
Elinor’s acknowledgment of the importance of duty and her eventual wish for Edward’s happiness, even if it means accepting his engagement to Lucy, further illustrates her capacity for rational thought and emotional restraint in matters of love.
The interplay between their contrasting sensibilities shapes their experiences and perspectives on love:
Marianne struggles to understand Elinor’s more measured expressions of affection, viewing them as “cold-hearted”. This highlights how different emotional frameworks can lead to misunderstandings in evaluating the depth of feeling.
Elinor recognizes the potential pitfalls of Marianne’s unrestrained sensibility, fearing the “inconveniences attending such feelings” and believing that a greater understanding of the world would benefit her sister [See Conversation History, 2].
The contrast is also evident in their reactions to others’ relationships. Marianne is quick to perceive and comment on what she believes to be a lack of passion in Elinor’s interactions with Edward, while Elinor observes Marianne’s impulsive attachment to Willoughby with a more critical eye.
Furthermore, while the primary focus is on romantic love, the sources also touch upon the importance of financial considerations in the context of love and marriage, a topic we previously discussed [See Conversation History].
While Mrs. Dashwood believes that “difference of fortune should not keep any couple asunder who were attracted by resemblance of disposition”, the novel demonstrates the practical realities of financial dependence and how they can influence romantic choices, as seen in Willoughby’s marriage for money and the constraints faced by Edward due to his mother’s control over his finances.
Mrs. Ferrars’s strong disapproval of Edward’s engagement to Lucy is primarily based on Lucy’s lack of fortune and social standing. This underscores how societal “sense” often prioritizes financial security in marriage over purely emotional “sensibility”.
In conclusion, the excerpts from “Sense and Sensibility” vividly illustrate the complex relationship between love and sensibility. Marianne’s passionate and unrestrained approach, driven by her sensibility, contrasts sharply with Elinor’s more reasoned and self-controlled engagement with love, guided by her sense. Their differing experiences highlight the potential joys and sorrows associated with each approach, while the societal emphasis on financial security adds another layer of complexity to the considerations surrounding love and marriage in the novel. Ultimately, the narrative explores the challenges and potential for growth in finding a balance between the dictates of the heart and the constraints of reason and society.
Sense and Sensibility
by Jane Austen
Prepared and Published by:
Ebd E-BooksDirectory.com
CHAPTER 1
The family of Dashwood had long been settled in Sussex. Their estate was large, and their residence was at Norland Park, in the centre of their property, where, for many generations, they had lived in so respectable a manner as to engage the general good opinion of their surrounding acquaintance. The late owner of this estate was a single man, who lived to a very advanced age, and who for many years of his life, had a constant companion and housekeeper in his sister. But her death, which happened ten years before his own, produced a great alteration in his home; for to supply her loss, he invited and received into his house the family of his nephew Mr. Henry Dashwood, the legal inheritor of the Norland estate, and the person to whom he intended to bequeath it. In the society of his nephew and niece, and their children, the old Gentleman’s days were comfortably spent. His attachment to them all increased. The constant attention of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Dashwood to his wishes, which proceeded not merely from interest, but from goodness of heart, gave him every degree of solid comfort which his age could receive; and the cheerfulness of the children added a relish to his existence.
By a former marriage, Mr. Henry Dashwood had one son: by his present lady, three daughters. The son, a steady respectable young man, was amply provided for by the fortune of his mother, which had been large, and half of which devolved on him on his coming of age. By his own marriage, likewise, which happened soon afterwards, he added to his wealth. To him therefore the succession to the Norland estate was not so really important as to his sisters; for their fortune, independent of what might arise to them from their father’s inheriting that property, could be but small. Their mother had nothing, and their father only seven
thousand pounds in his own disposal; for the remaining moiety of his first wife’s fortune was also secured to her child, and he had only a life-interest in it.
The old gentleman died: his will was read, and like almost every other will, gave as much disappointment as pleasure. He was neither so unjust, nor so ungrateful, as to leave his estate from his nephew;—but he left it to him on such terms as destroyed half the value of the bequest. Mr. Dashwood had wished for it more for the sake of his wife and daughters than for himself or his son;—but to his son, and his son’s son, a child of four years old, it was secured, in such a way, as to leave to himself no power of providing for those who were most dear to him, and who most needed a provision by any charge on the estate, or by any sale of its valuable woods. The whole was tied up for the benefit of this child, who, in occasional visits with his father and mother at Norland, had so far gained on the affections of his uncle, by such attractions as are by no means unusual in children of two or three years old; an imperfect articulation, an earnest desire of having his own way, many cunning tricks, and a great deal of noise, as to outweigh all the value of all the attention which, for years, he had received from his niece and her daughters. He meant not to be unkind, however, and, as a mark of his affection for the three girls, he left them a thousand pounds a-piece.
Mr. Dashwood’s disappointment was, at first, severe; but his temper was cheerful and sanguine; and he might reasonably hope to live many years, and by living economically, lay by a considerable sum from the produce of an estate already large, and capable of almost immediate improvement. But the fortune, which had been so tardy in coming, was his only one twelvemonth. He survived his uncle no longer; and ten thousand pounds, including the late legacies, was all that remained for his widow and daughters.
His son was sent for as soon as his danger was known, and to him Mr. Dashwood recommended, with all the strength and urgency which illness could command, the interest of his mother-in-law and sisters.
Mr. John Dashwood had not the strong feelings of the rest of the family; but he was affected by a recommendation of such a nature at such a time, and he promised to do every thing in his power to make them comfortable. His father was rendered easy by such an assurance, and Mr. John Dashwood had then leisure to consider how much there might prudently be in his power to do for them.
He was not an ill-disposed young man, unless to be rather cold hearted and rather selfish is to be ill-disposed: but he was, in general, well respected; for he conducted himself with propriety in the discharge of his ordinary duties. Had he married a more amiable woman, he might have been made still more respectable than he was:—he might even have been made amiable himself; for he was very young when he married, and very fond of his wife. But Mrs. John Dashwood was a strong caricature of himself;—more narrow-minded and selfish.
When he gave his promise to his father, he meditated within himself to increase the fortunes of his sisters by the present of a thousand pounds a-piece. He then really thought himself equal to it. The prospect of four thousand a-year, in addition to his present income, besides the remaining half of his own mother’s fortune, warmed his heart, and made him feel capable of generosity.— “Yes, he would give them three thousand pounds: it would be liberal and handsome! It would be enough to make them completely easy. Three thousand pounds! he could spare so considerable a sum with little inconvenience.”— He thought of it all day long, and for many days successively, and he did not repent.
No sooner was his father’s funeral over, than Mrs. John Dashwood, without sending any notice of her intention to her mother-in-law, arrived with her child and their attendants. No one could dispute her right to come; the house was her husband’s from the moment of his father’s decease; but the indelicacy of her conduct was so much the greater, and to a woman in Mrs. Dashwood’s situation, with only common feelings, must have been highly unpleasing;— but in HER mind there was a sense of honor so keen, a generosity so romantic, that any offence of the kind, by whomsoever given or received, was to her a source of immoveable disgust. Mrs. John Dashwood had never been a favourite with any of her husband’s family; but she had had no opportunity, till the present, of shewing them with how little attention to the comfort of other people she could act when occasion required it.
So acutely did Mrs. Dashwood feel this ungracious behaviour, and so earnestly did she despise her daughter-in-law for it, that, on the arrival of the latter, she would have quitted the house for ever, had not the entreaty of her eldest girl induced her first to reflect on the propriety of going, and her own tender love for all her three children determined her afterwards to stay, and for their sakes avoid a breach with their brother.
Elinor, this eldest daughter, whose advice was so effectual, possessed a strength of understanding, and coolness of judgment, which qualified her, though only nineteen, to be the counsellor of her mother, and enabled her frequently to counteract, to the advantage of them all, that eagerness of mind in Mrs. Dashwood which must generally have led to imprudence. She had an excellent heart;—her disposition was affectionate, and her feelings were strong; but she knew how to govern them: it was a knowledge which her mother had yet to learn; and which one of her sisters had resolved never to be taught.
Marianne’s abilities were, in many respects, quite equal to Elinor’s. She was sensible and clever; but eager in everything: her sorrows, her joys, could have no moderation. She was generous, amiable, interesting: she was everything but prudent. The resemblance between her and her mother was strikingly great.
Elinor saw, with concern, the excess of her sister’s sensibility; but by Mrs. Dashwood it was valued and cherished. They encouraged each other now in the violence of their affliction. The agony of grief which overpowered them at first, was voluntarily renewed, was sought for, was created again and again. They gave themselves up wholly to their sorrow, seeking increase of wretchedness in every reflection that could afford it, and resolved against ever admitting consolation in future. Elinor, too, was deeply afflicted; but still she could struggle, she could exert herself. She could consult with her brother, could receive her sister-in-law on her arrival, and treat her with proper attention; and could strive to rouse her mother to similar exertion, and encourage her to similar forbearance.
Margaret, the other sister, was a good-humored, well-disposed girl; but as she had already imbibed a good deal of Marianne’s romance, without having much of her sense, she did not, at thirteen, bid fair to equal her sisters at a more advanced period of life.
Ebd E-BooksDirectory.com
CHAPTER 2
Mrs. John Dashwood now installed herself mistress of Norland; and her mother and sisters-in-law were degraded to the condition of visitors. As such, however, they were treated by her with quiet civility; and by her husband with as much kindness as he could feel towards anybody beyond himself, his wife, and their child. He really pressed them, with some earnestness, to consider Norland as their home; and, as no plan appeared so eligible to Mrs. Dashwood as remaining there till she could accommodate herself with a house in the neighbourhood, his invitation was accepted.
A continuance in a place where everything reminded her of former delight, was exactly what suited her mind. In seasons of cheerfulness, no temper could be more cheerful than hers, or possess, in a greater degree, that sanguine expectation of happiness which is happiness itself. But in sorrow she must be equally carried away by her fancy, and as far beyond consolation as in pleasure she was beyond alloy.
Mrs. John Dashwood did not at all approve of what her husband intended to do for his sisters. To take three thousand pounds from the fortune of their dear little boy would be impoverishing him to the most dreadful degree. She begged him to think again on the subject. How could he answer it to himself to rob his child, and his only child too, of so large a sum? And what possible claim could the Miss Dashwoods, who were related to him only by half blood, which she considered as no relationship at all, have on his generosity to so large an amount. It was very well known
that no affection was ever supposed to exist between the children of any man by different marriages; and why was he to ruin himself, and their poor little Harry, by giving away all his money to his half sisters?
“It was my father’s last request to me,” replied her husband, “that I should assist his widow and daughters.”
“He did not know what he was talking of, I dare say; ten to one but he was light-headed at the time. Had he been in his right senses, he could not have thought of such a thing as begging you to give away half your fortune from your own child.”
“He did not stipulate for any particular sum, my dear Fanny; he only requested me, in general terms, to assist them, and make their situation more comfortable than it was in his power to do. Perhaps it would have been as well if he had left it wholly to myself. He could hardly suppose I should neglect them. But as he required the promise, I could not do less than give it; at least I thought so at the time. The promise, therefore, was given, and must be performed. Something must be done for them whenever they leave Norland and settle in a new home.”
“Well, then, LET something be done for them; but THAT something need not be three thousand pounds. Consider,” she added, “that when the money is once parted with, it never can return. Your sisters will marry, and it will be gone for ever. If, indeed, it could be restored to our poor little boy—”
“Why, to be sure,” said her husband, very gravely, “that would make great difference. The time may come when Harry will regret that so large a sum was parted with. If he should have a numerous family, for instance, it would be a very convenient addition.”
“To be sure it would.”
“Perhaps, then, it would be better for all parties, if the sum were diminished one half.—Five hundred pounds would be a prodigious increase to their fortunes!”
“Oh! beyond anything great! What brother on earth would do half so much for his sisters, even if REALLY his sisters! And as it is—only half blood!—But you have such a generous spirit!”
“I would not wish to do any thing mean,” he replied. “One had rather, on such occasions, do too much than too little. No one, at least, can think I have not done enough for them: even themselves, they can hardly expect more.”
“There is no knowing what THEY may expect,” said the lady, “but we are not to think of their expectations: the question is, what you can afford to do.”
“Certainly—and I think I may afford to give them five hundred pounds a-piece. As it is, without any addition of mine, they will each have about three thousand pounds on their mother’s death—a very comfortable fortune for any young woman.”
“To be sure it is; and, indeed, it strikes me that they can want no addition at all. They will have ten thousand pounds divided amongst them. If they marry, they will be sure of doing well, and if they do not, they may all live very comfortably together on the interest of ten thousand pounds.”
“That is very true, and, therefore, I do not know whether, upon the whole, it would not be more advisable to do something for their mother while she lives, rather than for them—something of the annuity kind I mean.—My sisters
would feel the good effects of it as well as herself. A hundred a year would make them all perfectly comfortable.”
His wife hesitated a little, however, in giving her consent to this plan.
“To be sure,” said she, “it is better than parting with fifteen hundred pounds at once. But, then, if Mrs. Dashwood should live fifteen years we shall be completely taken in.”
“Fifteen years! my dear Fanny; her life cannot be worth half that purchase.”
“Certainly not; but if you observe, people always live for ever when there is an annuity to be paid them; and she is very stout and healthy, and hardly forty. An annuity is a very serious business; it comes over and over every year, and there is no getting rid of it. You are not aware of what you are doing. I have known a great deal of the trouble of annuities; for my mother was clogged with the payment of three to old superannuated servants by my father’s will, and it is amazing how disagreeable she found it. Twice every year these annuities were to be paid; and then there was the trouble of getting it to them; and then one of them was said to have died, and afterwards it turned out to be no such thing. My mother was quite sick of it. Her income was not her own, she said, with such perpetual claims on it; and it was the more unkind in my father, because, otherwise, the money would have been entirely at my mother’s disposal, without any restriction whatever. It has given me such an abhorrence of annuities, that I am sure I would not pin myself down to the payment of one for all the world.”
“It is certainly an unpleasant thing,” replied Mr. Dashwood, “to have those kind of yearly drains on one’s income. One’s fortune, as your mother justly says, is NOT one’s own. To be tied down to the regular payment of such a
sum, on every rent day, is by no means desirable: it takes away one’s independence.”
“Undoubtedly; and after all you have no thanks for it. They think themselves secure, you do no more than what is expected, and it raises no gratitude at all. If I were you, whatever I did should be done at my own discretion entirely. I would not bind myself to allow them any thing yearly. It may be very inconvenient some years to spare a hundred, or even fifty pounds from our own expenses.”
“I believe you are right, my love; it will be better that there should by no annuity in the case; whatever I may give them occasionally will be of far greater assistance than a yearly allowance, because they would only enlarge their style of living if they felt sure of a larger income, and would not be sixpence the richer for it at the end of the year. It will certainly be much the best way. A present of fifty pounds, now and then, will prevent their ever being distressed for money, and will, I think, be amply discharging my promise to my father.”
“To be sure it will. Indeed, to say the truth, I am convinced within myself that your father had no idea of your giving them any money at all. The assistance he thought of, I dare say, was only such as might be reasonably expected of you; for instance, such as looking out for a comfortable small house for them, helping them to move their things, and sending them presents of fish and game, and so forth, whenever they are in season. I’ll lay my life that he meant nothing farther; indeed, it would be very strange and unreasonable if he did. Do but consider, my dear Mr. Dashwood, how excessively comfortable your mother-in-law and her daughters may live on the interest of seven thousand pounds, besides the thousand pounds belonging to each of the girls, which brings them in fifty pounds a year a-piece, and, of course, they will pay their mother for their board out
of it. Altogether, they will have five hundred a-year amongst them, and what on earth can four women want for more than that?—They will live so cheap! Their housekeeping will be nothing at all. They will have no carriage, no horses, and hardly any servants; they will keep no company, and can have no expenses of any kind! Only conceive how comfortable they will be! Five hundred a year! I am sure I cannot imagine how they will spend half of it; and as to your giving them more, it is quite absurd to think of it. They will be much more able to give YOU something.”
“Upon my word,” said Mr. Dashwood, “I believe you are perfectly right. My father certainly could mean nothing more by his request to me than what you say. I clearly understand it now, and I will strictly fulfil my engagement by such acts of assistance and kindness to them as you have described. When my mother removes into another house my services shall be readily given to accommodate her as far as I can. Some little present of furniture too may be acceptable then.”
“Certainly,” returned Mrs. John Dashwood. “But, however, ONE thing must be considered. When your father and mother moved to Norland, though the furniture of Stanhill was sold, all the china, plate, and linen was saved, and is now left to your mother. Her house will therefore be almost completely fitted up as soon as she takes it.”
“That is a material consideration undoubtedly. A valuable legacy indeed! And yet some of the plate would have been a very pleasant addition to our own stock here.”
“Yes; and the set of breakfast china is twice as handsome as what belongs to this house. A great deal too handsome, in my opinion, for any place THEY can ever afford to live in. But, however, so it is. Your father thought only of THEM. And I must say this: that you owe no particular gratitude to him, nor attention to his wishes; for we very well know that
if he could, he would have left almost everything in the world to THEM.”
This argument was irresistible. It gave to his intentions whatever of decision was wanting before; and he finally resolved, that it would be absolutely unnecessary, if not highly indecorous, to do more for the widow and children of his father, than such kind of neighbourly acts as his own wife pointed out.
Ebd E-BooksDirectory.com
CHAPTER 3
Mrs. Dashwood remained at Norland several months; not from any disinclination to move when the sight of every well known spot ceased to raise the violent emotion which it produced for a while; for when her spirits began to revive, and her mind became capable of some other exertion than that of heightening its affliction by melancholy remembrances, she was impatient to be gone, and indefatigable in her inquiries for a suitable dwelling in the neighbourhood of Norland; for to remove far from that beloved spot was impossible. But she could hear of no situation that at once answered her notions of comfort and ease, and suited the prudence of her eldest daughter, whose steadier judgment rejected several houses as too large for their income, which her mother would have approved.
Mrs. Dashwood had been informed by her husband of the solemn promise on the part of his son in their favour, which gave comfort to his last earthly reflections. She doubted the sincerity of this assurance no more than he had doubted it himself, and she thought of it for her daughters’ sake with satisfaction, though as for herself she was persuaded that a much smaller provision than 7000L would support her in affluence. For their brother’s sake, too, for the sake of his own heart, she rejoiced; and she reproached herself for being unjust to his merit before, in believing him incapable of generosity. His attentive behaviour to herself and his sisters convinced her that their welfare was dear to him, and, for a long time, she firmly relied on the liberality of his intentions.
The contempt which she had, very early in their acquaintance, felt for her daughter-in-law, was very much
increased by the farther knowledge of her character, which half a year’s residence in her family afforded; and perhaps in spite of every consideration of politeness or maternal affection on the side of the former, the two ladies might have found it impossible to have lived together so long, had not a particular circumstance occurred to give still greater eligibility, according to the opinions of Mrs. Dashwood, to her daughters’ continuance at Norland.
This circumstance was a growing attachment between her eldest girl and the brother of Mrs. John Dashwood, a gentleman-like and pleasing young man, who was introduced to their acquaintance soon after his sister’s establishment at Norland, and who had since spent the greatest part of his time there.
Some mothers might have encouraged the intimacy from motives of interest, for Edward Ferrars was the eldest son of a man who had died very rich; and some might have repressed it from motives of prudence, for, except a trifling sum, the whole of his fortune depended on the will of his mother. But Mrs. Dashwood was alike uninfluenced by either consideration. It was enough for her that he appeared to be amiable, that he loved her daughter, and that Elinor returned the partiality. It was contrary to every doctrine of her’s that difference of fortune should keep any couple asunder who were attracted by resemblance of disposition; and that Elinor’s merit should not be acknowledged by every one who knew her, was to her comprehension impossible.
Edward Ferrars was not recommended to their good opinion by any peculiar graces of person or address. He was not handsome, and his manners required intimacy to make them pleasing. He was too diffident to do justice to himself; but when his natural shyness was overcome, his behaviour gave every indication of an open, affectionate heart. His understanding was good, and his education had given it solid
improvement. But he was neither fitted by abilities nor disposition to answer the wishes of his mother and sister, who longed to see him distinguished—as—they hardly knew what. They wanted him to make a fine figure in the world in some manner or other. His mother wished to interest him in political concerns, to get him into parliament, or to see him connected with some of the great men of the day. Mrs. John Dashwood wished it likewise; but in the mean while, till one of these superior blessings could be attained, it would have quieted her ambition to see him driving a barouche. But Edward had no turn for great men or barouches. All his wishes centered in domestic comfort and the quiet of private life. Fortunately he had a younger brother who was more promising.
Edward had been staying several weeks in the house before he engaged much of Mrs. Dashwood’s attention; for she was, at that time, in such affliction as rendered her careless of surrounding objects. She saw only that he was quiet and unobtrusive, and she liked him for it. He did not disturb the wretchedness of her mind by ill-timed conversation. She was first called to observe and approve him farther, by a reflection which Elinor chanced one day to make on the difference between him and his sister. It was a contrast which recommended him most forcibly to her mother.
“It is enough,” said she; “to say that he is unlike Fanny is enough. It implies everything amiable. I love him already.”
“I think you will like him,” said Elinor, “when you know more of him.”
“Like him!” replied her mother with a smile. “I feel no sentiment of approbation inferior to love.”
“You may esteem him.”
“I have never yet known what it was to separate esteem and love.”
Mrs. Dashwood now took pains to get acquainted with him. Her manners were attaching, and soon banished his reserve. She speedily comprehended all his merits; the persuasion of his regard for Elinor perhaps assisted her penetration; but she really felt assured of his worth: and even that quietness of manner, which militated against all her established ideas of what a young man’s address ought to be, was no longer uninteresting when she knew his heart to be warm and his temper affectionate.
No sooner did she perceive any symptom of love in his behaviour to Elinor, than she considered their serious attachment as certain, and looked forward to their marriage as rapidly approaching.
“In a few months, my dear Marianne.” said she, “Elinor will, in all probability be settled for life. We shall miss her; but SHE will be happy.”
“Oh! Mamma, how shall we do without her?”
“My love, it will be scarcely a separation. We shall live within a few miles of each other, and shall meet every day of our lives. You will gain a brother, a real, affectionate brother. I have the highest opinion in the world of Edward’s heart. But you look grave, Marianne; do you disapprove your sister’s choice?”
“Perhaps,” said Marianne, “I may consider it with some surprise. Edward is very amiable, and I love him tenderly. But yet—he is not the kind of young man—there is something wanting—his figure is not striking; it has none of that grace which I should expect in the man who could seriously attach my sister. His eyes want all that spirit, that fire, which at once announce virtue and intelligence. And
besides all this, I am afraid, Mamma, he has no real taste. Music seems scarcely to attract him, and though he admires Elinor’s drawings very much, it is not the admiration of a person who can understand their worth. It is evident, in spite of his frequent attention to her while she draws, that in fact he knows nothing of the matter. He admires as a lover, not as a connoisseur. To satisfy me, those characters must be united. I could not be happy with a man whose taste did not in every point coincide with my own. He must enter into all my feelings; the same books, the same music must charm us both. Oh! mama, how spiritless, how tame was Edward’s manner in reading to us last night! I felt for my sister most severely. Yet she bore it with so much composure, she seemed scarcely to notice it. I could hardly keep my seat. To hear those beautiful lines which have frequently almost driven me wild, pronounced with such impenetrable calmness, such dreadful indifference!”— “He would certainly have done more justice to simple and elegant prose. I thought so at the time; but you WOULD give him Cowper.”
“Nay, Mamma, if he is not to be animated by Cowper!— but we must allow for difference of taste. Elinor has not my feelings, and therefore she may overlook it, and be happy with him. But it would have broke MY heart, had I loved him, to hear him read with so little sensibility. Mama, the more I know of the world, the more am I convinced that I shall never see a man whom I can really love. I require so much! He must have all Edward’s virtues, and his person and manners must ornament his goodness with every possible charm.”
“Remember, my love, that you are not seventeen. It is yet too early in life to despair of such a happiness. Why should you be less fortunate than your mother? In one circumstance only, my Marianne, may your destiny be different from her’s!”
CHAPTER 4
“What a pity it is, Elinor,” said Marianne, “that Edward should have no taste for drawing.”
“No taste for drawing!” replied Elinor, “why should you think so? He does not draw himself, indeed, but he has great pleasure in seeing the performances of other people, and I assure you he is by no means deficient in natural taste, though he has not had opportunities of improving it. Had he ever been in the way of learning, I think he would have drawn very well. He distrusts his own judgment in such matters so much, that he is always unwilling to give his opinion on any picture; but he has an innate propriety and simplicity of taste, which in general direct him perfectly right.”
Marianne was afraid of offending, and said no more on the subject; but the kind of approbation which Elinor described as excited in him by the drawings of other people, was very far from that rapturous delight, which, in her opinion, could alone be called taste. Yet, though smiling within herself at the mistake, she honoured her sister for that blind partiality to Edward which produced it.
“I hope, Marianne,” continued Elinor, “you do not consider him as deficient in general taste. Indeed, I think I may say that you cannot, for your behaviour to him is perfectly cordial, and if THAT were your opinion, I am sure you could never be civil to him.”
Marianne hardly knew what to say. She would not wound the feelings of her sister on any account, and yet to say what she did not believe was impossible. At length she replied:
“Do not be offended, Elinor, if my praise of him is not in every thing equal to your sense of his merits. I have not had so many opportunities of estimating the minuter propensities of his mind, his inclinations and tastes, as you have; but I have the highest opinion in the world of his goodness and sense. I think him every thing that is worthy and amiable.”
“I am sure,” replied Elinor, with a smile, “that his dearest friends could not be dissatisfied with such commendation as that. I do not perceive how you could express yourself more warmly.”
Marianne was rejoiced to find her sister so easily pleased.
“Of his sense and his goodness,” continued Elinor, “no one can, I think, be in doubt, who has seen him often enough to engage him in unreserved conversation. The excellence of his understanding and his principles can be concealed only by that shyness which too often keeps him silent. You know enough of him to do justice to his solid worth. But of his minuter propensities, as you call them you have from peculiar circumstances been kept more ignorant than myself. He and I have been at times thrown a good deal together, while you have been wholly engrossed on the most affectionate principle by my mother. I have seen a great deal of him, have studied his sentiments and heard his opinion on subjects of literature and taste; and, upon the whole, I venture to pronounce that his mind is well-informed, enjoyment of books exceedingly great, his imagination lively, his observation just and correct, and his taste delicate and pure. His abilities in every respect improve as much upon acquaintance as his manners and person. At first sight, his address is certainly not striking; and his person can hardly be called handsome, till the expression of his eyes, which are uncommonly good, and the general sweetness of his countenance, is perceived. At present, I know him so well,
that I think him really handsome; or at least, almost so. What say you, Marianne?”
“I shall very soon think him handsome, Elinor, if I do not now. When you tell me to love him as a brother, I shall no more see imperfection in his face, than I now do in his heart.”
Elinor started at this declaration, and was sorry for the warmth she had been betrayed into, in speaking of him. She felt that Edward stood very high in her opinion. She believed the regard to be mutual; but she required greater certainty of it to make Marianne’s conviction of their attachment agreeable to her. She knew that what Marianne and her mother conjectured one moment, they believed the next— that with them, to wish was to hope, and to hope was to expect. She tried to explain the real state of the case to her sister.
“I do not attempt to deny,” said she, “that I think very highly of him—that I greatly esteem, that I like him.”
Marianne here burst forth with indignation—
“Esteem him! Like him! Cold-hearted Elinor! Oh! worse than cold-hearted! Ashamed of being otherwise. Use those words again, and I will leave the room this moment.”
Elinor could not help laughing. “Excuse me,” said she; “and be assured that I meant no offence to you, by speaking, in so quiet a way, of my own feelings. Believe them to be stronger than I have declared; believe them, in short, to be such as his merit, and the suspicion—the hope of his affection for me may warrant, without imprudence or folly. But farther than this you must not believe. I am by no means assured of his regard for me. There are moments when the extent of it seems doubtful; and till his sentiments are fully known, you cannot wonder at my wishing to avoid any
encouragement of my own partiality, by believing or calling it more than it is. In my heart I feel little—scarcely any doubt of his preference. But there are other points to be considered besides his inclination. He is very far from being independent. What his mother really is we cannot know; but, from Fanny’s occasional mention of her conduct and opinions, we have never been disposed to think her amiable; and I am very much mistaken if Edward is not himself aware that there would be many difficulties in his way, if he were to wish to marry a woman who had not either a great fortune or high rank.”
Marianne was astonished to find how much the imagination of her mother and herself had outstripped the truth.
“And you really are not engaged to him!” said she. “Yet it certainly soon will happen. But two advantages will proceed from this delay. I shall not lose you so soon, and Edward will have greater opportunity of improving that natural taste for your favourite pursuit which must be so indispensably necessary to your future felicity. Oh! if he should be so far stimulated by your genius as to learn to draw himself, how delightful it would be!”
Elinor had given her real opinion to her sister. She could not consider her partiality for Edward in so prosperous a state as Marianne had believed it. There was, at times, a want of spirits about him which, if it did not denote indifference, spoke of something almost as unpromising. A doubt of her regard, supposing him to feel it, need not give him more than inquietude. It would not be likely to produce that dejection of mind which frequently attended him. A more reasonable cause might be found in the dependent situation which forbade the indulgence of his affection. She knew that his mother neither behaved to him so as to make his home comfortable at present, nor to give him any
assurance that he might form a home for himself, without strictly attending to her views for his aggrandizement. With such a knowledge as this, it was impossible for Elinor to feel easy on the subject. She was far from depending on that result of his preference of her, which her mother and sister still considered as certain. Nay, the longer they were together the more doubtful seemed the nature of his regard; and sometimes, for a few painful minutes, she believed it to be no more than friendship.
But, whatever might really be its limits, it was enough, when perceived by his sister, to make her uneasy, and at the same time, (which was still more common,) to make her uncivil. She took the first opportunity of affronting her mother-in-law on the occasion, talking to her so expressively of her brother’s great expectations, of Mrs. Ferrars’s resolution that both her sons should marry well, and of the danger attending any young woman who attempted to DRAW HIM IN; that Mrs. Dashwood could neither pretend to be unconscious, nor endeavor to be calm. She gave her an answer which marked her contempt, and instantly left the room, resolving that, whatever might be the inconvenience or expense of so sudden a removal, her beloved Elinor should not be exposed another week to such insinuations.
In this state of her spirits, a letter was delivered to her from the post, which contained a proposal particularly well timed. It was the offer of a small house, on very easy terms, belonging to a relation of her own, a gentleman of consequence and property in Devonshire. The letter was from this gentleman himself, and written in the true spirit of friendly accommodation. He understood that she was in need of a dwelling; and though the house he now offered her was merely a cottage, he assured her that everything should be done to it which she might think necessary, if the situation pleased her. He earnestly pressed her, after giving the particulars of the house and garden, to come with her
daughters to Barton Park, the place of his own residence, from whence she might judge, herself, whether Barton Cottage, for the houses were in the same parish, could, by any alteration, be made comfortable to her. He seemed really anxious to accommodate them and the whole of his letter was written in so friendly a style as could not fail of giving pleasure to his cousin; more especially at a moment when she was suffering under the cold and unfeeling behaviour of her nearer connections. She needed no time for deliberation or inquiry. Her resolution was formed as she read. The situation of Barton, in a county so far distant from Sussex as Devonshire, which, but a few hours before, would have been a sufficient objection to outweigh every possible advantage belonging to the place, was now its first recommendation. To quit the neighbourhood of Norland was no longer an evil; it was an object of desire; it was a blessing, in comparison of the misery of continuing her daughter-in-law’s guest; and to remove for ever from that beloved place would be less painful than to inhabit or visit it while such a woman was its mistress. She instantly wrote Sir John Middleton her acknowledgment of his kindness, and her acceptance of his proposal; and then hastened to shew both letters to her daughters, that she might be secure of their approbation before her answer were sent.
Elinor had always thought it would be more prudent for them to settle at some distance from Norland, than immediately amongst their present acquaintance. On THAT head, therefore, it was not for her to oppose her mother’s intention of removing into Devonshire. The house, too, as described by Sir John, was on so simple a scale, and the rent so uncommonly moderate, as to leave her no right of objection on either point; and, therefore, though it was not a plan which brought any charm to her fancy, though it was a removal from the vicinity of Norland beyond her wishes, she made no attempt to dissuade her mother from sending a letter of acquiescence.
CHAPTER 5
No sooner was her answer dispatched, than Mrs. Dashwood indulged herself in the pleasure of announcing to her son-in-law and his wife that she was provided with a house, and should incommode them no longer than till every thing were ready for her inhabiting it. They heard her with surprise. Mrs. John Dashwood said nothing; but her husband civilly hoped that she would not be settled far from Norland. She had great satisfaction in replying that she was going into Devonshire.—Edward turned hastily towards her, on hearing this, and, in a voice of surprise and concern, which required no explanation to her, repeated, “Devonshire! Are you, indeed, going there? So far from hence! And to what part of it?” She explained the situation. It was within four miles northward of Exeter.
“It is but a cottage,” she continued, “but I hope to see many of my friends in it. A room or two can easily be added; and if my friends find no difficulty in travelling so far to see me, I am sure I will find none in accommodating them.”
She concluded with a very kind invitation to Mr. and Mrs. John Dashwood to visit her at Barton; and to Edward she gave one with still greater affection. Though her late conversation with her daughter-in-law had made her resolve on remaining at Norland no longer than was unavoidable, it had not produced the smallest effect on her in that point to which it principally tended. To separate Edward and Elinor was as far from being her object as ever; and she wished to show Mrs. John Dashwood, by this pointed invitation to her
brother, how totally she disregarded her disapprobation of the match.
Mr. John Dashwood told his mother again and again how exceedingly sorry he was that she had taken a house at such a distance from Norland as to prevent his being of any service to her in removing her furniture. He really felt conscientiously vexed on the occasion; for the very exertion to which he had limited the performance of his promise to his father was by this arrangement rendered impracticable.— The furniture was all sent around by water. It chiefly consisted of household linen, plate, china, and books, with a handsome pianoforte of Marianne’s. Mrs. John Dashwood saw the packages depart with a sigh: she could not help feeling it hard that as Mrs. Dashwood’s income would be so trifling in comparison with their own, she should have any handsome article of furniture.
Mrs. Dashwood took the house for a twelvemonth; it was ready furnished, and she might have immediate possession. No difficulty arose on either side in the agreement; and she waited only for the disposal of her effects at Norland, and to determine her future household, before she set off for the west; and this, as she was exceedingly rapid in the performance of everything that interested her, was soon done.—The horses which were left her by her husband had been sold soon after his death, and an opportunity now offering of disposing of her carriage, she agreed to sell that likewise at the earnest advice of her eldest daughter. For the comfort of her children, had she consulted only her own wishes, she would have kept it; but the discretion of Elinor prevailed. HER wisdom too limited the number of their servants to three; two maids and a man, with whom they were speedily provided from amongst those who had formed their establishment at Norland.
The man and one of the maids were sent off immediately into Devonshire, to prepare the house for their mistress’s arrival; for as Lady Middleton was entirely unknown to Mrs. Dashwood, she preferred going directly to the cottage to being a visitor at Barton Park; and she relied so undoubtingly on Sir John’s description of the house, as to feel no curiosity to examine it herself till she entered it as her own. Her eagerness to be gone from Norland was preserved from diminution by the evident satisfaction of her daughter-in-law in the prospect of her removal; a satisfaction which was but feebly attempted to be concealed under a cold invitation to her to defer her departure. Now was the time when her son-in-law’s promise to his father might with particular propriety be fulfilled. Since he had neglected to do it on first coming to the estate, their quitting his house might be looked on as the most suitable period for its accomplishment. But Mrs. Dashwood began shortly to give over every hope of the kind, and to be convinced, from the general drift of his discourse, that his assistance extended no farther than their maintenance for six months at Norland. He so frequently talked of the increasing expenses of housekeeping, and of the perpetual demands upon his purse, which a man of any consequence in the world was beyond calculation exposed to, that he seemed rather to stand in need of more money himself than to have any design of giving money away.
In a very few weeks from the day which brought Sir John Middleton’s first letter to Norland, every thing was so far settled in their future abode as to enable Mrs. Dashwood and her daughters to begin their journey.
Many were the tears shed by them in their last adieus to a place so much beloved. “Dear, dear Norland!” said Marianne, as she wandered alone before the house, on the last evening of their being there; “when shall I cease to regret you!—when learn to feel a home elsewhere!—Oh! happy house, could you know what I suffer in now viewing you
from this spot, from whence perhaps I may view you no more!—And you, ye well-known trees!—but you will continue the same.—No leaf will decay because we are removed, nor any branch become motionless although we can observe you no longer!—No; you will continue the same; unconscious of the pleasure or the regret you occasion, and insensible of any change in those who walk under your shade!—But who will remain to enjoy you?”
Ebd E-BooksDirectory.com
CHAPTER 6
The first part of their journey was performed in too melancholy a disposition to be otherwise than tedious and unpleasant. But as they drew towards the end of it, their interest in the appearance of a country which they were to inhabit overcame their dejection, and a view of Barton Valley as they entered it gave them cheerfulness. It was a pleasant fertile spot, well wooded, and rich in pasture. After winding along it for more than a mile, they reached their own house. A small green court was the whole of its demesne in front; and a neat wicket gate admitted them into it.
As a house, Barton Cottage, though small, was comfortable and compact; but as a cottage it was defective, for the building was regular, the roof was tiled, the window shutters were not painted green, nor were the walls covered with honeysuckles. A narrow passage led directly through the house into the garden behind. On each side of the entrance was a sitting room, about sixteen feet square; and beyond them were the offices and the stairs. Four bed-rooms and two garrets formed the rest of the house. It had not been built many years and was in good repair. In comparison of Norland, it was poor and small indeed!—but the tears which recollection called forth as they entered the house were soon dried away. They were cheered by the joy of the servants on their arrival, and each for the sake of the others resolved to appear happy. It was very early in September; the season was fine, and from first seeing the place under the advantage of good weather, they received an impression in its favour which was of material service in recommending it to their lasting approbation.
The situation of the house was good. High hills rose immediately behind, and at no great distance on each side;
some of which were open downs, the others cultivated and woody. The village of Barton was chiefly on one of these hills, and formed a pleasant view from the cottage windows. The prospect in front was more extensive; it commanded the whole of the valley, and reached into the country beyond. The hills which surrounded the cottage terminated the valley in that direction; under another name, and in another course, it branched out again between two of the steepest of them.
With the size and furniture of the house Mrs. Dashwood was upon the whole well satisfied; for though her former style of life rendered many additions to the latter indispensable, yet to add and improve was a delight to her; and she had at this time ready money enough to supply all that was wanted of greater elegance to the apartments. “As for the house itself, to be sure,” said she, “it is too small for our family, but we will make ourselves tolerably comfortable for the present, as it is too late in the year for improvements. Perhaps in the spring, if I have plenty of money, as I dare say I shall, we may think about building. These parlors are both too small for such parties of our friends as I hope to see often collected here; and I have some thoughts of throwing the passage into one of them with perhaps a part of the other, and so leave the remainder of that other for an entrance; this, with a new drawing room which may be easily added, and a bed-chamber and garret above, will make it a very snug little cottage. I could wish the stairs were handsome. But one must not expect every thing; though I suppose it would be no difficult matter to widen them. I shall see how much I am before-hand with the world in the spring, and we will plan our improvements accordingly.”
In the mean time, till all these alterations could be made from the savings of an income of five hundred a-year by a woman who never saved in her life, they were wise enough to be contented with the house as it was; and each of them
was busy in arranging their particular concerns, and endeavoring, by placing around them books and other possessions, to form themselves a home. Marianne’s pianoforte was unpacked and properly disposed of; and Elinor’s drawings were affixed to the walls of their sitting room.
In such employments as these they were interrupted soon after breakfast the next day by the entrance of their landlord, who called to welcome them to Barton, and to offer them every accommodation from his own house and garden in which theirs might at present be deficient. Sir John Middleton was a good looking man about forty. He had formerly visited at Stanhill, but it was too long for his young cousins to remember him. His countenance was thoroughly good-humoured; and his manners were as friendly as the style of his letter. Their arrival seemed to afford him real satisfaction, and their comfort to be an object of real solicitude to him. He said much of his earnest desire of their living in the most sociable terms with his family, and pressed them so cordially to dine at Barton Park every day till they were better settled at home, that, though his entreaties were carried to a point of perseverance beyond civility, they could not give offence. His kindness was not confined to words; for within an hour after he left them, a large basket full of garden stuff and fruit arrived from the park, which was followed before the end of the day by a present of game. He insisted, moreover, on conveying all their letters to and from the post for them, and would not be denied the satisfaction of sending them his newspaper every day.
Lady Middleton had sent a very civil message by him, denoting her intention of waiting on Mrs. Dashwood as soon as she could be assured that her visit would be no inconvenience; and as this message was answered by an invitation equally polite, her ladyship was introduced to them the next day.
They were, of course, very anxious to see a person on whom so much of their comfort at Barton must depend; and the elegance of her appearance was favourable to their wishes. Lady Middleton was not more than six or seven and twenty; her face was handsome, her figure tall and striking, and her address graceful. Her manners had all the elegance which her husband’s wanted. But they would have been improved by some share of his frankness and warmth; and her visit was long enough to detract something from their first admiration, by shewing that, though perfectly well-bred, she was reserved, cold, and had nothing to say for herself beyond the most common-place inquiry or remark.
Conversation however was not wanted, for Sir John was very chatty, and Lady Middleton had taken the wise precaution of bringing with her their eldest child, a fine little boy about six years old, by which means there was one subject always to be recurred to by the ladies in case of extremity, for they had to enquire his name and age, admire his beauty, and ask him questions which his mother answered for him, while he hung about her and held down his head, to the great surprise of her ladyship, who wondered at his being so shy before company, as he could make noise enough at home. On every formal visit a child ought to be of the party, by way of provision for discourse. In the present case it took up ten minutes to determine whether the boy were most like his father or mother, and in what particular he resembled either, for of course every body differed, and every body was astonished at the opinion of the others.
An opportunity was soon to be given to the Dashwoods of debating on the rest of the children, as Sir John would not leave the house without securing their promise of dining at the park the next day.
CHAPTER 7
Barton Park was about half a mile from the cottage. The ladies had passed near it in their way along the valley, but it was screened from their view at home by the projection of a hill. The house was large and handsome; and the Middletons lived in a style of equal hospitality and elegance. The former was for Sir John’s gratification, the latter for that of his lady. They were scarcely ever without some friends staying with them in the house, and they kept more company of every kind than any other family in the neighbourhood. It was necessary to the happiness of both; for however dissimilar in temper and outward behaviour, they strongly resembled each other in that total want of talent and taste which confined their employments, unconnected with such as society produced, within a very narrow compass. Sir John was a sportsman, Lady Middleton a mother. He hunted and shot, and she humoured her children; and these were their only resources. Lady Middleton had the advantage of being able to spoil her children all the year round, while Sir John’s independent employments were in existence only half the time. Continual engagements at home and abroad, however, supplied all the deficiencies of nature and education; supported the good spirits of Sir John, and gave exercise to the good breeding of his wife.
Lady Middleton piqued herself upon the elegance of her table, and of all her domestic arrangements; and from this kind of vanity was her greatest enjoyment in any of their parties. But Sir John’s satisfaction in society was much more real; he delighted in collecting about him more young people than his house would hold, and the noisier they were the better was he pleased. He was a blessing to all the juvenile part of the neighbourhood, for in summer he was for ever
forming parties to eat cold ham and chicken out of doors, and in winter his private balls were numerous enough for any young lady who was not suffering under the unsatiable appetite of fifteen.
The arrival of a new family in the country was always a matter of joy to him, and in every point of view he was charmed with the inhabitants he had now procured for his cottage at Barton. The Miss Dashwoods were young, pretty, and unaffected. It was enough to secure his good opinion; for to be unaffected was all that a pretty girl could want to make her mind as captivating as her person. The friendliness of his disposition made him happy in accommodating those, whose situation might be considered, in comparison with the past, as unfortunate. In showing kindness to his cousins therefore he had the real satisfaction of a good heart; and in settling a family of females only in his cottage, he had all the satisfaction of a sportsman; for a sportsman, though he esteems only those of his sex who are sportsmen likewise, is not often desirous of encouraging their taste by admitting them to a residence within his own manor.
Mrs. Dashwood and her daughters were met at the door of the house by Sir John, who welcomed them to Barton Park with unaffected sincerity; and as he attended them to the drawing room repeated to the young ladies the concern which the same subject had drawn from him the day before, at being unable to get any smart young men to meet them. They would see, he said, only one gentleman there besides himself; a particular friend who was staying at the park, but who was neither very young nor very gay. He hoped they would all excuse the smallness of the party, and could assure them it should never happen so again. He had been to several families that morning in hopes of procuring some addition to their number, but it was moonlight and every body was full of engagements. Luckily Lady Middleton’s mother had arrived at Barton within the last hour, and as she
was a very cheerful agreeable woman, he hoped the young ladies would not find it so very dull as they might imagine. The young ladies, as well as their mother, were perfectly satisfied with having two entire strangers of the party, and wished for no more.
Mrs. Jennings, Lady Middleton’s mother, was a good-humoured, merry, fat, elderly woman, who talked a great deal, seemed very happy, and rather vulgar. She was full of jokes and laughter, and before dinner was over had said many witty things on the subject of lovers and husbands; hoped they had not left their hearts behind them in Sussex, and pretended to see them blush whether they did or not. Marianne was vexed at it for her sister’s sake, and turned her eyes towards Elinor to see how she bore these attacks, with an earnestness which gave Elinor far more pain than could arise from such common-place raillery as Mrs. Jennings’s.
Colonel Brandon, the friend of Sir John, seemed no more adapted by resemblance of manner to be his friend, than Lady Middleton was to be his wife, or Mrs. Jennings to be Lady Middleton’s mother. He was silent and grave. His appearance however was not unpleasing, in spite of his being in the opinion of Marianne and Margaret an absolute old bachelor, for he was on the wrong side of five and thirty; but though his face was not handsome, his countenance was sensible, and his address was particularly gentlemanlike.
There was nothing in any of the party which could recommend them as companions to the Dashwoods; but the cold insipidity of Lady Middleton was so particularly repulsive, that in comparison of it the gravity of Colonel Brandon, and even the boisterous mirth of Sir John and his mother-in-law was interesting. Lady Middleton seemed to be roused to enjoyment only by the entrance of her four noisy children after dinner, who pulled her about, tore her clothes,
and put an end to every kind of discourse except what related to themselves.
In the evening, as Marianne was discovered to be musical, she was invited to play. The instrument was unlocked, every body prepared to be charmed, and Marianne, who sang very well, at their request went through the chief of the songs which Lady Middleton had brought into the family on her marriage, and which perhaps had lain ever since in the same position on the pianoforte, for her ladyship had celebrated that event by giving up music, although by her mother’s account, she had played extremely well, and by her own was very fond of it.
Marianne’s performance was highly applauded. Sir John was loud in his admiration at the end of every song, and as loud in his conversation with the others while every song lasted. Lady Middleton frequently called him to order, wondered how any one’s attention could be diverted from music for a moment, and asked Marianne to sing a particular song which Marianne had just finished. Colonel Brandon alone, of all the party, heard her without being in raptures. He paid her only the compliment of attention; and she felt a respect for him on the occasion, which the others had reasonably forfeited by their shameless want of taste. His pleasure in music, though it amounted not to that ecstatic delight which alone could sympathize with her own, was estimable when contrasted against the horrible insensibility of the others; and she was reasonable enough to allow that a man of five and thirty might well have outlived all acuteness of feeling and every exquisite power of enjoyment. She was perfectly disposed to make every allowance for the colonel’s advanced state of life which humanity required.
CHAPTER 8
Mrs. Jennings was a widow with an ample jointure. She had only two daughters, both of whom she had lived to see respectably married, and she had now therefore nothing to do but to marry all the rest of the world. In the promotion of this object she was zealously active, as far as her ability reached; and missed no opportunity of projecting weddings among all the young people of her acquaintance. She was remarkably quick in the discovery of attachments, and had enjoyed the advantage of raising the blushes and the vanity of many a young lady by insinuations of her power over such a young man; and this kind of discernment enabled her soon after her arrival at Barton decisively to pronounce that Colonel Brandon was very much in love with Marianne Dashwood. She rather suspected it to be so, on the very first evening of their being together, from his listening so attentively while she sang to them; and when the visit was returned by the Middletons’ dining at the cottage, the fact was ascertained by his listening to her again. It must be so. She was perfectly convinced of it. It would be an excellent match, for HE was rich, and SHE was handsome. Mrs. Jennings had been anxious to see Colonel Brandon well married, ever since her connection with Sir John first brought him to her knowledge; and she was always anxious to get a good husband for every pretty girl.
The immediate advantage to herself was by no means inconsiderable, for it supplied her with endless jokes against them both. At the park she laughed at the colonel, and in the
cottage at Marianne. To the former her raillery was probably, as far as it regarded only himself, perfectly indifferent; but to the latter it was at first incomprehensible; and when its object was understood, she hardly knew whether most to laugh at its absurdity, or censure its impertinence, for she considered it as an unfeeling reflection on the colonel’s advanced years, and on his forlorn condition as an old bachelor.
Mrs. Dashwood, who could not think a man five years younger than herself, so exceedingly ancient as he appeared to the youthful fancy of her daughter, ventured to clear Mrs. Jennings from the probability of wishing to throw ridicule on his age.
“But at least, Mamma, you cannot deny the absurdity of the accusation, though you may not think it intentionally ill-natured. Colonel Brandon is certainly younger than Mrs. Jennings, but he is old enough to be MY father; and if he were ever animated enough to be in love, must have long outlived every sensation of the kind. It is too ridiculous! When is a man to be safe from such wit, if age and infirmity will not protect him?”
“Infirmity!” said Elinor, “do you call Colonel Brandon infirm? I can easily suppose that his age may appear much greater to you than to my mother; but you can hardly deceive yourself as to his having the use of his limbs!”
“Did not you hear him complain of the rheumatism? and is not that the commonest infirmity of declining life?”
“My dearest child,” said her mother, laughing, “at this rate you must be in continual terror of MY decay; and it must seem to you a miracle that my life has been extended to the advanced age of forty.”
“Mamma, you are not doing me justice. I know very well that Colonel Brandon is not old enough to make his friends yet apprehensive of losing him in the course of nature. He may live twenty years longer. But thirty-five has nothing to do with matrimony.”
“Perhaps,” said Elinor, “thirty-five and seventeen had better not have any thing to do with matrimony together. But if there should by any chance happen to be a woman who is single at seven and twenty, I should not think Colonel Brandon’s being thirty-five any objection to his marrying HER.”
“A woman of seven and twenty,” said Marianne, after pausing a moment, “can never hope to feel or inspire affection again, and if her home be uncomfortable, or her fortune small, I can suppose that she might bring herself to submit to the offices of a nurse, for the sake of the provision and security of a wife. In his marrying such a woman therefore there would be nothing unsuitable. It would be a compact of convenience, and the world would be satisfied. In my eyes it would be no marriage at all, but that would be nothing. To me it would seem only a commercial exchange, in which each wished to be benefited at the expense of the other.”
“It would be impossible, I know,” replied Elinor, “to convince you that a woman of seven and twenty could feel for a man of thirty-five anything near enough to love, to make him a desirable companion to her. But I must object to your dooming Colonel Brandon and his wife to the constant confinement of a sick chamber, merely because he chanced to complain yesterday (a very cold damp day) of a slight rheumatic feel in one of his shoulders.”
“But he talked of flannel waistcoats,” said Marianne; “and with me a flannel waistcoat is invariably connected with
aches, cramps, rheumatisms, and every species of ailment that can afflict the old and the feeble.”
“Had he been only in a violent fever, you would not have despised him half so much. Confess, Marianne, is not there something interesting to you in the flushed cheek, hollow eye, and quick pulse of a fever?”
Soon after this, upon Elinor’s leaving the room, “Mamma,” said Marianne, “I have an alarm on the subject of illness which I cannot conceal from you. I am sure Edward Ferrars is not well. We have now been here almost a fortnight, and yet he does not come. Nothing but real indisposition could occasion this extraordinary delay. What else can detain him at Norland?”
“Had you any idea of his coming so soon?” said Mrs. Dashwood. “I had none. On the contrary, if I have felt any anxiety at all on the subject, it has been in recollecting that he sometimes showed a want of pleasure and readiness in accepting my invitation, when I talked of his coming to Barton. Does Elinor expect him already?”
“I have never mentioned it to her, but of course she must.”
“I rather think you are mistaken, for when I was talking to her yesterday of getting a new grate for the spare bedchamber, she observed that there was no immediate hurry for it, as it was not likely that the room would be wanted for some time.”
“How strange this is! what can be the meaning of it! But the whole of their behaviour to each other has been unaccountable! How cold, how composed were their last adieus! How languid their conversation the last evening of their being together! In Edward’s farewell there was no distinction between Elinor and me: it was the good wishes of
an affectionate brother to both. Twice did I leave them purposely together in the course of the last morning, and each time did he most unaccountably follow me out of the room. And Elinor, in quitting Norland and Edward, cried not as I did. Even now her self-command is invariable. When is she dejected or melancholy? When does she try to avoid society, or appear restless and dissatisfied in it?”
Ebd E-BooksDirectory.com
CHAPTER 9
The Dashwoods were now settled at Barton with tolerable comfort to themselves. The house and the garden, with all the objects surrounding them, were now become familiar, and the ordinary pursuits which had given to Norland half its charms were engaged in again with far greater enjoyment than Norland had been able to afford, since the loss of their father. Sir John Middleton, who called on them every day for the first fortnight, and who was not in the habit of seeing much occupation at home, could not conceal his amazement on finding them always employed.
Their visitors, except those from Barton Park, were not many; for, in spite of Sir John’s urgent entreaties that they would mix more in the neighbourhood, and repeated assurances of his carriage being always at their service, the independence of Mrs. Dashwood’s spirit overcame the wish of society for her children; and she was resolute in declining to visit any family beyond the distance of a walk. There were but few who could be so classed; and it was not all of them that were attainable. About a mile and a half from the cottage, along the narrow winding valley of Allenham, which issued from that of Barton, as formerly described, the girls had, in one of their earliest walks, discovered an ancient respectable looking mansion which, by reminding them a little of Norland, interested their imagination and made them wish to be better acquainted with it. But they learnt, on enquiry, that its possessor, an elderly lady of very good character, was unfortunately too infirm to mix with the world, and never stirred from home.
The whole country about them abounded in beautiful walks. The high downs which invited them from almost every window of the cottage to seek the exquisite enjoyment of air on their summits, were a happy alternative when the dirt of the valleys beneath shut up their superior beauties; and towards one of these hills did Marianne and Margaret one memorable morning direct their steps, attracted by the partial sunshine of a showery sky, and unable longer to bear the confinement which the settled rain of the two preceding days had occasioned. The weather was not tempting enough to draw the two others from their pencil and their book, in spite of Marianne’s declaration that the day would be lastingly fair, and that every threatening cloud would be drawn off from their hills; and the two girls set off together.
They gaily ascended the downs, rejoicing in their own penetration at every glimpse of blue sky; and when they caught in their faces the animating gales of a high south-westerly wind, they pitied the fears which had prevented their mother and Elinor from sharing such delightful sensations.
“Is there a felicity in the world,” said Marianne, “superior to this?—Margaret, we will walk here at least two hours.”
Margaret agreed, and they pursued their way against the wind, resisting it with laughing delight for about twenty minutes longer, when suddenly the clouds united over their heads, and a driving rain set full in their face.— Chagrined and surprised, they were obliged, though unwillingly, to turn back, for no shelter was nearer than their own house. One consolation however remained for them, to which the exigence of the moment gave more than usual propriety; it was that of running with all possible speed down the steep side of the hill which led immediately to their garden gate.
They set off. Marianne had at first the advantage, but a false step brought her suddenly to the ground; and Margaret, unable to stop herself to assist her, was involuntarily hurried along, and reached the bottom in safety.
A gentleman carrying a gun, with two pointers playing round him, was passing up the hill and within a few yards of Marianne, when her accident happened. He put down his gun and ran to her assistance. She had raised herself from the ground, but her foot had been twisted in her fall, and she was scarcely able to stand. The gentleman offered his services; and perceiving that her modesty declined what her situation rendered necessary, took her up in his arms without farther delay, and carried her down the hill. Then passing through the garden, the gate of which had been left open by Margaret, he bore her directly into the house, whither Margaret was just arrived, and quitted not his hold till he had seated her in a chair in the parlour.
Elinor and her mother rose up in amazement at their entrance, and while the eyes of both were fixed on him with an evident wonder and a secret admiration which equally sprung from his appearance, he apologized for his intrusion by relating its cause, in a manner so frank and so graceful that his person, which was uncommonly handsome, received additional charms from his voice and expression. Had he been even old, ugly, and vulgar, the gratitude and kindness of Mrs. Dashwood would have been secured by any act of attention to her child; but the influence of youth, beauty, and elegance, gave an interest to the action which came home to her feelings.
She thanked him again and again; and, with a sweetness of address which always attended her, invited him to be seated. But this he declined, as he was dirty and wet. Mrs. Dashwood then begged to know to whom she was obliged. His name, he replied, was Willoughby, and his present home
was at Allenham, from whence he hoped she would allow him the honour of calling tomorrow to enquire after Miss Dashwood. The honour was readily granted, and he then departed, to make himself still more interesting, in the midst of a heavy rain.
His manly beauty and more than common gracefulness were instantly the theme of general admiration, and the laugh which his gallantry raised against Marianne received particular spirit from his exterior attractions.— Marianne herself had seen less of his person that the rest, for the confusion which crimsoned over her face, on his lifting her up, had robbed her of the power of regarding him after their entering the house. But she had seen enough of him to join in all the admiration of the others, and with an energy which always adorned her praise. His person and air were equal to what her fancy had ever drawn for the hero of a favourite story; and in his carrying her into the house with so little previous formality, there was a rapidity of thought which particularly recommended the action to her. Every circumstance belonging to him was interesting. His name was good, his residence was in their favourite village, and she soon found out that of all manly dresses a shooting-jacket was the most becoming. Her imagination was busy, her reflections were pleasant, and the pain of a sprained ankle was disregarded.
Sir John called on them as soon as the next interval of fair weather that morning allowed him to get out of doors; and Marianne’s accident being related to him, he was eagerly asked whether he knew any gentleman of the name of Willoughby at Allenham.
“Willoughby!” cried Sir John; “what, is HE in the country? That is good news however; I will ride over tomorrow, and ask him to dinner on Thursday.”
“You know him then,” said Mrs. Dashwood.
“Know him! to be sure I do. Why, he is down here every year.”
“And what sort of a young man is he?”
“As good a kind of fellow as ever lived, I assure you. A very decent shot, and there is not a bolder rider in England.”
“And is that all you can say for him?” cried Marianne, indignantly. “But what are his manners on more intimate acquaintance? What his pursuits, his talents, and genius?”
Sir John was rather puzzled.
“Upon my soul,” said he, “I do not know much about him as to all THAT. But he is a pleasant, good humoured fellow, and has got the nicest little black bitch of a pointer I ever saw. Was she out with him today?”
But Marianne could no more satisfy him as to the colour of Mr. Willoughby’s pointer, than he could describe to her the shades of his mind.
“But who is he?” said Elinor. “Where does he come from? Has he a house at Allenham?”
On this point Sir John could give more certain intelligence; and he told them that Mr. Willoughby had no property of his own in the country; that he resided there only while he was visiting the old lady at Allenham Court, to whom he was related, and whose possessions he was to inherit; adding, “Yes, yes, he is very well worth catching I can tell you, Miss Dashwood; he has a pretty little estate of his own in Somersetshire besides; and if I were you, I would not give him up to my younger sister, in spite of all this tumbling down hills. Miss Marianne must not expect to have
all the men to herself. Brandon will be jealous, if she does not take care.”
“I do not believe,” said Mrs. Dashwood, with a good humoured smile, “that Mr. Willoughby will be incommoded by the attempts of either of MY daughters towards what you call CATCHING him. It is not an employment to which they have been brought up. Men are very safe with us, let them be ever so rich. I am glad to find, however, from what you say, that he is a respectable young man, and one whose acquaintance will not be ineligible.”
“He is as good a sort of fellow, I believe, as ever lived,” repeated Sir John. “I remember last Christmas at a little hop at the park, he danced from eight o’clock till four, without once sitting down.”
“Did he indeed?” cried Marianne with sparkling eyes, “and with elegance, with spirit?”
“Yes; and he was up again at eight to ride to covert.”
“That is what I like; that is what a young man ought to be. Whatever be his pursuits, his eagerness in them should know no moderation, and leave him no sense of fatigue.”
“Aye, aye, I see how it will be,” said Sir John, “I see how it will be. You will be setting your cap at him now, and never think of poor Brandon.”
“That is an expression, Sir John,” said Marianne, warmly, “which I particularly dislike. I abhor every common-place phrase by which wit is intended; and ‘setting one’s cap at a man,’ or ‘making a conquest,’ are the most odious of all. Their tendency is gross and illiberal; and if their construction could ever be deemed clever, time has long ago destroyed all its ingenuity.”
Sir John did not much understand this reproof; but he laughed as heartily as if he did, and then replied,
“Ay, you will make conquests enough, I dare say, one way or other. Poor Brandon! he is quite smitten already, and he is very well worth setting your cap at, I can tell you, in spite of all this tumbling about and spraining of ankles.”
Ebd E-BooksDirectory.com
CHAPTER 10
Marianne’s preserver, as Margaret, with more elegance than precision, styled Willoughby, called at the cottage early the next morning to make his personal enquiries. He was received by Mrs. Dashwood with more than politeness; with a kindness which Sir John’s account of him and her own gratitude prompted; and every thing that passed during the visit tended to assure him of the sense, elegance, mutual affection, and domestic comfort of the family to whom accident had now introduced him. Of their personal charms he had not required a second interview to be convinced.
Miss Dashwood had a delicate complexion, regular features, and a remarkably pretty figure. Marianne was still handsomer. Her form, though not so correct as her sister’s, in having the advantage of height, was more striking; and her face was so lovely, that when in the common cant of praise, she was called a beautiful girl, truth was less violently outraged than usually happens. Her skin was very brown, but, from its transparency, her complexion was uncommonly brilliant; her features were all good; her smile was sweet and attractive; and in her eyes, which were very dark, there was a life, a spirit, an eagerness, which could hardily be seen without delight. From Willoughby their expression was at first held back, by the embarrassment which the remembrance of his assistance created. But when this passed away, when her spirits became collected, when she saw that to the perfect good-breeding of the gentleman, he united frankness and vivacity, and above all, when she heard him declare, that of music and dancing he was passionately fond, she gave him such a look of approbation as secured the
largest share of his discourse to herself for the rest of his stay.
It was only necessary to mention any favourite amusement to engage her to talk. She could not be silent when such points were introduced, and she had neither shyness nor reserve in their discussion. They speedily discovered that their enjoyment of dancing and music was mutual, and that it arose from a general conformity of judgment in all that related to either. Encouraged by this to a further examination of his opinions, she proceeded to question him on the subject of books; her favourite authors were brought forward and dwelt upon with so rapturous a delight, that any young man of five and twenty must have been insensible indeed, not to become an immediate convert to the excellence of such works, however disregarded before. Their taste was strikingly alike. The same books, the same passages were idolized by each—or if any difference appeared, any objection arose, it lasted no longer than till the force of her arguments and the brightness of her eyes could be displayed. He acquiesced in all her decisions, caught all her enthusiasm; and long before his visit concluded, they conversed with the familiarity of a long-established acquaintance.
“Well, Marianne,” said Elinor, as soon as he had left them, “for ONE morning I think you have done pretty well. You have already ascertained Mr. Willoughby’s opinion in almost every matter of importance. You know what he thinks of Cowper and Scott; you are certain of his estimating their beauties as he ought, and you have received every assurance of his admiring Pope no more than is proper. But how is your acquaintance to be long supported, under such extraordinary despatch of every subject for discourse? You will soon have exhausted each favourite topic. Another meeting will suffice to explain his sentiments on picturesque beauty, and second marriages, and then you can have nothing farther to ask.”—
“Elinor,” cried Marianne, “is this fair? is this just? are my ideas so scanty? But I see what you mean. I have been too much at my ease, too happy, too frank. I have erred against every common-place notion of decorum; I have been open and sincere where I ought to have been reserved, spiritless, dull, and deceitful—had I talked only of the weather and the roads, and had I spoken only once in ten minutes, this reproach would have been spared.”
“My love,” said her mother, “you must not be offended with Elinor—she was only in jest. I should scold her myself, if she were capable of wishing to check the delight of your conversation with our new friend.”— Marianne was softened in a moment.
Willoughby, on his side, gave every proof of his pleasure in their acquaintance, which an evident wish of improving it could offer. He came to them every day. To enquire after Marianne was at first his excuse; but the encouragement of his reception, to which every day gave greater kindness, made such an excuse unnecessary before it had ceased to be possible, by Marianne’s perfect recovery. She was confined for some days to the house; but never had any confinement been less irksome. Willoughby was a young man of good abilities, quick imagination, lively spirits, and open, affectionate manners. He was exactly formed to engage Marianne’s heart, for with all this, he joined not only a captivating person, but a natural ardour of mind which was now roused and increased by the example of her own, and which recommended him to her affection beyond every thing else.
His society became gradually her most exquisite enjoyment. They read, they talked, they sang together; his musical talents were considerable; and he read with all the sensibility and spirit which Edward had unfortunately wanted.
In Mrs. Dashwood’s estimation he was as faultless as in Marianne’s; and Elinor saw nothing to censure in him but a propensity, in which he strongly resembled and peculiarly delighted her sister, of saying too much what he thought on every occasion, without attention to persons or circumstances. In hastily forming and giving his opinion of other people, in sacrificing general politeness to the enjoyment of undivided attention where his heart was engaged, and in slighting too easily the forms of worldly propriety, he displayed a want of caution which Elinor could not approve, in spite of all that he and Marianne could say in its support.
Marianne began now to perceive that the desperation which had seized her at sixteen and a half, of ever seeing a man who could satisfy her ideas of perfection, had been rash and unjustifiable. Willoughby was all that her fancy had delineated in that unhappy hour and in every brighter period, as capable of attaching her; and his behaviour declared his wishes to be in that respect as earnest, as his abilities were strong.
Her mother too, in whose mind not one speculative thought of their marriage had been raised, by his prospect of riches, was led before the end of a week to hope and expect it; and secretly to congratulate herself on having gained two such sons-in-law as Edward and Willoughby.
Colonel Brandon’s partiality for Marianne, which had so early been discovered by his friends, now first became perceptible to Elinor, when it ceased to be noticed by them. Their attention and wit were drawn off to his more fortunate rival; and the raillery which the other had incurred before any partiality arose, was removed when his feelings began really to call for the ridicule so justly annexed to sensibility. Elinor was obliged, though unwillingly, to believe that the sentiments which Mrs. Jennings had assigned him for her
own satisfaction, were now actually excited by her sister; and that however a general resemblance of disposition between the parties might forward the affection of Mr. Willoughby, an equally striking opposition of character was no hindrance to the regard of Colonel Brandon. She saw it with concern; for what could a silent man of five and thirty hope, when opposed to a very lively one of five and twenty? and as she could not even wish him successful, she heartily wished him indifferent. She liked him—in spite of his gravity and reserve, she beheld in him an object of interest. His manners, though serious, were mild; and his reserve appeared rather the result of some oppression of spirits than of any natural gloominess of temper. Sir John had dropped hints of past injuries and disappointments, which justified her belief of his being an unfortunate man, and she regarded him with respect and compassion.
Perhaps she pitied and esteemed him the more because he was slighted by Willoughby and Marianne, who, prejudiced against him for being neither lively nor young, seemed resolved to undervalue his merits.
“Brandon is just the kind of man,” said Willoughby one day, when they were talking of him together, “whom every body speaks well of, and nobody cares about; whom all are delighted to see, and nobody remembers to talk to.”
“That is exactly what I think of him,” cried Marianne.
“Do not boast of it, however,” said Elinor, “for it is injustice in both of you. He is highly esteemed by all the family at the park, and I never see him myself without taking pains to converse with him.”
“That he is patronised by YOU,” replied Willoughby, “is certainly in his favour; but as for the esteem of the others, it is a reproach in itself. Who would submit to the indignity of
being approved by such a woman as Lady Middleton and Mrs. Jennings, that could command the indifference of any body else?”
“But perhaps the abuse of such people as yourself and Marianne will make amends for the regard of Lady Middleton and her mother. If their praise is censure, your censure may be praise, for they are not more undiscerning, than you are prejudiced and unjust.”
“In defence of your protege you can even be saucy.”
“My protege, as you call him, is a sensible man; and sense will always have attractions for me. Yes, Marianne, even in a man between thirty and forty. He has seen a great deal of the world; has been abroad, has read, and has a thinking mind. I have found him capable of giving me much information on various subjects; and he has always answered my inquiries with readiness of good-breeding and good nature.”
“That is to say,” cried Marianne contemptuously, “he has told you, that in the East Indies the climate is hot, and the mosquitoes are troublesome.”
“He WOULD have told me so, I doubt not, had I made any such inquiries, but they happened to be points on which I had been previously informed.”
“Perhaps,” said Willoughby, “his observations may have extended to the existence of nabobs, gold mohrs, and palanquins.”
“I may venture to say that HIS observations have stretched much further than your candour. But why should you dislike him?”
“I do not dislike him. I consider him, on the contrary, as a very respectable man, who has every body’s good word, and nobody’s notice; who, has more money than he can spend, more time than he knows how to employ, and two new coats every year.”
“Add to which,” cried Marianne, “that he has neither genius, taste, nor spirit. That his understanding has no brilliancy, his feelings no ardour, and his voice no expression.”
“You decide on his imperfections so much in the mass,” replied Elinor, “and so much on the strength of your own imagination, that the commendation I am able to give of him is comparatively cold and insipid. I can only pronounce him to be a sensible man, well-bred, well-informed, of gentle address, and, I believe, possessing an amiable heart.”
“Miss Dashwood,” cried Willoughby, “you are now using me unkindly. You are endeavouring to disarm me by reason, and to convince me against my will. But it will not do. You shall find me as stubborn as you can be artful. I have three unanswerable reasons for disliking Colonel Brandon; he threatened me with rain when I wanted it to be fine; he has found fault with the hanging of my curricle, and I cannot persuade him to buy my brown mare. If it will be any satisfaction to you, however, to be told, that I believe his character to be in other respects irreproachable, I am ready to confess it. And in return for an acknowledgment, which must give me some pain, you cannot deny me the privilege of disliking him as much as ever.”
CHAPTER 11
Little had Mrs. Dashwood or her daughters imagined when they first came into Devonshire, that so many engagements would arise to occupy their time as shortly presented themselves, or that they should have such frequent invitations and such constant visitors as to leave them little leisure for serious employment. Yet such was the case. When Marianne was recovered, the schemes of amusement at home and abroad, which Sir John had been previously forming, were put into execution. The private balls at the park then began; and parties on the water were made and accomplished as often as a showery October would allow. In every meeting of the kind Willoughby was included; and the ease and familiarity which naturally attended these parties were exactly calculated to give increasing intimacy to his acquaintance with the Dashwoods, to afford him opportunity of witnessing the excellencies of Marianne, of marking his animated admiration of her, and of receiving, in her behaviour to himself, the most pointed assurance of her affection.
Elinor could not be surprised at their attachment. She only wished that it were less openly shewn; and once or twice did venture to suggest the propriety of some self-command to Marianne. But Marianne abhorred all concealment where no real disgrace could attend unreserve; and to aim at the restraint of sentiments which were not in themselves illaudable, appeared to her not merely an unnecessary effort, but a disgraceful subjection of reason to common-place and mistaken notions. Willoughby thought the
same; and their behaviour at all times, was an illustration of their opinions.
When he was present she had no eyes for any one else. Every thing he did, was right. Every thing he said, was clever. If their evenings at the park were concluded with cards, he cheated himself and all the rest of the party to get her a good hand. If dancing formed the amusement of the night, they were partners for half the time; and when obliged to separate for a couple of dances, were careful to stand together and scarcely spoke a word to any body else. Such conduct made them of course most exceedingly laughed at; but ridicule could not shame, and seemed hardly to provoke them.
Mrs. Dashwood entered into all their feelings with a warmth which left her no inclination for checking this excessive display of them. To her it was but the natural consequence of a strong affection in a young and ardent mind.
This was the season of happiness to Marianne. Her heart was devoted to Willoughby, and the fond attachment to Norland, which she brought with her from Sussex, was more likely to be softened than she had thought it possible before, by the charms which his society bestowed on her present home.
Elinor’s happiness was not so great. Her heart was not so much at ease, nor her satisfaction in their amusements so pure. They afforded her no companion that could make amends for what she had left behind, nor that could teach her to think of Norland with less regret than ever. Neither Lady Middleton nor Mrs. Jennings could supply to her the conversation she missed; although the latter was an everlasting talker, and from the first had regarded her with a kindness which ensured her a large share of her discourse.
She had already repeated her own history to Elinor three or four times; and had Elinor’s memory been equal to her means of improvement, she might have known very early in their acquaintance all the particulars of Mr. Jenning’s last illness, and what he said to his wife a few minutes before he died. Lady Middleton was more agreeable than her mother only in being more silent. Elinor needed little observation to perceive that her reserve was a mere calmness of manner with which sense had nothing to do. Towards her husband and mother she was the same as to them; and intimacy was therefore neither to be looked for nor desired. She had nothing to say one day that she had not said the day before. Her insipidity was invariable, for even her spirits were always the same; and though she did not oppose the parties arranged by her husband, provided every thing were conducted in style and her two eldest children attended her, she never appeared to receive more enjoyment from them than she might have experienced in sitting at home;—and so little did her presence add to the pleasure of the others, by any share in their conversation, that they were sometimes only reminded of her being amongst them by her solicitude about her troublesome boys.
In Colonel Brandon alone, of all her new acquaintance, did Elinor find a person who could in any degree claim the respect of abilities, excite the interest of friendship, or give pleasure as a companion. Willoughby was out of the question. Her admiration and regard, even her sisterly regard, was all his own; but he was a lover; his attentions were wholly Marianne’s, and a far less agreeable man might have been more generally pleasing. Colonel Brandon, unfortunately for himself, had no such encouragement to think only of Marianne, and in conversing with Elinor he found the greatest consolation for the indifference of her sister.
Elinor’s compassion for him increased, as she had reason to suspect that the misery of disappointed love had already been known to him. This suspicion was given by some words which accidently dropped from him one evening at the park, when they were sitting down together by mutual consent, while the others were dancing. His eyes were fixed on Marianne, and, after a silence of some minutes, he said, with a faint smile, “Your sister, I understand, does not approve of second attachments.”
“No,” replied Elinor, “her opinions are all romantic.”
“Or rather, as I believe, she considers them impossible to exist.”
“I believe she does. But how she contrives it without reflecting on the character of her own father, who had himself two wives, I know not. A few years however will settle her opinions on the reasonable basis of common sense and observation; and then they may be more easy to define and to justify than they now are, by any body but herself.”
“This will probably be the case,” he replied; “and yet there is something so amiable in the prejudices of a young mind, that one is sorry to see them give way to the reception of more general opinions.”
“I cannot agree with you there,” said Elinor. “There are inconveniences attending such feelings as Marianne’s, which all the charms of enthusiasm and ignorance of the world cannot atone for. Her systems have all the unfortunate tendency of setting propriety at nought; and a better acquaintance with the world is what I look forward to as her greatest possible advantage.”
After a short pause he resumed the conversation by saying,—
“Does your sister make no distinction in her objections against a second attachment? or is it equally criminal in every body? Are those who have been disappointed in their first choice, whether from the inconstancy of its object, or the perverseness of circumstances, to be equally indifferent during the rest of their lives?”
“Upon my word, I am not acquainted with the minutiae of her principles. I only know that I never yet heard her admit any instance of a second attachment’s being pardonable.”
“This,” said he, “cannot hold; but a change, a total change of sentiments—No, no, do not desire it; for when the romantic refinements of a young mind are obliged to give way, how frequently are they succeeded by such opinions as are but too common, and too dangerous! I speak from experience. I once knew a lady who in temper and mind greatly resembled your sister, who thought and judged like her, but who from an inforced change—from a series of unfortunate circumstances”— Here he stopt suddenly; appeared to think that he had said too much, and by his countenance gave rise to conjectures, which might not otherwise have entered Elinor’s head. The lady would probably have passed without suspicion, had he not convinced Miss Dashwood that what concerned her ought not to escape his lips. As it was, it required but a slight effort of fancy to connect his emotion with the tender recollection of past regard. Elinor attempted no more. But Marianne, in her place, would not have done so little. The whole story would have been speedily formed under her active imagination; and every thing established in the most melancholy order of disastrous love.
CHAPTER 12
As Elinor and Marianne were walking together the next morning the latter communicated a piece of news to her sister, which in spite of all that she knew before of Marianne’s imprudence and want of thought, surprised her by its extravagant testimony of both. Marianne told her, with the greatest delight, that Willoughby had given her a horse, one that he had bred himself on his estate in Somersetshire, and which was exactly calculated to carry a woman. Without considering that it was not in her mother’s plan to keep any horse, that if she were to alter her resolution in favour of this gift, she must buy another for the servant, and keep a servant to ride it, and after all, build a stable to receive them, she had accepted the present without hesitation, and told her sister of it in raptures.
“He intends to send his groom into Somersetshire immediately for it,” she added, “and when it arrives we will ride every day. You shall share its use with me. Imagine to yourself, my dear Elinor, the delight of a gallop on some of these downs.”
Most unwilling was she to awaken from such a dream of felicity to comprehend all the unhappy truths which attended the affair; and for some time she refused to submit to them. As to an additional servant, the expense would be a trifle; Mamma she was sure would never object to it; and any horse would do for HIM; he might always get one at the park; as to a stable, the merest shed would be sufficient. Elinor then ventured to doubt the propriety of her receiving such a
present from a man so little, or at least so lately known to her. This was too much.
“You are mistaken, Elinor,” said she warmly, “in supposing I know very little of Willoughby. I have not known him long indeed, but I am much better acquainted with him, than I am with any other creature in the world, except yourself and mama. It is not time or opportunity that is to determine intimacy;—it is disposition alone. Seven years would be insufficient to make some people acquainted with each other, and seven days are more than enough for others. I should hold myself guilty of greater impropriety in accepting a horse from my brother, than from Willoughby. Of John I know very little, though we have lived together for years; but of Willoughby my judgment has long been formed.”
Elinor thought it wisest to touch that point no more. She knew her sister’s temper. Opposition on so tender a subject would only attach her the more to her own opinion. But by an appeal to her affection for her mother, by representing the inconveniences which that indulgent mother must draw on herself, if (as would probably be the case) she consented to this increase of establishment, Marianne was shortly subdued; and she promised not to tempt her mother to such imprudent kindness by mentioning the offer, and to tell Willoughby when she saw him next, that it must be declined.
She was faithful to her word; and when Willoughby called at the cottage, the same day, Elinor heard her express her disappointment to him in a low voice, on being obliged to forego the acceptance of his present. The reasons for this alteration were at the same time related, and they were such as to make further entreaty on his side impossible. His concern however was very apparent; and after expressing it with earnestness, he added, in the same low voice,—”But, Marianne, the horse is still yours, though you cannot use it
now. I shall keep it only till you can claim it. When you leave Barton to form your own establishment in a more lasting home, Queen Mab shall receive you.”
This was all overheard by Miss Dashwood; and in the whole of the sentence, in his manner of pronouncing it, and in his addressing her sister by her Christian name alone, she instantly saw an intimacy so decided, a meaning so direct, as marked a perfect agreement between them. From that moment she doubted not of their being engaged to each other; and the belief of it created no other surprise than that she, or any of their friends, should be left by tempers so frank, to discover it by accident.
Margaret related something to her the next day, which placed this matter in a still clearer light. Willoughby had spent the preceding evening with them, and Margaret, by being left some time in the parlour with only him and Marianne, had had opportunity for observations, which, with a most important face, she communicated to her eldest sister, when they were next by themselves.
“Oh, Elinor!” she cried, “I have such a secret to tell you about Marianne. I am sure she will be married to Mr. Willoughby very soon.”
“You have said so,” replied Elinor, “almost every day since they first met on High-church Down; and they had not known each other a week, I believe, before you were certain that Marianne wore his picture round her neck; but it turned out to be only the miniature of our great uncle.”
“But indeed this is quite another thing. I am sure they will be married very soon, for he has got a lock of her hair.”
“Take care, Margaret. It may be only the hair of some great uncle of HIS.”
“But, indeed, Elinor, it is Marianne’s. I am almost sure it is, for I saw him cut it off. Last night after tea, when you and mama went out of the room, they were whispering and talking together as fast as could be, and he seemed to be begging something of her, and presently he took up her scissors and cut off a long lock of her hair, for it was all tumbled down her back; and he kissed it, and folded it up in a piece of white paper; and put it into his pocket-book.”
For such particulars, stated on such authority, Elinor could not withhold her credit; nor was she disposed to it, for the circumstance was in perfect unison with what she had heard and seen herself.
Margaret’s sagacity was not always displayed in a way so satisfactory to her sister. When Mrs. Jennings attacked her one evening at the park, to give the name of the young man who was Elinor’s particular favourite, which had been long a matter of great curiosity to her, Margaret answered by looking at her sister, and saying, “I must not tell, may I, Elinor?”
This of course made every body laugh; and Elinor tried to laugh too. But the effort was painful. She was convinced that Margaret had fixed on a person whose name she could not bear with composure to become a standing joke with Mrs. Jennings.
Marianne felt for her most sincerely; but she did more harm than good to the cause, by turning very red and saying in an angry manner to Margaret,
“Remember that whatever your conjectures may be, you have no right to repeat them.”
“I never had any conjectures about it,” replied Margaret; “it was you who told me of it yourself.”
This increased the mirth of the company, and Margaret was eagerly pressed to say something more.
“Oh! pray, Miss Margaret, let us know all about it,” said Mrs. Jennings. “What is the gentleman’s name?”
“I must not tell, ma’am. But I know very well what it is; and I know where he is too.”
“Yes, yes, we can guess where he is; at his own house at Norland to be sure. He is the curate of the parish I dare say.”
“No, THAT he is not. He is of no profession at all.”
“Margaret,” said Marianne with great warmth, “you know that all this is an invention of your own, and that there is no such person in existence.”
“Well, then, he is lately dead, Marianne, for I am sure there was such a man once, and his name begins with an F.”
Most grateful did Elinor feel to Lady Middleton for observing, at this moment, “that it rained very hard,” though she believed the interruption to proceed less from any attention to her, than from her ladyship’s great dislike of all such inelegant subjects of raillery as delighted her husband and mother. The idea however started by her, was immediately pursued by Colonel Brandon, who was on every occasion mindful of the feelings of others; and much was said on the subject of rain by both of them. Willoughby opened the piano-forte, and asked Marianne to sit down to it; and thus amidst the various endeavours of different people to quit the topic, it fell to the ground. But not so easily did Elinor recover from the alarm into which it had thrown her.
A party was formed this evening for going on the following day to see a very fine place about twelve miles
from Barton, belonging to a brother-in-law of Colonel Brandon, without whose interest it could not be seen, as the proprietor, who was then abroad, had left strict orders on that head. The grounds were declared to be highly beautiful, and Sir John, who was particularly warm in their praise, might be allowed to be a tolerable judge, for he had formed parties to visit them, at least, twice every summer for the last ten years. They contained a noble piece of water; a sail on which was to a form a great part of the morning’s amusement; cold provisions were to be taken, open carriages only to be employed, and every thing conducted in the usual style of a complete party of pleasure.
To some few of the company it appeared rather a bold undertaking, considering the time of year, and that it had rained every day for the last fortnight;—and Mrs. Dashwood, who had already a cold, was persuaded by Elinor to stay at home.
Ebd E-BooksDirectory.com
CHAPTER 13
Their intended excursion to Whitwell turned out very different from what Elinor had expected. She was prepared to be wet through, fatigued, and frightened; but the event was still more unfortunate, for they did not go at all.
By ten o’clock the whole party was assembled at the park, where they were to breakfast. The morning was rather favourable, though it had rained all night, as the clouds were then dispersing across the sky, and the sun frequently appeared. They were all in high spirits and good humour, eager to be happy, and determined to submit to the greatest inconveniences and hardships rather than be otherwise.
While they were at breakfast the letters were brought in. Among the rest there was one for Colonel Brandon;—he took it, looked at the direction, changed colour, and immediately left the room.
“What is the matter with Brandon?” said Sir John.
Nobody could tell.
“I hope he has had no bad news,” said Lady Middleton. “It must be something extraordinary that could make Colonel Brandon leave my breakfast table so suddenly.”
In about five minutes he returned.
“No bad news, Colonel, I hope;” said Mrs. Jennings, as soon as he entered the room.
“None at all, ma’am, I thank you.”
“Was it from Avignon? I hope it is not to say that your sister is worse.”
“No, ma’am. It came from town, and is merely a letter of business.”
“But how came the hand to discompose you so much, if it was only a letter of business? Come, come, this won’t do, Colonel; so let us hear the truth of it.”
“My dear madam,” said Lady Middleton, “recollect what you are saying.”
“Perhaps it is to tell you that your cousin Fanny is married?” said Mrs. Jennings, without attending to her daughter’s reproof.
“No, indeed, it is not.”
“Well, then, I know who it is from, Colonel. And I hope she is well.”
“Whom do you mean, ma’am?” said he, colouring a little.
“Oh! you know who I mean.”
“I am particularly sorry, ma’am,” said he, addressing Lady Middleton, “that I should receive this letter today, for it is on business which requires my immediate attendance in town.”
“In town!” cried Mrs. Jennings. “What can you have to do in town at this time of year?”
“My own loss is great,” he continued, “in being obliged to leave so agreeable a party; but I am the more concerned, as I
fear my presence is necessary to gain your admittance at Whitwell.”
What a blow upon them all was this!
“But if you write a note to the housekeeper, Mr. Brandon,” said Marianne, eagerly, “will it not be sufficient?”
He shook his head.
“We must go,” said Sir John.—”It shall not be put off when we are so near it. You cannot go to town till tomorrow, Brandon, that is all.”
“I wish it could be so easily settled. But it is not in my power to delay my journey for one day!”
“If you would but let us know what your business is,” said Mrs. Jennings, “we might see whether it could be put off or not.”
“You would not be six hours later,” said Willoughby, “if you were to defer your journey till our return.”
“I cannot afford to lose ONE hour.”—
Elinor then heard Willoughby say, in a low voice to Marianne, “There are some people who cannot bear a party of pleasure. Brandon is one of them. He was afraid of catching cold I dare say, and invented this trick for getting out of it. I would lay fifty guineas the letter was of his own writing.”
“I have no doubt of it,” replied Marianne.
“There is no persuading you to change your mind, Brandon, I know of old,” said Sir John, “when once you are determined on anything. But, however, I hope you will think
better of it. Consider, here are the two Miss Careys come over from Newton, the three Miss Dashwoods walked up from the cottage, and Mr. Willoughby got up two hours before his usual time, on purpose to go to Whitwell.”
Colonel Brandon again repeated his sorrow at being the cause of disappointing the party; but at the same time declared it to be unavoidable.
“Well, then, when will you come back again?”
“I hope we shall see you at Barton,” added her ladyship, “as soon as you can conveniently leave town; and we must put off the party to Whitwell till you return.”
“You are very obliging. But it is so uncertain, when I may have it in my power to return, that I dare not engage for it at all.”
“Oh! he must and shall come back,” cried Sir John. “If he is not here by the end of the week, I shall go after him.”
“Ay, so do, Sir John,” cried Mrs. Jennings, “and then perhaps you may find out what his business is.”
“I do not want to pry into other men’s concerns. I suppose it is something he is ashamed of.”
Colonel Brandon’s horses were announced.
“You do not go to town on horseback, do you?” added Sir John.
“No. Only to Honiton. I shall then go post.”
“Well, as you are resolved to go, I wish you a good journey. But you had better change your mind.”
“I assure you it is not in my power.”
He then took leave of the whole party.
“Is there no chance of my seeing you and your sisters in town this winter, Miss Dashwood?”
“I am afraid, none at all.”
“Then I must bid you farewell for a longer time than I should wish to do.”
To Marianne, he merely bowed and said nothing.
“Come Colonel,” said Mrs. Jennings, “before you go, do let us know what you are going about.”
He wished her a good morning, and, attended by Sir John, left the room.
The complaints and lamentations which politeness had hitherto restrained, now burst forth universally; and they all agreed again and again how provoking it was to be so disappointed.
“I can guess what his business is, however,” said Mrs. Jennings exultingly.
“Can you, ma’am?” said almost every body.
“Yes; it is about Miss Williams, I am sure.”
“And who is Miss Williams?” asked Marianne.
“What! do not you know who Miss Williams is? I am sure you must have heard of her before. She is a relation of the Colonel’s, my dear; a very near relation. We will not say how near, for fear of shocking the young ladies.” Then, lowering
her voice a little, she said to Elinor, “She is his natural daughter.”
“Indeed!”
“Oh, yes; and as like him as she can stare. I dare say the Colonel will leave her all his fortune.”
When Sir John returned, he joined most heartily in the general regret on so unfortunate an event; concluding however by observing, that as they were all got together, they must do something by way of being happy; and after some consultation it was agreed, that although happiness could only be enjoyed at Whitwell, they might procure a tolerable composure of mind by driving about the country. The carriages were then ordered; Willoughby’s was first, and Marianne never looked happier than when she got into it. He drove through the park very fast, and they were soon out of sight; and nothing more of them was seen till their return, which did not happen till after the return of all the rest. They both seemed delighted with their drive; but said only in general terms that they had kept in the lanes, while the others went on the downs.
It was settled that there should be a dance in the evening, and that every body should be extremely merry all day long. Some more of the Careys came to dinner, and they had the pleasure of sitting down nearly twenty to table, which Sir John observed with great contentment. Willoughby took his usual place between the two elder Miss Dashwoods. Mrs. Jennings sat on Elinor’s right hand; and they had not been long seated, before she leant behind her and Willoughby, and said to Marianne, loud enough for them both to hear, “I have found you out in spite of all your tricks. I know where you spent the morning.”
Marianne coloured, and replied very hastily, “Where, pray?”—
“Did not you know,” said Willoughby, “that we had been out in my curricle?”
“Yes, yes, Mr. Impudence, I know that very well, and I was determined to find out WHERE you had been to.— I hope you like your house, Miss Marianne. It is a very large one, I know; and when I come to see you, I hope you will have new-furnished it, for it wanted it very much when I was there six years ago.”
Marianne turned away in great confusion. Mrs. Jennings laughed heartily; and Elinor found that in her resolution to know where they had been, she had actually made her own woman enquire of Mr. Willoughby’s groom; and that she had by that method been informed that they had gone to Allenham, and spent a considerable time there in walking about the garden and going all over the house.
Elinor could hardly believe this to be true, as it seemed very unlikely that Willoughby should propose, or Marianne consent, to enter the house while Mrs. Smith was in it, with whom Marianne had not the smallest acquaintance.
As soon as they left the dining-room, Elinor enquired of her about it; and great was her surprise when she found that every circumstance related by Mrs. Jennings was perfectly true. Marianne was quite angry with her for doubting it.
“Why should you imagine, Elinor, that we did not go there, or that we did not see the house? Is not it what you have often wished to do yourself?”
“Yes, Marianne, but I would not go while Mrs. Smith was there, and with no other companion than Mr. Willoughby.”
“Mr. Willoughby however is the only person who can have a right to shew that house; and as he went in an open carriage, it was impossible to have any other companion. I never spent a pleasanter morning in my life.”
“I am afraid,” replied Elinor, “that the pleasantness of an employment does not always evince its propriety.”
“On the contrary, nothing can be a stronger proof of it, Elinor; for if there had been any real impropriety in what I did, I should have been sensible of it at the time, for we always know when we are acting wrong, and with such a conviction I could have had no pleasure.”
“But, my dear Marianne, as it has already exposed you to some very impertinent remarks, do you not now begin to doubt the discretion of your own conduct?”
“If the impertinent remarks of Mrs. Jennings are to be the proof of impropriety in conduct, we are all offending every moment of our lives. I value not her censure any more than I should do her commendation. I am not sensible of having done anything wrong in walking over Mrs. Smith’s grounds, or in seeing her house. They will one day be Mr. Willoughby’s, and—”
“If they were one day to be your own, Marianne, you would not be justified in what you have done.”
She blushed at this hint; but it was even visibly gratifying to her; and after a ten minutes’ interval of earnest thought, she came to her sister again, and said with great good humour, “Perhaps, Elinor, it WAS rather ill-judged in me to go to Allenham; but Mr. Willoughby wanted particularly to shew me the place; and it is a charming house, I assure you.—There is one remarkably pretty sitting room up stairs; of a nice comfortable size for constant use, and with modern furniture it would be delightful. It is a
corner room, and has windows on two sides. On one side you look across the bowling-green, behind the house, to a beautiful hanging wood, and on the other you have a view of the church and village, and, beyond them, of those fine bold hills that we have so often admired. I did not see it to advantage, for nothing could be more forlorn than the furniture,—but if it were newly fitted up—a couple of hundred pounds, Willoughby says, would make it one of the pleasantest summer-rooms in England.”
Could Elinor have listened to her without interruption from the others, she would have described every room in the house with equal delight.
Ebd E-BooksDirectory.com
CHAPTER 14
The sudden termination of Colonel Brandon’s visit at the park, with his steadiness in concealing its cause, filled the mind, and raised the wonder of Mrs. Jennings for two or three days; she was a great wonderer, as every one must be who takes a very lively interest in all the comings and goings of all their acquaintance. She wondered, with little intermission what could be the reason of it; was sure there must be some bad news, and thought over every kind of distress that could have befallen him, with a fixed determination that he should not escape them all.
“Something very melancholy must be the matter, I am sure,” said she. “I could see it in his face. Poor man! I am afraid his circumstances may be bad. The estate at Delaford was never reckoned more than two thousand a year, and his brother left everything sadly involved. I do think he must have been sent for about money matters, for what else can it be? I wonder whether it is so. I would give anything to know the truth of it. Perhaps it is about Miss Williams and, by the bye, I dare say it is, because he looked so conscious when I mentioned her. May be she is ill in town; nothing in the world more likely, for I have a notion she is always rather sickly. I would lay any wager it is about Miss Williams. It is not so very likely he should be distressed in his circumstances NOW, for he is a very prudent man, and to be sure must have cleared the estate by this time. I wonder what it can be! May be his sister is worse at Avignon, and has sent for him over. His setting off in such a hurry seems very like it. Well, I wish him out of all his trouble with all my heart, and a good wife into the bargain.”
So wondered, so talked Mrs. Jennings. Her opinion varying with every fresh conjecture, and all seeming equally probable as they arose. Elinor, though she felt really interested in the welfare of Colonel Brandon, could not bestow all the wonder on his going so suddenly away, which Mrs. Jennings was desirous of her feeling; for besides that the circumstance did not in her opinion justify such lasting amazement or variety of speculation, her wonder was otherwise disposed of. It was engrossed by the extraordinary silence of her sister and Willoughby on the subject, which they must know to be peculiarly interesting to them all. As this silence continued, every day made it appear more strange and more incompatible with the disposition of both. Why they should not openly acknowledge to her mother and herself, what their constant behaviour to each other declared to have taken place, Elinor could not imagine.
She could easily conceive that marriage might not be immediately in their power; for though Willoughby was independent, there was no reason to believe him rich. His estate had been rated by Sir John at about six or seven hundred a year; but he lived at an expense to which that income could hardly be equal, and he had himself often complained of his poverty. But for this strange kind of secrecy maintained by them relative to their engagement, which in fact concealed nothing at all, she could not account; and it was so wholly contradictory to their general opinions and practice, that a doubt sometimes entered her mind of their being really engaged, and this doubt was enough to prevent her making any inquiry of Marianne.
Nothing could be more expressive of attachment to them all, than Willoughby’s behaviour. To Marianne it had all the distinguishing tenderness which a lover’s heart could give, and to the rest of the family it was the affectionate attention of a son and a brother. The cottage seemed to be considered and loved by him as his home; many more of his hours were
spent there than at Allenham; and if no general engagement collected them at the park, the exercise which called him out in the morning was almost certain of ending there, where the rest of the day was spent by himself at the side of Marianne, and by his favourite pointer at her feet.
One evening in particular, about a week after Colonel Brandon left the country, his heart seemed more than usually open to every feeling of attachment to the objects around him; and on Mrs. Dashwood’s happening to mention her design of improving the cottage in the spring, he warmly opposed every alteration of a place which affection had established as perfect with him.
“What!” he exclaimed—”Improve this dear cottage! No. THAT I will never consent to. Not a stone must be added to its walls, not an inch to its size, if my feelings are regarded.”
“Do not be alarmed,” said Miss Dashwood, “nothing of the kind will be done; for my mother will never have money enough to attempt it.”
“I am heartily glad of it,” he cried. “May she always be poor, if she can employ her riches no better.”
“Thank you, Willoughby. But you may be assured that I would not sacrifice one sentiment of local attachment of yours, or of any one whom I loved, for all the improvements in the world. Depend upon it that whatever unemployed sum may remain, when I make up my accounts in the spring, I would even rather lay it uselessly by than dispose of it in a manner so painful to you. But are you really so attached to this place as to see no defect in it?”
“I am,” said he. “To me it is faultless. Nay, more, I consider it as the only form of building in which happiness is attainable, and were I rich enough I would instantly pull
Combe down, and build it up again in the exact plan of this cottage.”
“With dark narrow stairs and a kitchen that smokes, I suppose,” said Elinor.
“Yes,” cried he in the same eager tone, “with all and every thing belonging to it;—in no one convenience or INconvenience about it, should the least variation be perceptible. Then, and then only, under such a roof, I might perhaps be as happy at Combe as I have been at Barton.”
“I flatter myself,” replied Elinor, “that even under the disadvantage of better rooms and a broader staircase, you will hereafter find your own house as faultless as you now do this.”
“There certainly are circumstances,” said Willoughby, “which might greatly endear it to me; but this place will always have one claim of my affection, which no other can possibly share.”
Mrs. Dashwood looked with pleasure at Marianne, whose fine eyes were fixed so expressively on Willoughby, as plainly denoted how well she understood him.
“How often did I wish,” added he, “when I was at Allenham this time twelvemonth, that Barton cottage were inhabited! I never passed within view of it without admiring its situation, and grieving that no one should live in it. How little did I then think that the very first news I should hear from Mrs. Smith, when I next came into the country, would be that Barton cottage was taken: and I felt an immediate satisfaction and interest in the event, which nothing but a kind of prescience of what happiness I should experience from it, can account for. Must it not have been so, Marianne?” speaking to her in a lowered voice. Then continuing his former tone, he said, “And yet this house you
would spoil, Mrs. Dashwood? You would rob it of its simplicity by imaginary improvement! and this dear parlour in which our acquaintance first began, and in which so many happy hours have been since spent by us together, you would degrade to the condition of a common entrance, and every body would be eager to pass through the room which has hitherto contained within itself more real accommodation and comfort than any other apartment of the handsomest dimensions in the world could possibly afford.”
Mrs. Dashwood again assured him that no alteration of the kind should be attempted.
“You are a good woman,” he warmly replied. “Your promise makes me easy. Extend it a little farther, and it will make me happy. Tell me that not only your house will remain the same, but that I shall ever find you and yours as unchanged as your dwelling; and that you will always consider me with the kindness which has made everything belonging to you so dear to me.”
The promise was readily given, and Willoughby’s behaviour during the whole of the evening declared at once his affection and happiness.
“Shall we see you tomorrow to dinner?” said Mrs. Dashwood, when he was leaving them. “I do not ask you to come in the morning, for we must walk to the park, to call on Lady Middleton.”
He engaged to be with them by four o’clock.
CHAPTER 15
Mrs. Dashwood’s visit to Lady Middleton took place the next day, and two of her daughters went with her; but Marianne excused herself from being of the party, under some trifling pretext of employment; and her mother, who concluded that a promise had been made by Willoughby the night before of calling on her while they were absent, was perfectly satisfied with her remaining at home.
On their return from the park they found Willoughby’s curricle and servant in waiting at the cottage, and Mrs. Dashwood was convinced that her conjecture had been just. So far it was all as she had foreseen; but on entering the house she beheld what no foresight had taught her to expect. They were no sooner in the passage than Marianne came hastily out of the parlour apparently in violent affliction, with her handkerchief at her eyes; and without noticing them ran up stairs. Surprised and alarmed they proceeded directly into the room she had just quitted, where they found only Willoughby, who was leaning against the mantel-piece with his back towards them. He turned round on their coming in, and his countenance shewed that he strongly partook of the emotion which over-powered Marianne.
“Is anything the matter with her?” cried Mrs. Dashwood as she entered—”is she ill?”
“I hope not,” he replied, trying to look cheerful; and with a forced smile presently added, “It is I who may rather expect to be ill—for I am now suffering under a very heavy disappointment!”
“Disappointment?”
“Yes, for I am unable to keep my engagement with you. Mrs. Smith has this morning exercised the privilege of riches upon a poor dependent cousin, by sending me on business to London. I have just received my dispatches, and taken my farewell of Allenham; and by way of exhilaration I am now come to take my farewell of you.”
“To London!—and are you going this morning?”
“Almost this moment.”
“This is very unfortunate. But Mrs. Smith must be obliged;—and her business will not detain you from us long I hope.”
He coloured as he replied, “You are very kind, but I have no idea of returning into Devonshire immediately. My visits to Mrs. Smith are never repeated within the twelvemonth.”
“And is Mrs. Smith your only friend? Is Allenham the only house in the neighbourhood to which you will be welcome? For shame, Willoughby, can you wait for an invitation here?”
His colour increased; and with his eyes fixed on the ground he only replied, “You are too good.”
Mrs. Dashwood looked at Elinor with surprise. Elinor felt equal amazement. For a few moments every one was silent. Mrs. Dashwood first spoke.
“I have only to add, my dear Willoughby, that at Barton cottage you will always be welcome; for I will not press you to return here immediately, because you only can judge how far THAT might be pleasing to Mrs. Smith; and on this head
I shall be no more disposed to question your judgment than to doubt your inclination.”
“My engagements at present,” replied Willoughby, confusedly, “are of such a nature—that—I dare not flatter myself”—
He stopt. Mrs. Dashwood was too much astonished to speak, and another pause succeeded. This was broken by Willoughby, who said with a faint smile, “It is folly to linger in this manner. I will not torment myself any longer by remaining among friends whose society it is impossible for me now to enjoy.”
He then hastily took leave of them all and left the room. They saw him step into his carriage, and in a minute it was out of sight.
Mrs. Dashwood felt too much for speech, and instantly quitted the parlour to give way in solitude to the concern and alarm which this sudden departure occasioned.
Elinor’s uneasiness was at least equal to her mother’s. She thought of what had just passed with anxiety and distrust. Willoughby’s behaviour in taking leave of them, his embarrassment, and affectation of cheerfulness, and, above all, his unwillingness to accept her mother’s invitation, a backwardness so unlike a lover, so unlike himself, greatly disturbed her. One moment she feared that no serious design had ever been formed on his side; and the next that some unfortunate quarrel had taken place between him and her sister;—the distress in which Marianne had quitted the room was such as a serious quarrel could most reasonably account for, though when she considered what Marianne’s love for him was, a quarrel seemed almost impossible.
But whatever might be the particulars of their separation, her sister’s affliction was indubitable; and she
thought with the tenderest compassion of that violent sorrow which Marianne was in all probability not merely giving way to as a relief, but feeding and encouraging as a duty.
In about half an hour her mother returned, and though her eyes were red, her countenance was not uncheerful.
“Our dear Willoughby is now some miles from Barton, Elinor,” said she, as she sat down to work, “and with how heavy a heart does he travel?”
“It is all very strange. So suddenly to be gone! It seems but the work of a moment. And last night he was with us so happy, so cheerful, so affectionate? And now, after only ten minutes notice—Gone too without intending to return!— Something more than what he owned to us must have happened. He did not speak, he did not behave like himself. YOU must have seen the difference as well as I. What can it be? Can they have quarrelled? Why else should he have shewn such unwillingness to accept your invitation here?”—
“It was not inclination that he wanted, Elinor; I could plainly see THAT. He had not the power of accepting it. I have thought it all over I assure you, and I can perfectly account for every thing that at first seemed strange to me as well as to you.”
“Can you, indeed!”
“Yes. I have explained it to myself in the most satisfactory way;—but you, Elinor, who love to doubt where you can—it will not satisfy YOU, I know; but you shall not talk ME out of my trust in it. I am persuaded that Mrs. Smith suspects his regard for Marianne, disapproves of it, (perhaps because she has other views for him,) and on that account is eager to get him away;—and that the business which she sends him off to transact is invented as an excuse to dismiss him. This is what I believe to have happened. He
is, moreover, aware that she DOES disapprove the connection, he dares not therefore at present confess to her his engagement with Marianne, and he feels himself obliged, from his dependent situation, to give into her schemes, and absent himself from Devonshire for a while. You will tell me, I know, that this may or may NOT have happened; but I will listen to no cavil, unless you can point out any other method of understanding the affair as satisfactory at this. And now, Elinor, what have you to say?”
“Nothing, for you have anticipated my answer.”
“Then you would have told me, that it might or might not have happened. Oh, Elinor, how incomprehensible are your feelings! You had rather take evil upon credit than good. You had rather look out for misery for Marianne, and guilt for poor Willoughby, than an apology for the latter. You are resolved to think him blameable, because he took leave of us with less affection than his usual behaviour has shewn. And is no allowance to be made for inadvertence, or for spirits depressed by recent disappointment? Are no probabilities to be accepted, merely because they are not certainties? Is nothing due to the man whom we have all such reason to love, and no reason in the world to think ill of? To the possibility of motives unanswerable in themselves, though unavoidably secret for a while? And, after all, what is it you suspect him of?”
“I can hardly tell myself. But suspicion of something unpleasant is the inevitable consequence of such an alteration as we just witnessed in him. There is great truth, however, in what you have now urged of the allowances which ought to be made for him, and it is my wish to be candid in my judgment of every body. Willoughby may undoubtedly have very sufficient reasons for his conduct, and I will hope that he has. But it would have been more like Willoughby to acknowledge them at once. Secrecy may be
advisable; but still I cannot help wondering at its being practiced by him.”
“Do not blame him, however, for departing from his character, where the deviation is necessary. But you really do admit the justice of what I have said in his defence?—I am happy—and he is acquitted.”
“Not entirely. It may be proper to conceal their engagement (if they ARE engaged) from Mrs. Smith—and if that is the case, it must be highly expedient for Willoughby to be but little in Devonshire at present. But this is no excuse for their concealing it from us.”
“Concealing it from us! my dear child, do you accuse Willoughby and Marianne of concealment? This is strange indeed, when your eyes have been reproaching them every day for incautiousness.”
“I want no proof of their affection,” said Elinor; “but of their engagement I do.”
“I am perfectly satisfied of both.”
“Yet not a syllable has been said to you on the subject, by either of them.”
“I have not wanted syllables where actions have spoken so plainly. Has not his behaviour to Marianne and to all of us, for at least the last fortnight, declared that he loved and considered her as his future wife, and that he felt for us the attachment of the nearest relation? Have we not perfectly understood each other? Has not my consent been daily asked by his looks, his manner, his attentive and affectionate respect? My Elinor, is it possible to doubt their engagement? How could such a thought occur to you? How is it to be supposed that Willoughby, persuaded as he must be of your sister’s love, should leave her, and leave her perhaps for
months, without telling her of his affection;—that they should part without a mutual exchange of confidence?”
“I confess,” replied Elinor, “that every circumstance except ONE is in favour of their engagement; but that ONE is the total silence of both on the subject, and with me it almost outweighs every other.”
“How strange this is! You must think wretchedly indeed of Willoughby, if, after all that has openly passed between them, you can doubt the nature of the terms on which they are together. Has he been acting a part in his behaviour to your sister all this time? Do you suppose him really indifferent to her?”
“No, I cannot think that. He must and does love her I am sure.”
“But with a strange kind of tenderness, if he can leave her with such indifference, such carelessness of the future, as you attribute to him.”
“You must remember, my dear mother, that I have never considered this matter as certain. I have had my doubts, I confess; but they are fainter than they were, and they may soon be entirely done away. If we find they correspond, every fear of mine will be removed.”
“A mighty concession indeed! If you were to see them at the altar, you would suppose they were going to be married. Ungracious girl! But I require no such proof. Nothing in my opinion has ever passed to justify doubt; no secrecy has been attempted; all has been uniformly open and unreserved. You cannot doubt your sister’s wishes. It must be Willoughby therefore whom you suspect. But why? Is he not a man of honour and feeling? Has there been any inconsistency on his side to create alarm? can he be deceitful?”
“I hope not, I believe not,” cried Elinor. “I love Willoughby, sincerely love him; and suspicion of his integrity cannot be more painful to yourself than to me. It has been involuntary, and I will not encourage it. I was startled, I confess, by the alteration in his manners this morning;—he did not speak like himself, and did not return your kindness with any cordiality. But all this may be explained by such a situation of his affairs as you have supposed. He had just parted from my sister, had seen her leave him in the greatest affliction; and if he felt obliged, from a fear of offending Mrs. Smith, to resist the temptation of returning here soon, and yet aware that by declining your invitation, by saying that he was going away for some time, he should seem to act an ungenerous, a suspicious part by our family, he might well be embarrassed and disturbed. In such a case, a plain and open avowal of his difficulties would have been more to his honour I think, as well as more consistent with his general character;—but I will not raise objections against any one’s conduct on so illiberal a foundation, as a difference in judgment from myself, or a deviation from what I may think right and consistent.”
“You speak very properly. Willoughby certainly does not deserve to be suspected. Though WE have not known him long, he is no stranger in this part of the world; and who has ever spoken to his disadvantage? Had he been in a situation to act independently and marry immediately, it might have been odd that he should leave us without acknowledging everything to me at once: but this is not the case. It is an engagement in some respects not prosperously begun, for their marriage must be at a very uncertain distance; and even secrecy, as far as it can be observed, may now be very advisable.”
They were interrupted by the entrance of Margaret; and Elinor was then at liberty to think over the representations of
her mother, to acknowledge the probability of many, and hope for the justice of all.
They saw nothing of Marianne till dinner time, when she entered the room and took her place at the table without saying a word. Her eyes were red and swollen; and it seemed as if her tears were even then restrained with difficulty. She avoided the looks of them all, could neither eat nor speak, and after some time, on her mother’s silently pressing her hand with tender compassion, her small degree of fortitude was quite overcome, she burst into tears and left the room.
This violent oppression of spirits continued the whole evening. She was without any power, because she was without any desire of command over herself. The slightest mention of anything relative to Willoughby overpowered her in an instant; and though her family were most anxiously attentive to her comfort, it was impossible for them, if they spoke at all, to keep clear of every subject which her feelings connected with him.
Ebd E-BooksDirectory.com
CHAPTER 16
Marianne would have thought herself very inexcusable had she been able to sleep at all the first night after parting from Willoughby. She would have been ashamed to look her family in the face the next morning, had she not risen from her bed in more need of repose than when she lay down in it. But the feelings which made such composure a disgrace, left her in no danger of incurring it. She was awake the whole night, and she wept the greatest part of it. She got up with a headache, was unable to talk, and unwilling to take any nourishment; giving pain every moment to her mother and sisters, and forbidding all attempt at consolation from either. Her sensibility was potent enough!
When breakfast was over she walked out by herself, and wandered about the village of Allenham, indulging the recollection of past enjoyment and crying over the present reverse for the chief of the morning.
The evening passed off in the equal indulgence of feeling. She played over every favourite song that she had been used to play to Willoughby, every air in which their voices had been oftenest joined, and sat at the instrument gazing on every line of music that he had written out for her, till her heart was so heavy that no farther sadness could be gained; and this nourishment of grief was every day applied. She spent whole hours at the pianoforte alternately singing and crying; her voice often totally suspended by her tears. In
books too, as well as in music, she courted the misery which a contrast between the past and present was certain of giving. She read nothing but what they had been used to read together.
Such violence of affliction indeed could not be supported for ever; it sunk within a few days into a calmer melancholy; but these employments, to which she daily recurred, her solitary walks and silent meditations, still produced occasional effusions of sorrow as lively as ever.
No letter from Willoughby came; and none seemed expected by Marianne. Her mother was surprised, and Elinor again became uneasy. But Mrs. Dashwood could find explanations whenever she wanted them, which at least satisfied herself.
“Remember, Elinor,” said she, “how very often Sir John fetches our letters himself from the post, and carries them to it. We have already agreed that secrecy may be necessary, and we must acknowledge that it could not be maintained if their correspondence were to pass through Sir John’s hands.”
Elinor could not deny the truth of this, and she tried to find in it a motive sufficient for their silence. But there was one method so direct, so simple, and in her opinion so eligible of knowing the real state of the affair, and of instantly removing all mystery, that she could not help suggesting it to her mother.
“Why do you not ask Marianne at once,” said she, “whether she is or she is not engaged to Willoughby? From you, her mother, and so kind, so indulgent a mother, the question could not give offence. It would be the natural result of your affection for her. She used to be all unreserve, and to you more especially.”
“I would not ask such a question for the world. Supposing it possible that they are not engaged, what distress would not such an enquiry inflict! At any rate it would be most ungenerous. I should never deserve her confidence again, after forcing from her a confession of what is meant at present to be unacknowledged to any one. I know Marianne’s heart: I know that she dearly loves me, and that I shall not be the last to whom the affair is made known, when circumstances make the revealment of it eligible. I would not attempt to force the confidence of any one; of a child much less; because a sense of duty would prevent the denial which her wishes might direct.”
Elinor thought this generosity overstrained, considering her sister’s youth, and urged the matter farther, but in vain; common sense, common care, common prudence, were all sunk in Mrs. Dashwood’s romantic delicacy.
It was several days before Willoughby’s name was mentioned before Marianne by any of her family; Sir John and Mrs. Jennings, indeed, were not so nice; their witticisms added pain to many a painful hour;—but one evening, Mrs. Dashwood, accidentally taking up a volume of Shakespeare, exclaimed,
“We have never finished Hamlet, Marianne; our dear Willoughby went away before we could get through it. We will put it by, that when he comes again…But it may be months, perhaps, before THAT happens.”
“Months!” cried Marianne, with strong surprise. “No— nor many weeks.”
Mrs. Dashwood was sorry for what she had said; but it gave Elinor pleasure, as it produced a reply from Marianne so expressive of confidence in Willoughby and knowledge of his intentions.
One morning, about a week after his leaving the country, Marianne was prevailed on to join her sisters in their usual walk, instead of wandering away by herself. Hitherto she had carefully avoided every companion in her rambles. If her sisters intended to walk on the downs, she directly stole away towards the lanes; if they talked of the valley, she was as speedy in climbing the hills, and could never be found when the others set off. But at length she was secured by the exertions of Elinor, who greatly disapproved such continual seclusion. They walked along the road through the valley, and chiefly in silence, for Marianne’s MIND could not be controlled, and Elinor, satisfied with gaining one point, would not then attempt more. Beyond the entrance of the valley, where the country, though still rich, was less wild and more open, a long stretch of the road which they had travelled on first coming to Barton, lay before them; and on reaching that point, they stopped to look around them, and examine a prospect which formed the distance of their view from the cottage, from a spot which they had never happened to reach in any of their walks before.
Amongst the objects in the scene, they soon discovered an animated one; it was a man on horseback riding towards them. In a few minutes they could distinguish him to be a gentleman; and in a moment afterwards Marianne rapturously exclaimed,
“It is he; it is indeed;—I know it is!”—and was hastening to meet him, when Elinor cried out,
“Indeed, Marianne, I think you are mistaken. It is not Willoughby. The person is not tall enough for him, and has not his air.”
“He has, he has,” cried Marianne, “I am sure he has. His air, his coat, his horse. I knew how soon he would come.”
She walked eagerly on as she spoke; and Elinor, to screen Marianne from particularity, as she felt almost certain of its not being Willoughby, quickened her pace and kept up with her. They were soon within thirty yards of the gentleman. Marianne looked again; her heart sunk within her; and abruptly turning round, she was hurrying back, when the voices of both her sisters were raised to detain her; a third, almost as well known as Willoughby’s, joined them in begging her to stop, and she turned round with surprise to see and welcome Edward Ferrars.
He was the only person in the world who could at that moment be forgiven for not being Willoughby; the only one who could have gained a smile from her; but she dispersed her tears to smile on HIM, and in her sister’s happiness forgot for a time her own disappointment.
He dismounted, and giving his horse to his servant, walked back with them to Barton, whither he was purposely coming to visit them.
He was welcomed by them all with great cordiality, but especially by Marianne, who showed more warmth of regard in her reception of him than even Elinor herself. To Marianne, indeed, the meeting between Edward and her sister was but a continuation of that unaccountable coldness which she had often observed at Norland in their mutual behaviour. On Edward’s side, more particularly, there was a deficiency of all that a lover ought to look and say on such an occasion. He was confused, seemed scarcely sensible of pleasure in seeing them, looked neither rapturous nor gay, said little but what was forced from him by questions, and distinguished Elinor by no mark of affection. Marianne saw and listened with increasing surprise. She began almost to feel a dislike of Edward; and it ended, as every feeling must end with her, by carrying back her thoughts to Willoughby,
whose manners formed a contrast sufficiently striking to those of his brother elect.
After a short silence which succeeded the first surprise and enquiries of meeting, Marianne asked Edward if he came directly from London. No, he had been in Devonshire a fortnight.
“A fortnight!” she repeated, surprised at his being so long in the same county with Elinor without seeing her before.
He looked rather distressed as he added, that he had been staying with some friends near Plymouth.
“Have you been lately in Sussex?” said Elinor.
“I was at Norland about a month ago.”
“And how does dear, dear Norland look?” cried Marianne.
“Dear, dear Norland,” said Elinor, “probably looks much as it always does at this time of the year. The woods and walks thickly covered with dead leaves.”
“Oh,” cried Marianne, “with what transporting sensation have I formerly seen them fall! How have I delighted, as I walked, to see them driven in showers about me by the wind! What feelings have they, the season, the air altogether inspired! Now there is no one to regard them. They are seen only as a nuisance, swept hastily off, and driven as much as possible from the sight.”
“It is not every one,” said Elinor, “who has your passion for dead leaves.”
“No; my feelings are not often shared, not often understood. But SOMETIMES they are.”—As she said this,
she sunk into a reverie for a few moments;—but rousing herself again, “Now, Edward,” said she, calling his attention to the prospect, “here is Barton valley. Look up to it, and be tranquil if you can. Look at those hills! Did you ever see their equals? To the left is Barton park, amongst those woods and plantations. You may see the end of the house. And there, beneath that farthest hill, which rises with such grandeur, is our cottage.”
“It is a beautiful country,” he replied; “but these bottoms must be dirty in winter.”
“How can you think of dirt, with such objects before you?”
“Because,” replied he, smiling, “among the rest of the objects before me, I see a very dirty lane.”
“How strange!” said Marianne to herself as she walked on.
“Have you an agreeable neighbourhood here? Are the Middletons pleasant people?”
“No, not all,” answered Marianne; “we could not be more unfortunately situated.”
“Marianne,” cried her sister, “how can you say so? How can you be so unjust? They are a very respectable family, Mr. Ferrars; and towards us have behaved in the friendliest manner. Have you forgot, Marianne, how many pleasant days we have owed to them?”
“No,” said Marianne, in a low voice, “nor how many painful moments.”
Elinor took no notice of this; and directing her attention to their visitor, endeavoured to support something like
discourse with him, by talking of their present residence, its conveniences, &c. extorting from him occasional questions and remarks. His coldness and reserve mortified her severely; she was vexed and half angry; but resolving to regulate her behaviour to him by the past rather than the present, she avoided every appearance of resentment or displeasure, and treated him as she thought he ought to be treated from the family connection.
Ebd E-BooksDirectory.com
CHAPTER 17
Mrs. Dashwood was surprised only for a moment at seeing him; for his coming to Barton was, in her opinion, of all things the most natural. Her joy and expression of regard long outlived her wonder. He received the kindest welcome from her; and shyness, coldness, reserve could not stand against such a reception. They had begun to fail him before he entered the house, and they were quite overcome by the captivating manners of Mrs. Dashwood. Indeed a man could not very well be in love with either of her daughters, without extending the passion to her; and Elinor had the satisfaction of seeing him soon become more like himself. His affections seemed to reanimate towards them all, and his interest in their welfare again became perceptible. He was not in spirits, however; he praised their house, admired its prospect, was attentive, and kind; but still he was not in spirits. The whole family perceived it, and Mrs. Dashwood, attributing it to some want of liberality in his mother, sat down to table indignant against all selfish parents.
“What are Mrs. Ferrars’s views for you at present, Edward?” said she, when dinner was over and they had drawn round the fire; “are you still to be a great orator in spite of yourself?”
“No. I hope my mother is now convinced that I have no more talents than inclination for a public life!”
“But how is your fame to be established? for famous you must be to satisfy all your family; and with no inclination for
expense, no affection for strangers, no profession, and no assurance, you may find it a difficult matter.”
“I shall not attempt it. I have no wish to be distinguished; and have every reason to hope I never shall. Thank Heaven! I cannot be forced into genius and eloquence.”
“You have no ambition, I well know. Your wishes are all moderate.”
“As moderate as those of the rest of the world, I believe. I wish as well as every body else to be perfectly happy; but, like every body else it must be in my own way. Greatness will not make me so.”
“Strange that it would!” cried Marianne. “What have wealth or grandeur to do with happiness?”
“Grandeur has but little,” said Elinor, “but wealth has much to do with it.”
“Elinor, for shame!” said Marianne, “money can only give happiness where there is nothing else to give it. Beyond a competence, it can afford no real satisfaction, as far as mere self is concerned.”
“Perhaps,” said Elinor, smiling, “we may come to the same point. YOUR competence and MY wealth are very much alike, I dare say; and without them, as the world goes now, we shall both agree that every kind of external comfort must be wanting. Your ideas are only more noble than mine. Come, what is your competence?”
“About eighteen hundred or two thousand a year; not more than THAT.”
Elinor laughed. “TWO thousand a year! ONE is my wealth! I guessed how it would end.”
“And yet two thousand a-year is a very moderate income,” said Marianne. “A family cannot well be maintained on a smaller. I am sure I am not extravagant in my demands. A proper establishment of servants, a carriage, perhaps two, and hunters, cannot be supported on less.”
Elinor smiled again, to hear her sister describing so accurately their future expenses at Combe Magna.
“Hunters!” repeated Edward—”but why must you have hunters? Every body does not hunt.”
Marianne coloured as she replied, “But most people do.”
“I wish,” said Margaret, striking out a novel thought, “that somebody would give us all a large fortune apiece!”
“Oh that they would!” cried Marianne, her eyes sparkling with animation, and her cheeks glowing with the delight of such imaginary happiness.
“We are all unanimous in that wish, I suppose,” said Elinor, “in spite of the insufficiency of wealth.”
“Oh dear!” cried Margaret, “how happy I should be! I wonder what I should do with it!”
Marianne looked as if she had no doubt on that point.
“I should be puzzled to spend so large a fortune myself,” said Mrs. Dashwood, “if my children were all to be rich my help.”
“You must begin your improvements on this house,” observed Elinor, “and your difficulties will soon vanish.”
“What magnificent orders would travel from this family to London,” said Edward, “in such an event! What a happy day for booksellers, music-sellers, and print-shops! You, Miss Dashwood, would give a general commission for every new print of merit to be sent you—and as for Marianne, I know her greatness of soul, there would not be music enough in London to content her. And books!—Thomson, Cowper, Scott—she would buy them all over and over again: she would buy up every copy, I believe, to prevent their falling into unworthy hands; and she would have every book that tells her how to admire an old twisted tree. Should not you, Marianne? Forgive me, if I am very saucy. But I was willing to shew you that I had not forgot our old disputes.”
“I love to be reminded of the past, Edward—whether it be melancholy or gay, I love to recall it—and you will never offend me by talking of former times. You are very right in supposing how my money would be spent—some of it, at least—my loose cash would certainly be employed in improving my collection of music and books.”
“And the bulk of your fortune would be laid out in annuities on the authors or their heirs.”
“No, Edward, I should have something else to do with it.”
“Perhaps, then, you would bestow it as a reward on that person who wrote the ablest defence of your favourite maxim, that no one can ever be in love more than once in their life—your opinion on that point is unchanged, I presume?”
“Undoubtedly. At my time of life opinions are tolerably fixed. It is not likely that I should now see or hear any thing to change them.”
“Marianne is as steadfast as ever, you see,” said Elinor, “she is not at all altered.”
“She is only grown a little more grave than she was.”
“Nay, Edward,” said Marianne, “you need not reproach me. You are not very gay yourself.”
“Why should you think so!” replied he, with a sigh. “But gaiety never was a part of MY character.”
“Nor do I think it a part of Marianne’s,” said Elinor; “I should hardly call her a lively girl—she is very earnest, very eager in all she does—sometimes talks a great deal and always with animation—but she is not often really merry.”
“I believe you are right,” he replied, “and yet I have always set her down as a lively girl.”
“I have frequently detected myself in such kind of mistakes,” said Elinor, “in a total misapprehension of character in some point or other: fancying people so much more gay or grave, or ingenious or stupid than they really are, and I can hardly tell why or in what the deception originated. Sometimes one is guided by what they say of themselves, and very frequently by what other people say of them, without giving oneself time to deliberate and judge.”
“But I thought it was right, Elinor,” said Marianne, “to be guided wholly by the opinion of other people. I thought our judgments were given us merely to be subservient to those of neighbours. This has always been your doctrine, I am sure.”
“No, Marianne, never. My doctrine has never aimed at the subjection of the understanding. All I have ever attempted to influence has been the behaviour. You must not confound my meaning. I am guilty, I confess, of having often wished you to treat our acquaintance in general with greater attention; but when have I advised you to adopt their sentiments or to conform to their judgment in serious matters?”
“You have not been able to bring your sister over to your plan of general civility,” said Edward to Elinor, “Do you gain no ground?”
“Quite the contrary,” replied Elinor, looking expressively at Marianne.
“My judgment,” he returned, “is all on your side of the question; but I am afraid my practice is much more on your sister’s. I never wish to offend, but I am so foolishly shy, that I often seem negligent, when I am only kept back by my natural awkwardness. I have frequently thought that I must have been intended by nature to be fond of low company, I am so little at my ease among strangers of gentility!”
“Marianne has not shyness to excuse any inattention of hers,” said Elinor.
“She knows her own worth too well for false shame,” replied Edward. “Shyness is only the effect of a sense of inferiority in some way or other. If I could persuade myself that my manners were perfectly easy and graceful, I should not be shy.”
“But you would still be reserved,” said Marianne, “and that is worse.”
Edward started—”Reserved! Am I reserved, Marianne?”
“Yes, very.”
“I do not understand you,” replied he, colouring. “Reserved!—how, in what manner? What am I to tell you? What can you suppose?”
Elinor looked surprised at his emotion; but trying to laugh off the subject, she said to him, “Do not you know my sister well enough to understand what she means? Do not
you know she calls every one reserved who does not talk as fast, and admire what she admires as rapturously as herself?”
Edward made no answer. His gravity and thoughtfulness returned on him in their fullest extent—and he sat for some time silent and dull.
Ebd E-BooksDirectory.com
CHAPTER 18
Elinor saw, with great uneasiness the low spirits of her friend. His visit afforded her but a very partial satisfaction, while his own enjoyment in it appeared so imperfect. It was evident that he was unhappy; she wished it were equally evident that he still distinguished her by the same affection which once she had felt no doubt of inspiring; but hitherto the continuance of his preference seemed very uncertain; and the reservedness of his manner towards her contradicted one moment what a more animated look had intimated the preceding one.
He joined her and Marianne in the breakfast-room the next morning before the others were down; and Marianne, who was always eager to promote their happiness as far as she could, soon left them to themselves. But before she was half way upstairs she heard the parlour door open, and, turning round, was astonished to see Edward himself come out.
“I am going into the village to see my horses,” said he, “as you are not yet ready for breakfast; I shall be back again presently.”
Edward returned to them with fresh admiration of the surrounding country; in his walk to the village, he had seen many parts of the valley to advantage; and the village itself, in a much higher situation than the cottage, afforded a general view of the whole, which had exceedingly pleased him. This was a subject which ensured Marianne’s attention,
and she was beginning to describe her own admiration of these scenes, and to question him more minutely on the objects that had particularly struck him, when Edward interrupted her by saying, “You must not enquire too far, Marianne—remember I have no knowledge in the picturesque, and I shall offend you by my ignorance and want of taste if we come to particulars. I shall call hills steep, which ought to be bold; surfaces strange and uncouth, which ought to be irregular and rugged; and distant objects out of sight, which ought only to be indistinct through the soft medium of a hazy atmosphere. You must be satisfied with such admiration as I can honestly give. I call it a very fine country—the hills are steep, the woods seem full of fine timber, and the valley looks comfortable and snug—with rich meadows and several neat farm houses scattered here and there. It exactly answers my idea of a fine country, because it unites beauty with utility—and I dare say it is a picturesque one too, because you admire it; I can easily believe it to be full of rocks and promontories, grey moss and brush wood, but these are all lost on me. I know nothing of the picturesque.”
“I am afraid it is but too true,” said Marianne; “but why should you boast of it?”
“I suspect,” said Elinor, “that to avoid one kind of affectation, Edward here falls into another. Because he believes many people pretend to more admiration of the beauties of nature than they really feel, and is disgusted with such pretensions, he affects greater indifference and less discrimination in viewing them himself than he possesses. He is fastidious and will have an affectation of his own.”
“It is very true,” said Marianne, “that admiration of landscape scenery is become a mere jargon. Every body pretends to feel and tries to describe with the taste and elegance of him who first defined what picturesque beauty
was. I detest jargon of every kind, and sometimes I have kept my feelings to myself, because I could find no language to describe them in but what was worn and hackneyed out of all sense and meaning.”
“I am convinced,” said Edward, “that you really feel all the delight in a fine prospect which you profess to feel. But, in return, your sister must allow me to feel no more than I profess. I like a fine prospect, but not on picturesque principles. I do not like crooked, twisted, blasted trees. I admire them much more if they are tall, straight, and flourishing. I do not like ruined, tattered cottages. I am not fond of nettles or thistles, or heath blossoms. I have more pleasure in a snug farm-house than a watch-tower—and a troop of tidy, happy villages please me better than the finest banditti in the world.”
Marianne looked with amazement at Edward, with compassion at her sister. Elinor only laughed.
The subject was continued no farther; and Marianne remained thoughtfully silent, till a new object suddenly engaged her attention. She was sitting by Edward, and in taking his tea from Mrs. Dashwood, his hand passed so directly before her, as to make a ring, with a plait of hair in the centre, very conspicuous on one of his fingers.
“I never saw you wear a ring before, Edward,” she cried. “Is that Fanny’s hair? I remember her promising to give you some. But I should have thought her hair had been darker.”
Marianne spoke inconsiderately what she really felt—but when she saw how much she had pained Edward, her own vexation at her want of thought could not be surpassed by his. He coloured very deeply, and giving a momentary glance at Elinor, replied, “Yes; it is my sister’s hair. The setting always casts a different shade on it, you know.”
Elinor had met his eye, and looked conscious likewise. That the hair was her own, she instantaneously felt as well satisfied as Marianne; the only difference in their conclusions was, that what Marianne considered as a free gift from her sister, Elinor was conscious must have been procured by some theft or contrivance unknown to herself. She was not in a humour, however, to regard it as an affront, and affecting to take no notice of what passed, by instantly talking of something else, she internally resolved henceforward to catch every opportunity of eyeing the hair and of satisfying herself, beyond all doubt, that it was exactly the shade of her own.
Edward’s embarrassment lasted some time, and it ended in an absence of mind still more settled. He was particularly grave the whole morning. Marianne severely censured herself for what she had said; but her own forgiveness might have been more speedy, had she known how little offence it had given her sister.
Before the middle of the day, they were visited by Sir John and Mrs. Jennings, who, having heard of the arrival of a gentleman at the cottage, came to take a survey of the guest. With the assistance of his mother-in-law, Sir John was not long in discovering that the name of Ferrars began with an F. and this prepared a future mine of raillery against the devoted Elinor, which nothing but the newness of their acquaintance with Edward could have prevented from being immediately sprung. But, as it was, she only learned, from some very significant looks, how far their penetration, founded on Margaret’s instructions, extended.
Sir John never came to the Dashwoods without either inviting them to dine at the park the next day, or to drink tea with them that evening. On the present occasion, for the better entertainment of their visitor, towards whose
amusement he felt himself bound to contribute, he wished to engage them for both.
“You MUST drink tea with us to night,” said he, “for we shall be quite alone—and tomorrow you must absolutely dine with us, for we shall be a large party.”
Mrs. Jennings enforced the necessity. “And who knows but you may raise a dance,” said she. “And that will tempt YOU, Miss Marianne.”
“A dance!” cried Marianne. “Impossible! Who is to dance?”
“Who! why yourselves, and the Careys, and Whitakers to be sure.—What! you thought nobody could dance because a certain person that shall be nameless is gone!”
“I wish with all my soul,” cried Sir John, “that Willoughby were among us again.”
This, and Marianne’s blushing, gave new suspicions to Edward. “And who is Willoughby?” said he, in a low voice, to Miss Dashwood, by whom he was sitting.
She gave him a brief reply. Marianne’s countenance was more communicative. Edward saw enough to comprehend, not only the meaning of others, but such of Marianne’s expressions as had puzzled him before; and when their visitors left them, he went immediately round her, and said, in a whisper, “I have been guessing. Shall I tell you my guess?”
“What do you mean?”
“Shall I tell you.”
“Certainly.”
“Well then; I guess that Mr. Willoughby hunts.”
Marianne was surprised and confused, yet she could not help smiling at the quiet archness of his manner, and after a moment’s silence, said,
“Oh, Edward! How can you?—But the time will come I hope…I am sure you will like him.”
“I do not doubt it,” replied he, rather astonished at her earnestness and warmth; for had he not imagined it to be a joke for the good of her acquaintance in general, founded only on a something or a nothing between Mr. Willoughby and herself, he would not have ventured to mention it.
Ebd E-BooksDirectory.com
CHAPTER 19
Edward remained a week at the cottage; he was earnestly pressed by Mrs. Dashwood to stay longer; but, as if he were bent only on self-mortification, he seemed resolved to be gone when his enjoyment among his friends was at the height. His spirits, during the last two or three days, though still very unequal, were greatly improved—he grew more and more partial to the house and environs—never spoke of going away without a sigh—declared his time to be wholly disengaged—even doubted to what place he should go when he left them—but still, go he must. Never had any week passed so quickly—he could hardly believe it to be gone. He said so repeatedly; other things he said too, which marked the turn of his feelings and gave the lie to his actions. He had no pleasure at Norland; he detested being in town; but either to Norland or London, he must go. He valued their kindness beyond any thing, and his greatest happiness was in being with them. Yet, he must leave them at the end of a week, in spite of their wishes and his own, and without any restraint on his time.
Elinor placed all that was astonishing in this way of acting to his mother’s account; and it was happy for her that he had a mother whose character was so imperfectly known to her, as to be the general excuse for every thing strange on the part of her son. Disappointed, however, and vexed as she was, and sometimes displeased with his uncertain behaviour to herself, she was very well disposed on the whole to regard his actions with all the candid allowances and generous qualifications, which had been rather more painfully extorted from her, for Willoughby’s service, by her mother. His want
of spirits, of openness, and of consistency, were most usually attributed to his want of independence, and his better knowledge of Mrs. Ferrars’s disposition and designs. The shortness of his visit, the steadiness of his purpose in leaving them, originated in the same fettered inclination, the same inevitable necessity of temporizing with his mother. The old well-established grievance of duty against will, parent against child, was the cause of all. She would have been glad to know when these difficulties were to cease, this opposition was to yield,—when Mrs. Ferrars would be reformed, and her son be at liberty to be happy. But from such vain wishes she was forced to turn for comfort to the renewal of her confidence in Edward’s affection, to the remembrance of every mark of regard in look or word which fell from him while at Barton, and above all to that flattering proof of it which he constantly wore round his finger.
“I think, Edward,” said Mrs. Dashwood, as they were at breakfast the last morning, “you would be a happier man if you had any profession to engage your time and give an interest to your plans and actions. Some inconvenience to your friends, indeed, might result from it—you would not be able to give them so much of your time. But (with a smile) you would be materially benefited in one particular at least— you would know where to go when you left them.”
“I do assure you,” he replied, “that I have long thought on this point, as you think now. It has been, and is, and probably will always be a heavy misfortune to me, that I have had no necessary business to engage me, no profession to give me employment, or afford me any thing like independence. But unfortunately my own nicety, and the nicety of my friends, have made me what I am, an idle, helpless being. We never could agree in our choice of a profession. I always preferred the church, as I still do. But that was not smart enough for my family. They recommended the army. That was a great deal too smart for
me. The law was allowed to be genteel enough; many young men, who had chambers in the Temple, made a very good appearance in the first circles, and drove about town in very knowing gigs. But I had no inclination for the law, even in this less abstruse study of it, which my family approved. As for the navy, it had fashion on its side, but I was too old when the subject was first started to enter it—and, at length, as there was no necessity for my having any profession at all, as I might be as dashing and expensive without a red coat on my back as with one, idleness was pronounced on the whole to be most advantageous and honourable, and a young man of eighteen is not in general so earnestly bent on being busy as to resist the solicitations of his friends to do nothing. I was therefore entered at Oxford and have been properly idle ever since.”
“The consequence of which, I suppose, will be,” said Mrs. Dashwood, “since leisure has not promoted your own happiness, that your sons will be brought up to as many pursuits, employments, professions, and trades as Columella’s.”
“They will be brought up,” said he, in a serious accent, “to be as unlike myself as is possible. In feeling, in action, in condition, in every thing.”
“Come, come; this is all an effusion of immediate want of spirits, Edward. You are in a melancholy humour, and fancy that any one unlike yourself must be happy. But remember that the pain of parting from friends will be felt by every body at times, whatever be their education or state. Know your own happiness. You want nothing but patience—or give it a more fascinating name, call it hope. Your mother will secure to you, in time, that independence you are so anxious for; it is her duty, and it will, it must ere long become her happiness to prevent your whole youth from being wasted in discontent. How much may not a few months do?”
“I think,” replied Edward, “that I may defy many months to produce any good to me.”
This desponding turn of mind, though it could not be communicated to Mrs. Dashwood, gave additional pain to them all in the parting, which shortly took place, and left an uncomfortable impression on Elinor’s feelings especially, which required some trouble and time to subdue. But as it was her determination to subdue it, and to prevent herself from appearing to suffer more than what all her family suffered on his going away, she did not adopt the method so judiciously employed by Marianne, on a similar occasion, to augment and fix her sorrow, by seeking silence, solitude and idleness. Their means were as different as their objects, and equally suited to the advancement of each.
Elinor sat down to her drawing-table as soon as he was out of the house, busily employed herself the whole day, neither sought nor avoided the mention of his name, appeared to interest herself almost as much as ever in the general concerns of the family, and if, by this conduct, she did not lessen her own grief, it was at least prevented from unnecessary increase, and her mother and sisters were spared much solicitude on her account.
Such behaviour as this, so exactly the reverse of her own, appeared no more meritorious to Marianne, than her own had seemed faulty to her. The business of self-command she settled very easily;—with strong affections it was impossible, with calm ones it could have no merit. That her sister’s affections WERE calm, she dared not deny, though she blushed to acknowledge it; and of the strength of her own, she gave a very striking proof, by still loving and respecting that sister, in spite of this mortifying conviction.
Without shutting herself up from her family, or leaving the house in determined solitude to avoid them, or lying
awake the whole night to indulge meditation, Elinor found every day afforded her leisure enough to think of Edward, and of Edward’s behaviour, in every possible variety which the different state of her spirits at different times could produce,—with tenderness, pity, approbation, censure, and doubt. There were moments in abundance, when, if not by the absence of her mother and sisters, at least by the nature of their employments, conversation was forbidden among them, and every effect of solitude was produced. Her mind was inevitably at liberty; her thoughts could not be chained elsewhere; and the past and the future, on a subject so interesting, must be before her, must force her attention, and engross her memory, her reflection, and her fancy.
From a reverie of this kind, as she sat at her drawing-table, she was roused one morning, soon after Edward’s leaving them, by the arrival of company. She happened to be quite alone. The closing of the little gate, at the entrance of the green court in front of the house, drew her eyes to the window, and she saw a large party walking up to the door. Amongst them were Sir John and Lady Middleton and Mrs. Jennings, but there were two others, a gentleman and lady, who were quite unknown to her. She was sitting near the window, and as soon as Sir John perceived her, he left the rest of the party to the ceremony of knocking at the door, and stepping across the turf, obliged her to open the casement to speak to him, though the space was so short between the door and the window, as to make it hardly possible to speak at one without being heard at the other.
“Well,” said he, “we have brought you some strangers. How do you like them?”
“Hush! they will hear you.”
“Never mind if they do. It is only the Palmers. Charlotte is very pretty, I can tell you. You may see her if you look this way.”
As Elinor was certain of seeing her in a couple of minutes, without taking that liberty, she begged to be excused.
“Where is Marianne? Has she run away because we are come? I see her instrument is open.”
“She is walking, I believe.”
They were now joined by Mrs. Jennings, who had not patience enough to wait till the door was opened before she told HER story. She came hallooing to the window, “How do you do, my dear? How does Mrs. Dashwood do? And where are your sisters? What! all alone! you will be glad of a little company to sit with you. I have brought my other son and daughter to see you. Only think of their coming so suddenly! I thought I heard a carriage last night, while we were drinking our tea, but it never entered my head that it could be them. I thought of nothing but whether it might not be Colonel Brandon come back again; so I said to Sir John, I do think I hear a carriage; perhaps it is Colonel Brandon come back again”—
Elinor was obliged to turn from her, in the middle of her story, to receive the rest of the party; Lady Middleton introduced the two strangers; Mrs. Dashwood and Margaret came down stairs at the same time, and they all sat down to look at one another, while Mrs. Jennings continued her story as she walked through the passage into the parlour, attended by Sir John.
Mrs. Palmer was several years younger than Lady Middleton, and totally unlike her in every respect. She was short and plump, had a very pretty face, and the finest
expression of good humour in it that could possibly be. Her manners were by no means so elegant as her sister’s, but they were much more prepossessing. She came in with a smile, smiled all the time of her visit, except when she laughed, and smiled when she went away. Her husband was a grave looking young man of five or six and twenty, with an air of more fashion and sense than his wife, but of less willingness to please or be pleased. He entered the room with a look of self-consequence, slightly bowed to the ladies, without speaking a word, and, after briefly surveying them and their apartments, took up a newspaper from the table, and continued to read it as long as he staid.
Mrs. Palmer, on the contrary, who was strongly endowed by nature with a turn for being uniformly civil and happy, was hardly seated before her admiration of the parlour and every thing in it burst forth.
“Well! what a delightful room this is! I never saw anything so charming! Only think, Mamma, how it is improved since I was here last! I always thought it such a sweet place, ma’am! (turning to Mrs. Dashwood) but you have made it so charming! Only look, sister, how delightful every thing is! How I should like such a house for myself! Should not you, Mr. Palmer?”
Mr. Palmer made her no answer, and did not even raise his eyes from the newspaper.
“Mr. Palmer does not hear me,” said she, laughing; “he never does sometimes. It is so ridiculous!”
This was quite a new idea to Mrs. Dashwood; she had never been used to find wit in the inattention of any one, and could not help looking with surprise at them both.
Mrs. Jennings, in the meantime, talked on as loud as she could, and continued her account of their surprise, the
evening before, on seeing their friends, without ceasing till every thing was told. Mrs. Palmer laughed heartily at the recollection of their astonishment, and every body agreed, two or three times over, that it had been quite an agreeable surprise.
“You may believe how glad we all were to see them,” added Mrs. Jennings, leaning forward towards Elinor, and speaking in a low voice as if she meant to be heard by no one else, though they were seated on different sides of the room; “but, however, I can’t help wishing they had not travelled quite so fast, nor made such a long journey of it, for they came all round by London upon account of some business, for you know (nodding significantly and pointing to her daughter) it was wrong in her situation. I wanted her to stay at home and rest this morning, but she would come with us; she longed so much to see you all!”
Mrs. Palmer laughed, and said it would not do her any harm.
“She expects to be confined in February,” continued Mrs. Jennings.
Lady Middleton could no longer endure such a conversation, and therefore exerted herself to ask Mr. Palmer if there was any news in the paper.
“No, none at all,” he replied, and read on.
“Here comes Marianne,” cried Sir John. “Now, Palmer, you shall see a monstrous pretty girl.”
He immediately went into the passage, opened the front door, and ushered her in himself. Mrs. Jennings asked her, as soon as she appeared, if she had not been to Allenham; and Mrs. Palmer laughed so heartily at the question, as to show she understood it. Mr. Palmer looked up on her
entering the room, stared at her some minutes, and then returned to his newspaper. Mrs. Palmer’s eye was now caught by the drawings which hung round the room. She got up to examine them.
“Oh! dear, how beautiful these are! Well! how delightful! Do but look, mama, how sweet! I declare they are quite charming; I could look at them for ever.” And then sitting down again, she very soon forgot that there were any such things in the room.
When Lady Middleton rose to go away, Mr. Palmer rose also, laid down the newspaper, stretched himself and looked at them all around.
“My love, have you been asleep?” said his wife, laughing.
He made her no answer; and only observed, after again examining the room, that it was very low pitched, and that the ceiling was crooked. He then made his bow, and departed with the rest.
Sir John had been very urgent with them all to spend the next day at the park. Mrs. Dashwood, who did not chuse to dine with them oftener than they dined at the cottage, absolutely refused on her own account; her daughters might do as they pleased. But they had no curiosity to see how Mr. and Mrs. Palmer ate their dinner, and no expectation of pleasure from them in any other way. They attempted, therefore, likewise, to excuse themselves; the weather was uncertain, and not likely to be good. But Sir John would not be satisfied—the carriage should be sent for them and they must come. Lady Middleton too, though she did not press their mother, pressed them. Mrs. Jennings and Mrs. Palmer joined their entreaties, all seemed equally anxious to avoid a family party; and the young ladies were obliged to yield.
“Why should they ask us?” said Marianne, as soon as they were gone. “The rent of this cottage is said to be low; but we have it on very hard terms, if we are to dine at the park whenever any one is staying either with them, or with us.”
“They mean no less to be civil and kind to us now,” said Elinor, “by these frequent invitations, than by those which we received from them a few weeks ago. The alteration is not in them, if their parties are grown tedious and dull. We must look for the change elsewhere.”
Ebd E-BooksDirectory.com
CHAPTER 20
As the Miss Dashwoods entered the drawing-room of the park the next day, at one door, Mrs. Palmer came running in at the other, looking as good humoured and merry as before. She took them all most affectionately by the hand, and expressed great delight in seeing them again.
“I am so glad to see you!” said she, seating herself between Elinor and Marianne, “for it is so bad a day I was afraid you might not come, which would be a shocking thing, as we go away again tomorrow. We must go, for the Westons come to us next week you know. It was quite a sudden thing our coming at all, and I knew nothing of it till the carriage was coming to the door, and then Mr. Palmer asked me if I would go with him to Barton. He is so droll! He never tells me any thing! I am so sorry we cannot stay longer; however we shall meet again in town very soon, I hope.”
They were obliged to put an end to such an expectation.
“Not go to town!” cried Mrs. Palmer, with a laugh, “I shall be quite disappointed if you do not. I could get the nicest house in world for you, next door to ours, in Hanover-square. You must come, indeed. I am sure I shall be very happy to chaperon you at any time till I am confined, if Mrs. Dashwood should not like to go into public.”
They thanked her; but were obliged to resist all her entreaties.
“Oh, my love,” cried Mrs. Palmer to her husband, who just then entered the room—”you must help me to persuade the Miss Dashwoods to go to town this winter.”
Her love made no answer; and after slightly bowing to the ladies, began complaining of the weather.
“How horrid all this is!” said he. “Such weather makes every thing and every body disgusting. Dullness is as much produced within doors as without, by rain. It makes one detest all one’s acquaintance. What the devil does Sir John mean by not having a billiard room in his house? How few people know what comfort is! Sir John is as stupid as the weather.”
The rest of the company soon dropt in.
“I am afraid, Miss Marianne,” said Sir John, “you have not been able to take your usual walk to Allenham today.”
Marianne looked very grave and said nothing.
“Oh, don’t be so sly before us,” said Mrs. Palmer; “for we know all about it, I assure you; and I admire your taste very much, for I think he is extremely handsome. We do not live a great way from him in the country, you know. Not above ten miles, I dare say.”
“Much nearer thirty,” said her husband.
“Ah, well! there is not much difference. I never was at his house; but they say it is a sweet pretty place.”
“As vile a spot as I ever saw in my life,” said Mr. Palmer.
Marianne remained perfectly silent, though her countenance betrayed her interest in what was said.
“Is it very ugly?” continued Mrs. Palmer—”then it must be some other place that is so pretty I suppose.”
When they were seated in the dining room, Sir John observed with regret that they were only eight all together.
“My dear,” said he to his lady, “it is very provoking that we should be so few. Why did not you ask the Gilberts to come to us today?”
“Did not I tell you, Sir John, when you spoke to me about it before, that it could not be done? They dined with us last.”
“You and I, Sir John,” said Mrs. Jennings, “should not stand upon such ceremony.”
“Then you would be very ill-bred,” cried Mr. Palmer.
“My love you contradict every body,” said his wife with her usual laugh. “Do you know that you are quite rude?”
“I did not know I contradicted any body in calling your mother ill-bred.”
“Ay, you may abuse me as you please,” said the good-natured old lady, “you have taken Charlotte off my hands, and cannot give her back again. So there I have the whip hand of you.”
Charlotte laughed heartily to think that her husband could not get rid of her; and exultingly said, she did not care how cross he was to her, as they must live together. It was impossible for any one to be more thoroughly good-natured, or more determined to be happy than Mrs. Palmer. The studied indifference, insolence, and discontent of her husband gave her no pain; and when he scolded or abused her, she was highly diverted.
“Mr. Palmer is so droll!” said she, in a whisper, to Elinor. “He is always out of humour.”
Elinor was not inclined, after a little observation, to give him credit for being so genuinely and unaffectedly ill-natured or ill-bred as he wished to appear. His temper might perhaps be a little soured by finding, like many others of his sex, that through some unaccountable bias in favour of beauty, he was the husband of a very silly woman,—but she knew that this kind of blunder was too common for any sensible man to be lastingly hurt by it.— It was rather a wish of distinction, she believed, which produced his contemptuous treatment of every body, and his general abuse of every thing before him. It was the desire of appearing superior to other people. The motive was too common to be wondered at; but the means, however they might succeed by establishing his superiority in ill-breeding, were not likely to attach any one to him except his wife.
“Oh, my dear Miss Dashwood,” said Mrs. Palmer soon afterwards, “I have got such a favour to ask of you and your sister. Will you come and spend some time at Cleveland this Christmas? Now, pray do,—and come while the Westons are with us. You cannot think how happy I shall be! It will be quite delightful!—My love,” applying to her husband, “don’t you long to have the Miss Dashwoods come to Cleveland?”
“Certainly,” he replied, with a sneer—”I came into Devonshire with no other view.”
“There now,”—said his lady, “you see Mr. Palmer expects you; so you cannot refuse to come.”
They both eagerly and resolutely declined her invitation.
“But indeed you must and shall come. I am sure you will like it of all things. The Westons will be with us, and it will be quite delightful. You cannot think what a sweet place
Cleveland is; and we are so gay now, for Mr. Palmer is always going about the country canvassing against the election; and so many people came to dine with us that I never saw before, it is quite charming! But, poor fellow! it is very fatiguing to him! for he is forced to make every body like him.”
Elinor could hardly keep her countenance as she assented to the hardship of such an obligation.
“How charming it will be,” said Charlotte, “when he is in Parliament!—won’t it? How I shall laugh! It will be so ridiculous to see all his letters directed to him with an M.P.—But do you know, he says, he will never frank for me? He declares he won’t. Don’t you, Mr. Palmer?”
Mr. Palmer took no notice of her.
“He cannot bear writing, you know,” she continued—”he says it is quite shocking.”
“No,” said he, “I never said any thing so irrational. Don’t palm all your abuses of languages upon me.”
“There now; you see how droll he is. This is always the way with him! Sometimes he won’t speak to me for half a day together, and then he comes out with something so droll—all about any thing in the world.”
She surprised Elinor very much as they returned into the drawing-room, by asking her whether she did not like Mr. Palmer excessively.
“Certainly,” said Elinor; “he seems very agreeable.”
“Well—I am so glad you do. I thought you would, he is so pleasant; and Mr. Palmer is excessively pleased with you and your sisters I can tell you, and you can’t think how
disappointed he will be if you don’t come to Cleveland.—I can’t imagine why you should object to it.”
Elinor was again obliged to decline her invitation; and by changing the subject, put a stop to her entreaties. She thought it probable that as they lived in the same county, Mrs. Palmer might be able to give some more particular account of Willoughby’s general character, than could be gathered from the Middletons’ partial acquaintance with him; and she was eager to gain from any one, such a confirmation of his merits as might remove the possibility of fear from Marianne. She began by inquiring if they saw much of Mr. Willoughby at Cleveland, and whether they were intimately acquainted with him.
“Oh dear, yes; I know him extremely well,” replied Mrs. Palmer;—”Not that I ever spoke to him, indeed; but I have seen him for ever in town. Somehow or other I never happened to be staying at Barton while he was at Allenham. Mama saw him here once before;—but I was with my uncle at Weymouth. However, I dare say we should have seen a great deal of him in Somersetshire, if it had not happened very unluckily that we should never have been in the country together. He is very little at Combe, I believe; but if he were ever so much there, I do not think Mr. Palmer would visit him, for he is in the opposition, you know, and besides it is such a way off. I know why you inquire about him, very well; your sister is to marry him. I am monstrous glad of it, for then I shall have her for a neighbour you know.”
“Upon my word,” replied Elinor, “you know much more of the matter than I do, if you have any reason to expect such a match.”
“Don’t pretend to deny it, because you know it is what every body talks of. I assure you I heard of it in my way through town.”
“My dear Mrs. Palmer!”
“Upon my honour I did.—I met Colonel Brandon Monday morning in Bond-street, just before we left town, and he told me of it directly.”
“You surprise me very much. Colonel Brandon tell you of it! Surely you must be mistaken. To give such intelligence to a person who could not be interested in it, even if it were true, is not what I should expect Colonel Brandon to do.”
“But I do assure you it was so, for all that, and I will tell you how it happened. When we met him, he turned back and walked with us; and so we began talking of my brother and sister, and one thing and another, and I said to him, ‘So, Colonel, there is a new family come to Barton cottage, I hear, and mama sends me word they are very pretty, and that one of them is going to be married to Mr. Willoughby of Combe Magna. Is it true, pray? for of course you must know, as you have been in Devonshire so lately.’”
“And what did the Colonel say?”
“Oh—he did not say much; but he looked as if he knew it to be true, so from that moment I set it down as certain. It will be quite delightful, I declare! When is it to take place?”
“Mr. Brandon was very well I hope?”
“Oh! yes, quite well; and so full of your praises, he did nothing but say fine things of you.”
“I am flattered by his commendation. He seems an excellent man; and I think him uncommonly pleasing.”
“So do I.—He is such a charming man, that it is quite a pity he should be so grave and so dull. Mamma says HE was in love with your sister too.— I assure you it was a great
compliment if he was, for he hardly ever falls in love with any body.”
“Is Mr. Willoughby much known in your part of Somersetshire?” said Elinor.
“Oh! yes, extremely well; that is, I do not believe many people are acquainted with him, because Combe Magna is so far off; but they all think him extremely agreeable I assure you. Nobody is more liked than Mr. Willoughby wherever he goes, and so you may tell your sister. She is a monstrous lucky girl to get him, upon my honour; not but that he is much more lucky in getting her, because she is so very handsome and agreeable, that nothing can be good enough for her. However, I don’t think her hardly at all handsomer than you, I assure you; for I think you both excessively pretty, and so does Mr. Palmer too I am sure, though we could not get him to own it last night.”
Mrs. Palmer’s information respecting Willoughby was not very material; but any testimony in his favour, however small, was pleasing to her.
“I am so glad we are got acquainted at last,” continued Charlotte.—”And now I hope we shall always be great friends. You can’t think how much I longed to see you! It is so delightful that you should live at the cottage! Nothing can be like it, to be sure! And I am so glad your sister is going to be well married! I hope you will be a great deal at Combe Magna. It is a sweet place, by all accounts.”
“You have been long acquainted with Colonel Brandon, have not you?”
“Yes, a great while; ever since my sister married.— He was a particular friend of Sir John’s. I believe,” she added in a low voice, “he would have been very glad to have had me, if he could. Sir John and Lady Middleton wished it very
much. But mama did not think the match good enough for me, otherwise Sir John would have mentioned it to the Colonel, and we should have been married immediately.”
“Did not Colonel Brandon know of Sir John’s proposal to your mother before it was made? Had he never owned his affection to yourself?”
“Oh, no; but if mama had not objected to it, I dare say he would have liked it of all things. He had not seen me then above twice, for it was before I left school. However, I am much happier as I am. Mr. Palmer is the kind of man I like.”
Ebd E-BooksDirectory.com
CHAPTER 21
The Palmers returned to Cleveland the next day, and the two families at Barton were again left to entertain each other. But this did not last long; Elinor had hardly got their last visitors out of her head, had hardly done wondering at Charlotte’s being so happy without a cause, at Mr. Palmer’s acting so simply, with good abilities, and at the strange unsuitableness which often existed between husband and wife, before Sir John’s and Mrs. Jennings’s active zeal in the cause of society, procured her some other new acquaintance to see and observe.
In a morning’s excursion to Exeter, they had met with two young ladies, whom Mrs. Jennings had the satisfaction of discovering to be her relations, and this was enough for Sir John to invite them directly to the park, as soon as their present engagements at Exeter were over. Their engagements at Exeter instantly gave way before such an invitation, and Lady Middleton was thrown into no little alarm on the return of Sir John, by hearing that she was very soon to receive a visit from two girls whom she had never seen in her life, and of whose elegance,—whose tolerable gentility even, she could have no proof; for the assurances of her husband and mother on that subject went for nothing at all. Their being her relations too made it so much the worse; and Mrs. Jennings’s attempts at consolation were therefore unfortunately founded, when she advised her daughter not to care about their being so fashionable; because they were all cousins and must put up with one another. As it was impossible, however, now to prevent their coming, Lady Middleton resigned herself to the idea of it, with all the philosophy of a
well-bred woman, contenting herself with merely giving her husband a gentle reprimand on the subject five or six times every day.
The young ladies arrived: their appearance was by no means ungenteel or unfashionable. Their dress was very smart, their manners very civil, they were delighted with the house, and in raptures with the furniture, and they happened to be so doatingly fond of children that Lady Middleton’s good opinion was engaged in their favour before they had been an hour at the Park. She declared them to be very agreeable girls indeed, which for her ladyship was enthusiastic admiration. Sir John’s confidence in his own judgment rose with this animated praise, and he set off directly for the cottage to tell the Miss Dashwoods of the Miss Steeles’ arrival, and to assure them of their being the sweetest girls in the world. From such commendation as this, however, there was not much to be learned; Elinor well knew that the sweetest girls in the world were to be met with in every part of England, under every possible variation of form, face, temper and understanding. Sir John wanted the whole family to walk to the Park directly and look at his guests. Benevolent, philanthropic man! It was painful to him even to keep a third cousin to himself.
“Do come now,” said he—”pray come—you must come—I declare you shall come—You can’t think how you will like them. Lucy is monstrous pretty, and so good humoured and agreeable! The children are all hanging about her already, as if she was an old acquaintance. And they both long to see you of all things, for they have heard at Exeter that you are the most beautiful creatures in the world; and I have told them it is all very true, and a great deal more. You will be delighted with them I am sure. They have brought the whole coach full of playthings for the children. How can you be so cross as not to come? Why they are your cousins, you know,
after a fashion. YOU are my cousins, and they are my wife’s, so you must be related.”
But Sir John could not prevail. He could only obtain a promise of their calling at the Park within a day or two, and then left them in amazement at their indifference, to walk home and boast anew of their attractions to the Miss Steeles, as he had been already boasting of the Miss Steeles to them.
When their promised visit to the Park and consequent introduction to these young ladies took place, they found in the appearance of the eldest, who was nearly thirty, with a very plain and not a sensible face, nothing to admire; but in the other, who was not more than two or three and twenty, they acknowledged considerable beauty; her features were pretty, and she had a sharp quick eye, and a smartness of air, which though it did not give actual elegance or grace, gave distinction to her person.— Their manners were particularly civil, and Elinor soon allowed them credit for some kind of sense, when she saw with what constant and judicious attention they were making themselves agreeable to Lady Middleton. With her children they were in continual raptures, extolling their beauty, courting their notice, and humouring their whims; and such of their time as could be spared from the importunate demands which this politeness made on it, was spent in admiration of whatever her ladyship was doing, if she happened to be doing any thing, or in taking patterns of some elegant new dress, in which her appearance the day before had thrown them into unceasing delight. Fortunately for those who pay their court through such foibles, a fond mother, though, in pursuit of praise for her children, the most rapacious of human beings, is likewise the most credulous; her demands are exorbitant; but she will swallow any thing; and the excessive affection and endurance of the Miss Steeles towards her offspring were viewed therefore by Lady Middleton without the smallest surprise or distrust. She saw with maternal complacency all the
impertinent encroachments and mischievous tricks to which her cousins submitted. She saw their sashes untied, their hair pulled about their ears, their work-bags searched, and their knives and scissors stolen away, and felt no doubt of its being a reciprocal enjoyment. It suggested no other surprise than that Elinor and Marianne should sit so composedly by, without claiming a share in what was passing.
“John is in such spirits today!” said she, on his taking Miss Steeles’s pocket handkerchief, and throwing it out of window—”He is full of monkey tricks.”
And soon afterwards, on the second boy’s violently pinching one of the same lady’s fingers, she fondly observed, “How playful William is!”
“And here is my sweet little Annamaria,” she added, tenderly caressing a little girl of three years old, who had not made a noise for the last two minutes; “And she is always so gentle and quiet—Never was there such a quiet little thing!”
But unfortunately in bestowing these embraces, a pin in her ladyship’s head dress slightly scratching the child’s neck, produced from this pattern of gentleness such violent screams, as could hardly be outdone by any creature professedly noisy. The mother’s consternation was excessive; but it could not surpass the alarm of the Miss Steeles, and every thing was done by all three, in so critical an emergency, which affection could suggest as likely to assuage the agonies of the little sufferer. She was seated in her mother’s lap, covered with kisses, her wound bathed with lavender-water, by one of the Miss Steeles, who was on her knees to attend her, and her mouth stuffed with sugar plums by the other. With such a reward for her tears, the child was too wise to cease crying. She still screamed and sobbed lustily, kicked her two brothers for offering to touch her, and all their united soothings were ineffectual till Lady Middleton
luckily remembering that in a scene of similar distress last week, some apricot marmalade had been successfully applied for a bruised temple, the same remedy was eagerly proposed for this unfortunate scratch, and a slight intermission of screams in the young lady on hearing it, gave them reason to hope that it would not be rejected.— She was carried out of the room therefore in her mother’s arms, in quest of this medicine, and as the two boys chose to follow, though earnestly entreated by their mother to stay behind, the four young ladies were left in a quietness which the room had not known for many hours.
“Poor little creatures!” said Miss Steele, as soon as they were gone. “It might have been a very sad accident.”
“Yet I hardly know how,” cried Marianne, “unless it had been under totally different circumstances. But this is the usual way of heightening alarm, where there is nothing to be alarmed at in reality.”
“What a sweet woman Lady Middleton is!” said Lucy Steele.
Marianne was silent; it was impossible for her to say what she did not feel, however trivial the occasion; and upon Elinor therefore the whole task of telling lies when politeness required it, always fell. She did her best when thus called on, by speaking of Lady Middleton with more warmth than she felt, though with far less than Miss Lucy.
“And Sir John too,” cried the elder sister, “what a charming man he is!”
Here too, Miss Dashwood’s commendation, being only simple and just, came in without any eclat. She merely observed that he was perfectly good humoured and friendly.
“And what a charming little family they have! I never saw such fine children in my life.—I declare I quite doat upon them already, and indeed I am always distractedly fond of children.”
“I should guess so,” said Elinor, with a smile, “from what I have witnessed this morning.”
“I have a notion,” said Lucy, “you think the little Middletons rather too much indulged; perhaps they may be the outside of enough; but it is so natural in Lady Middleton; and for my part, I love to see children full of life and spirits; I cannot bear them if they are tame and quiet.”
“I confess,” replied Elinor, “that while I am at Barton Park, I never think of tame and quiet children with any abhorrence.”
A short pause succeeded this speech, which was first broken by Miss Steele, who seemed very much disposed for conversation, and who now said rather abruptly, “And how do you like Devonshire, Miss Dashwood? I suppose you were very sorry to leave Sussex.”
In some surprise at the familiarity of this question, or at least of the manner in which it was spoken, Elinor replied that she was.
“Norland is a prodigious beautiful place, is not it?” added Miss Steele.
“We have heard Sir John admire it excessively,” said Lucy, who seemed to think some apology necessary for the freedom of her sister.
“I think every one MUST admire it,” replied Elinor, “who ever saw the place; though it is not to be supposed that any one can estimate its beauties as we do.”
“And had you a great many smart beaux there? I suppose you have not so many in this part of the world; for my part, I think they are a vast addition always.”
“But why should you think,” said Lucy, looking ashamed of her sister, “that there are not as many genteel young men in Devonshire as Sussex?”
“Nay, my dear, I’m sure I don’t pretend to say that there an’t. I’m sure there’s a vast many smart beaux in Exeter; but you know, how could I tell what smart beaux there might be about Norland; and I was only afraid the Miss Dashwoods might find it dull at Barton, if they had not so many as they used to have. But perhaps you young ladies may not care about the beaux, and had as lief be without them as with them. For my part, I think they are vastly agreeable, provided they dress smart and behave civil. But I can’t bear to see them dirty and nasty. Now there’s Mr. Rose at Exeter, a prodigious smart young man, quite a beau, clerk to Mr. Simpson, you know, and yet if you do but meet him of a morning, he is not fit to be seen.— I suppose your brother was quite a beau, Miss Dashwood, before he married, as he was so rich?”
“Upon my word,” replied Elinor, “I cannot tell you, for I do not perfectly comprehend the meaning of the word. But this I can say, that if he ever was a beau before he married, he is one still for there is not the smallest alteration in him.”
“Oh! dear! one never thinks of married men’s being beaux—they have something else to do.”
“Lord! Anne,” cried her sister, “you can talk of nothing but beaux;—you will make Miss Dashwood believe you think of nothing else.” And then to turn the discourse, she began admiring the house and the furniture.
This specimen of the Miss Steeles was enough. The vulgar freedom and folly of the eldest left her no recommendation, and as Elinor was not blinded by the beauty, or the shrewd look of the youngest, to her want of real elegance and artlessness, she left the house without any wish of knowing them better.
Not so the Miss Steeles.—They came from Exeter, well provided with admiration for the use of Sir John Middleton, his family, and all his relations, and no niggardly proportion was now dealt out to his fair cousins, whom they declared to be the most beautiful, elegant, accomplished, and agreeable girls they had ever beheld, and with whom they were particularly anxious to be better acquainted.— And to be better acquainted therefore, Elinor soon found was their inevitable lot, for as Sir John was entirely on the side of the Miss Steeles, their party would be too strong for opposition, and that kind of intimacy must be submitted to, which consists of sitting an hour or two together in the same room almost every day. Sir John could do no more; but he did not know that any more was required: to be together was, in his opinion, to be intimate, and while his continual schemes for their meeting were effectual, he had not a doubt of their being established friends.
To do him justice, he did every thing in his power to promote their unreserve, by making the Miss Steeles acquainted with whatever he knew or supposed of his cousins’ situations in the most delicate particulars,—and Elinor had not seen them more than twice, before the eldest of them wished her joy on her sister’s having been so lucky as to make a conquest of a very smart beau since she came to Barton.
“‘Twill be a fine thing to have her married so young to be sure,” said she, “and I hear he is quite a beau, and prodigious handsome. And I hope you may have as good luck yourself
soon,—but perhaps you may have a friend in the corner already.”
Elinor could not suppose that Sir John would be more nice in proclaiming his suspicions of her regard for Edward, than he had been with respect to Marianne; indeed it was rather his favourite joke of the two, as being somewhat newer and more conjectural; and since Edward’s visit, they had never dined together without his drinking to her best affections with so much significancy and so many nods and winks, as to excite general attention. The letter F—had been likewise invariably brought forward, and found productive of such countless jokes, that its character as the wittiest letter in the alphabet had been long established with Elinor.
The Miss Steeles, as she expected, had now all the benefit of these jokes, and in the eldest of them they raised a curiosity to know the name of the gentleman alluded to, which, though often impertinently expressed, was perfectly of a piece with her general inquisitiveness into the concerns of their family. But Sir John did not sport long with the curiosity which he delighted to raise, for he had at least as much pleasure in telling the name, as Miss Steele had in hearing it.
“His name is Ferrars,” said he, in a very audible whisper; “but pray do not tell it, for it’s a great secret.”
“Ferrars!” repeated Miss Steele; “Mr. Ferrars is the happy man, is he? What! your sister-in-law’s brother, Miss Dashwood? a very agreeable young man to be sure; I know him very well.”
“How can you say so, Anne?” cried Lucy, who generally made an amendment to all her sister’s assertions. “Though we have seen him once or twice at my uncle’s, it is rather too much to pretend to know him very well.”
Elinor heard all this with attention and surprise. “And who was this uncle? Where did he live? How came they acquainted?” She wished very much to have the subject continued, though she did not chuse to join in it herself; but nothing more of it was said, and for the first time in her life, she thought Mrs. Jennings deficient either in curiosity after petty information, or in a disposition to communicate it. The manner in which Miss Steele had spoken of Edward, increased her curiosity; for it struck her as being rather ill-natured, and suggested the suspicion of that lady’s knowing, or fancying herself to know something to his disadvantage.— But her curiosity was unavailing, for no farther notice was taken of Mr. Ferrars’s name by Miss Steele when alluded to, or even openly mentioned by Sir John.
Ebd E-BooksDirectory.com
CHAPTER 22
Marianne, who had never much toleration for any thing like impertinence, vulgarity, inferiority of parts, or even difference of taste from herself, was at this time particularly ill-disposed, from the state of her spirits, to be pleased with the Miss Steeles, or to encourage their advances; and to the invariable coldness of her behaviour towards them, which checked every endeavour at intimacy on their side, Elinor principally attributed that preference of herself which soon became evident in the manners of both, but especially of Lucy, who missed no opportunity of engaging her in conversation, or of striving to improve their acquaintance by an easy and frank communication of her sentiments.
Lucy was naturally clever; her remarks were often just and amusing; and as a companion for half an hour Elinor frequently found her agreeable; but her powers had received no aid from education: she was ignorant and illiterate; and her deficiency of all mental improvement, her want of information in the most common particulars, could not be concealed from Miss Dashwood, in spite of her constant endeavour to appear to advantage. Elinor saw, and pitied her for, the neglect of abilities which education might have rendered so respectable; but she saw, with less tenderness of feeling, the thorough want of delicacy, of rectitude, and integrity of mind, which her attentions, her assiduities, her flatteries at the Park betrayed; and she could have no lasting satisfaction in the company of a person who joined insincerity with ignorance; whose want of instruction prevented their meeting in conversation on terms of equality,
and whose conduct toward others made every shew of attention and deference towards herself perfectly valueless.
“You will think my question an odd one, I dare say,” said Lucy to her one day, as they were walking together from the park to the cottage—”but pray, are you personally acquainted with your sister-in-law’s mother, Mrs. Ferrars?”
Elinor DID think the question a very odd one, and her countenance expressed it, as she answered that she had never seen Mrs. Ferrars.
“Indeed!” replied Lucy; “I wonder at that, for I thought you must have seen her at Norland sometimes. Then, perhaps, you cannot tell me what sort of a woman she is?”
“No,” returned Elinor, cautious of giving her real opinion of Edward’s mother, and not very desirous of satisfying what seemed impertinent curiosity— “I know nothing of her.”
“I am sure you think me very strange, for enquiring about her in such a way,” said Lucy, eyeing Elinor attentively as she spoke; “but perhaps there may be reasons—I wish I might venture; but however I hope you will do me the justice of believing that I do not mean to be impertinent.”
Elinor made her a civil reply, and they walked on for a few minutes in silence. It was broken by Lucy, who renewed the subject again by saying, with some hesitation,
“I cannot bear to have you think me impertinently curious. I am sure I would rather do any thing in the world than be thought so by a person whose good opinion is so well worth having as yours. And I am sure I should not have the smallest fear of trusting YOU; indeed, I should be very glad of your advice how to manage in such and uncomfortable situation as I am; but, however, there is no
occasion to trouble YOU. I am sorry you do not happen to know Mrs. Ferrars.”
“I am sorry I do NOT,” said Elinor, in great astonishment, “if it could be of any use to YOU to know my opinion of her. But really I never understood that you were at all connected with that family, and therefore I am a little surprised, I confess, at so serious an inquiry into her character.”
“I dare say you are, and I am sure I do not at all wonder at it. But if I dared tell you all, you would not be so much surprised. Mrs. Ferrars is certainly nothing to me at present—but the time MAY come—how soon it will come must depend upon herself—when we may be very intimately connected.”
She looked down as she said this, amiably bashful, with only one side glance at her companion to observe its effect on her.
“Good heavens!” cried Elinor, “what do you mean? Are you acquainted with Mr. Robert Ferrars? Can you be?” And she did not feel much delighted with the idea of such a sister-in-law.
“No,” replied Lucy, “not to Mr. ROBERT Ferrars—I never saw him in my life; but,” fixing her eyes upon Elinor, “to his eldest brother.”
What felt Elinor at that moment? Astonishment, that would have been as painful as it was strong, had not an immediate disbelief of the assertion attended it. She turned towards Lucy in silent amazement, unable to divine the reason or object of such a declaration; and though her complexion varied, she stood firm in incredulity, and felt in no danger of an hysterical fit, or a swoon.
“You may well be surprised,” continued Lucy; “for to be sure you could have had no idea of it before; for I dare say he never dropped the smallest hint of it to you or any of your family; because it was always meant to be a great secret, and I am sure has been faithfully kept so by me to this hour. Not a soul of all my relations know of it but Anne, and I never should have mentioned it to you, if I had not felt the greatest dependence in the world upon your secrecy; and I really thought my behaviour in asking so many questions about Mrs. Ferrars must seem so odd, that it ought to be explained. And I do not think Mr. Ferrars can be displeased, when he knows I have trusted you, because I know he has the highest opinion in the world of all your family, and looks upon yourself and the other Miss Dashwoods quite as his own sisters.”—She paused.
Elinor for a few moments remained silent. Her astonishment at what she heard was at first too great for words; but at length forcing herself to speak, and to speak cautiously, she said, with calmness of manner, which tolerably well concealed her surprise and solicitude— “May I ask if your engagement is of long standing?”
“We have been engaged these four years.”
“Four years!”
“Yes.”
Elinor, though greatly shocked, still felt unable to believe it.
“I did not know,” said she, “that you were even acquainted till the other day.”
“Our acquaintance, however, is of many years date. He was under my uncle’s care, you know, a considerable while.”
“Your uncle!”
“Yes; Mr. Pratt. Did you never hear him talk of Mr. Pratt?”
“I think I have,” replied Elinor, with an exertion of spirits, which increased with her increase of emotion.
“He was four years with my uncle, who lives at Longstaple, near Plymouth. It was there our acquaintance begun, for my sister and me was often staying with my uncle, and it was there our engagement was formed, though not till a year after he had quitted as a pupil; but he was almost always with us afterwards. I was very unwilling to enter into it, as you may imagine, without the knowledge and approbation of his mother; but I was too young, and loved him too well, to be so prudent as I ought to have been.— Though you do not know him so well as me, Miss Dashwood, you must have seen enough of him to be sensible he is very capable of making a woman sincerely attached to him.”
“Certainly,” answered Elinor, without knowing what she said; but after a moment’s reflection, she added, with revived security of Edward’s honour and love, and her companion’s falsehood—”Engaged to Mr. Edward Ferrars!—I confess myself so totally surprised at what you tell me, that really—I beg your pardon; but surely there must be some mistake of person or name. We cannot mean the same Mr. Ferrars.”
“We can mean no other,” cried Lucy, smiling. “Mr. Edward Ferrars, the eldest son of Mrs. Ferrars, of Park Street, and brother of your sister-in-law, Mrs. John Dashwood, is the person I mean; you must allow that I am not likely to be deceived as to the name of the man on who all my happiness depends.”
“It is strange,” replied Elinor, in a most painful perplexity, “that I should never have heard him even mention your name.”
“No; considering our situation, it was not strange. Our first care has been to keep the matter secret.— You knew nothing of me, or my family, and, therefore, there could be no OCCASION for ever mentioning my name to you; and, as he was always particularly afraid of his sister’s suspecting any thing, THAT was reason enough for his not mentioning it.”
She was silent.—Elinor’s security sunk; but her self-command did not sink with it.
“Four years you have been engaged,” said she with a firm voice.
“Yes; and heaven knows how much longer we may have to wait. Poor Edward! It puts him quite out of heart.” Then taking a small miniature from her pocket, she added, “To prevent the possibility of mistake, be so good as to look at this face. It does not do him justice, to be sure, but yet I think you cannot be deceived as to the person it was drew for.—I have had it above these three years.”
She put it into her hands as she spoke; and when Elinor saw the painting, whatever other doubts her fear of a too hasty decision, or her wish of detecting falsehood might suffer to linger in her mind, she could have none of its being Edward’s face. She returned it almost instantly, acknowledging the likeness.
“I have never been able,” continued Lucy, “to give him my picture in return, which I am very much vexed at, for he has been always so anxious to get it! But I am determined to set for it the very first opportunity.”
“You are quite in the right,” replied Elinor calmly. They then proceeded a few paces in silence. Lucy spoke first.
“I am sure,” said she, “I have no doubt in the world of your faithfully keeping this secret, because you must know of what importance it is to us, not to have it reach his mother; for she would never approve of it, I dare say. I shall have no fortune, and I fancy she is an exceeding proud woman.”
“I certainly did not seek your confidence,” said Elinor; “but you do me no more than justice in imagining that I may be depended on. Your secret is safe with me; but pardon me if I express some surprise at so unnecessary a communication. You must at least have felt that my being acquainted with it could not add to its safety.”
As she said this, she looked earnestly at Lucy, hoping to discover something in her countenance; perhaps the falsehood of the greatest part of what she had been saying; but Lucy’s countenance suffered no change.
“I was afraid you would think I was taking a great liberty with you,” said she, “in telling you all this. I have not known you long to be sure, personally at least, but I have known you and all your family by description a great while; and as soon as I saw you, I felt almost as if you was an old acquaintance. Besides in the present case, I really thought some explanation was due to you after my making such particular inquiries about Edward’s mother; and I am so unfortunate, that I have not a creature whose advice I can ask. Anne is the only person that knows of it, and she has no judgment at all; indeed, she does me a great deal more harm than good, for I am in constant fear of her betraying me. She does not know how to hold her tongue, as you must perceive, and I am sure I was in the greatest fright in the world t’other day, when Edward’s name was mentioned by Sir John, lest she should out with it all. You can’t think how
much I go through in my mind from it altogether. I only wonder that I am alive after what I have suffered for Edward’s sake these last four years. Every thing in such suspense and uncertainty; and seeing him so seldom—we can hardly meet above twice a-year. I am sure I wonder my heart is not quite broke.”
Here she took out her handkerchief; but Elinor did not feel very compassionate.
“Sometimes.” continued Lucy, after wiping her eyes, “I think whether it would not be better for us both to break off the matter entirely.” As she said this, she looked directly at her companion. “But then at other times I have not resolution enough for it.— I cannot bear the thoughts of making him so miserable, as I know the very mention of such a thing would do. And on my own account too—so dear as he is to me—I don’t think I could be equal to it. What would you advise me to do in such a case, Miss Dashwood? What would you do yourself?”
“Pardon me,” replied Elinor, startled by the question; “but I can give you no advice under such circumstances. Your own judgment must direct you.”
“To be sure,” continued Lucy, after a few minutes silence on both sides, “his mother must provide for him sometime or other; but poor Edward is so cast down by it! Did you not think him dreadful low-spirited when he was at Barton? He was so miserable when he left us at Longstaple, to go to you, that I was afraid you would think him quite ill.”
“Did he come from your uncle’s, then, when he visited us?”
“Oh, yes; he had been staying a fortnight with us. Did you think he came directly from town?”
“No,” replied Elinor, most feelingly sensible of every fresh circumstance in favour of Lucy’s veracity; “I remember he told us, that he had been staying a fortnight with some friends near Plymouth.” She remembered too, her own surprise at the time, at his mentioning nothing farther of those friends, at his total silence with respect even to their names.
“Did not you think him sadly out of spirits?” repeated Lucy.
“We did, indeed, particularly so when he first arrived.”
“I begged him to exert himself for fear you should suspect what was the matter; but it made him so melancholy, not being able to stay more than a fortnight with us, and seeing me so much affected.— Poor fellow!—I am afraid it is just the same with him now; for he writes in wretched spirits. I heard from him just before I left Exeter;” taking a letter from her pocket and carelessly showing the direction to Elinor. “You know his hand, I dare say, a charming one it is; but that is not written so well as usual.— He was tired, I dare say, for he had just filled the sheet to me as full as possible.”
Elinor saw that it WAS his hand, and she could doubt no longer. This picture, she had allowed herself to believe, might have been accidentally obtained; it might not have been Edward’s gift; but a correspondence between them by letter, could subsist only under a positive engagement, could be authorised by nothing else; for a few moments, she was almost overcome—her heart sunk within her, and she could hardly stand; but exertion was indispensably necessary; and she struggled so resolutely against the oppression of her feelings, that her success was speedy, and for the time complete.
“Writing to each other,” said Lucy, returning the letter into her pocket, “is the only comfort we have in such long separations. Yes, I have one other comfort in his picture, but poor Edward has not even THAT. If he had but my picture, he says he should be easy. I gave him a lock of my hair set in a ring when he was at Longstaple last, and that was some comfort to him, he said, but not equal to a picture. Perhaps you might notice the ring when you saw him?”
“I did,” said Elinor, with a composure of voice, under which was concealed an emotion and distress beyond any thing she had ever felt before. She was mortified, shocked, confounded.
Fortunately for her, they had now reached the cottage, and the conversation could be continued no farther. After sitting with them a few minutes, the Miss Steeles returned to the Park, and Elinor was then at liberty to think and be wretched.
[At this point in the first and second editions, Volume 1 ends.]
Ebd E-BooksDirectory.com
CHAPTER 23
However small Elinor’s general dependence on Lucy’s veracity might be, it was impossible for her on serious reflection to suspect it in the present case, where no temptation could be answerable to the folly of inventing a falsehood of such a description. What Lucy had asserted to be true, therefore, Elinor could not, dared not longer doubt; supported as it was too on every side by such probabilities and proofs, and contradicted by nothing but her own wishes. Their opportunity of acquaintance in the house of Mr. Pratt was a foundation for the rest, at once indisputable and alarming; and Edward’s visit near Plymouth, his melancholy state of mind, his dissatisfaction at his own prospects, his uncertain behaviour towards herself, the intimate knowledge of the Miss Steeles as to Norland and their family connections, which had often surprised her, the picture, the letter, the ring, formed altogether such a body of evidence, as overcame every fear of condemning him unfairly, and established as a fact, which no partiality could set aside, his ill-treatment of herself.—Her resentment of such behaviour, her indignation at having been its dupe, for a short time made her feel only for herself; but other ideas, other considerations, soon arose. Had Edward been intentionally deceiving her? Had he feigned a regard for her which he did not feel? Was his engagement to Lucy an engagement of the heart? No; whatever it might once have been, she could not believe it such at present. His affection was all her own. She could not be deceived in that. Her mother, sisters, Fanny, all had been conscious of his regard for her at Norland; it was not an illusion of her own vanity. He certainly loved her. What a softener of the heart was this persuasion! How much
could it not tempt her to forgive! He had been blamable, highly blamable, in remaining at Norland after he first felt her influence over him to be more than it ought to be. In that, he could not be defended; but if he had injured her, how much more had he injured himself; if her case were pitiable, his was hopeless. His imprudence had made her miserable for a while; but it seemed to have deprived himself of all chance of ever being otherwise. She might in time regain tranquillity; but HE, what had he to look forward to? Could he ever be tolerably happy with Lucy Steele; could he, were his affection for herself out of the question, with his integrity, his delicacy, and well-informed mind, be satisfied with a wife like her—illiterate, artful, and selfish?
The youthful infatuation of nineteen would naturally blind him to every thing but her beauty and good nature; but the four succeeding years—years, which if rationally spent, give such improvement to the understanding, must have opened his eyes to her defects of education, while the same period of time, spent on her side in inferior society and more frivolous pursuits, had perhaps robbed her of that simplicity which might once have given an interesting character to her beauty.
If in the supposition of his seeking to marry herself, his difficulties from his mother had seemed great, how much greater were they now likely to be, when the object of his engagement was undoubtedly inferior in connections, and probably inferior in fortune to herself. These difficulties, indeed, with a heart so alienated from Lucy, might not press very hard upon his patience; but melancholy was the state of the person by whom the expectation of family opposition and unkindness, could be felt as a relief!
As these considerations occurred to her in painful succession, she wept for him, more than for herself. Supported by the conviction of having done nothing to merit
her present unhappiness, and consoled by the belief that Edward had done nothing to forfeit her esteem, she thought she could even now, under the first smart of the heavy blow, command herself enough to guard every suspicion of the truth from her mother and sisters. And so well was she able to answer her own expectations, that when she joined them at dinner only two hours after she had first suffered the extinction of all her dearest hopes, no one would have supposed from the appearance of the sisters, that Elinor was mourning in secret over obstacles which must divide her for ever from the object of her love, and that Marianne was internally dwelling on the perfections of a man, of whose whole heart she felt thoroughly possessed, and whom she expected to see in every carriage which drove near their house.
The necessity of concealing from her mother and Marianne, what had been entrusted in confidence to herself, though it obliged her to unceasing exertion, was no aggravation of Elinor’s distress. On the contrary it was a relief to her, to be spared the communication of what would give such affliction to them, and to be saved likewise from hearing that condemnation of Edward, which would probably flow from the excess of their partial affection for herself, and which was more than she felt equal to support.
From their counsel, or their conversation, she knew she could receive no assistance, their tenderness and sorrow must add to her distress, while her self-command would neither receive encouragement from their example nor from their praise. She was stronger alone, and her own good sense so well supported her, that her firmness was as unshaken, her appearance of cheerfulness as invariable, as with regrets so poignant and so fresh, it was possible for them to be.
Much as she had suffered from her first conversation with Lucy on the subject, she soon felt an earnest wish of
renewing it; and this for more reasons than one. She wanted to hear many particulars of their engagement repeated again, she wanted more clearly to understand what Lucy really felt for Edward, whether there were any sincerity in her declaration of tender regard for him, and she particularly wanted to convince Lucy, by her readiness to enter on the matter again, and her calmness in conversing on it, that she was no otherwise interested in it than as a friend, which she very much feared her involuntary agitation, in their morning discourse, must have left at least doubtful. That Lucy was disposed to be jealous of her appeared very probable: it was plain that Edward had always spoken highly in her praise, not merely from Lucy’s assertion, but from her venturing to trust her on so short a personal acquaintance, with a secret so confessedly and evidently important. And even Sir John’s joking intelligence must have had some weight. But indeed, while Elinor remained so well assured within herself of being really beloved by Edward, it required no other consideration of probabilities to make it natural that Lucy should be jealous; and that she was so, her very confidence was a proof. What other reason for the disclosure of the affair could there be, but that Elinor might be informed by it of Lucy’s superior claims on Edward, and be taught to avoid him in future? She had little difficulty in understanding thus much of her rival’s intentions, and while she was firmly resolved to act by her as every principle of honour and honesty directed, to combat her own affection for Edward and to see him as little as possible; she could not deny herself the comfort of endeavouring to convince Lucy that her heart was unwounded. And as she could now have nothing more painful to hear on the subject than had already been told, she did not mistrust her own ability of going through a repetition of particulars with composure.
But it was not immediately that an opportunity of doing so could be commanded, though Lucy was as well disposed as herself to take advantage of any that occurred; for the
weather was not often fine enough to allow of their joining in a walk, where they might most easily separate themselves from the others; and though they met at least every other evening either at the park or cottage, and chiefly at the former, they could not be supposed to meet for the sake of conversation. Such a thought would never enter either Sir John or Lady Middleton’s head; and therefore very little leisure was ever given for a general chat, and none at all for particular discourse. They met for the sake of eating, drinking, and laughing together, playing at cards, or consequences, or any other game that was sufficiently noisy.
One or two meetings of this kind had taken place, without affording Elinor any chance of engaging Lucy in private, when Sir John called at the cottage one morning, to beg, in the name of charity, that they would all dine with Lady Middleton that day, as he was obliged to attend the club at Exeter, and she would otherwise be quite alone, except her mother and the two Miss Steeles. Elinor, who foresaw a fairer opening for the point she had in view, in such a party as this was likely to be, more at liberty among themselves under the tranquil and well-bred direction of Lady Middleton than when her husband united them together in one noisy purpose, immediately accepted the invitation; Margaret, with her mother’s permission, was equally compliant, and Marianne, though always unwilling to join any of their parties, was persuaded by her mother, who could not bear to have her seclude herself from any chance of amusement, to go likewise.
The young ladies went, and Lady Middleton was happily preserved from the frightful solitude which had threatened her. The insipidity of the meeting was exactly such as Elinor had expected; it produced not one novelty of thought or expression, and nothing could be less interesting than the whole of their discourse both in the dining parlour and drawing room: to the latter, the children accompanied them,
and while they remained there, she was too well convinced of the impossibility of engaging Lucy’s attention to attempt it. They quitted it only with the removal of the tea-things. The card-table was then placed, and Elinor began to wonder at herself for having ever entertained a hope of finding time for conversation at the park. They all rose up in preparation for a round game.
“I am glad,” said Lady Middleton to Lucy, “you are not going to finish poor little Annamaria’s basket this evening; for I am sure it must hurt your eyes to work filigree by candlelight. And we will make the dear little love some amends for her disappointment to-morrow, and then I hope she will not much mind it.”
This hint was enough, Lucy recollected herself instantly and replied, “Indeed you are very much mistaken, Lady Middleton; I am only waiting to know whether you can make your party without me, or I should have been at my filigree already. I would not disappoint the little angel for all the world: and if you want me at the card-table now, I am resolved to finish the basket after supper.”
“You are very good, I hope it won’t hurt your eyes—will you ring the bell for some working candles? My poor little girl would be sadly disappointed, I know, if the basket was not finished tomorrow, for though I told her it certainly would not, I am sure she depends upon having it done.”
Lucy directly drew her work table near her and reseated herself with an alacrity and cheerfulness which seemed to infer that she could taste no greater delight than in making a filigree basket for a spoilt child.
Lady Middleton proposed a rubber of Casino to the others. No one made any objection but Marianne, who with her usual inattention to the forms of general civility,
exclaimed, “Your Ladyship will have the goodness to excuse ME—you know I detest cards. I shall go to the piano-forte; I have not touched it since it was tuned.” And without farther ceremony, she turned away and walked to the instrument.
Lady Middleton looked as if she thanked heaven that SHE had never made so rude a speech.
“Marianne can never keep long from that instrument you know, ma’am,” said Elinor, endeavouring to smooth away the offence; “and I do not much wonder at it; for it is the very best toned piano-forte I ever heard.”
The remaining five were now to draw their cards.
“Perhaps,” continued Elinor, “if I should happen to cut out, I may be of some use to Miss Lucy Steele, in rolling her papers for her; and there is so much still to be done to the basket, that it must be impossible I think for her labour singly, to finish it this evening. I should like the work exceedingly, if she would allow me a share in it.”
“Indeed I shall be very much obliged to you for your help,” cried Lucy, “for I find there is more to be done to it than I thought there was; and it would be a shocking thing to disappoint dear Annamaria after all.”
“Oh! that would be terrible, indeed,” said Miss Steele— “Dear little soul, how I do love her!”
“You are very kind,” said Lady Middleton to Elinor; “and as you really like the work, perhaps you will be as well pleased not to cut in till another rubber, or will you take your chance now?”
Elinor joyfully profited by the first of these proposals, and thus by a little of that address which Marianne could never condescend to practise, gained her own end, and
pleased Lady Middleton at the same time. Lucy made room for her with ready attention, and the two fair rivals were thus seated side by side at the same table, and, with the utmost harmony, engaged in forwarding the same work. The pianoforte at which Marianne, wrapped up in her own music and her own thoughts, had by this time forgotten that any body was in the room besides herself, was luckily so near them that Miss Dashwood now judged she might safely, under the shelter of its noise, introduce the interesting subject, without any risk of being heard at the card-table.
Ebd E-BooksDirectory.com
CHAPTER 24
In a firm, though cautious tone, Elinor thus began.
“I should be undeserving of the confidence you have honoured me with, if I felt no desire for its continuance, or no farther curiosity on its subject. I will not apologize therefore for bringing it forward again.”
“Thank you,” cried Lucy warmly, “for breaking the ice; you have set my heart at ease by it; for I was somehow or other afraid I had offended you by what I told you that Monday.”
“Offended me! How could you suppose so? Believe me,” and Elinor spoke it with the truest sincerity, “nothing could be farther from my intention than to give you such an idea. Could you have a motive for the trust, that was not honourable and flattering to me?”
“And yet I do assure you,” replied Lucy, her little sharp eyes full of meaning, “there seemed to me to be a coldness and displeasure in your manner that made me quite uncomfortable. I felt sure that you was angry with me; and have been quarrelling with myself ever since, for having took such a liberty as to trouble you with my affairs. But I am very glad to find it was only my own fancy, and that you really do not blame me. If you knew what a consolation it was to me to relieve my heart speaking to you of what I am
always thinking of every moment of my life, your compassion would make you overlook every thing else I am sure.”
“Indeed, I can easily believe that it was a very great relief to you, to acknowledge your situation to me, and be assured that you shall never have reason to repent it. Your case is a very unfortunate one; you seem to me to be surrounded with difficulties, and you will have need of all your mutual affection to support you under them. Mr. Ferrars, I believe, is entirely dependent on his mother.”
“He has only two thousand pounds of his own; it would be madness to marry upon that, though for my own part, I could give up every prospect of more without a sigh. I have been always used to a very small income, and could struggle with any poverty for him; but I love him too well to be the selfish means of robbing him, perhaps, of all that his mother might give him if he married to please her. We must wait, it may be for many years. With almost every other man in the world, it would be an alarming prospect; but Edward’s affection and constancy nothing can deprive me of I know.”
“That conviction must be every thing to you; and he is undoubtedly supported by the same trust in your’s. If the strength of your reciprocal attachment had failed, as between many people, and under many circumstances it naturally would during a four years’ engagement, your situation would have been pitiable, indeed.”
Lucy here looked up; but Elinor was careful in guarding her countenance from every expression that could give her words a suspicious tendency.
“Edward’s love for me,” said Lucy, “has been pretty well put to the test, by our long, very long absence since we were first engaged, and it has stood the trial so well, that I should be unpardonable to doubt it now. I can safely say that he has
never gave me one moment’s alarm on that account from the first.”
Elinor hardly knew whether to smile or sigh at this assertion.
Lucy went on. “I am rather of a jealous temper too by nature, and from our different situations in life, from his being so much more in the world than me, and our continual separation, I was enough inclined for suspicion, to have found out the truth in an instant, if there had been the slightest alteration in his behaviour to me when we met, or any lowness of spirits that I could not account for, or if he had talked more of one lady than another, or seemed in any respect less happy at Longstaple than he used to be. I do not mean to say that I am particularly observant or quick-sighted in general, but in such a case I am sure I could not be deceived.”
“All this,” thought Elinor, “is very pretty; but it can impose upon neither of us.”
“But what,” said she after a short silence, “are your views? or have you none but that of waiting for Mrs. Ferrars’s death, which is a melancholy and shocking extremity?—Is her son determined to submit to this, and to all the tediousness of the many years of suspense in which it may involve you, rather than run the risk of her displeasure for a while by owning the truth?”
“If we could be certain that it would be only for a while! But Mrs. Ferrars is a very headstrong proud woman, and in her first fit of anger upon hearing it, would very likely secure every thing to Robert, and the idea of that, for Edward’s sake, frightens away all my inclination for hasty measures.”
“And for your own sake too, or you are carrying your disinterestedness beyond reason.”
Lucy looked at Elinor again, and was silent.
“Do you know Mr. Robert Ferrars?” asked Elinor.
“Not at all—I never saw him; but I fancy he is very unlike his brother—silly and a great coxcomb.”
“A great coxcomb!” repeated Miss Steele, whose ear had caught those words by a sudden pause in Marianne’s music.— “Oh, they are talking of their favourite beaux, I dare say.”
“No sister,” cried Lucy, “you are mistaken there, our favourite beaux are NOT great coxcombs.”
“I can answer for it that Miss Dashwood’s is not,” said Mrs. Jennings, laughing heartily; “for he is one of the modestest, prettiest behaved young men I ever saw; but as for Lucy, she is such a sly little creature, there is no finding out who SHE likes.”
“Oh,” cried Miss Steele, looking significantly round at them, “I dare say Lucy’s beau is quite as modest and pretty behaved as Miss Dashwood’s.”
Elinor blushed in spite of herself. Lucy bit her lip, and looked angrily at her sister. A mutual silence took place for some time. Lucy first put an end to it by saying in a lower tone, though Marianne was then giving them the powerful protection of a very magnificent concerto—
“I will honestly tell you of one scheme which has lately come into my head, for bringing matters to bear; indeed I am bound to let you into the secret, for you are a party concerned. I dare say you have seen enough of Edward to know that he would prefer the church to every other profession; now my plan is that he should take orders as soon as he can, and then through your interest, which I am
sure you would be kind enough to use out of friendship for him, and I hope out of some regard to me, your brother might be persuaded to give him Norland living; which I understand is a very good one, and the present incumbent not likely to live a great while. That would be enough for us to marry upon, and we might trust to time and chance for the rest.”
“I should always be happy,” replied Elinor, “to show any mark of my esteem and friendship for Mr. Ferrars; but do you not perceive that my interest on such an occasion would be perfectly unnecessary? He is brother to Mrs. John Dashwood—THAT must be recommendation enough to her husband.”
“But Mrs. John Dashwood would not much approve of Edward’s going into orders.”
“Then I rather suspect that my interest would do very little.”
They were again silent for many minutes. At length Lucy exclaimed with a deep sigh,
“I believe it would be the wisest way to put an end to the business at once by dissolving the engagement. We seem so beset with difficulties on every side, that though it would make us miserable for a time, we should be happier perhaps in the end. But you will not give me your advice, Miss Dashwood?”
“No,” answered Elinor, with a smile, which concealed very agitated feelings, “on such a subject I certainly will not. You know very well that my opinion would have no weight with you, unless it were on the side of your wishes.”
“Indeed you wrong me,” replied Lucy, with great solemnity; “I know nobody of whose judgment I think so
highly as I do of yours; and I do really believe, that if you was to say to me, ‘I advise you by all means to put an end to your engagement with Edward Ferrars, it will be more for the happiness of both of you,’ I should resolve upon doing it immediately.”
Elinor blushed for the insincerity of Edward’s future wife, and replied, “This compliment would effectually frighten me from giving any opinion on the subject had I formed one. It raises my influence much too high; the power of dividing two people so tenderly attached is too much for an indifferent person.”
“‘Tis because you are an indifferent person,” said Lucy, with some pique, and laying a particular stress on those words, “that your judgment might justly have such weight with me. If you could be supposed to be biased in any respect by your own feelings, your opinion would not be worth having.”
Elinor thought it wisest to make no answer to this, lest they might provoke each other to an unsuitable increase of ease and unreserve; and was even partly determined never to mention the subject again. Another pause therefore of many minutes’ duration, succeeded this speech, and Lucy was still the first to end it.
“Shall you be in town this winter, Miss Dashwood?” said she with all her accustomary complacency.
“Certainly not.”
“I am sorry for that,” returned the other, while her eyes brightened at the information, “it would have gave me such pleasure to meet you there! But I dare say you will go for all that. To be sure, your brother and sister will ask you to come to them.”
“It will not be in my power to accept their invitation if they do.”
“How unlucky that is! I had quite depended upon meeting you there. Anne and me are to go the latter end of January to some relations who have been wanting us to visit them these several years! But I only go for the sake of seeing Edward. He will be there in February, otherwise London would have no charms for me; I have not spirits for it.”
Elinor was soon called to the card-table by the conclusion of the first rubber, and the confidential discourse of the two ladies was therefore at an end, to which both of them submitted without any reluctance, for nothing had been said on either side to make them dislike each other less than they had done before; and Elinor sat down to the card table with the melancholy persuasion that Edward was not only without affection for the person who was to be his wife; but that he had not even the chance of being tolerably happy in marriage, which sincere affection on HER side would have given, for self-interest alone could induce a woman to keep a man to an engagement, of which she seemed so thoroughly aware that he was weary.
From this time the subject was never revived by Elinor, and when entered on by Lucy, who seldom missed an opportunity of introducing it, and was particularly careful to inform her confidante, of her happiness whenever she received a letter from Edward, it was treated by the former with calmness and caution, and dismissed as soon as civility would allow; for she felt such conversations to be an indulgence which Lucy did not deserve, and which were dangerous to herself.
The visit of the Miss Steeles at Barton Park was lengthened far beyond what the first invitation implied. Their favour increased; they could not be spared; Sir John
would not hear of their going; and in spite of their numerous and long arranged engagements in Exeter, in spite of the absolute necessity of returning to fulfill them immediately, which was in full force at the end of every week, they were prevailed on to stay nearly two months at the park, and to assist in the due celebration of that festival which requires a more than ordinary share of private balls and large dinners to proclaim its importance.
Ebd E-BooksDirectory.com
CHAPTER 25
Though Mrs. Jennings was in the habit of spending a large portion of the year at the houses of her children and friends, she was not without a settled habitation of her own. Since the death of her husband, who had traded with success in a less elegant part of the town, she had resided every winter in a house in one of the streets near Portman Square. Towards this home, she began on the approach of January to turn her thoughts, and thither she one day abruptly, and very unexpectedly by them, asked the elder Misses Dashwood to accompany her. Elinor, without observing the varying complexion of her sister, and the animated look which spoke no indifference to the plan, immediately gave a grateful but absolute denial for both, in which she believed herself to be speaking their united inclinations. The reason alleged was their determined resolution of not leaving their mother at that time of the year. Mrs. Jennings received the refusal with some surprise, and repeated her invitation immediately.
“Oh, Lord! I am sure your mother can spare you very well, and I DO beg you will favour me with your company, for I’ve quite set my heart upon it. Don’t fancy that you will be any inconvenience to me, for I shan’t put myself at all out of my way for you. It will only be sending Betty by the coach, and I hope I can afford THAT. We three shall be able to go very well in my chaise; and when we are in town, if you do not like to go wherever I do, well and good, you may always go with one of my daughters. I am sure your mother
will not object to it; for I have had such good luck in getting my own children off my hands that she will think me a very fit person to have the charge of you; and if I don’t get one of you at least well married before I have done with you, it shall not be my fault. I shall speak a good word for you to all the young men, you may depend upon it.”
“I have a notion,” said Sir John, “that Miss Marianne would not object to such a scheme, if her elder sister would come into it. It is very hard indeed that she should not have a little pleasure, because Miss Dashwood does not wish it. So I would advise you two, to set off for town, when you are tired of Barton, without saying a word to Miss Dashwood about it.”
“Nay,” cried Mrs. Jennings, “I am sure I shall be monstrous glad of Miss Marianne’s company, whether Miss Dashwood will go or not, only the more the merrier say I, and I thought it would be more comfortable for them to be together; because, if they got tired of me, they might talk to one another, and laugh at my old ways behind my back. But one or the other, if not both of them, I must have. Lord bless me! how do you think I can live poking by myself, I who have been always used till this winter to have Charlotte with me. Come, Miss Marianne, let us strike hands upon the bargain, and if Miss Dashwood will change her mind by and bye, why so much the better.”
“I thank you, ma’am, sincerely thank you,” said Marianne, with warmth: “your invitation has insured my gratitude for ever, and it would give me such happiness, yes, almost the greatest happiness I am capable of, to be able to accept it. But my mother, my dearest, kindest mother,—I feel the justice of what Elinor has urged, and if she were to be made less happy, less comfortable by our absence—Oh! no, nothing should tempt me to leave her. It should not, must not be a struggle.”
Mrs. Jennings repeated her assurance that Mrs. Dashwood could spare them perfectly well; and Elinor, who now understood her sister, and saw to what indifference to almost every thing else she was carried by her eagerness to be with Willoughby again, made no farther direct opposition to the plan, and merely referred it to her mother’s decision, from whom however she scarcely expected to receive any support in her endeavour to prevent a visit, which she could not approve of for Marianne, and which on her own account she had particular reasons to avoid. Whatever Marianne was desirous of, her mother would be eager to promote—she could not expect to influence the latter to cautiousness of conduct in an affair respecting which she had never been able to inspire her with distrust; and she dared not explain the motive of her own disinclination for going to London. That Marianne, fastidious as she was, thoroughly acquainted with Mrs. Jennings’ manners, and invariably disgusted by them, should overlook every inconvenience of that kind, should disregard whatever must be most wounding to her irritable feelings, in her pursuit of one object, was such a proof, so strong, so full, of the importance of that object to her, as Elinor, in spite of all that had passed, was not prepared to witness.
On being informed of the invitation, Mrs. Dashwood, persuaded that such an excursion would be productive of much amusement to both her daughters, and perceiving through all her affectionate attention to herself, how much the heart of Marianne was in it, would not hear of their declining the offer upon HER account; insisted on their both accepting it directly; and then began to foresee, with her usual cheerfulness, a variety of advantages that would accrue to them all, from this separation.
“I am delighted with the plan,” she cried, “it is exactly what I could wish. Margaret and I shall be as much benefited by it as yourselves. When you and the Middletons are gone,
we shall go on so quietly and happily together with our books and our music! You will find Margaret so improved when you come back again! I have a little plan of alteration for your bedrooms too, which may now be performed without any inconvenience to any one. It is very right that you SHOULD go to town; I would have every young woman of your condition in life acquainted with the manners and amusements of London. You will be under the care of a motherly good sort of woman, of whose kindness to you I can have no doubt. And in all probability you will see your brother, and whatever may be his faults, or the faults of his wife, when I consider whose son he is, I cannot bear to have you so wholly estranged from each other.”
“Though with your usual anxiety for our happiness,” said Elinor, “you have been obviating every impediment to the present scheme which occurred to you, there is still one objection which, in my opinion, cannot be so easily removed.”
Marianne’s countenance sunk.
“And what,” said Mrs. Dashwood, “is my dear prudent Elinor going to suggest? What formidable obstacle is she now to bring forward? Do let me hear a word about the expense of it.”
“My objection is this; though I think very well of Mrs. Jennings’s heart, she is not a woman whose society can afford us pleasure, or whose protection will give us consequence.”
“That is very true,” replied her mother, “but of her society, separately from that of other people, you will scarcely have any thing at all, and you will almost always appear in public with Lady Middleton.”
“If Elinor is frightened away by her dislike of Mrs. Jennings,” said Marianne, “at least it need not prevent MY accepting her invitation. I have no such scruples, and I am sure I could put up with every unpleasantness of that kind with very little effort.”
Elinor could not help smiling at this display of indifference towards the manners of a person, to whom she had often had difficulty in persuading Marianne to behave with tolerable politeness; and resolved within herself, that if her sister persisted in going, she would go likewise, as she did not think it proper that Marianne should be left to the sole guidance of her own judgment, or that Mrs. Jennings should be abandoned to the mercy of Marianne for all the comfort of her domestic hours. To this determination she was the more easily reconciled, by recollecting that Edward Ferrars, by Lucy’s account, was not to be in town before February; and that their visit, without any unreasonable abridgement, might be previously finished.
“I will have you BOTH go,” said Mrs. Dashwood; “these objections are nonsensical. You will have much pleasure in being in London, and especially in being together; and if Elinor would ever condescend to anticipate enjoyment, she would foresee it there from a variety of sources; she would, perhaps, expect some from improving her acquaintance with her sister-in-law’s family.”
Elinor had often wished for an opportunity of attempting to weaken her mother’s dependence on the attachment of Edward and herself, that the shock might be less when the whole truth were revealed, and now on this attack, though almost hopeless of success, she forced herself to begin her design by saying, as calmly as she could, “I like Edward Ferrars very much, and shall always be glad to see him; but as to the rest of the family, it is a matter of perfect
indifference to me, whether I am ever known to them or not.”
Mrs. Dashwood smiled, and said nothing. Marianne lifted up her eyes in astonishment, and Elinor conjectured that she might as well have held her tongue.
After very little farther discourse, it was finally settled that the invitation should be fully accepted. Mrs. Jennings received the information with a great deal of joy, and many assurances of kindness and care; nor was it a matter of pleasure merely to her. Sir John was delighted; for to a man, whose prevailing anxiety was the dread of being alone, the acquisition of two, to the number of inhabitants in London, was something. Even Lady Middleton took the trouble of being delighted, which was putting herself rather out of her way; and as for the Miss Steeles, especially Lucy, they had never been so happy in their lives as this intelligence made them.
Elinor submitted to the arrangement which counteracted her wishes with less reluctance than she had expected to feel. With regard to herself, it was now a matter of unconcern whether she went to town or not, and when she saw her mother so thoroughly pleased with the plan, and her sister exhilarated by it in look, voice, and manner, restored to all her usual animation, and elevated to more than her usual gaiety, she could not be dissatisfied with the cause, and would hardly allow herself to distrust the consequence.
Marianne’s joy was almost a degree beyond happiness, so great was the perturbation of her spirits and her impatience to be gone. Her unwillingness to quit her mother was her only restorative to calmness; and at the moment of parting her grief on that score was excessive. Her mother’s affliction was hardly less, and Elinor was the only one of the three,
who seemed to consider the separation as any thing short of eternal.
Their departure took place in the first week in January. The Middletons were to follow in about a week. The Miss Steeles kept their station at the park, and were to quit it only with the rest of the family.
Ebd E-BooksDirectory.com
CHAPTER 26
Elinor could not find herself in the carriage with Mrs. Jennings, and beginning a journey to London under her protection, and as her guest, without wondering at her own situation, so short had their acquaintance with that lady been, so wholly unsuited were they in age and disposition, and so many had been her objections against such a measure only a few days before! But these objections had all, with that happy ardour of youth which Marianne and her mother equally shared, been overcome or overlooked; and Elinor, in spite of every occasional doubt of Willoughby’s constancy, could not witness the rapture of delightful expectation which filled the whole soul and beamed in the eyes of Marianne, without feeling how blank was her own prospect, how cheerless her own state of mind in the comparison, and how gladly she would engage in the solicitude of Marianne’s situation to have the same animating object in view, the same possibility of hope. A short, a very short time however must now decide what Willoughby’s intentions were; in all probability he was already in town. Marianne’s eagerness to be gone declared her dependence on finding him there; and Elinor was resolved not only upon gaining every new light as to his character which her own observation or the intelligence of others could give her, but likewise upon watching his behaviour to her sister with such zealous attention, as to ascertain what he was and what he meant, before many meetings had taken place. Should the result of her observations be unfavourable, she was determined at all events to open the eyes of her sister; should it be otherwise, her exertions would be of a different nature—she must then learn to avoid every selfish comparison, and banish every regret which might lessen her satisfaction in the happiness of Marianne.
They were three days on their journey, and Marianne’s behaviour as they travelled was a happy specimen of what
future complaisance and companionableness to Mrs. Jennings might be expected to be. She sat in silence almost all the way, wrapt in her own meditations, and scarcely ever voluntarily speaking, except when any object of picturesque beauty within their view drew from her an exclamation of delight exclusively addressed to her sister. To atone for this conduct therefore, Elinor took immediate possession of the post of civility which she had assigned herself, behaved with the greatest attention to Mrs. Jennings, talked with her, laughed with her, and listened to her whenever she could; and Mrs. Jennings on her side treated them both with all possible kindness, was solicitous on every occasion for their ease and enjoyment, and only disturbed that she could not make them choose their own dinners at the inn, nor extort a confession of their preferring salmon to cod, or boiled fowls to veal cutlets. They reached town by three o’clock the third day, glad to be released, after such a journey, from the confinement of a carriage, and ready to enjoy all the luxury of a good fire.
The house was handsome, and handsomely fitted up, and the young ladies were immediately put in possession of a very comfortable apartment. It had formerly been Charlotte’s, and over the mantelpiece still hung a landscape in coloured silks of her performance, in proof of her having spent seven years at a great school in town to some effect.
As dinner was not to be ready in less than two hours from their arrival, Elinor determined to employ the interval in writing to her mother, and sat down for that purpose. In a few moments Marianne did the same. “I am writing home, Marianne,” said Elinor; “had not you better defer your letter for a day or two?”
“I am NOT going to write to my mother,” replied Marianne, hastily, and as if wishing to avoid any farther inquiry. Elinor said no more; it immediately struck her that
she must then be writing to Willoughby; and the conclusion which as instantly followed was, that, however mysteriously they might wish to conduct the affair, they must be engaged. This conviction, though not entirely satisfactory, gave her pleasure, and she continued her letter with greater alacrity. Marianne’s was finished in a very few minutes; in length it could be no more than a note; it was then folded up, sealed, and directed with eager rapidity. Elinor thought she could distinguish a large W in the direction; and no sooner was it complete than Marianne, ringing the bell, requested the footman who answered it to get that letter conveyed for her to the two-penny post. This decided the matter at once.
Her spirits still continued very high; but there was a flutter in them which prevented their giving much pleasure to her sister, and this agitation increased as the evening drew on. She could scarcely eat any dinner, and when they afterwards returned to the drawing room, seemed anxiously listening to the sound of every carriage.
It was a great satisfaction to Elinor that Mrs. Jennings, by being much engaged in her own room, could see little of what was passing. The tea things were brought in, and already had Marianne been disappointed more than once by a rap at a neighbouring door, when a loud one was suddenly heard which could not be mistaken for one at any other house, Elinor felt secure of its announcing Willoughby’s approach, and Marianne, starting up, moved towards the door. Every thing was silent; this could not be borne many seconds; she opened the door, advanced a few steps towards the stairs, and after listening half a minute, returned into the room in all the agitation which a conviction of having heard him would naturally produce; in the ecstasy of her feelings at that instant she could not help exclaiming, “Oh, Elinor, it is Willoughby, indeed it is!” and seemed almost ready to throw herself into his arms, when Colonel Brandon appeared.
It was too great a shock to be borne with calmness, and she immediately left the room. Elinor was disappointed too; but at the same time her regard for Colonel Brandon ensured his welcome with her; and she felt particularly hurt that a man so partial to her sister should perceive that she experienced nothing but grief and disappointment in seeing him. She instantly saw that it was not unnoticed by him, that he even observed Marianne as she quitted the room, with such astonishment and concern, as hardly left him the recollection of what civility demanded towards herself.
“Is your sister ill?” said he.
Elinor answered in some distress that she was, and then talked of head-aches, low spirits, and over fatigues; and of every thing to which she could decently attribute her sister’s behaviour.
He heard her with the most earnest attention, but seeming to recollect himself, said no more on the subject, and began directly to speak of his pleasure at seeing them in London, making the usual inquiries about their journey, and the friends they had left behind.
In this calm kind of way, with very little interest on either side, they continued to talk, both of them out of spirits, and the thoughts of both engaged elsewhere. Elinor wished very much to ask whether Willoughby were then in town, but she was afraid of giving him pain by any enquiry after his rival; and at length, by way of saying something, she asked if he had been in London ever since she had seen him last. “Yes,” he replied, with some embarrassment, “almost ever since; I have been once or twice at Delaford for a few days, but it has never been in my power to return to Barton.”
This, and the manner in which it was said, immediately brought back to her remembrance all the circumstances of his quitting that place, with the uneasiness and suspicions they had caused to Mrs. Jennings, and she was fearful that her question had implied much more curiosity on the subject than she had ever felt.
Mrs. Jennings soon came in. “Oh! Colonel,” said she, with her usual noisy cheerfulness, “I am monstrous glad to see you—sorry I could not come before—beg your pardon, but I have been forced to look about me a little, and settle my matters; for it is a long while since I have been at home, and you know one has always a world of little odd things to do after one has been away for any time; and then I have had Cartwright to settle with— Lord, I have been as busy as a bee ever since dinner! But pray, Colonel, how came you to conjure out that I should be in town today?”
“I had the pleasure of hearing it at Mr. Palmer’s, where I have been dining.”
“Oh, you did; well, and how do they all do at their house? How does Charlotte do? I warrant you she is a fine size by this time.”
“Mrs. Palmer appeared quite well, and I am commissioned to tell you, that you will certainly see her to-morrow.”
“Ay, to be sure, I thought as much. Well, Colonel, I have brought two young ladies with me, you see—that is, you see but one of them now, but there is another somewhere. Your friend, Miss Marianne, too—which you will not be sorry to hear. I do not know what you and Mr. Willoughby will do between you about her. Ay, it is a fine thing to be young and handsome. Well! I was young once, but I never was very handsome—worse luck for me. However, I got a very good
husband, and I don’t know what the greatest beauty can do more. Ah! poor man! he has been dead these eight years and better. But Colonel, where have you been to since we parted? And how does your business go on? Come, come, let’s have no secrets among friends.”
He replied with his accustomary mildness to all her inquiries, but without satisfying her in any. Elinor now began to make the tea, and Marianne was obliged to appear again.
After her entrance, Colonel Brandon became more thoughtful and silent than he had been before, and Mrs. Jennings could not prevail on him to stay long. No other visitor appeared that evening, and the ladies were unanimous in agreeing to go early to bed.
Marianne rose the next morning with recovered spirits and happy looks. The disappointment of the evening before seemed forgotten in the expectation of what was to happen that day. They had not long finished their breakfast before Mrs. Palmer’s barouche stopped at the door, and in a few minutes she came laughing into the room: so delighted to see them all, that it was hard to say whether she received most pleasure from meeting her mother or the Miss Dashwoods again. So surprised at their coming to town, though it was what she had rather expected all along; so angry at their accepting her mother’s invitation after having declined her own, though at the same time she would never have forgiven them if they had not come!
“Mr. Palmer will be so happy to see you,” said she; “What do you think he said when he heard of your coming with Mamma? I forget what it was now, but it was something so droll!”
After an hour or two spent in what her mother called comfortable chat, or in other words, in every variety of
inquiry concerning all their acquaintance on Mrs. Jennings’s side, and in laughter without cause on Mrs. Palmer’s, it was proposed by the latter that they should all accompany her to some shops where she had business that morning, to which Mrs. Jennings and Elinor readily consented, as having likewise some purchases to make themselves; and Marianne, though declining it at first was induced to go likewise.
Wherever they went, she was evidently always on the watch. In Bond Street especially, where much of their business lay, her eyes were in constant inquiry; and in whatever shop the party were engaged, her mind was equally abstracted from every thing actually before them, from all that interested and occupied the others. Restless and dissatisfied every where, her sister could never obtain her opinion of any article of purchase, however it might equally concern them both: she received no pleasure from anything; was only impatient to be at home again, and could with difficulty govern her vexation at the tediousness of Mrs. Palmer, whose eye was caught by every thing pretty, expensive, or new; who was wild to buy all, could determine on none, and dawdled away her time in rapture and indecision.
It was late in the morning before they returned home; and no sooner had they entered the house than Marianne flew eagerly up stairs, and when Elinor followed, she found her turning from the table with a sorrowful countenance, which declared that no Willoughby had been there.
“Has no letter been left here for me since we went out?” said she to the footman who then entered with the parcels. She was answered in the negative. “Are you quite sure of it?” she replied. “Are you certain that no servant, no porter has left any letter or note?”
The man replied that none had.
“How very odd!” said she, in a low and disappointed voice, as she turned away to the window.
“How odd, indeed!” repeated Elinor within herself, regarding her sister with uneasiness. “If she had not known him to be in town she would not have written to him, as she did; she would have written to Combe Magna; and if he is in town, how odd that he should neither come nor write! Oh! my dear mother, you must be wrong in permitting an engagement between a daughter so young, a man so little known, to be carried on in so doubtful, so mysterious a manner! I long to inquire; and how will MY interference be borne.”
She determined, after some consideration, that if appearances continued many days longer as unpleasant as they now were, she would represent in the strongest manner to her mother the necessity of some serious enquiry into the affair.
Mrs. Palmer and two elderly ladies of Mrs. Jennings’s intimate acquaintance, whom she had met and invited in the morning, dined with them. The former left them soon after tea to fulfill her evening engagements; and Elinor was obliged to assist in making a whist table for the others. Marianne was of no use on these occasions, as she would never learn the game; but though her time was therefore at her own disposal, the evening was by no means more productive of pleasure to her than to Elinor, for it was spent in all the anxiety of expectation and the pain of disappointment. She sometimes endeavoured for a few minutes to read; but the book was soon thrown aside, and she returned to the more interesting employment of walking backwards and forwards across the room, pausing for a moment whenever she came to the window, in hopes of distinguishing the long-expected rap.
CHAPTER 27
“If this open weather holds much longer,” said Mrs. Jennings, when they met at breakfast the following morning, “Sir John will not like leaving Barton next week; ’tis a sad thing for sportsmen to lose a day’s pleasure. Poor souls! I always pity them when they do; they seem to take it so much to heart.”
“That is true,” cried Marianne, in a cheerful voice, and walking to the window as she spoke, to examine the day. “I had not thought of that. This weather will keep many sportsmen in the country.”
It was a lucky recollection, all her good spirits were restored by it. “It is charming weather for THEM indeed,” she continued, as she sat down to the breakfast table with a happy countenance. “How much they must enjoy it! But” (with a little return of anxiety) “it cannot be expected to last long. At this time of the year, and after such a series of rain, we shall certainly have very little more of it. Frosts will soon set in, and in all probability with severity. In another day or two perhaps; this extreme mildness can hardly last longer— nay, perhaps it may freeze tonight!”
“At any rate,” said Elinor, wishing to prevent Mrs. Jennings from seeing her sister’s thoughts as clearly as she did, “I dare say we shall have Sir John and Lady Middleton in town by the end of next week.”
“Ay, my dear, I’ll warrant you we do. Mary always has her own way.”
“And now,” silently conjectured Elinor, “she will write to Combe by this day’s post.”
But if she DID, the letter was written and sent away with a privacy which eluded all her watchfulness to ascertain the fact. Whatever the truth of it might be, and far as Elinor was from feeling thorough contentment about it, yet while she saw Marianne in spirits, she could not be very uncomfortable herself. And Marianne was in spirits; happy in the mildness of the weather, and still happier in her expectation of a frost.
The morning was chiefly spent in leaving cards at the houses of Mrs. Jennings’s acquaintance to inform them of her being in town; and Marianne was all the time busy in observing the direction of the wind, watching the variations of the sky and imagining an alteration in the air.
“Don’t you find it colder than it was in the morning, Elinor? There seems to me a very decided difference. I can hardly keep my hands warm even in my muff. It was not so yesterday, I think. The clouds seem parting too, the sun will be out in a moment, and we shall have a clear afternoon.”
Elinor was alternately diverted and pained; but Marianne persevered, and saw every night in the brightness of the fire, and every morning in the appearance of the atmosphere, the certain symptoms of approaching frost.
The Miss Dashwoods had no greater reason to be dissatisfied with Mrs. Jennings’s style of living, and set of acquaintance, than with her behaviour to themselves, which was invariably kind. Every thing in her household arrangements was conducted on the most liberal plan, and excepting a few old city friends, whom, to Lady Middleton’s regret, she had never dropped, she visited no one to whom an introduction could at all discompose the feelings of her young companions. Pleased to find herself more comfortably situated in that particular than she had expected, Elinor was very willing to compound for the want of much real
enjoyment from any of their evening parties, which, whether at home or abroad, formed only for cards, could have little to amuse her.
Colonel Brandon, who had a general invitation to the house, was with them almost every day; he came to look at Marianne and talk to Elinor, who often derived more satisfaction from conversing with him than from any other daily occurrence, but who saw at the same time with much concern his continued regard for her sister. She feared it was a strengthening regard. It grieved her to see the earnestness with which he often watched Marianne, and his spirits were certainly worse than when at Barton.
About a week after their arrival, it became certain that Willoughby was also arrived. His card was on the table when they came in from the morning’s drive.
“Good God!” cried Marianne, “he has been here while we were out.” Elinor, rejoiced to be assured of his being in London, now ventured to say, “Depend upon it, he will call again tomorrow.” But Marianne seemed hardly to hear her, and on Mrs. Jenning’s entrance, escaped with the precious card.
This event, while it raised the spirits of Elinor, restored to those of her sister all, and more than all, their former agitation. From this moment her mind was never quiet; the expectation of seeing him every hour of the day, made her unfit for any thing. She insisted on being left behind, the next morning, when the others went out.
Elinor’s thoughts were full of what might be passing in Berkeley Street during their absence; but a moment’s glance at her sister when they returned was enough to inform her, that Willoughby had paid no second visit there. A note was just then brought in, and laid on the table,
But Marianne, not convinced, took it instantly up.
“It is indeed for Mrs. Jennings; how provoking!”
“You are expecting a letter, then?” said Elinor, unable to be longer silent.
“Yes, a little—not much.”
After a short pause. “You have no confidence in me, Marianne.”
“Nay, Elinor, this reproach from YOU—you who have confidence in no one!”
“Me!” returned Elinor in some confusion; “indeed, Marianne, I have nothing to tell.”
“Nor I,” answered Marianne with energy, “our situations then are alike. We have neither of us any thing to tell; you, because you do not communicate, and I, because I conceal nothing.”
Elinor, distressed by this charge of reserve in herself, which she was not at liberty to do away, knew not how, under such circumstances, to press for greater openness in Marianne.
Mrs. Jennings soon appeared, and the note being given her, she read it aloud. It was from Lady Middleton, announcing their arrival in Conduit Street the night before, and requesting the company of her mother and cousins the following evening. Business on Sir John’s part, and a violent cold on her own, prevented their calling in Berkeley Street.
The invitation was accepted; but when the hour of appointment drew near, necessary as it was in common civility to Mrs. Jennings, that they should both attend her on such a visit, Elinor had some difficulty in persuading her sister to go, for still she had seen nothing of Willoughby; and therefore was not more indisposed for amusement abroad, than unwilling to run the risk of his calling again in her absence.
Elinor found, when the evening was over, that disposition is not materially altered by a change of abode, for although scarcely settled in town, Sir John had contrived to collect around him, nearly twenty young people, and to amuse them with a ball. This was an affair, however, of which Lady Middleton did not approve. In the country, an unpremeditated dance was very allowable; but in London, where the reputation of elegance was more important and less easily attained, it was risking too much for the gratification of a few girls, to have it known that Lady Middleton had given a small dance of eight or nine couple, with two violins, and a mere side-board collation.
Mr. and Mrs. Palmer were of the party; from the former, whom they had not seen before since their arrival in town, as he was careful to avoid the appearance of any attention to his mother-in-law, and therefore never came near her, they received no mark of recognition on their entrance. He looked at them slightly, without seeming to know who they were, and merely nodded to Mrs. Jennings from the other side of the room. Marianne gave one glance round the apartment as she entered: it was enough—HE was not there—and she sat down, equally ill-disposed to receive or communicate pleasure. After they had been assembled about an hour, Mr. Palmer sauntered towards the Miss Dashwoods to express his surprise on seeing them in town, though Colonel Brandon had been first informed of their arrival at his house, and he
had himself said something very droll on hearing that they were to come.
“I thought you were both in Devonshire,” said he.
“Did you?” replied Elinor.
“When do you go back again?”
“I do not know.” And thus ended their discourse.
Never had Marianne been so unwilling to dance in her life, as she was that evening, and never so much fatigued by the exercise. She complained of it as they returned to Berkeley Street.
“Aye, aye,” said Mrs. Jennings, “we know the reason of all that very well; if a certain person who shall be nameless, had been there, you would not have been a bit tired: and to say the truth it was not very pretty of him not to give you the meeting when he was invited.”
“Invited!” cried Marianne.
“So my daughter Middleton told me, for it seems Sir John met him somewhere in the street this morning.” Marianne said no more, but looked exceedingly hurt. Impatient in this situation to be doing something that might lead to her sister’s relief, Elinor resolved to write the next morning to her mother, and hoped by awakening her fears for the health of Marianne, to procure those inquiries which had been so long delayed; and she was still more eagerly bent on this measure by perceiving after breakfast on the morrow, that Marianne was again writing to Willoughby, for she could not suppose it to be to any other person.
About the middle of the day, Mrs. Jennings went out by herself on business, and Elinor began her letter directly,
while Marianne, too restless for employment, too anxious for conversation, walked from one window to the other, or sat down by the fire in melancholy meditation. Elinor was very earnest in her application to her mother, relating all that had passed, her suspicions of Willoughby’s inconstancy, urging her by every plea of duty and affection to demand from Marianne an account of her real situation with respect to him.
Her letter was scarcely finished, when a rap foretold a visitor, and Colonel Brandon was announced. Marianne, who had seen him from the window, and who hated company of any kind, left the room before he entered it. He looked more than usually grave, and though expressing satisfaction at finding Miss Dashwood alone, as if he had somewhat in particular to tell her, sat for some time without saying a word. Elinor, persuaded that he had some communication to make in which her sister was concerned, impatiently expected its opening. It was not the first time of her feeling the same kind of conviction; for, more than once before, beginning with the observation of “your sister looks unwell to-day,” or “your sister seems out of spirits,” he had appeared on the point, either of disclosing, or of inquiring, something particular about her. After a pause of several minutes, their silence was broken, by his asking her in a voice of some agitation, when he was to congratulate her on the acquisition of a brother? Elinor was not prepared for such a question, and having no answer ready, was obliged to adopt the simple and common expedient, of asking what he meant? He tried to smile as he replied, “your sister’s engagement to Mr. Willoughby is very generally known.”
“It cannot be generally known,” returned Elinor, “for her own family do not know it.”
He looked surprised and said, “I beg your pardon, I am afraid my inquiry has been impertinent; but I had not
supposed any secrecy intended, as they openly correspond, and their marriage is universally talked of.”
“How can that be? By whom can you have heard it mentioned?”
“By many—by some of whom you know nothing, by others with whom you are most intimate, Mrs. Jennings, Mrs. Palmer, and the Middletons. But still I might not have believed it, for where the mind is perhaps rather unwilling to be convinced, it will always find something to support its doubts, if I had not, when the servant let me in today, accidentally seen a letter in his hand, directed to Mr. Willoughby in your sister’s writing. I came to inquire, but I was convinced before I could ask the question. Is every thing finally settled? Is it impossible to-? But I have no right, and I could have no chance of succeeding. Excuse me, Miss Dashwood. I believe I have been wrong in saying so much, but I hardly know what to do, and on your prudence I have the strongest dependence. Tell me that it is all absolutely resolved on, that any attempt, that in short concealment, if concealment be possible, is all that remains.”
These words, which conveyed to Elinor a direct avowal of his love for her sister, affected her very much. She was not immediately able to say anything, and even when her spirits were recovered, she debated for a short time, on the answer it would be most proper to give. The real state of things between Willoughby and her sister was so little known to herself, that in endeavouring to explain it, she might be as liable to say too much as too little. Yet as she was convinced that Marianne’s affection for Willoughby, could leave no hope of Colonel Brandon’s success, whatever the event of that affection might be, and at the same time wished to shield her conduct from censure, she thought it most prudent and kind, after some consideration, to say more than she really knew or believed. She acknowledged, therefore, that
though she had never been informed by themselves of the terms on which they stood with each other, of their mutual affection she had no doubt, and of their correspondence she was not astonished to hear.
He listened to her with silent attention, and on her ceasing to speak, rose directly from his seat, and after saying in a voice of emotion, “to your sister I wish all imaginable happiness; to Willoughby that he may endeavour to deserve her,”—took leave, and went away.
Elinor derived no comfortable feelings from this conversation, to lessen the uneasiness of her mind on other points; she was left, on the contrary, with a melancholy impression of Colonel Brandon’s unhappiness, and was prevented even from wishing it removed, by her anxiety for the very event that must confirm it.
Ebd E-BooksDirectory.com
CHAPTER 28
Nothing occurred during the next three or four days, to make Elinor regret what she had done, in applying to her mother; for Willoughby neither came nor wrote. They were engaged about the end of that time to attend Lady Middleton to a party, from which Mrs. Jennings was kept away by the indisposition of her youngest daughter; and for this party, Marianne, wholly dispirited, careless of her appearance, and seeming equally indifferent whether she went or staid, prepared, without one look of hope or one expression of pleasure. She sat by the drawing-room fire after tea, till the moment of Lady Middleton’s arrival, without once stirring from her seat, or altering her attitude, lost in her own thoughts, and insensible of her sister’s presence; and when at last they were told that Lady Middleton waited for them at the door, she started as if she had forgotten that any one was expected.
They arrived in due time at the place of destination, and as soon as the string of carriages before them would allow, alighted, ascended the stairs, heard their names announced from one landing-place to another in an audible voice, and entered a room splendidly lit up, quite full of company, and insufferably hot. When they had paid their tribute of politeness by curtsying to the lady of the house, they were permitted to mingle in the crowd, and take their share of the heat and inconvenience, to which their arrival must necessarily add. After some time spent in saying little or doing less, Lady Middleton sat down to Cassino, and as Marianne was not in spirits for moving about, she and Elinor
luckily succeeding to chairs, placed themselves at no great distance from the table.
They had not remained in this manner long, before Elinor perceived Willoughby, standing within a few yards of them, in earnest conversation with a very fashionable looking young woman. She soon caught his eye, and he immediately bowed, but without attempting to speak to her, or to approach Marianne, though he could not but see her; and then continued his discourse with the same lady. Elinor turned involuntarily to Marianne, to see whether it could be unobserved by her. At that moment she first perceived him, and her whole countenance glowing with sudden delight, she would have moved towards him instantly, had not her sister caught hold of her.
“Good heavens!” she exclaimed, “he is there—he is there—Oh! why does he not look at me? why cannot I speak to him?”
“Pray, pray be composed,” cried Elinor, “and do not betray what you feel to every body present. Perhaps he has not observed you yet.”
This however was more than she could believe herself; and to be composed at such a moment was not only beyond the reach of Marianne, it was beyond her wish. She sat in an agony of impatience which affected every feature.
At last he turned round again, and regarded them both; she started up, and pronouncing his name in a tone of affection, held out her hand to him. He approached, and addressing himself rather to Elinor than Marianne, as if wishing to avoid her eye, and determined not to observe her attitude, inquired in a hurried manner after Mrs. Dashwood, and asked how long they had been in town. Elinor was robbed of all presence of mind by such an address, and was
unable to say a word. But the feelings of her sister were instantly expressed. Her face was crimsoned over, and she exclaimed, in a voice of the greatest emotion, “Good God! Willoughby, what is the meaning of this? Have you not received my letters? Will you not shake hands with me?”
He could not then avoid it, but her touch seemed painful to him, and he held her hand only for a moment. During all this time he was evidently struggling for composure. Elinor watched his countenance and saw its expression becoming more tranquil. After a moment’s pause, he spoke with calmness.
“I did myself the honour of calling in Berkeley Street last Tuesday, and very much regretted that I was not fortunate enough to find yourselves and Mrs. Jennings at home. My card was not lost, I hope.”
“But have you not received my notes?” cried Marianne in the wildest anxiety. “Here is some mistake I am sure—some dreadful mistake. What can be the meaning of it? Tell me, Willoughby; for heaven’s sake tell me, what is the matter?”
He made no reply; his complexion changed and all his embarrassment returned; but as if, on catching the eye of the young lady with whom he had been previously talking, he felt the necessity of instant exertion, he recovered himself again, and after saying, “Yes, I had the pleasure of receiving the information of your arrival in town, which you were so good as to send me,” turned hastily away with a slight bow and joined his friend.
Marianne, now looking dreadfully white, and unable to stand, sunk into her chair, and Elinor, expecting every moment to see her faint, tried to screen her from the observation of others, while reviving her with lavender water.
“Go to him, Elinor,” she cried, as soon as she could speak, “and force him to come to me. Tell him I must see him again—must speak to him instantly.— I cannot rest—I shall not have a moment’s peace till this is explained—some dreadful misapprehension or other.— Oh go to him this moment.”
“How can that be done? No, my dearest Marianne, you must wait. This is not the place for explanations. Wait only till tomorrow.”
With difficulty however could she prevent her from following him herself; and to persuade her to check her agitation, to wait, at least, with the appearance of composure, till she might speak to him with more privacy and more effect, was impossible; for Marianne continued incessantly to give way in a low voice to the misery of her feelings, by exclamations of wretchedness. In a short time Elinor saw Willoughby quit the room by the door towards the staircase, and telling Marianne that he was gone, urged the impossibility of speaking to him again that evening, as a fresh argument for her to be calm. She instantly begged her sister would entreat Lady Middleton to take them home, as she was too miserable to stay a minute longer.
Lady Middleton, though in the middle of a rubber, on being informed that Marianne was unwell, was too polite to object for a moment to her wish of going away, and making over her cards to a friend, they departed as soon the carriage could be found. Scarcely a word was spoken during their return to Berkeley Street. Marianne was in a silent agony, too much oppressed even for tears; but as Mrs. Jennings was luckily not come home, they could go directly to their own room, where hartshorn restored her a little to herself. She was soon undressed and in bed, and as she seemed desirous of being alone, her sister then left her, and while she waited
the return of Mrs. Jennings, had leisure enough for thinking over the past.
That some kind of engagement had subsisted between Willoughby and Marianne she could not doubt, and that Willoughby was weary of it, seemed equally clear; for however Marianne might still feed her own wishes, SHE could not attribute such behaviour to mistake or misapprehension of any kind. Nothing but a thorough change of sentiment could account for it. Her indignation would have been still stronger than it was, had she not witnessed that embarrassment which seemed to speak a consciousness of his own misconduct, and prevented her from believing him so unprincipled as to have been sporting with the affections of her sister from the first, without any design that would bear investigation. Absence might have weakened his regard, and convenience might have determined him to overcome it, but that such a regard had formerly existed she could not bring herself to doubt.
As for Marianne, on the pangs which so unhappy a meeting must already have given her, and on those still more severe which might await her in its probable consequence, she could not reflect without the deepest concern. Her own situation gained in the comparison; for while she could ESTEEM Edward as much as ever, however they might be divided in future, her mind might be always supported. But every circumstance that could embitter such an evil seemed uniting to heighten the misery of Marianne in a final separation from Willoughby—in an immediate and irreconcilable rupture with him.
CHAPTER 29
Before the house-maid had lit their fire the next day, or the sun gained any power over a cold, gloomy morning in January, Marianne, only half dressed, was kneeling against one of the window-seats for the sake of all the little light she could command from it, and writing as fast as a continual flow of tears would permit her. In this situation, Elinor, roused from sleep by her agitation and sobs, first perceived her; and after observing her for a few moments with silent anxiety, said, in a tone of the most considerate gentleness,
“Marianne, may I ask-?”
“No, Elinor,” she replied, “ask nothing; you will soon know all.”
The sort of desperate calmness with which this was said, lasted no longer than while she spoke, and was immediately followed by a return of the same excessive affliction. It was some minutes before she could go on with her letter, and the frequent bursts of grief which still obliged her, at intervals, to withhold her pen, were proofs enough of her feeling how more than probable it was that she was writing for the last time to Willoughby.
Elinor paid her every quiet and unobtrusive attention in her power; and she would have tried to sooth and tranquilize her still more, had not Marianne entreated her, with all the eagerness of the most nervous irritability, not to speak to her for the world. In such circumstances, it was better for both that they should not be long together; and the restless state of Marianne’s mind not only prevented her from remaining in
the room a moment after she was dressed, but requiring at once solitude and continual change of place, made her wander about the house till breakfast time, avoiding the sight of every body.
At breakfast she neither ate, nor attempted to eat any thing; and Elinor’s attention was then all employed, not in urging her, not in pitying her, nor in appearing to regard her, but in endeavouring to engage Mrs. Jenning’s notice entirely to herself.
As this was a favourite meal with Mrs. Jennings, it lasted a considerable time, and they were just setting themselves, after it, round the common working table, when a letter was delivered to Marianne, which she eagerly caught from the servant, and, turning of a death-like paleness, instantly ran out of the room. Elinor, who saw as plainly by this, as if she had seen the direction, that it must come from Willoughby, felt immediately such a sickness at heart as made her hardly able to hold up her head, and sat in such a general tremour as made her fear it impossible to escape Mrs. Jenning’s notice. That good lady, however, saw only that Marianne had received a letter from Willoughby, which appeared to her a very good joke, and which she treated accordingly, by hoping, with a laugh, that she would find it to her liking. Of Elinor’s distress, she was too busily employed in measuring lengths of worsted for her rug, to see any thing at all; and calmly continuing her talk, as soon as Marianne disappeared, she said,
“Upon my word, I never saw a young woman so desperately in love in my life! MY girls were nothing to her, and yet they used to be foolish enough; but as for Miss Marianne, she is quite an altered creature. I hope, from the bottom of my heart, he won’t keep her waiting much longer, for it is quite grievous to see her look so ill and forlorn. Pray, when are they to be married?”
Elinor, though never less disposed to speak than at that moment, obliged herself to answer such an attack as this, and, therefore, trying to smile, replied, “And have you really, Ma’am, talked yourself into a persuasion of my sister’s being engaged to Mr. Willoughby? I thought it had been only a joke, but so serious a question seems to imply more; and I must beg, therefore, that you will not deceive yourself any longer. I do assure you that nothing would surprise me more than to hear of their being going to be married.”
“For shame, for shame, Miss Dashwood! how can you talk so? Don’t we all know that it must be a match, that they were over head and ears in love with each other from the first moment they met? Did not I see them together in Devonshire every day, and all day long; and did not I know that your sister came to town with me on purpose to buy wedding clothes? Come, come, this won’t do. Because you are so sly about it yourself, you think nobody else has any senses; but it is no such thing, I can tell you, for it has been known all over town this ever so long. I tell every body of it and so does Charlotte.”
“Indeed, Ma’am,” said Elinor, very seriously, “you are mistaken. Indeed, you are doing a very unkind thing in spreading the report, and you will find that you have though you will not believe me now.”
Mrs. Jennings laughed again, but Elinor had not spirits to say more, and eager at all events to know what Willoughby had written, hurried away to their room, where, on opening the door, she saw Marianne stretched on the bed, almost choked by grief, one letter in her hand, and two or three others laying by her. Elinor drew near, but without saying a word; and seating herself on the bed, took her hand, kissed her affectionately several times, and then gave way to a burst of tears, which at first was scarcely less violent than Marianne’s. The latter, though unable to speak, seemed to
feel all the tenderness of this behaviour, and after some time thus spent in joint affliction, she put all the letters into Elinor’s hands; and then covering her face with her handkerchief, almost screamed with agony. Elinor, who knew that such grief, shocking as it was to witness it, must have its course, watched by her till this excess of suffering had somewhat spent itself, and then turning eagerly to Willoughby’s letter, read as follows:
“Bond Street, January. “MY DEAR MADAM,
“I have just had the honour of receiving your letter, for which I beg to return my sincere acknowledgments. I am much concerned to find there was anything in my behaviour last night that did not meet your approbation; and though I am quite at a loss to discover in what point I could be so unfortunate as to offend you, I entreat your forgiveness of what I can assure you to have been perfectly unintentional. I shall never reflect on my former acquaintance with your family in Devonshire without the most grateful pleasure, and flatter myself it will not be broken by any mistake or misapprehension of my actions. My esteem for your whole family is very sincere; but if I have been so unfortunate as to give rise to a belief of more than I felt, or meant to express, I shall reproach myself for not having been more guarded in my professions of that esteem. That I should ever have meant more you will allow to be impossible, when you understand that my affections have been long engaged elsewhere, and it will not be many weeks, I believe, before this engagement is fulfilled. It is with great regret that I obey your commands in returning the letters with which I have been honoured from you, and the lock
With what indignation such a letter as this must be read by Miss Dashwood, may be imagined. Though aware, before she began it, that it must bring a confession of his inconstancy, and confirm their separation for ever, she was not aware that such language could be suffered to announce it; nor could she have supposed Willoughby capable of departing so far from the appearance of every honourable and delicate feeling—so far from the common decorum of a gentleman, as to send a letter so impudently cruel: a letter which, instead of bringing with his desire of a release any professions of regret, acknowledged no breach of faith, denied all peculiar affection whatever—a letter of which every line was an insult, and which proclaimed its writer to be deep in hardened villainy.
She paused over it for some time with indignant astonishment; then read it again and again; but every perusal only served to increase her abhorrence of the man, and so bitter were her feelings against him, that she dared not trust herself to speak, lest she might wound Marianne still deeper by treating their disengagement, not as a loss to her of any possible good but as an escape from the worst and most irremediable of all evils, a connection, for life, with an unprincipled man, as a deliverance the most real, a blessing the most important.
In her earnest meditations on the contents of the letter, on the depravity of that mind which could dictate it, and
probably, on the very different mind of a very different person, who had no other connection whatever with the affair than what her heart gave him with every thing that passed, Elinor forgot the immediate distress of her sister, forgot that she had three letters on her lap yet unread, and so entirely forgot how long she had been in the room, that when on hearing a carriage drive up to the door, she went to the window to see who could be coming so unreasonably early, she was all astonishment to perceive Mrs. Jennings’s chariot, which she knew had not been ordered till one. Determined not to quit Marianne, though hopeless of contributing, at present, to her ease, she hurried away to excuse herself from attending Mrs. Jennings, on account of her sister being indisposed. Mrs. Jennings, with a thoroughly good-humoured concern for its cause, admitted the excuse most readily, and Elinor, after seeing her safe off, returned to Marianne, whom she found attempting to rise from the bed, and whom she reached just in time to prevent her from falling on the floor, faint and giddy from a long want of proper rest and food; for it was many days since she had any appetite, and many nights since she had really slept; and now, when her mind was no longer supported by the fever of suspense, the consequence of all this was felt in an aching head, a weakened stomach, and a general nervous faintness. A glass of wine, which Elinor procured for her directly, made her more comfortable, and she was at last able to express some sense of her kindness, by saying,
“Poor Elinor! how unhappy I make you!”
“I only wish,” replied her sister, “there were any thing I COULD do, which might be of comfort to you.”
This, as every thing else would have been, was too much for Marianne, who could only exclaim, in the anguish of her heart, “Oh! Elinor, I am miserable, indeed,” before her voice was entirely lost in sobs.
Elinor could no longer witness this torrent of unresisted grief in silence.
“Exert yourself, dear Marianne,” she cried, “if you would not kill yourself and all who love you. Think of your mother; think of her misery while YOU suffer: for her sake you must exert yourself.”
“I cannot, I cannot,” cried Marianne; “leave me, leave me, if I distress you; leave me, hate me, forget me! but do not torture me so. Oh! how easy for those, who have no sorrow of their own to talk of exertion! Happy, happy Elinor, YOU cannot have an idea of what I suffer.”
“Do you call ME happy, Marianne? Ah! if you knew!— And can you believe me to be so, while I see you so wretched!”
“Forgive me, forgive me,” throwing her arms round her sister’s neck; “I know you feel for me; I know what a heart you have; but yet you are—you must be happy; Edward loves you—what, oh what, can do away such happiness as that?”
“Many, many circumstances,” said Elinor, solemnly.
“No, no, no,” cried Marianne wildly, “he loves you, and only you. You CAN have no grief.”
“I can have no pleasure while I see you in this state.”
“And you will never see me otherwise. Mine is a misery which nothing can do away.”
“You must not talk so, Marianne. Have you no comforts? no friends? Is your loss such as leaves no opening for consolation? Much as you suffer now, think of what you would have suffered if the discovery of his character had been delayed to a later period—if your engagement had been
carried on for months and months, as it might have been, before he chose to put an end to it. Every additional day of unhappy confidence, on your side, would have made the blow more dreadful.”
“Engagement!” cried Marianne, “there has been no engagement.”
“No engagement!”
“No, he is not so unworthy as you believe him. He has broken no faith with me.”
“But he told you that he loved you.”
“Yes—no—never absolutely. It was every day implied, but never professedly declared. Sometimes I thought it had been—but it never was.”
“Yet you wrote to him?”—
“Yes—could that be wrong after all that had passed?— But I cannot talk.”
Elinor said no more, and turning again to the three letters which now raised a much stronger curiosity than before, directly ran over the contents of all. The first, which was what her sister had sent him on their arrival in town, was to this effect.
Berkeley Street, January.
“How surprised you will be, Willoughby, on receiving this; and I think you will feel something more than surprise, when you know that I am in town. An opportunity of coming hither, though with Mrs. Jennings, was a temptation we could not resist. I wish you may receive this in time to come here to-
night, but I will not depend on it. At any rate I shall expect you to-morrow. For the present, adieu.
“M.D.”
Her second note, which had been written on the morning after the dance at the Middletons’, was in these words:—
“I cannot express my disappointment in having missed you the day before yesterday, nor my astonishment at not having received any answer to a note which I sent you above a week ago. I have been expecting to hear from you, and still more to see you, every hour of the day. Pray call again as soon as possible, and explain the reason of my having expected this in vain. You had better come earlier another time, because we are generally out by one. We were last night at Lady Middleton’s, where there was a dance. I have been told that you were asked to be of the party. But could it be so? You must be very much altered indeed since we parted, if that could be the case, and you not there. But I will not suppose this possible, and I hope very soon to receive your personal assurance of its being otherwise.
“M.D.”
The contents of her last note to him were these:—
“What am I to imagine, Willoughby, by your behaviour last night? Again I demand an explanation of it. I was prepared to meet you with the pleasure which our separation
naturally produced, with the familiarity which our intimacy at Barton appeared to me to justify. I was repulsed indeed! I have passed a wretched night in endeavouring to excuse a conduct which can scarcely be called less than insulting; but though I have not yet been able to form any reasonable apology for your behaviour, I am perfectly ready to hear your justification of it. You have perhaps been misinformed, or purposely deceived, in something concerning me, which may have lowered me in your opinion. Tell me what it is, explain the grounds on which you acted, and I shall be satisfied, in being able to satisfy you. It would grieve me indeed to be obliged to think ill of you; but if I am to do it, if I am to learn that you are not what we have hitherto believed you, that your regard for us all was insincere, that your behaviour to me was intended only to deceive, let it be told as soon as possible. My feelings are at present in a state of dreadful indecision; I wish to acquit you, but certainty on either side will be ease to what I now suffer. If your sentiments are no longer what they were, you will return my notes, and the lock of my hair which is in your possession.
“M.D.”
That such letters, so full of affection and confidence, could have been so answered, Elinor, for Willoughby’s sake, would have been unwilling to believe. But her condemnation of him did not blind her to the impropriety of their having been written at all; and she was silently grieving over the imprudence which had hazarded such unsolicited proofs of tenderness, not warranted by anything preceding, and most severely condemned by the event, when Marianne,
perceiving that she had finished the letters, observed to her that they contained nothing but what any one would have written in the same situation.
“I felt myself,” she added, “to be as solemnly engaged to him, as if the strictest legal covenant had bound us to each other.”
“I can believe it,” said Elinor; “but unfortunately he did not feel the same.”
“He DID feel the same, Elinor—for weeks and weeks he felt it. I know he did. Whatever may have changed him now, (and nothing but the blackest art employed against me can have done it), I was once as dear to him as my own soul could wish. This lock of hair, which now he can so readily give up, was begged of me with the most earnest supplication. Had you seen his look, his manner, had you heard his voice at that moment! Have you forgot the last evening of our being together at Barton? The morning that we parted too! When he told me that it might be many weeks before we met again—his distress—can I ever forget his distress?”
For a moment or two she could say no more; but when this emotion had passed away, she added, in a firmer tone,
“Elinor, I have been cruelly used; but not by Willoughby.”
“Dearest Marianne, who but himself? By whom can he have been instigated?”
“By all the world, rather than by his own heart. I could rather believe every creature of my acquaintance leagued together to ruin me in his opinion, than believe his nature capable of such cruelty. This woman of whom he writes— whoever she be—or any one, in short, but your own dear self, mama, and Edward, may have been so barbarous to bely
me. Beyond you three, is there a creature in the world whom I would not rather suspect of evil than Willoughby, whose heart I know so well?”
Elinor would not contend, and only replied, “Whoever may have been so detestably your enemy, let them be cheated of their malignant triumph, my dear sister, by seeing how nobly the consciousness of your own innocence and good intentions supports your spirits. It is a reasonable and laudable pride which resists such malevolence.”
“No, no,” cried Marianne, “misery such as mine has no pride. I care not who knows that I am wretched. The triumph of seeing me so may be open to all the world. Elinor, Elinor, they who suffer little may be proud and independent as they like—may resist insult, or return mortification—but I cannot. I must feel—I must be wretched—and they are welcome to enjoy the consciousness of it that can.”
“But for my mother’s sake and mine—”
“I would do more than for my own. But to appear happy when I am so miserable—Oh! who can require it?”
Again they were both silent. Elinor was employed in walking thoughtfully from the fire to the window, from the window to the fire, without knowing that she received warmth from one, or discerning objects through the other; and Marianne, seated at the foot of the bed, with her head leaning against one of its posts, again took up Willoughby’s letter, and, after shuddering over every sentence, exclaimed—
“It is too much! Oh, Willoughby, Willoughby, could this be yours! Cruel, cruel—nothing can acquit you. Elinor, nothing can. Whatever he might have heard against me— ought he not to have suspended his belief? ought he not to have told me of it, to have given me the power of clearing
myself? ‘The lock of hair, (repeating it from the letter,) which you so obligingly bestowed on me’—That is unpardonable. Willoughby, where was your heart when you wrote those words? Oh, barbarously insolent!—Elinor, can he be justified?”
“No, Marianne, in no possible way.”
“And yet this woman—who knows what her art may have been?—how long it may have been premeditated, and how deeply contrived by her!—Who is she?—Who can she be?— Whom did I ever hear him talk of as young and attractive among his female acquaintance?—Oh! no one, no one—he talked to me only of myself.”
Another pause ensued; Marianne was greatly agitated, and it ended thus.
“Elinor, I must go home. I must go and comfort mama. Can not we be gone to-morrow?”
“To-morrow, Marianne!”
“Yes, why should I stay here? I came only for Willoughby’s sake—and now who cares for me? Who regards me?”
“It would be impossible to go to-morrow. We owe Mrs. Jennings much more than civility; and civility of the commonest kind must prevent such a hasty removal as that.”
“Well then, another day or two, perhaps; but I cannot stay here long, I cannot stay to endure the questions and remarks of all these people. The Middletons and Palmers— how am I to bear their pity? The pity of such a woman as Lady Middleton! Oh, what would HE say to that!”
Elinor advised her to lie down again, and for a moment she did so; but no attitude could give her ease; and in restless pain of mind and body she moved from one posture to another, till growing more and more hysterical, her sister could with difficulty keep her on the bed at all, and for some time was fearful of being constrained to call for assistance. Some lavender drops, however, which she was at length persuaded to take, were of use; and from that time till Mrs. Jennings returned, she continued on the bed quiet and motionless.
Ebd E-BooksDirectory.com
CHAPTER 30
Mrs. Jennings came immediately to their room on her return, and without waiting to have her request of admittance answered, opened the door and walked in with a look of real concern.
“How do you do my dear?”—said she in a voice of great compassion to Marianne, who turned away her face without attempting to answer.
“How is she, Miss Dashwood?—Poor thing! she looks very bad.— No wonder. Ay, it is but too true. He is to be married very soon—a good-for-nothing fellow! I have no patience with him. Mrs. Taylor told me of it half an hour ago, and she was told it by a particular friend of Miss Grey herself, else I am sure I should not have believed it; and I was almost ready to sink as it was. Well, said I, all I can say is, that if this be true, he has used a young lady of my acquaintance abominably ill, and I wish with all my soul his wife may plague his heart out. And so I shall always say, my dear, you may depend on it. I have no notion of men’s going on in this way; and if ever I meet him again, I will give him such a dressing as he has not had this many a day. But there is one comfort, my dear Miss Marianne; he is not the only young man in the world worth having; and with your pretty face you will never want admirers. Well, poor thing! I won’t disturb her any longer, for she had better have her cry out at once and have done with. The Parrys and Sandersons luckily are coming tonight you know, and that will amuse her.”
She then went away, walking on tiptoe out of the room, as if she supposed her young friend’s affliction could be increased by noise.
Marianne, to the surprise of her sister, determined on dining with them. Elinor even advised her against it. But “no, she would go down; she could bear it very well, and the bustle about her would be less.” Elinor, pleased to have her governed for a moment by such a motive, though believing it hardly possible that she could sit out the dinner, said no more; and adjusting her dress for her as well as she could, while Marianne still remained on the bed, was ready to assist her into the dining room as soon as they were summoned to it.
When there, though looking most wretchedly, she ate more and was calmer than her sister had expected. Had she tried to speak, or had she been conscious of half Mrs. Jennings’s well-meant but ill-judged attentions to her, this calmness could not have been maintained; but not a syllable escaped her lips; and the abstraction of her thoughts preserved her in ignorance of every thing that was passing before her.
Elinor, who did justice to Mrs. Jennings’s kindness, though its effusions were often distressing, and sometimes almost ridiculous, made her those acknowledgments, and returned her those civilities, which her sister could not make or return for herself. Their good friend saw that Marianne was unhappy, and felt that every thing was due to her which might make her at all less so. She treated her therefore, with all the indulgent fondness of a parent towards a favourite child on the last day of its holidays. Marianne was to have the best place by the fire, was to be tempted to eat by every delicacy in the house, and to be amused by the relation of all the news of the day. Had not Elinor, in the sad countenance of her sister, seen a check to all mirth, she could have been
entertained by Mrs. Jennings’s endeavours to cure a disappointment in love, by a variety of sweetmeats and olives, and a good fire. As soon, however, as the consciousness of all this was forced by continual repetition on Marianne, she could stay no longer. With a hasty exclamation of Misery, and a sign to her sister not to follow her, she directly got up and hurried out of the room.
“Poor soul!” cried Mrs. Jennings, as soon as she was gone, “how it grieves me to see her! And I declare if she is not gone away without finishing her wine! And the dried cherries too! Lord! nothing seems to do her any good. I am sure if I knew of any thing she would like, I would send all over the town for it. Well, it is the oddest thing to me, that a man should use such a pretty girl so ill! But when there is plenty of money on one side, and next to none on the other, Lord bless you! they care no more about such things!—”
“The lady then—Miss Grey I think you called her—is very rich?”
“Fifty thousand pounds, my dear. Did you ever see her? a smart, stylish girl they say, but not handsome. I remember her aunt very well, Biddy Henshawe; she married a very wealthy man. But the family are all rich together. Fifty thousand pounds! and by all accounts, it won’t come before it’s wanted; for they say he is all to pieces. No wonder! dashing about with his curricle and hunters! Well, it don’t signify talking; but when a young man, be who he will, comes and makes love to a pretty girl, and promises marriage, he has no business to fly off from his word only because he grows poor, and a richer girl is ready to have him. Why don’t he, in such a case, sell his horses, let his house, turn off his servants, and make a thorough reform at once? I warrant you, Miss Marianne would have been ready to wait till matters came round. But that won’t do now-a-
days; nothing in the way of pleasure can ever be given up by the young men of this age.”
“Do you know what kind of a girl Miss Grey is? Is she said to be amiable?”
“I never heard any harm of her; indeed I hardly ever heard her mentioned; except that Mrs. Taylor did say this morning, that one day Miss Walker hinted to her, that she believed Mr. and Mrs. Ellison would not be sorry to have Miss Grey married, for she and Mrs. Ellison could never agree.”—
“And who are the Ellisons?”
“Her guardians, my dear. But now she is of age and may choose for herself; and a pretty choice she has made!—What now,” after pausing a moment—”your poor sister is gone to her own room, I suppose, to moan by herself. Is there nothing one can get to comfort her? Poor dear, it seems quite cruel to let her be alone. Well, by-and-by we shall have a few friends, and that will amuse her a little. What shall we play at? She hates whist I know; but is there no round game she cares for?”
“Dear ma’am, this kindness is quite unnecessary. Marianne, I dare say, will not leave her room again this evening. I shall persuade her if I can to go early to bed, for I am sure she wants rest.”
“Aye, I believe that will be best for her. Let her name her own supper, and go to bed. Lord! no wonder she has been looking so bad and so cast down this last week or two, for this matter I suppose has been hanging over her head as long as that. And so the letter that came today finished it! Poor soul! I am sure if I had had a notion of it, I would not have joked her about it for all my money. But then you know, how should I guess such a thing? I made sure of its being nothing
but a common love letter, and you know young people like to be laughed at about them. Lord! how concerned Sir John and my daughters will be when they hear it! If I had my senses about me I might have called in Conduit Street in my way home, and told them of it. But I shall see them tomorrow.”
“It would be unnecessary I am sure, for you to caution Mrs. Palmer and Sir John against ever naming Mr. Willoughby, or making the slightest allusion to what has passed, before my sister. Their own good-nature must point out to them the real cruelty of appearing to know any thing about it when she is present; and the less that may ever be said to myself on the subject, the more my feelings will be spared, as you my dear madam will easily believe.”
“Oh! Lord! yes, that I do indeed. It must be terrible for you to hear it talked of; and as for your sister, I am sure I would not mention a word about it to her for the world. You saw I did not all dinner time. No more would Sir John, nor my daughters, for they are all very thoughtful and considerate; especially if I give them a hint, as I certainly will. For my part, I think the less that is said about such things, the better, the sooner ’tis blown over and forgot. And what does talking ever do you know?”
“In this affair it can only do harm; more so perhaps than in many cases of a similar kind, for it has been attended by circumstances which, for the sake of every one concerned in it, make it unfit to become the public conversation. I must do THIS justice to Mr. Willoughby—he has broken no positive engagement with my sister.”
“Law, my dear! Don’t pretend to defend him. No positive engagement indeed! after taking her all over Allenham House, and fixing on the very rooms they were to live in hereafter!”
Elinor, for her sister’s sake, could not press the subject farther, and she hoped it was not required of her for Willoughby’s; since, though Marianne might lose much, he could gain very little by the enforcement of the real truth. After a short silence on both sides, Mrs. Jennings, with all her natural hilarity, burst forth again.
“Well, my dear, ’tis a true saying about an ill-wind, for it will be all the better for Colonel Brandon. He will have her at last; aye, that he will. Mind me, now, if they an’t married by Mid-summer. Lord! how he’ll chuckle over this news! I hope he will come tonight. It will be all to one a better match for your sister. Two thousand a year without debt or drawback—except the little love-child, indeed; aye, I had forgot her; but she may be ‘prenticed out at a small cost, and then what does it signify? Delaford is a nice place, I can tell you; exactly what I call a nice old fashioned place, full of comforts and conveniences; quite shut in with great garden walls that are covered with the best fruit-trees in the country; and such a mulberry tree in one corner! Lord! how Charlotte and I did stuff the only time we were there! Then, there is a dove-cote, some delightful stew-ponds, and a very pretty canal; and every thing, in short, that one could wish for; and, moreover, it is close to the church, and only a quarter of a mile from the turnpike-road, so ’tis never dull, for if you only go and sit up in an old yew arbour behind the house, you may see all the carriages that pass along. Oh! ’tis a nice place! A butcher hard by in the village, and the parsonage-house within a stone’s throw. To my fancy, a thousand times prettier than Barton Park, where they are forced to send three miles for their meat, and have not a neighbour nearer than your mother. Well, I shall spirit up the Colonel as soon as I can. One shoulder of mutton, you know, drives another down. If we CAN but put Willoughby out of her head!”
“Ay, if we can do THAT, Ma’am,” said Elinor, “we shall do very well with or without Colonel Brandon.” And then rising, she went away to join Marianne, whom she found, as she expected, in her own room, leaning, in silent misery, over the small remains of a fire, which, till Elinor’s entrance, had been her only light.
“You had better leave me,” was all the notice that her sister received from her.
“I will leave you,” said Elinor, “if you will go to bed.” But this, from the momentary perverseness of impatient suffering, she at first refused to do. Her sister’s earnest, though gentle persuasion, however, soon softened her to compliance, and Elinor saw her lay her aching head on the pillow, and as she hoped, in a way to get some quiet rest before she left her.
In the drawing-room, whither she then repaired, she was soon joined by Mrs. Jennings, with a wine-glass, full of something, in her hand.
“My dear,” said she, entering, “I have just recollected that I have some of the finest old Constantia wine in the house that ever was tasted, so I have brought a glass of it for your sister. My poor husband! how fond he was of it! Whenever he had a touch of his old colicky gout, he said it did him more good than any thing else in the world. Do take it to your sister.”
“Dear Ma’am,” replied Elinor, smiling at the difference of the complaints for which it was recommended, “how good you are! But I have just left Marianne in bed, and, I hope, almost asleep; and as I think nothing will be of so much service to her as rest, if you will give me leave, I will drink the wine myself.”
Mrs. Jennings, though regretting that she had not been five minutes earlier, was satisfied with the compromise; and Elinor, as she swallowed the chief of it, reflected, that though its effects on a colicky gout were, at present, of little importance to her, its healing powers, on a disappointed heart might be as reasonably tried on herself as on her sister.
Colonel Brandon came in while the party were at tea, and by his manner of looking round the room for Marianne, Elinor immediately fancied that he neither expected nor wished to see her there, and, in short, that he was already aware of what occasioned her absence. Mrs. Jennings was not struck by the same thought; for soon after his entrance, she walked across the room to the tea-table where Elinor presided, and whispered— “The Colonel looks as grave as ever you see. He knows nothing of it; do tell him, my dear.”
He shortly afterwards drew a chair close to her’s, and, with a look which perfectly assured her of his good information, inquired after her sister.
“Marianne is not well,” said she. “She has been indisposed all day, and we have persuaded her to go to bed.”
“Perhaps, then,” he hesitatingly replied, “what I heard this morning may be—there may be more truth in it than I could believe possible at first.”
“What did you hear?”
“That a gentleman, whom I had reason to think—in short, that a man, whom I KNEW to be engaged—but how shall I tell you? If you know it already, as surely you must, I may be spared.”
“You mean,” answered Elinor, with forced calmness, “Mr. Willoughby’s marriage with Miss Grey. Yes, we DO know it all. This seems to have been a day of general elucidation, for
this very morning first unfolded it to us. Mr. Willoughby is unfathomable! Where did you hear it?”
“In a stationer’s shop in Pall Mall, where I had business. Two ladies were waiting for their carriage, and one of them was giving the other an account of the intended match, in a voice so little attempting concealment, that it was impossible for me not to hear all. The name of Willoughby, John Willoughby, frequently repeated, first caught my attention; and what followed was a positive assertion that every thing was now finally settled respecting his marriage with Miss Grey—it was no longer to be a secret—it would take place even within a few weeks, with many particulars of preparations and other matters. One thing, especially, I remember, because it served to identify the man still more:— as soon as the ceremony was over, they were to go to Combe Magna, his seat in Somersetshire. My astonishment!—but it would be impossible to describe what I felt. The communicative lady I learnt, on inquiry, for I stayed in the shop till they were gone, was a Mrs. Ellison, and that, as I have been since informed, is the name of Miss Grey’s guardian.”
“It is. But have you likewise heard that Miss Grey has fifty thousand pounds? In that, if in any thing, we may find an explanation.”
“It may be so; but Willoughby is capable—at least I think”—he stopped a moment; then added in a voice which seemed to distrust itself, “And your sister—how did she—”
“Her sufferings have been very severe. I have only to hope that they may be proportionately short. It has been, it is a most cruel affliction. Till yesterday, I believe, she never doubted his regard; and even now, perhaps—but I am almost convinced that he never was really attached to her. He has
been very deceitful! and, in some points, there seems a hardness of heart about him.”
“Ah!” said Colonel Brandon, “there is, indeed! But your sister does not—I think you said so—she does not consider quite as you do?”
“You know her disposition, and may believe how eagerly she would still justify him if she could.”
He made no answer; and soon afterwards, by the removal of the tea-things, and the arrangement of the card parties, the subject was necessarily dropped. Mrs. Jennings, who had watched them with pleasure while they were talking, and who expected to see the effect of Miss Dashwood’s communication, in such an instantaneous gaiety on Colonel Brandon’s side, as might have become a man in the bloom of youth, of hope and happiness, saw him, with amazement, remain the whole evening more serious and thoughtful than usual.
Ebd E-BooksDirectory.com
CHAPTER 31
From a night of more sleep than she had expected, Marianne awoke the next morning to the same consciousness of misery in which she had closed her eyes.
Elinor encouraged her as much as possible to talk of what she felt; and before breakfast was ready, they had gone through the subject again and again; and with the same steady conviction and affectionate counsel on Elinor’s side, the same impetuous feelings and varying opinions on Marianne’s, as before. Sometimes she could believe Willoughby to be as unfortunate and as innocent as herself, and at others, lost every consolation in the impossibility of acquitting him. At one moment she was absolutely indifferent to the observation of all the world, at another she would seclude herself from it for ever, and at a third could resist it with energy. In one thing, however, she was uniform, when it came to the point, in avoiding, where it was possible, the presence of Mrs. Jennings, and in a determined silence when obliged to endure it. Her heart was hardened against the belief of Mrs. Jennings’s entering into her sorrows with any compassion.
“No, no, no, it cannot be,” she cried; “she cannot feel. Her kindness is not sympathy; her good-nature is not tenderness. All that she wants is gossip, and she only likes me now because I supply it.”
Elinor had not needed this to be assured of the injustice to which her sister was often led in her opinion of others, by the irritable refinement of her own mind, and the too great importance placed by her on the delicacies of a strong
sensibility, and the graces of a polished manner. Like half the rest of the world, if more than half there be that are clever and good, Marianne, with excellent abilities and an excellent disposition, was neither reasonable nor candid. She expected from other people the same opinions and feelings as her own, and she judged of their motives by the immediate effect of their actions on herself. Thus a circumstance occurred, while the sisters were together in their own room after breakfast, which sunk the heart of Mrs. Jennings still lower in her estimation; because, through her own weakness, it chanced to prove a source of fresh pain to herself, though Mrs. Jennings was governed in it by an impulse of the utmost goodwill.
With a letter in her outstretched hand, and countenance gaily smiling, from the persuasion of bringing comfort, she entered their room, saying,
“Now, my dear, I bring you something that I am sure will do you good.”
Marianne heard enough. In one moment her imagination placed before her a letter from Willoughby, full of tenderness and contrition, explanatory of all that had passed, satisfactory, convincing; and instantly followed by Willoughby himself, rushing eagerly into the room to inforce, at her feet, by the eloquence of his eyes, the assurances of his letter. The work of one moment was destroyed by the next. The hand writing of her mother, never till then unwelcome, was before her; and, in the acuteness of the disappointment which followed such an ecstasy of more than hope, she felt as if, till that instant, she had never suffered.
The cruelty of Mrs. Jennings no language, within her reach in her moments of happiest eloquence, could have expressed; and now she could reproach her only by the tears which streamed from her eyes with passionate violence—a
reproach, however, so entirely lost on its object, that after many expressions of pity, she withdrew, still referring her to the letter of comfort. But the letter, when she was calm enough to read it, brought little comfort. Willoughby filled every page. Her mother, still confident of their engagement, and relying as warmly as ever on his constancy, had only been roused by Elinor’s application, to intreat from Marianne greater openness towards them both; and this, with such tenderness towards her, such affection for Willoughby, and such a conviction of their future happiness in each other, that she wept with agony through the whole of it.
All her impatience to be at home again now returned; her mother was dearer to her than ever; dearer through the very excess of her mistaken confidence in Willoughby, and she was wildly urgent to be gone. Elinor, unable herself to determine whether it were better for Marianne to be in London or at Barton, offered no counsel of her own except of patience till their mother’s wishes could be known; and at length she obtained her sister’s consent to wait for that knowledge.
Mrs. Jennings left them earlier than usual; for she could not be easy till the Middletons and Palmers were able to grieve as much as herself; and positively refusing Elinor’s offered attendance, went out alone for the rest of the morning. Elinor, with a very heavy heart, aware of the pain she was going to communicate, and perceiving, by Marianne’s letter, how ill she had succeeded in laying any foundation for it, then sat down to write her mother an account of what had passed, and entreat her directions for the future; while Marianne, who came into the drawing-room on Mrs. Jennings’s going away, remained fixed at the table where Elinor wrote, watching the advancement of her pen, grieving over her for the hardship of such a task, and grieving still more fondly over its effect on her mother.
In this manner they had continued about a quarter of an hour, when Marianne, whose nerves could not then bear any sudden noise, was startled by a rap at the door.
“Who can this be?” cried Elinor. “So early too! I thought we HAD been safe.”
Marianne moved to the window—
“It is Colonel Brandon!” said she, with vexation. “We are never safe from HIM.”
“He will not come in, as Mrs. Jennings is from home.”
“I will not trust to THAT,” retreating to her own room. “A man who has nothing to do with his own time has no conscience in his intrusion on that of others.”
The event proved her conjecture right, though it was founded on injustice and error; for Colonel Brandon DID come in; and Elinor, who was convinced that solicitude for Marianne brought him thither, and who saw THAT solicitude in his disturbed and melancholy look, and in his anxious though brief inquiry after her, could not forgive her sister for esteeming him so lightly.
“I met Mrs. Jennings in Bond Street,” said he, after the first salutation, “and she encouraged me to come on; and I was the more easily encouraged, because I thought it probable that I might find you alone, which I was very desirous of doing. My object—my wish—my sole wish in desiring it—I hope, I believe it is—is to be a means of giving comfort;—no, I must not say comfort—not present comfort— but conviction, lasting conviction to your sister’s mind. My regard for her, for yourself, for your mother—will you allow me to prove it, by relating some circumstances which nothing but a VERY sincere regard—nothing but an earnest desire of being useful—I think I am justified—though where so many
hours have been spent in convincing myself that I am right, is there not some reason to fear I may be wrong?” He stopped.
“I understand you,” said Elinor. “You have something to tell me of Mr. Willoughby, that will open his character farther. Your telling it will be the greatest act of friendship that can be shewn Marianne. MY gratitude will be insured immediately by any information tending to that end, and HERS must be gained by it in time. Pray, pray let me hear it.”
“You shall; and, to be brief, when I quitted Barton last October,—but this will give you no idea—I must go farther back. You will find me a very awkward narrator, Miss Dashwood; I hardly know where to begin. A short account of myself, I believe, will be necessary, and it SHALL be a short one. On such a subject,” sighing heavily, “can I have little temptation to be diffuse.”
He stopt a moment for recollection, and then, with another sigh, went on.
“You have probably entirely forgotten a conversation—(it is not to be supposed that it could make any impression on you)—a conversation between us one evening at Barton Park—it was the evening of a dance—in which I alluded to a lady I had once known, as resembling, in some measure, your sister Marianne.”
“Indeed,” answered Elinor, “I have NOT forgotten it.” He looked pleased by this remembrance, and added,
“If I am not deceived by the uncertainty, the partiality of tender recollection, there is a very strong resemblance between them, as well in mind as person. The same warmth of heart, the same eagerness of fancy and spirits. This lady was one of my nearest relations, an orphan from her infancy,
and under the guardianship of my father. Our ages were nearly the same, and from our earliest years we were playfellows and friends. I cannot remember the time when I did not love Eliza; and my affection for her, as we grew up, was such, as perhaps, judging from my present forlorn and cheerless gravity, you might think me incapable of having ever felt. Her’s, for me, was, I believe, fervent as the attachment of your sister to Mr. Willoughby and it was, though from a different cause, no less unfortunate. At seventeen she was lost to me for ever. She was married— married against her inclination to my brother. Her fortune was large, and our family estate much encumbered. And this, I fear, is all that can be said for the conduct of one, who was at once her uncle and guardian. My brother did not deserve her; he did not even love her. I had hoped that her regard for me would support her under any difficulty, and for some time it did; but at last the misery of her situation, for she experienced great unkindness, overcame all her resolution, and though she had promised me that nothing—but how blindly I relate! I have never told you how this was brought on. We were within a few hours of eloping together for Scotland. The treachery, or the folly, of my cousin’s maid betrayed us. I was banished to the house of a relation far distant, and she was allowed no liberty, no society, no amusement, till my father’s point was gained. I had depended on her fortitude too far, and the blow was a severe one—but had her marriage been happy, so young as I then was, a few months must have reconciled me to it, or at least I should not have now to lament it. This however was not the case. My brother had no regard for her; his pleasures were not what they ought to have been, and from the first he treated her unkindly. The consequence of this, upon a mind so young, so lively, so inexperienced as Mrs. Brandon’s, was but too natural. She resigned herself at first to all the misery of her situation; and happy had it been if she had not lived to overcome those regrets which the remembrance of me occasioned. But can we wonder that, with such a husband to
provoke inconstancy, and without a friend to advise or restrain her (for my father lived only a few months after their marriage, and I was with my regiment in the East Indies) she should fall? Had I remained in England, perhaps—but I meant to promote the happiness of both by removing from her for years, and for that purpose had procured my exchange. The shock which her marriage had given me,” he continued, in a voice of great agitation, “was of trifling weight—was nothing to what I felt when I heard, about two years afterwards, of her divorce. It was THAT which threw this gloom,—even now the recollection of what I suffered—”
He could say no more, and rising hastily walked for a few minutes about the room. Elinor, affected by his relation, and still more by his distress, could not speak. He saw her concern, and coming to her, took her hand, pressed it, and kissed it with grateful respect. A few minutes more of silent exertion enabled him to proceed with composure.
“It was nearly three years after this unhappy period before I returned to England. My first care, when I DID arrive, was of course to seek for her; but the search was as fruitless as it was melancholy. I could not trace her beyond her first seducer, and there was every reason to fear that she had removed from him only to sink deeper in a life of sin. Her legal allowance was not adequate to her fortune, nor sufficient for her comfortable maintenance, and I learnt from my brother that the power of receiving it had been made over some months before to another person. He imagined, and calmly could he imagine it, that her extravagance, and consequent distress, had obliged her to dispose of it for some immediate relief. At last, however, and after I had been six months in England, I DID find her. Regard for a former servant of my own, who had since fallen into misfortune, carried me to visit him in a spunging-house, where he was confined for debt; and there, the same house, under a similar confinement, was my unfortunate sister. So altered—so
faded—worn down by acute suffering of every kind! hardly could I believe the melancholy and sickly figure before me, to be the remains of the lovely, blooming, healthful girl, on whom I had once doted. What I endured in so beholding her—but I have no right to wound your feelings by attempting to describe it—I have pained you too much already. That she was, to all appearance, in the last stage of a consumption, was—yes, in such a situation it was my greatest comfort. Life could do nothing for her, beyond giving time for a better preparation for death; and that was given. I saw her placed in comfortable lodgings, and under proper attendants; I visited her every day during the rest of her short life: I was with her in her last moments.”
Again he stopped to recover himself; and Elinor spoke her feelings in an exclamation of tender concern, at the fate of his unfortunate friend.
“Your sister, I hope, cannot be offended,” said he, “by the resemblance I have fancied between her and my poor disgraced relation. Their fates, their fortunes, cannot be the same; and had the natural sweet disposition of the one been guarded by a firmer mind, or a happier marriage, she might have been all that you will live to see the other be. But to what does all this lead? I seem to have been distressing you for nothing. Ah! Miss Dashwood—a subject such as this— untouched for fourteen years—it is dangerous to handle it at all! I WILL be more collected—more concise. She left to my care her only child, a little girl, the offspring of her first guilty connection, who was then about three years old. She loved the child, and had always kept it with her. It was a valued, a precious trust to me; and gladly would I have discharged it in the strictest sense, by watching over her education myself, had the nature of our situations allowed it; but I had no family, no home; and my little Eliza was therefore placed at school. I saw her there whenever I could, and after the death of my brother, (which happened about
five years ago, and which left to me the possession of the family property,) she visited me at Delaford. I called her a distant relation; but I am well aware that I have in general been suspected of a much nearer connection with her. It is now three years ago (she had just reached her fourteenth year,) that I removed her from school, to place her under the care of a very respectable woman, residing in Dorsetshire, who had the charge of four or five other girls of about the same time of life; and for two years I had every reason to be pleased with her situation. But last February, almost a twelvemonth back, she suddenly disappeared. I had allowed her, (imprudently, as it has since turned out,) at her earnest desire, to go to Bath with one of her young friends, who was attending her father there for his health. I knew him to be a very good sort of man, and I thought well of his daughter— better than she deserved, for, with a most obstinate and ill-judged secrecy, she would tell nothing, would give no clue, though she certainly knew all. He, her father, a well-meaning, but not a quick-sighted man, could really, I believe, give no information; for he had been generally confined to the house, while the girls were ranging over the town and making what acquaintance they chose; and he tried to convince me, as thoroughly as he was convinced himself, of his daughter’s being entirely unconcerned in the business. In short, I could learn nothing but that she was gone; all the rest, for eight long months, was left to conjecture. What I thought, what I feared, may be imagined; and what I suffered too.”
“Good heavens!” cried Elinor, “could it be—could Willoughby!”—
“The first news that reached me of her,” he continued, “came in a letter from herself, last October. It was forwarded to me from Delaford, and I received it on the very morning of our intended party to Whitwell; and this was the reason of my leaving Barton so suddenly, which I am sure must at the
time have appeared strange to every body, and which I believe gave offence to some. Little did Mr. Willoughby imagine, I suppose, when his looks censured me for incivility in breaking up the party, that I was called away to the relief of one whom he had made poor and miserable; but HAD he known it, what would it have availed? Would he have been less gay or less happy in the smiles of your sister? No, he had already done that, which no man who CAN feel for another would do. He had left the girl whose youth and innocence he had seduced, in a situation of the utmost distress, with no creditable home, no help, no friends, ignorant of his address! He had left her, promising to return; he neither returned, nor wrote, nor relieved her.”
“This is beyond every thing!” exclaimed Elinor.
“His character is now before you; expensive, dissipated, and worse than both. Knowing all this, as I have now known it many weeks, guess what I must have felt on seeing your sister as fond of him as ever, and on being assured that she was to marry him: guess what I must have felt for all your sakes. When I came to you last week and found you alone, I came determined to know the truth; though irresolute what to do when it WAS known. My behaviour must have seemed strange to you then; but now you will comprehend it. To suffer you all to be so deceived; to see your sister—but what could I do? I had no hope of interfering with success; and sometimes I thought your sister’s influence might yet reclaim him. But now, after such dishonorable usage, who can tell what were his designs on her. Whatever they may have been, however, she may now, and hereafter doubtless WILL turn with gratitude towards her own condition, when she compares it with that of my poor Eliza, when she considers the wretched and hopeless situation of this poor girl, and pictures her to herself, with an affection for him so strong, still as strong as her own, and with a mind tormented by self-reproach, which must attend her through life. Surely this
comparison must have its use with her. She will feel her own sufferings to be nothing. They proceed from no misconduct, and can bring no disgrace. On the contrary, every friend must be made still more her friend by them. Concern for her unhappiness, and respect for her fortitude under it, must strengthen every attachment. Use your own discretion, however, in communicating to her what I have told you. You must know best what will be its effect; but had I not seriously, and from my heart believed it might be of service, might lessen her regrets, I would not have suffered myself to trouble you with this account of my family afflictions, with a recital which may seem to have been intended to raise myself at the expense of others.”
Elinor’s thanks followed this speech with grateful earnestness; attended too with the assurance of her expecting material advantage to Marianne, from the communication of what had passed.
“I have been more pained,” said she, “by her endeavors to acquit him than by all the rest; for it irritates her mind more than the most perfect conviction of his unworthiness can do. Now, though at first she will suffer much, I am sure she will soon become easier. Have you,” she continued, after a short silence, “ever seen Mr. Willoughby since you left him at Barton?”
“Yes,” he replied gravely, “once I have. One meeting was unavoidable.”
Elinor, startled by his manner, looked at him anxiously, saying,
“What? have you met him to—”
“I could meet him no other way. Eliza had confessed to me, though most reluctantly, the name of her lover; and when he returned to town, which was within a fortnight after
myself, we met by appointment, he to defend, I to punish his conduct. We returned unwounded, and the meeting, therefore, never got abroad.”
Elinor sighed over the fancied necessity of this; but to a man and a soldier she presumed not to censure it.
“Such,” said Colonel Brandon, after a pause, “has been the unhappy resemblance between the fate of mother and daughter! and so imperfectly have I discharged my trust!”
“Is she still in town?”
“No; as soon as she recovered from her lying-in, for I found her near her delivery, I removed her and her child into the country, and there she remains.”
Recollecting, soon afterwards, that he was probably dividing Elinor from her sister, he put an end to his visit, receiving from her again the same grateful acknowledgments, and leaving her full of compassion and esteem for him.
Ebd E-BooksDirectory.com
CHAPTER 32
When the particulars of this conversation were repeated by Miss Dashwood to her sister, as they very soon were, the effect on her was not entirely such as the former had hoped to see. Not that Marianne appeared to distrust the truth of any part of it, for she listened to it all with the most steady and submissive attention, made neither objection nor remark, attempted no vindication of Willoughby, and seemed to shew by her tears that she felt it to be impossible. But though this behaviour assured Elinor that the conviction of this guilt WAS carried home to her mind, though she saw with satisfaction the effect of it, in her no longer avoiding Colonel Brandon when he called, in her speaking to him, even voluntarily speaking, with a kind of compassionate respect, and though she saw her spirits less violently irritated than before, she did not see her less wretched. Her mind did become settled, but it was settled in a gloomy dejection. She felt the loss of Willoughby’s character yet more heavily than she had felt the loss of his heart; his seduction and desertion of Miss Williams, the misery of that poor girl, and the doubt of what his designs might ONCE have been on herself, preyed altogether so much on her spirits, that she could not bring herself to speak of what she felt even to Elinor; and, brooding over her sorrows in silence, gave more pain to her sister than could have been communicated by the most open and most frequent confession of them.
To give the feelings or the language of Mrs. Dashwood on receiving and answering Elinor’s letter would be only to give a repetition of what her daughters had already felt and said; of a disappointment hardly less painful than
Marianne’s, and an indignation even greater than Elinor’s. Long letters from her, quickly succeeding each other, arrived to tell all that she suffered and thought; to express her anxious solicitude for Marianne, and entreat she would bear up with fortitude under this misfortune. Bad indeed must the nature of Marianne’s affliction be, when her mother could talk of fortitude! mortifying and humiliating must be the origin of those regrets, which SHE could wish her not to indulge!
Against the interest of her own individual comfort, Mrs. Dashwood had determined that it would be better for Marianne to be any where, at that time, than at Barton, where every thing within her view would be bringing back the past in the strongest and most afflicting manner, by constantly placing Willoughby before her, such as she had always seen him there. She recommended it to her daughters, therefore, by all means not to shorten their visit to Mrs. Jennings; the length of which, though never exactly fixed, had been expected by all to comprise at least five or six weeks. A variety of occupations, of objects, and of company, which could not be procured at Barton, would be inevitable there, and might yet, she hoped, cheat Marianne, at times, into some interest beyond herself, and even into some amusement, much as the ideas of both might now be spurned by her.
From all danger of seeing Willoughby again, her mother considered her to be at least equally safe in town as in the country, since his acquaintance must now be dropped by all who called themselves her friends. Design could never bring them in each other’s way: negligence could never leave them exposed to a surprise; and chance had less in its favour in the crowd of London than even in the retirement of Barton, where it might force him before her while paying that visit at Allenham on his marriage, which Mrs. Dashwood, from
foreseeing at first as a probable event, had brought herself to expect as a certain one.
She had yet another reason for wishing her children to remain where they were; a letter from her son-in-law had told her that he and his wife were to be in town before the middle of February, and she judged it right that they should sometimes see their brother.
Marianne had promised to be guided by her mother’s opinion, and she submitted to it therefore without opposition, though it proved perfectly different from what she wished and expected, though she felt it to be entirely wrong, formed on mistaken grounds, and that by requiring her longer continuance in London it deprived her of the only possible alleviation of her wretchedness, the personal sympathy of her mother, and doomed her to such society and such scenes as must prevent her ever knowing a moment’s rest.
But it was a matter of great consolation to her, that what brought evil to herself would bring good to her sister; and Elinor, on the other hand, suspecting that it would not be in her power to avoid Edward entirely, comforted herself by thinking, that though their longer stay would therefore militate against her own happiness, it would be better for Marianne than an immediate return into Devonshire.
Her carefulness in guarding her sister from ever hearing Willoughby’s name mentioned, was not thrown away. Marianne, though without knowing it herself, reaped all its advantage; for neither Mrs. Jennings, nor Sir John, nor even Mrs. Palmer herself, ever spoke of him before her. Elinor wished that the same forbearance could have extended towards herself, but that was impossible, and she was obliged to listen day after day to the indignation of them all.
Sir John, could not have thought it possible. “A man of whom he had always had such reason to think well! Such a good-natured fellow! He did not believe there was a bolder rider in England! It was an unaccountable business. He wished him at the devil with all his heart. He would not speak another word to him, meet him where he might, for all the world! No, not if it were to be by the side of Barton covert, and they were kept watching for two hours together. Such a scoundrel of a fellow! such a deceitful dog! It was only the last time they met that he had offered him one of Folly’s puppies! and this was the end of it!”
Mrs. Palmer, in her way, was equally angry. “She was determined to drop his acquaintance immediately, and she was very thankful that she had never been acquainted with him at all. She wished with all her heart Combe Magna was not so near Cleveland; but it did not signify, for it was a great deal too far off to visit; she hated him so much that she was resolved never to mention his name again, and she should tell everybody she saw, how good-for-nothing he was.”
The rest of Mrs. Palmer’s sympathy was shewn in procuring all the particulars in her power of the approaching marriage, and communicating them to Elinor. She could soon tell at what coachmaker’s the new carriage was building, by what painter Mr. Willoughby’s portrait was drawn, and at what warehouse Miss Grey’s clothes might be seen.
The calm and polite unconcern of Lady Middleton on the occasion was a happy relief to Elinor’s spirits, oppressed as they often were by the clamorous kindness of the others. It was a great comfort to her to be sure of exciting no interest in ONE person at least among their circle of friends: a great comfort to know that there was ONE who would meet her without feeling any curiosity after particulars, or any anxiety for her sister’s health.
Every qualification is raised at times, by the circumstances of the moment, to more than its real value; and she was sometimes worried down by officious condolence to rate good-breeding as more indispensable to comfort than good-nature.
Lady Middleton expressed her sense of the affair about once every day, or twice, if the subject occurred very often, by saying, “It is very shocking, indeed!” and by the means of this continual though gentle vent, was able not only to see the Miss Dashwoods from the first without the smallest emotion, but very soon to see them without recollecting a word of the matter; and having thus supported the dignity of her own sex, and spoken her decided censure of what was wrong in the other, she thought herself at liberty to attend to the interest of her own assemblies, and therefore determined (though rather against the opinion of Sir John) that as Mrs. Willoughby would at once be a woman of elegance and fortune, to leave her card with her as soon as she married.
Colonel Brandon’s delicate, unobtrusive enquiries were never unwelcome to Miss Dashwood. He had abundantly earned the privilege of intimate discussion of her sister’s disappointment, by the friendly zeal with which he had endeavoured to soften it, and they always conversed with confidence. His chief reward for the painful exertion of disclosing past sorrows and present humiliations, was given in the pitying eye with which Marianne sometimes observed him, and the gentleness of her voice whenever (though it did not often happen) she was obliged, or could oblige herself to speak to him. THESE assured him that his exertion had produced an increase of good-will towards himself, and THESE gave Elinor hopes of its being farther augmented hereafter; but Mrs. Jennings, who knew nothing of all this, who knew only that the Colonel continued as grave as ever, and that she could neither prevail on him to make the offer himself, nor commission her to make it for him, began, at the
end of two days, to think that, instead of Midsummer, they would not be married till Michaelmas, and by the end of a week that it would not be a match at all. The good understanding between the Colonel and Miss Dashwood seemed rather to declare that the honours of the mulberry-tree, the canal, and the yew arbour, would all be made over to HER; and Mrs. Jennings had, for some time ceased to think at all of Mrs. Ferrars.
Early in February, within a fortnight from the receipt of Willoughby’s letter, Elinor had the painful office of informing her sister that he was married. She had taken care to have the intelligence conveyed to herself, as soon as it was known that the ceremony was over, as she was desirous that Marianne should not receive the first notice of it from the public papers, which she saw her eagerly examining every morning.
She received the news with resolute composure; made no observation on it, and at first shed no tears; but after a short time they would burst out, and for the rest of the day, she was in a state hardly less pitiable than when she first learnt to expect the event.
The Willoughbys left town as soon as they were married; and Elinor now hoped, as there could be no danger of her seeing either of them, to prevail on her sister, who had never yet left the house since the blow first fell, to go out again by degrees as she had done before.
About this time the two Miss Steeles, lately arrived at their cousin’s house in Bartlett’s Buildings, Holburn, presented themselves again before their more grand relations in Conduit and Berkeley Streets; and were welcomed by them all with great cordiality.
Elinor only was sorry to see them. Their presence always gave her pain, and she hardly knew how to make a very gracious return to the overpowering delight of Lucy in finding her STILL in town.
“I should have been quite disappointed if I had not found you here STILL,” said she repeatedly, with a strong emphasis on the word. “But I always thought I SHOULD. I was almost sure you would not leave London yet awhile; though you TOLD me, you know, at Barton, that you should not stay above a MONTH. But I thought, at the time, that you would most likely change your mind when it came to the point. It would have been such a great pity to have went away before your brother and sister came. And now to be sure you will be in no hurry to be gone. I am amazingly glad you did not keep to YOUR WORD.”
Elinor perfectly understood her, and was forced to use all her self-command to make it appear that she did NOT.
“Well, my dear,” said Mrs. Jennings, “and how did you travel?”
“Not in the stage, I assure you,” replied Miss Steele, with quick exultation; “we came post all the way, and had a very smart beau to attend us. Dr. Davies was coming to town, and so we thought we’d join him in a post-chaise; and he behaved very genteelly, and paid ten or twelve shillings more than we did.”
“Oh, oh!” cried Mrs. Jennings; “very pretty, indeed! and the Doctor is a single man, I warrant you.”
“There now,” said Miss Steele, affectedly simpering, “everybody laughs at me so about the Doctor, and I cannot think why. My cousins say they are sure I have made a conquest; but for my part I declare I never think about him from one hour’s end to another. ‘Lord! here comes your beau,
Nancy,’ my cousin said t’other day, when she saw him crossing the street to the house. My beau, indeed! said I—I cannot think who you mean. The Doctor is no beau of mine.”
“Aye, aye, that is very pretty talking—but it won’t do— the Doctor is the man, I see.”
“No, indeed!” replied her cousin, with affected earnestness, “and I beg you will contradict it, if you ever hear it talked of.”
Mrs. Jennings directly gave her the gratifying assurance that she certainly would NOT, and Miss Steele was made completely happy.
“I suppose you will go and stay with your brother and sister, Miss Dashwood, when they come to town,” said Lucy, returning, after a cessation of hostile hints, to the charge.
“No, I do not think we shall.”
“Oh, yes, I dare say you will.”
Elinor would not humour her by farther opposition.
“What a charming thing it is that Mrs. Dashwood can spare you both for so long a time together!”
“Long a time, indeed!” interposed Mrs. Jennings. “Why, their visit is but just begun!”
Lucy was silenced.
“I am sorry we cannot see your sister, Miss Dashwood,” said Miss Steele. “I am sorry she is not well—” for Marianne had left the room on their arrival.
“You are very good. My sister will be equally sorry to miss the pleasure of seeing you; but she has been very much plagued lately with nervous head-aches, which make her unfit for company or conversation.”
“Oh, dear, that is a great pity! but such old friends as Lucy and me!—I think she might see US; and I am sure we would not speak a word.”
Elinor, with great civility, declined the proposal. Her sister was perhaps laid down upon the bed, or in her dressing gown, and therefore not able to come to them.
“Oh, if that’s all,” cried Miss Steele, “we can just as well go and see HER.”
Elinor began to find this impertinence too much for her temper; but she was saved the trouble of checking it, by Lucy’s sharp reprimand, which now, as on many occasions, though it did not give much sweetness to the manners of one sister, was of advantage in governing those of the other.
Ebd E-BooksDirectory.com
CHAPTER 33
After some opposition, Marianne yielded to her sister’s entreaties, and consented to go out with her and Mrs. Jennings one morning for half an hour. She expressly conditioned, however, for paying no visits, and would do no more than accompany them to Gray’s in Sackville Street, where Elinor was carrying on a negotiation for the exchange of a few old-fashioned jewels of her mother.
When they stopped at the door, Mrs. Jennings recollected that there was a lady at the other end of the street on whom she ought to call; and as she had no business at Gray’s, it was resolved, that while her young friends transacted their’s, she should pay her visit and return for them.
On ascending the stairs, the Miss Dashwoods found so many people before them in the room, that there was not a person at liberty to tend to their orders; and they were obliged to wait. All that could be done was, to sit down at that end of the counter which seemed to promise the quickest succession; one gentleman only was standing there, and it is probable that Elinor was not without hope of exciting his politeness to a quicker despatch. But the correctness of his eye, and the delicacy of his taste, proved to be beyond his politeness. He was giving orders for a toothpick-case for himself, and till its size, shape, and ornaments were determined, all of which, after examining and debating for a quarter of an hour over every toothpick-case in the shop, were finally arranged by his own inventive fancy, he had no leisure to bestow any other attention on the two ladies, than what was comprised in three or four very
broad stares; a kind of notice which served to imprint on Elinor the remembrance of a person and face, of strong, natural, sterling insignificance, though adorned in the first style of fashion.
Marianne was spared from the troublesome feelings of contempt and resentment, on this impertinent examination of their features, and on the puppyism of his manner in deciding on all the different horrors of the different toothpick-cases presented to his inspection, by remaining unconscious of it all; for she was as well able to collect her thoughts within herself, and be as ignorant of what was passing around her, in Mr. Gray’s shop, as in her own bedroom.
At last the affair was decided. The ivory, the gold, and the pearls, all received their appointment, and the gentleman having named the last day on which his existence could be continued without the possession of the toothpick-case, drew on his gloves with leisurely care, and bestowing another glance on the Miss Dashwoods, but such a one as seemed rather to demand than express admiration, walked off with a happy air of real conceit and affected indifference.
Elinor lost no time in bringing her business forward, was on the point of concluding it, when another gentleman presented himself at her side. She turned her eyes towards his face, and found him with some surprise to be her brother.
Their affection and pleasure in meeting was just enough to make a very creditable appearance in Mr. Gray’s shop. John Dashwood was really far from being sorry to see his sisters again; it rather gave them satisfaction; and his inquiries after their mother were respectful and attentive.
Elinor found that he and Fanny had been in town two days.
“I wished very much to call upon you yesterday,” said he, “but it was impossible, for we were obliged to take Harry to see the wild beasts at Exeter Exchange; and we spent the rest of the day with Mrs. Ferrars. Harry was vastly pleased. THIS morning I had fully intended to call on you, if I could possibly find a spare half hour, but one has always so much to do on first coming to town. I am come here to bespeak Fanny a seal. But tomorrow I think I shall certainly be able to call in Berkeley Street, and be introduced to your friend Mrs. Jennings. I understand she is a woman of very good fortune. And the Middletons too, you must introduce me to THEM. As my mother-in-law’s relations, I shall be happy to show them every respect. They are excellent neighbours to you in the country, I understand.”
“Excellent indeed. Their attention to our comfort, their friendliness in every particular, is more than I can express.”
“I am extremely glad to hear it, upon my word; extremely glad indeed. But so it ought to be; they are people of large fortune, they are related to you, and every civility and accommodation that can serve to make your situation pleasant might be reasonably expected. And so you are most comfortably settled in your little cottage and want for nothing! Edward brought us a most charming account of the place: the most complete thing of its kind, he said, that ever was, and you all seemed to enjoy it beyond any thing. It was a great satisfaction to us to hear it, I assure you.”
Elinor did feel a little ashamed of her brother; and was not sorry to be spared the necessity of answering him, by the arrival of Mrs. Jennings’s servant, who came to tell her that his mistress waited for them at the door.
Mr. Dashwood attended them down stairs, was introduced to Mrs. Jennings at the door of her carriage, and repeating his hope of being able to call on them the next day, took leave.
His visit was duly paid. He came with a pretence at an apology from their sister-in-law, for not coming too; “but she was so much engaged with her mother, that really she had no leisure for going any where.” Mrs. Jennings, however, assured him directly, that she should not stand upon ceremony, for they were all cousins, or something like it, and she should certainly wait on Mrs. John Dashwood very soon, and bring her sisters to see her. His manners to THEM, though calm, were perfectly kind; to Mrs. Jennings, most attentively civil; and on Colonel Brandon’s coming in soon after himself, he eyed him with a curiosity which seemed to say, that he only wanted to know him to be rich, to be equally civil to HIM.
After staying with them half an hour, he asked Elinor to walk with him to Conduit Street, and introduce him to Sir John and Lady Middleton. The weather was remarkably fine, and she readily consented. As soon as they were out of the house, his enquiries began.
“Who is Colonel Brandon? Is he a man of fortune?”
“Yes; he has very good property in Dorsetshire.”
“I am glad of it. He seems a most gentlemanlike man; and I think, Elinor, I may congratulate you on the prospect of a very respectable establishment in life.”
“Me, brother! what do you mean?”
“He likes you. I observed him narrowly, and am convinced of it. What is the amount of his fortune?”
“I believe about two thousand a year.”
“Two thousand a-year;” and then working himself up to a pitch of enthusiastic generosity, he added, “Elinor, I wish with all my heart it were TWICE as much, for your sake.”
“Indeed I believe you,” replied Elinor; “but I am very sure that Colonel Brandon has not the smallest wish of marrying ME.”
“You are mistaken, Elinor; you are very much mistaken. A very little trouble on your side secures him. Perhaps just at present he may be undecided; the smallness of your fortune may make him hang back; his friends may all advise him against it. But some of those little attentions and encouragements which ladies can so easily give will fix him, in spite of himself. And there can be no reason why you should not try for him. It is not to be supposed that any prior attachment on your side—in short, you know as to an attachment of that kind, it is quite out of the question, the objections are insurmountable—you have too much sense not to see all that. Colonel Brandon must be the man; and no civility shall be wanting on my part to make him pleased with you and your family. It is a match that must give universal satisfaction. In short, it is a kind of thing that”— lowering his voice to an important whisper—”will be exceedingly welcome to ALL PARTIES.” Recollecting himself, however, he added, “That is, I mean to say—your friends are all truly anxious to see you well settled; Fanny particularly, for she has your interest very much at heart, I assure you. And her mother too, Mrs. Ferrars, a very good-natured woman, I am sure it would give her great pleasure; she said as much the other day.”
Elinor would not vouchsafe any answer.
“It would be something remarkable, now,” he continued, “something droll, if Fanny should have a brother and I a sister settling at the same time. And yet it is not very unlikely.”
“Is Mr. Edward Ferrars,” said Elinor, with resolution, “going to be married?”
“It is not actually settled, but there is such a thing in agitation. He has a most excellent mother. Mrs. Ferrars, with the utmost liberality, will come forward, and settle on him a thousand a year, if the match takes place. The lady is the Hon. Miss Morton, only daughter of the late Lord Morton, with thirty thousand pounds. A very desirable connection on both sides, and I have not a doubt of its taking place in time. A thousand a-year is a great deal for a mother to give away, to make over for ever; but Mrs. Ferrars has a noble spirit. To give you another instance of her liberality:—The other day, as soon as we came to town, aware that money could not be very plenty with us just now, she put bank-notes into Fanny’s hands to the amount of two hundred pounds. And extremely acceptable it is, for we must live at a great expense while we are here.”
He paused for her assent and compassion; and she forced herself to say,
“Your expenses both in town and country must certainly be considerable; but your income is a large one.”
“Not so large, I dare say, as many people suppose. I do not mean to complain, however; it is undoubtedly a comfortable one, and I hope will in time be better. The enclosure of Norland Common, now carrying on, is a most serious drain. And then I have made a little purchase within this half year; East Kingham Farm, you must remember the place, where old Gibson used to live. The land was so very
desirable for me in every respect, so immediately adjoining my own property, that I felt it my duty to buy it. I could not have answered it to my conscience to let it fall into any other hands. A man must pay for his convenience; and it HAS cost me a vast deal of money.”
“More than you think it really and intrinsically worth.”
“Why, I hope not that. I might have sold it again, the next day, for more than I gave: but, with regard to the purchase-money, I might have been very unfortunate indeed; for the stocks were at that time so low, that if I had not happened to have the necessary sum in my banker’s hands, I must have sold out to very great loss.”
Elinor could only smile.
“Other great and inevitable expenses too we have had on first coming to Norland. Our respected father, as you well know, bequeathed all the Stanhill effects that remained at Norland (and very valuable they were) to your mother. Far be it from me to repine at his doing so; he had an undoubted right to dispose of his own property as he chose, but, in consequence of it, we have been obliged to make large purchases of linen, china, &c. to supply the place of what was taken away. You may guess, after all these expenses, how very far we must be from being rich, and how acceptable Mrs. Ferrars’s kindness is.”
“Certainly,” said Elinor; “and assisted by her liberality, I hope you may yet live to be in easy circumstances.”
“Another year or two may do much towards it,” he gravely replied; “but however there is still a great deal to be done. There is not a stone laid of Fanny’s green-house, and nothing but the plan of the flower-garden marked out.”
“Where is the green-house to be?”
“Upon the knoll behind the house. The old walnut trees are all come down to make room for it. It will be a very fine object from many parts of the park, and the flower-garden will slope down just before it, and be exceedingly pretty. We have cleared away all the old thorns that grew in patches over the brow.”
Elinor kept her concern and her censure to herself; and was very thankful that Marianne was not present, to share the provocation.
Having now said enough to make his poverty clear, and to do away the necessity of buying a pair of ear-rings for each of his sisters, in his next visit at Gray’s his thoughts took a cheerfuller turn, and he began to congratulate Elinor on having such a friend as Mrs. Jennings.
“She seems a most valuable woman indeed—Her house, her style of living, all bespeak an exceeding good income; and it is an acquaintance that has not only been of great use to you hitherto, but in the end may prove materially advantageous.—Her inviting you to town is certainly a vast thing in your favour; and indeed, it speaks altogether so great a regard for you, that in all probability when she dies you will not be forgotten.— She must have a great deal to leave.”
“Nothing at all, I should rather suppose; for she has only her jointure, which will descend to her children.”
“But it is not to be imagined that she lives up to her income. Few people of common prudence will do THAT; and whatever she saves, she will be able to dispose of.”
“And do you not think it more likely that she should leave it to her daughters, than to us?”
“Her daughters are both exceedingly well married, and therefore I cannot perceive the necessity of her remembering them farther. Whereas, in my opinion, by her taking so much notice of you, and treating you in this kind of way, she has given you a sort of claim on her future consideration, which a conscientious woman would not disregard. Nothing can be kinder than her behaviour; and she can hardly do all this, without being aware of the expectation it raises.”
“But she raises none in those most concerned. Indeed, brother, your anxiety for our welfare and prosperity carries you too far.”
“Why, to be sure,” said he, seeming to recollect himself, “people have little, have very little in their power. But, my dear Elinor, what is the matter with Marianne?— she looks very unwell, has lost her colour, and is grown quite thin. Is she ill?”
“She is not well, she has had a nervous complaint on her for several weeks.”
“I am sorry for that. At her time of life, any thing of an illness destroys the bloom for ever! Her’s has been a very short one! She was as handsome a girl last September, as I ever saw; and as likely to attract the man. There was something in her style of beauty, to please them particularly. I remember Fanny used to say that she would marry sooner and better than you did; not but what she is exceedingly fond of YOU, but so it happened to strike her. She will be mistaken, however. I question whether Marianne NOW, will marry a man worth more than five or six hundred a-year, at the utmost, and I am very much deceived if YOU do not do better. Dorsetshire! I know very little of Dorsetshire; but, my dear Elinor, I shall be exceedingly glad to know more of it; and I think I can answer for your having Fanny and myself among the earliest and best pleased of your visitors.”
Elinor tried very seriously to convince him that there was no likelihood of her marrying Colonel Brandon; but it was an expectation of too much pleasure to himself to be relinquished, and he was really resolved on seeking an intimacy with that gentleman, and promoting the marriage by every possible attention. He had just compunction enough for having done nothing for his sisters himself, to be exceedingly anxious that everybody else should do a great deal; and an offer from Colonel Brandon, or a legacy from Mrs. Jennings, was the easiest means of atoning for his own neglect.
They were lucky enough to find Lady Middleton at home, and Sir John came in before their visit ended. Abundance of civilities passed on all sides. Sir John was ready to like anybody, and though Mr. Dashwood did not seem to know much about horses, he soon set him down as a very good-natured fellow: while Lady Middleton saw enough of fashion in his appearance to think his acquaintance worth having; and Mr. Dashwood went away delighted with both.
“I shall have a charming account to carry to Fanny,” said he, as he walked back with his sister. “Lady Middleton is really a most elegant woman! Such a woman as I am sure Fanny will be glad to know. And Mrs. Jennings too, an exceedingly well-behaved woman, though not so elegant as her daughter. Your sister need not have any scruple even of visiting HER, which, to say the truth, has been a little the case, and very naturally; for we only knew that Mrs. Jennings was the widow of a man who had got all his money in a low way; and Fanny and Mrs. Ferrars were both strongly prepossessed, that neither she nor her daughters were such kind of women as Fanny would like to associate with. But now I can carry her a most satisfactory account of both.”
CHAPTER 34
Mrs. John Dashwood had so much confidence in her husband’s judgment, that she waited the very next day both on Mrs. Jennings and her daughter; and her confidence was rewarded by finding even the former, even the woman with whom her sisters were staying, by no means unworthy her notice; and as for Lady Middleton, she found her one of the most charming women in the world!
Lady Middleton was equally pleased with Mrs. Dashwood. There was a kind of cold hearted selfishness on both sides, which mutually attracted them; and they sympathised with each other in an insipid propriety of demeanor, and a general want of understanding.
The same manners, however, which recommended Mrs. John Dashwood to the good opinion of Lady Middleton did not suit the fancy of Mrs. Jennings, and to HER she appeared nothing more than a little proud-looking woman of uncordial address, who met her husband’s sisters without any affection, and almost without having anything to say to them; for of the quarter of an hour bestowed on Berkeley Street, she sat at least seven minutes and a half in silence.
Elinor wanted very much to know, though she did not chuse to ask, whether Edward was then in town; but nothing would have induced Fanny voluntarily to mention his name before her, till able to tell her that his marriage with Miss Morton was resolved on, or till her husband’s expectations on Colonel Brandon were answered; because she believed them still so very much attached to each other, that they could not be too sedulously divided in word and deed on
every occasion. The intelligence however, which SHE would not give, soon flowed from another quarter. Lucy came very shortly to claim Elinor’s compassion on being unable to see Edward, though he had arrived in town with Mr. and Mrs. Dashwood. He dared not come to Bartlett’s Buildings for fear of detection, and though their mutual impatience to meet, was not to be told, they could do nothing at present but write.
Edward assured them himself of his being in town, within a very short time, by twice calling in Berkeley Street. Twice was his card found on the table, when they returned from their morning’s engagements. Elinor was pleased that he had called; and still more pleased that she had missed him.
The Dashwoods were so prodigiously delighted with the Middletons, that, though not much in the habit of giving anything, they determined to give them—a dinner; and soon after their acquaintance began, invited them to dine in Harley Street, where they had taken a very good house for three months. Their sisters and Mrs. Jennings were invited likewise, and John Dashwood was careful to secure Colonel Brandon, who, always glad to be where the Miss Dashwoods were, received his eager civilities with some surprise, but much more pleasure. They were to meet Mrs. Ferrars; but Elinor could not learn whether her sons were to be of the party. The expectation of seeing HER, however, was enough to make her interested in the engagement; for though she could now meet Edward’s mother without that strong anxiety which had once promised to attend such an introduction, though she could now see her with perfect indifference as to her opinion of herself, her desire of being in company with Mrs. Ferrars, her curiosity to know what she was like, was as lively as ever.
The interest with which she thus anticipated the party, was soon afterwards increased, more powerfully than
pleasantly, by her hearing that the Miss Steeles were also to be at it.
So well had they recommended themselves to Lady Middleton, so agreeable had their assiduities made them to her, that though Lucy was certainly not so elegant, and her sister not even genteel, she was as ready as Sir John to ask them to spend a week or two in Conduit Street; and it happened to be particularly convenient to the Miss Steeles, as soon as the Dashwoods’ invitation was known, that their visit should begin a few days before the party took place.
Their claims to the notice of Mrs. John Dashwood, as the nieces of the gentleman who for many years had had the care of her brother, might not have done much, however, towards procuring them seats at her table; but as Lady Middleton’s guests they must be welcome; and Lucy, who had long wanted to be personally known to the family, to have a nearer view of their characters and her own difficulties, and to have an opportunity of endeavouring to please them, had seldom been happier in her life, than she was on receiving Mrs. John Dashwood’s card.
On Elinor its effect was very different. She began immediately to determine, that Edward who lived with his mother, must be asked as his mother was, to a party given by his sister; and to see him for the first time, after all that passed, in the company of Lucy!—she hardly knew how she could bear it!
These apprehensions, perhaps, were not founded entirely on reason, and certainly not at all on truth. They were relieved however, not by her own recollection, but by the good will of Lucy, who believed herself to be inflicting a severe disappointment when she told her that Edward certainly would not be in Harley Street on Tuesday, and even hoped to be carrying the pain still farther by persuading her
that he was kept away by the extreme affection for herself, which he could not conceal when they were together.
The important Tuesday came that was to introduce the two young ladies to this formidable mother-in-law.
“Pity me, dear Miss Dashwood!” said Lucy, as they walked up the stairs together—for the Middletons arrived so directly after Mrs. Jennings, that they all followed the servant at the same time—”There is nobody here but you, that can feel for me.—I declare I can hardly stand. Good gracious!—In a moment I shall see the person that all my happiness depends on—that is to be my mother!”—
Elinor could have given her immediate relief by suggesting the possibility of its being Miss Morton’s mother, rather than her own, whom they were about to behold; but instead of doing that, she assured her, and with great sincerity, that she did pity her—to the utter amazement of Lucy, who, though really uncomfortable herself, hoped at least to be an object of irrepressible envy to Elinor.
Mrs. Ferrars was a little, thin woman, upright, even to formality, in her figure, and serious, even to sourness, in her aspect. Her complexion was sallow; and her features small, without beauty, and naturally without expression; but a lucky contraction of the brow had rescued her countenance from the disgrace of insipidity, by giving it the strong characters of pride and ill nature. She was not a woman of many words; for, unlike people in general, she proportioned them to the number of her ideas; and of the few syllables that did escape her, not one fell to the share of Miss Dashwood, whom she eyed with the spirited determination of disliking her at all events.
Elinor could not NOW be made unhappy by this behaviour.— A few months ago it would have hurt her
exceedingly; but it was not in Mrs. Ferrars’ power to distress her by it now;—and the difference of her manners to the Miss Steeles, a difference which seemed purposely made to humble her more, only amused her. She could not but smile to see the graciousness of both mother and daughter towards the very person— for Lucy was particularly distinguished— whom of all others, had they known as much as she did, they would have been most anxious to mortify; while she herself, who had comparatively no power to wound them, sat pointedly slighted by both. But while she smiled at a graciousness so misapplied, she could not reflect on the mean-spirited folly from which it sprung, nor observe the studied attentions with which the Miss Steeles courted its continuance, without thoroughly despising them all four.
Lucy was all exultation on being so honorably distinguished; and Miss Steele wanted only to be teazed about Dr. Davies to be perfectly happy.
The dinner was a grand one, the servants were numerous, and every thing bespoke the Mistress’s inclination for show, and the Master’s ability to support it. In spite of the improvements and additions which were making to the Norland estate, and in spite of its owner having once been within some thousand pounds of being obliged to sell out at a loss, nothing gave any symptom of that indigence which he had tried to infer from it;—no poverty of any kind, except of conversation, appeared—but there, the deficiency was considerable. John Dashwood had not much to say for himself that was worth hearing, and his wife had still less. But there was no peculiar disgrace in this; for it was very much the case with the chief of their visitors, who almost all laboured under one or other of these disqualifications for being agreeable—Want of sense, either natural or improved— want of elegance—want of spirits—or want of temper.
When the ladies withdrew to the drawing-room after dinner, this poverty was particularly evident, for the gentlemen HAD supplied the discourse with some variety— the variety of politics, inclosing land, and breaking horses— but then it was all over; and one subject only engaged the ladies till coffee came in, which was the comparative heights of Harry Dashwood, and Lady Middleton’s second son William, who were nearly of the same age.
Had both the children been there, the affair might have been determined too easily by measuring them at once; but as Harry only was present, it was all conjectural assertion on both sides; and every body had a right to be equally positive in their opinion, and to repeat it over and over again as often as they liked.
The parties stood thus:
The two mothers, though each really convinced that her own son was the tallest, politely decided in favour of the other.
The two grandmothers, with not less partiality, but more sincerity, were equally earnest in support of their own descendant.
Lucy, who was hardly less anxious to please one parent than the other, thought the boys were both remarkably tall for their age, and could not conceive that there could be the smallest difference in the world between them; and Miss Steele, with yet greater address gave it, as fast as she could, in favour of each.
Elinor, having once delivered her opinion on William’s side, by which she offended Mrs. Ferrars and Fanny still more, did not see the necessity of enforcing it by any farther assertion; and Marianne, when called on for her’s, offended
them all, by declaring that she had no opinion to give, as she had never thought about it.
Before her removing from Norland, Elinor had painted a very pretty pair of screens for her sister-in-law, which being now just mounted and brought home, ornamented her present drawing room; and these screens, catching the eye of John Dashwood on his following the other gentlemen into the room, were officiously handed by him to Colonel Brandon for his admiration.
“These are done by my eldest sister,” said he; “and you, as a man of taste, will, I dare say, be pleased with them. I do not know whether you have ever happened to see any of her performances before, but she is in general reckoned to draw extremely well.”
The Colonel, though disclaiming all pretensions to connoisseurship, warmly admired the screens, as he would have done any thing painted by Miss Dashwood; and on the curiosity of the others being of course excited, they were handed round for general inspection. Mrs. Ferrars, not aware of their being Elinor’s work, particularly requested to look at them; and after they had received gratifying testimony of Lady Middletons’s approbation, Fanny presented them to her mother, considerately informing her, at the same time, that they were done by Miss Dashwood.
“Hum”—said Mrs. Ferrars—”very pretty,”—and without regarding them at all, returned them to her daughter.
Perhaps Fanny thought for a moment that her mother had been quite rude enough,—for, colouring a little, she immediately said,
“They are very pretty, ma’am—an’t they?” But then again, the dread of having been too civil, too encouraging herself, probably came over her, for she presently added,
“Do you not think they are something in Miss Morton’s style of painting, Ma’am?—She DOES paint most delightfully!—How beautifully her last landscape is done!”
“Beautifully indeed! But SHE does every thing well.”
Marianne could not bear this.—She was already greatly displeased with Mrs. Ferrars; and such ill-timed praise of another, at Elinor’s expense, though she had not any notion of what was principally meant by it, provoked her immediately to say with warmth,
“This is admiration of a very particular kind!—what is Miss Morton to us?—who knows, or who cares, for her?—it is Elinor of whom WE think and speak.”
And so saying, she took the screens out of her sister-in-law’s hands, to admire them herself as they ought to be admired.
Mrs. Ferrars looked exceedingly angry, and drawing herself up more stiffly than ever, pronounced in retort this bitter philippic, “Miss Morton is Lord Morton’s daughter.”
Fanny looked very angry too, and her husband was all in a fright at his sister’s audacity. Elinor was much more hurt by Marianne’s warmth than she had been by what produced it; but Colonel Brandon’s eyes, as they were fixed on Marianne, declared that he noticed only what was amiable in it, the affectionate heart which could not bear to see a sister slighted in the smallest point.
Marianne’s feelings did not stop here. The cold insolence of Mrs. Ferrars’s general behaviour to her sister, seemed, to her, to foretell such difficulties and distresses to Elinor, as her own wounded heart taught her to think of with horror; and urged by a strong impulse of affectionate sensibility, she moved after a moment, to her sister’s chair, and putting one
arm round her neck, and one cheek close to hers, said in a low, but eager, voice,
“Dear, dear Elinor, don’t mind them. Don’t let them make YOU unhappy.”
She could say no more; her spirits were quite overcome, and hiding her face on Elinor’s shoulder, she burst into tears. Every body’s attention was called, and almost every body was concerned.—Colonel Brandon rose up and went to them without knowing what he did.—Mrs. Jennings, with a very intelligent “Ah! poor dear,” immediately gave her her salts; and Sir John felt so desperately enraged against the author of this nervous distress, that he instantly changed his seat to one close by Lucy Steele, and gave her, in a whisper, a brief account of the whole shocking affair.
In a few minutes, however, Marianne was recovered enough to put an end to the bustle, and sit down among the rest; though her spirits retained the impression of what had passed, the whole evening.
“Poor Marianne!” said her brother to Colonel Brandon, in a low voice, as soon as he could secure his attention,— “She has not such good health as her sister,—she is very nervous,—she has not Elinor’s constitution;—and one must allow that there is something very trying to a young woman who HAS BEEN a beauty in the loss of her personal attractions. You would not think it perhaps, but Marianne WAS remarkably handsome a few months ago; quite as handsome as Elinor.— Now you see it is all gone.”
CHAPTER 35
Elinor’s curiosity to see Mrs. Ferrars was satisfied.— She had found in her every thing that could tend to make a farther connection between the families undesirable.— She had seen enough of her pride, her meanness, and her determined prejudice against herself, to comprehend all the difficulties that must have perplexed the engagement, and retarded the marriage, of Edward and herself, had he been otherwise free;—and she had seen almost enough to be thankful for her OWN sake, that one greater obstacle preserved her from suffering under any other of Mrs. Ferrars’s creation, preserved her from all dependence upon her caprice, or any solicitude for her good opinion. Or at least, if she did not bring herself quite to rejoice in Edward’s being fettered to Lucy, she determined, that had Lucy been more amiable, she OUGHT to have rejoiced.
She wondered that Lucy’s spirits could be so very much elevated by the civility of Mrs. Ferrars;—that her interest and her vanity should so very much blind her as to make the attention which seemed only paid her because she was NOT ELINOR, appear a compliment to herself—or to allow her to derive encouragement from a preference only given her, because her real situation was unknown. But that it was so, had not only been declared by Lucy’s eyes at the time, but was declared over again the next morning more openly, for at her particular desire, Lady Middleton set her down in Berkeley Street on the chance of seeing Elinor alone, to tell her how happy she was.
The chance proved a lucky one, for a message from Mrs. Palmer soon after she arrived, carried Mrs. Jennings away.
“My dear friend,” cried Lucy, as soon as they were by themselves, “I come to talk to you of my happiness. Could anything be so flattering as Mrs. Ferrars’s way of treating me yesterday? So exceeding affable as she was!—You know how I dreaded the thoughts of seeing her;—but the very moment I was introduced, there was such an affability in her behaviour as really should seem to say, she had quite took a fancy to me. Now was not it so?— You saw it all; and was not you quite struck with it?”
“She was certainly very civil to you.”
“Civil!—Did you see nothing but only civility?— I saw a vast deal more. Such kindness as fell to the share of nobody but me!—No pride, no hauteur, and your sister just the same—all sweetness and affability!”
Elinor wished to talk of something else, but Lucy still pressed her to own that she had reason for her happiness; and Elinor was obliged to go on.—
“Undoubtedly, if they had known your engagement,” said she, “nothing could be more flattering than their treatment of you;—but as that was not the case”—
“I guessed you would say so”—replied Lucy quickly—”but there was no reason in the world why Mrs. Ferrars should seem to like me, if she did not, and her liking me is every thing. You shan’t talk me out of my satisfaction. I am sure it will all end well, and there will be no difficulties at all, to what I used to think. Mrs. Ferrars is a charming woman, and so is your sister. They are both delightful women, indeed!—I wonder I should never hear you say how agreeable Mrs. Dashwood was!”
To this Elinor had no answer to make, and did not attempt any.
“Are you ill, Miss Dashwood?—you seem low—you don’t speak;—sure you an’t well.”
“I never was in better health.”
“I am glad of it with all my heart; but really you did not look it. I should be sorry to have YOU ill; you, that have been the greatest comfort to me in the world!—Heaven knows what I should have done without your friendship.”—
Elinor tried to make a civil answer, though doubting her own success. But it seemed to satisfy Lucy, for she directly replied,
“Indeed I am perfectly convinced of your regard for me, and next to Edward’s love, it is the greatest comfort I have.— Poor Edward!—But now there is one good thing, we shall be able to meet, and meet pretty often, for Lady Middleton’s delighted with Mrs. Dashwood, so we shall be a good deal in Harley Street, I dare say, and Edward spends half his time with his sister—besides, Lady Middleton and Mrs. Ferrars will visit now;—and Mrs. Ferrars and your sister were both so good to say more than once, they should always be glad to see me.— They are such charming women!—I am sure if ever you tell your sister what I think of her, you cannot speak too high.”
But Elinor would not give her any encouragement to hope that she SHOULD tell her sister. Lucy continued.
“I am sure I should have seen it in a moment, if Mrs. Ferrars had took a dislike to me. If she had only made me a formal courtesy, for instance, without saying a word, and never after had took any notice of me, and never looked at me in a pleasant way—you know what I mean—if I had been treated in that forbidding sort of way, I should have gave it all up in despair. I could not have stood it. For where she DOES dislike, I know it is most violent.”
Elinor was prevented from making any reply to this civil triumph, by the door’s being thrown open, the servant’s announcing Mr. Ferrars, and Edward’s immediately walking in.
It was a very awkward moment; and the countenance of each shewed that it was so. They all looked exceedingly foolish; and Edward seemed to have as great an inclination to walk out of the room again, as to advance farther into it. The very circumstance, in its unpleasantest form, which they would each have been most anxious to avoid, had fallen on them.—They were not only all three together, but were together without the relief of any other person. The ladies recovered themselves first. It was not Lucy’s business to put herself forward, and the appearance of secrecy must still be kept up. She could therefore only LOOK her tenderness, and after slightly addressing him, said no more.
But Elinor had more to do; and so anxious was she, for his sake and her own, to do it well, that she forced herself, after a moment’s recollection, to welcome him, with a look and manner that were almost easy, and almost open; and another struggle, another effort still improved them. She would not allow the presence of Lucy, nor the consciousness of some injustice towards herself, to deter her from saying that she was happy to see him, and that she had very much regretted being from home, when he called before in Berkeley Street. She would not be frightened from paying him those attentions which, as a friend and almost a relation, were his due, by the observant eyes of Lucy, though she soon perceived them to be narrowly watching her.
Her manners gave some re-assurance to Edward, and he had courage enough to sit down; but his embarrassment still exceeded that of the ladies in a proportion, which the case rendered reasonable, though his sex might make it rare; for
his heart had not the indifference of Lucy’s, nor could his conscience have quite the ease of Elinor’s.
Lucy, with a demure and settled air, seemed determined to make no contribution to the comfort of the others, and would not say a word; and almost every thing that WAS said, proceeded from Elinor, who was obliged to volunteer all the information about her mother’s health, their coming to town, &c. which Edward ought to have inquired about, but never did.
Her exertions did not stop here; for she soon afterwards felt herself so heroically disposed as to determine, under pretence of fetching Marianne, to leave the others by themselves; and she really did it, and THAT in the handsomest manner, for she loitered away several minutes on the landing-place, with the most high-minded fortitude, before she went to her sister. When that was once done, however, it was time for the raptures of Edward to cease; for Marianne’s joy hurried her into the drawing-room immediately. Her pleasure in seeing him was like every other of her feelings, strong in itself, and strongly spoken. She met him with a hand that would be taken, and a voice that expressed the affection of a sister.
“Dear Edward!” she cried, “this is a moment of great happiness!—This would almost make amends for every thing?”
Edward tried to return her kindness as it deserved, but before such witnesses he dared not say half what he really felt. Again they all sat down, and for a moment or two all were silent; while Marianne was looking with the most speaking tenderness, sometimes at Edward and sometimes at Elinor, regretting only that their delight in each other should be checked by Lucy’s unwelcome presence. Edward was the first to speak, and it was to notice Marianne’s altered looks,
and express his fear of her not finding London agree with her.
“Oh, don’t think of me!” she replied with spirited earnestness, though her eyes were filled with tears as she spoke, “don’t think of MY health. Elinor is well, you see. That must be enough for us both.”
This remark was not calculated to make Edward or Elinor more easy, nor to conciliate the good will of Lucy, who looked up at Marianne with no very benignant expression.
“Do you like London?” said Edward, willing to say any thing that might introduce another subject.
“Not at all. I expected much pleasure in it, but I have found none. The sight of you, Edward, is the only comfort it has afforded; and thank Heaven! you are what you always were!”
She paused—no one spoke.
“I think, Elinor,” she presently added, “we must employ Edward to take care of us in our return to Barton. In a week or two, I suppose, we shall be going; and, I trust, Edward will not be very unwilling to accept the charge.”
Poor Edward muttered something, but what it was, nobody knew, not even himself. But Marianne, who saw his agitation, and could easily trace it to whatever cause best pleased herself, was perfectly satisfied, and soon talked of something else.
“We spent such a day, Edward, in Harley Street yesterday! So dull, so wretchedly dull!—But I have much to say to you on that head, which cannot be said now.”
And with this admirable discretion did she defer the assurance of her finding their mutual relatives more disagreeable than ever, and of her being particularly disgusted with his mother, till they were more in private.
“But why were you not there, Edward?—Why did you not come?”
“I was engaged elsewhere.”
“Engaged! But what was that, when such friends were to be met?”
“Perhaps, Miss Marianne,” cried Lucy, eager to take some revenge on her, “you think young men never stand upon engagements, if they have no mind to keep them, little as well as great.”
Elinor was very angry, but Marianne seemed entirely insensible of the sting; for she calmly replied,
“Not so, indeed; for, seriously speaking, I am very sure that conscience only kept Edward from Harley Street. And I really believe he HAS the most delicate conscience in the world; the most scrupulous in performing every engagement, however minute, and however it may make against his interest or pleasure. He is the most fearful of giving pain, of wounding expectation, and the most incapable of being selfish, of any body I ever saw. Edward, it is so, and I will say it. What! are you never to hear yourself praised!—Then you must be no friend of mine; for those who will accept of my love and esteem, must submit to my open commendation.”
The nature of her commendation, in the present case, however, happened to be particularly ill-suited to the feelings of two thirds of her auditors, and was so very unexhilarating to Edward, that he very soon got up to go away.
“Going so soon!” said Marianne; “my dear Edward, this must not be.”
And drawing him a little aside, she whispered her persuasion that Lucy could not stay much longer. But even this encouragement failed, for he would go; and Lucy, who would have outstaid him, had his visit lasted two hours, soon afterwards went away.
“What can bring her here so often?” said Marianne, on her leaving them. “Could not she see that we wanted her gone!—how teazing to Edward!”
“Why so?—we were all his friends, and Lucy has been the longest known to him of any. It is but natural that he should like to see her as well as ourselves.”
Marianne looked at her steadily, and said, “You know, Elinor, that this is a kind of talking which I cannot bear. If you only hope to have your assertion contradicted, as I must suppose to be the case, you ought to recollect that I am the last person in the world to do it. I cannot descend to be tricked out of assurances, that are not really wanted.”
She then left the room; and Elinor dared not follow her to say more, for bound as she was by her promise of secrecy to Lucy, she could give no information that would convince Marianne; and painful as the consequences of her still continuing in an error might be, she was obliged to submit to it. All that she could hope, was that Edward would not often expose her or himself to the distress of hearing Marianne’s mistaken warmth, nor to the repetition of any other part of the pain that had attended their recent meeting—and this she had every reason to expect.
CHAPTER 36
Within a few days after this meeting, the newspapers announced to the world, that the lady of Thomas Palmer, Esq. was safely delivered of a son and heir; a very interesting and satisfactory paragraph, at least to all those intimate connections who knew it before.
This event, highly important to Mrs. Jennings’s happiness, produced a temporary alteration in the disposal of her time, and influenced, in a like degree, the engagements of her young friends; for as she wished to be as much as possible with Charlotte, she went thither every morning as soon as she was dressed, and did not return till late in the evening; and the Miss Dashwoods, at the particular request of the Middletons, spent the whole of every day, in every day in Conduit Street. For their own comfort they would much rather have remained, at least all the morning, in Mrs. Jennings’s house; but it was not a thing to be urged against the wishes of everybody. Their hours were therefore made over to Lady Middleton and the two Miss Steeles, by whom their company, in fact was as little valued, as it was professedly sought.
They had too much sense to be desirable companions to the former; and by the latter they were considered with a jealous eye, as intruding on THEIR ground, and sharing the kindness which they wanted to monopolize. Though nothing could be more polite than Lady Middleton’s behaviour to Elinor and Marianne, she did not really like them at all. Because they neither flattered herself nor her children, she could not believe them good-natured; and because they were
fond of reading, she fancied them satirical: perhaps without exactly knowing what it was to be satirical; but THAT did not signify. It was censure in common use, and easily given.
Their presence was a restraint both on her and on Lucy. It checked the idleness of one, and the business of the other. Lady Middleton was ashamed of doing nothing before them, and the flattery which Lucy was proud to think of and administer at other times, she feared they would despise her for offering. Miss Steele was the least discomposed of the three, by their presence; and it was in their power to reconcile her to it entirely. Would either of them only have given her a full and minute account of the whole affair between Marianne and Mr. Willoughby, she would have thought herself amply rewarded for the sacrifice of the best place by the fire after dinner, which their arrival occasioned. But this conciliation was not granted; for though she often threw out expressions of pity for her sister to Elinor, and more than once dropt a reflection on the inconstancy of beaux before Marianne, no effect was produced, but a look of indifference from the former, or of disgust in the latter. An effort even yet lighter might have made her their friend. Would they only have laughed at her about the Doctor! But so little were they, anymore than the others, inclined to oblige her, that if Sir John dined from home, she might spend a whole day without hearing any other raillery on the subject, than what she was kind enough to bestow on herself.
All these jealousies and discontents, however, were so totally unsuspected by Mrs. Jennings, that she thought it a delightful thing for the girls to be together; and generally congratulated her young friends every night, on having escaped the company of a stupid old woman so long. She joined them sometimes at Sir John’s, sometimes at her own house; but wherever it was, she always came in excellent spirits, full of delight and importance, attributing Charlotte’s
well doing to her own care, and ready to give so exact, so minute a detail of her situation, as only Miss Steele had curiosity enough to desire. One thing DID disturb her; and of that she made her daily complaint. Mr. Palmer maintained the common, but unfatherly opinion among his sex, of all infants being alike; and though she could plainly perceive, at different times, the most striking resemblance between this baby and every one of his relations on both sides, there was no convincing his father of it; no persuading him to believe that it was not exactly like every other baby of the same age; nor could he even be brought to acknowledge the simple proposition of its being the finest child in the world.
I come now to the relation of a misfortune, which about this time befell Mrs. John Dashwood. It so happened that while her two sisters with Mrs. Jennings were first calling on her in Harley Street, another of her acquaintance had dropt in—a circumstance in itself not apparently likely to produce evil to her. But while the imaginations of other people will carry them away to form wrong judgments of our conduct, and to decide on it by slight appearances, one’s happiness must in some measure be always at the mercy of chance. In the present instance, this last-arrived lady allowed her fancy to so far outrun truth and probability, that on merely hearing the name of the Miss Dashwoods, and understanding them to be Mr. Dashwood’s sisters, she immediately concluded them to be staying in Harley Street; and this misconstruction produced within a day or two afterwards, cards of invitation for them as well as for their brother and sister, to a small musical party at her house. The consequence of which was, that Mrs. John Dashwood was obliged to submit not only to the exceedingly great inconvenience of sending her carriage for the Miss Dashwoods, but, what was still worse, must be subject to all the unpleasantness of appearing to treat them with attention: and who could tell that they might not expect to go out with her a second time? The power of disappointing them, it was true, must always be her’s. But
that was not enough; for when people are determined on a mode of conduct which they know to be wrong, they feel injured by the expectation of any thing better from them.
Marianne had now been brought by degrees, so much into the habit of going out every day, that it was become a matter of indifference to her, whether she went or not: and she prepared quietly and mechanically for every evening’s engagement, though without expecting the smallest amusement from any, and very often without knowing, till the last moment, where it was to take her.
To her dress and appearance she was grown so perfectly indifferent, as not to bestow half the consideration on it, during the whole of her toilet, which it received from Miss Steele in the first five minutes of their being together, when it was finished. Nothing escaped HER minute observation and general curiosity; she saw every thing, and asked every thing; was never easy till she knew the price of every part of Marianne’s dress; could have guessed the number of her gowns altogether with better judgment than Marianne herself, and was not without hopes of finding out before they parted, how much her washing cost per week, and how much she had every year to spend upon herself. The impertinence of these kind of scrutinies, moreover, was generally concluded with a compliment, which though meant as its douceur, was considered by Marianne as the greatest impertinence of all; for after undergoing an examination into the value and make of her gown, the colour of her shoes, and the arrangement of her hair, she was almost sure of being told that upon “her word she looked vastly smart, and she dared to say she would make a great many conquests.”
With such encouragement as this, was she dismissed on the present occasion, to her brother’s carriage; which they were ready to enter five minutes after it stopped at the door, a punctuality not very agreeable to their sister-in-law, who
had preceded them to the house of her acquaintance, and was there hoping for some delay on their part that might inconvenience either herself or her coachman.
The events of this evening were not very remarkable. The party, like other musical parties, comprehended a great many people who had real taste for the performance, and a great many more who had none at all; and the performers themselves were, as usual, in their own estimation, and that of their immediate friends, the first private performers in England.
As Elinor was neither musical, nor affecting to be so, she made no scruple of turning her eyes from the grand pianoforte, whenever it suited her, and unrestrained even by the presence of a harp, and violoncello, would fix them at pleasure on any other object in the room. In one of these excursive glances she perceived among a group of young men, the very he, who had given them a lecture on toothpick-cases at Gray’s. She perceived him soon afterwards looking at herself, and speaking familiarly to her brother; and had just determined to find out his name from the latter, when they both came towards her, and Mr. Dashwood introduced him to her as Mr. Robert Ferrars.
He addressed her with easy civility, and twisted his head into a bow which assured her as plainly as words could have done, that he was exactly the coxcomb she had heard him described to be by Lucy. Happy had it been for her, if her regard for Edward had depended less on his own merit, than on the merit of his nearest relations! For then his brother’s bow must have given the finishing stroke to what the ill-humour of his mother and sister would have begun. But while she wondered at the difference of the two young men, she did not find that the emptiness of conceit of the one, put her out of all charity with the modesty and worth of the other. Why they WERE different, Robert exclaimed to her
himself in the course of a quarter of an hour’s conversation; for, talking of his brother, and lamenting the extreme GAUCHERIE which he really believed kept him from mixing in proper society, he candidly and generously attributed it much less to any natural deficiency, than to the misfortune of a private education; while he himself, though probably without any particular, any material superiority by nature, merely from the advantage of a public school, was as well fitted to mix in the world as any other man.
“Upon my soul,” he added, “I believe it is nothing more; and so I often tell my mother, when she is grieving about it. ‘My dear Madam,’ I always say to her, ‘you must make yourself easy. The evil is now irremediable, and it has been entirely your own doing. Why would you be persuaded by my uncle, Sir Robert, against your own judgment, to place Edward under private tuition, at the most critical time of his life? If you had only sent him to Westminster as well as myself, instead of sending him to Mr. Pratt’s, all this would have been prevented.’ This is the way in which I always consider the matter, and my mother is perfectly convinced of her error.”
Elinor would not oppose his opinion, because, whatever might be her general estimation of the advantage of a public school, she could not think of Edward’s abode in Mr. Pratt’s family, with any satisfaction.
“You reside in Devonshire, I think,”—was his next observation, “in a cottage near Dawlish.”
Elinor set him right as to its situation; and it seemed rather surprising to him that anybody could live in Devonshire, without living near Dawlish. He bestowed his hearty approbation however on their species of house.
“For my own part,” said he, “I am excessively fond of a cottage; there is always so much comfort, so much elegance about them. And I protest, if I had any money to spare, I should buy a little land and build one myself, within a short distance of London, where I might drive myself down at any time, and collect a few friends about me, and be happy. I advise every body who is going to build, to build a cottage. My friend Lord Courtland came to me the other day on purpose to ask my advice, and laid before me three different plans of Bonomi’s. I was to decide on the best of them. ‘My dear Courtland,’ said I, immediately throwing them all into the fire, ‘do not adopt either of them, but by all means build a cottage.’ And that I fancy, will be the end of it.
“Some people imagine that there can be no accommodations, no space in a cottage; but this is all a mistake. I was last month at my friend Elliott’s, near Dartford. Lady Elliott wished to give a dance. ‘But how can it be done?’ said she; ‘my dear Ferrars, do tell me how it is to be managed. There is not a room in this cottage that will hold ten couple, and where can the supper be?’ I immediately saw that there could be no difficulty in it, so I said, ‘My dear Lady Elliott, do not be uneasy. The dining parlour will admit eighteen couple with ease; card-tables may be placed in the drawing-room; the library may be open for tea and other refreshments; and let the supper be set out in the saloon.’ Lady Elliott was delighted with the thought. We measured the dining-room, and found it would hold exactly eighteen couple, and the affair was arranged precisely after my plan. So that, in fact, you see, if people do but know how to set about it, every comfort may be as well enjoyed in a cottage as in the most spacious dwelling.”
Elinor agreed to it all, for she did not think he deserved the compliment of rational opposition.
As John Dashwood had no more pleasure in music than his eldest sister, his mind was equally at liberty to fix on any thing else; and a thought struck him during the evening, which he communicated to his wife, for her approbation, when they got home. The consideration of Mrs. Dennison’s mistake, in supposing his sisters their guests, had suggested the propriety of their being really invited to become such, while Mrs. Jenning’s engagements kept her from home. The expense would be nothing, the inconvenience not more; and it was altogether an attention which the delicacy of his conscience pointed out to be requisite to its complete enfranchisement from his promise to his father. Fanny was startled at the proposal.
“I do not see how it can be done,” said she, “without affronting Lady Middleton, for they spend every day with her; otherwise I should be exceedingly glad to do it. You know I am always ready to pay them any attention in my power, as my taking them out this evening shews. But they are Lady Middleton’s visitors. How can I ask them away from her?”
Her husband, but with great humility, did not see the force of her objection. “They had already spent a week in this manner in Conduit Street, and Lady Middleton could not be displeased at their giving the same number of days to such near relations.”
Fanny paused a moment, and then, with fresh vigor, said,
“My love I would ask them with all my heart, if it was in my power. But I had just settled within myself to ask the Miss Steeles to spend a few days with us. They are very well behaved, good kind of girls; and I think the attention is due to them, as their uncle did so very well by Edward. We can ask your sisters some other year, you know; but the Miss
Steeles may not be in town any more. I am sure you will like them; indeed, you DO like them, you know, very much already, and so does my mother; and they are such favourites with Harry!”
Mr. Dashwood was convinced. He saw the necessity of inviting the Miss Steeles immediately, and his conscience was pacified by the resolution of inviting his sisters another year; at the same time, however, slyly suspecting that another year would make the invitation needless, by bringing Elinor to town as Colonel Brandon’s wife, and Marianne as THEIR visitor.
Fanny, rejoicing in her escape, and proud of the ready wit that had procured it, wrote the next morning to Lucy, to request her company and her sister’s, for some days, in Harley Street, as soon as Lady Middleton could spare them. This was enough to make Lucy really and reasonably happy. Mrs. Dashwood seemed actually working for her, herself; cherishing all her hopes, and promoting all her views! Such an opportunity of being with Edward and his family was, above all things, the most material to her interest, and such an invitation the most gratifying to her feelings! It was an advantage that could not be too gratefully acknowledged, nor too speedily made use of; and the visit to Lady Middleton, which had not before had any precise limits, was instantly discovered to have been always meant to end in two days’ time.
When the note was shown to Elinor, as it was within ten minutes after its arrival, it gave her, for the first time, some share in the expectations of Lucy; for such a mark of uncommon kindness, vouchsafed on so short an acquaintance, seemed to declare that the good-will towards her arose from something more than merely malice against herself; and might be brought, by time and address, to do every thing that Lucy wished. Her flattery had already
subdued the pride of Lady Middleton, and made an entry into the close heart of Mrs. John Dashwood; and these were effects that laid open the probability of greater.
The Miss Steeles removed to Harley Street, and all that reached Elinor of their influence there, strengthened her expectation of the event. Sir John, who called on them more than once, brought home such accounts of the favour they were in, as must be universally striking. Mrs. Dashwood had never been so much pleased with any young women in her life, as she was with them; had given each of them a needle book made by some emigrant; called Lucy by her Christian name; and did not know whether she should ever be able to part with them.
[At this point in the first and second editions, Volume II ended.]
Ebd E-BooksDirectory.com
CHAPTER 37
Mrs. Palmer was so well at the end of a fortnight, that her mother felt it no longer necessary to give up the whole of her time to her; and, contenting herself with visiting her once or twice a day, returned from that period to her own home, and her own habits, in which she found the Miss Dashwoods very ready to resume their former share.
About the third or fourth morning after their being thus resettled in Berkeley Street, Mrs. Jennings, on returning from her ordinary visit to Mrs. Palmer, entered the drawing-room, where Elinor was sitting by herself, with an air of such hurrying importance as prepared her to hear something wonderful; and giving her time only to form that idea, began directly to justify it, by saying,
“Lord! my dear Miss Dashwood! have you heard the news?”
“No, ma’am. What is it?”
“Something so strange! But you shall hear it all.— When I got to Mr. Palmer’s, I found Charlotte quite in a fuss about the child. She was sure it was very ill—it cried, and fretted, and was all over pimples. So I looked at it directly, and, ‘Lord! my dear,’ says I, ‘it is nothing in the world, but the red gum—’ and nurse said just the same. But Charlotte, she would not be satisfied, so Mr. Donavan was sent for; and luckily he happened to just come in from Harley Street, so he stepped over directly, and as soon as ever he saw the child, be said just as we did, that it was nothing in the world but the red gum, and then Charlotte was easy. And so, just as he
was going away again, it came into my head, I am sure I do not know how I happened to think of it, but it came into my head to ask him if there was any news. So upon that, he smirked, and simpered, and looked grave, and seemed to know something or other, and at last he said in a whisper, ‘For fear any unpleasant report should reach the young ladies under your care as to their sister’s indisposition, I think it advisable to say, that I believe there is no great reason for alarm; I hope Mrs. Dashwood will do very well.’”
“What! is Fanny ill?”
“That is exactly what I said, my dear. ‘Lord!’ says I, ‘is Mrs. Dashwood ill?’ So then it all came out; and the long and the short of the matter, by all I can learn, seems to be this. Mr. Edward Ferrars, the very young man I used to joke with you about (but however, as it turns out, I am monstrous glad there was never any thing in it), Mr. Edward Ferrars, it seems, has been engaged above this twelvemonth to my cousin Lucy!—There’s for you, my dear!—And not a creature knowing a syllable of the matter, except Nancy!—Could you have believed such a thing possible?— There is no great wonder in their liking one another; but that matters should be brought so forward between them, and nobody suspect it!—THAT is strange!—I never happened to see them together, or I am sure I should have found it out directly. Well, and so this was kept a great secret, for fear of Mrs. Ferrars, and neither she nor your brother or sister suspected a word of the matter;—till this very morning, poor Nancy, who, you know, is a well-meaning creature, but no conjurer, popt it all out. ‘Lord!’ thinks she to herself, ‘they are all so fond of Lucy, to be sure they will make no difficulty about it;’ and so, away she went to your sister, who was sitting all alone at her carpet-work, little suspecting what was to come—for she had just been saying to your brother, only five minutes before, that she thought to make a match between Edward and some Lord’s daughter or other, I forget who. So
you may think what a blow it was to all her vanity and pride. She fell into violent hysterics immediately, with such screams as reached your brother’s ears, as he was sitting in his own dressing-room down stairs, thinking about writing a letter to his steward in the country. So up he flew directly, and a terrible scene took place, for Lucy was come to them by that time, little dreaming what was going on. Poor soul! I pity HER. And I must say, I think she was used very hardly; for your sister scolded like any fury, and soon drove her into a fainting fit. Nancy, she fell upon her knees, and cried bitterly; and your brother, he walked about the room, and said he did not know what to do. Mrs. Dashwood declared they should not stay a minute longer in the house, and your brother was forced to go down upon HIS knees too, to persuade her to let them stay till they had packed up their clothes. THEN she fell into hysterics again, and he was so frightened that he would send for Mr. Donavan, and Mr. Donavan found the house in all this uproar. The carriage was at the door ready to take my poor cousins away, and they were just stepping in as he came off; poor Lucy in such a condition, he says, she could hardly walk; and Nancy, she was almost as bad. I declare, I have no patience with your sister; and I hope, with all my heart, it will be a match in spite of her. Lord! what a taking poor Mr. Edward will be in when he hears of it! To have his love used so scornfully! for they say he is monstrous fond of her, as well he may. I should not wonder, if he was to be in the greatest passion!— and Mr. Donavan thinks just the same. He and I had a great deal of talk about it; and the best of all is, that he is gone back again to Harley Street, that he may be within call when Mrs. Ferrars is told of it, for she was sent for as soon as ever my cousins left the house, for your sister was sure SHE would be in hysterics too; and so she may, for what I care. I have no pity for either of them. I have no notion of people’s making such a to-do about money and greatness. There is no reason on earth why Mr. Edward and Lucy should not marry; for I am sure Mrs. Ferrars may afford to do very well by her
son, and though Lucy has next to nothing herself, she knows better than any body how to make the most of every thing; I dare say, if Mrs. Ferrars would only allow him five hundred a-year, she would make as good an appearance with it as any body else would with eight. Lord! how snug they might live in such another cottage as yours—or a little bigger—with two maids, and two men; and I believe I could help them to a housemaid, for my Betty has a sister out of place, that would fit them exactly.”
Here Mrs. Jennings ceased, and as Elinor had had time enough to collect her thoughts, she was able to give such an answer, and make such observations, as the subject might naturally be supposed to produce. Happy to find that she was not suspected of any extraordinary interest in it; that Mrs. Jennings (as she had of late often hoped might be the case) had ceased to imagine her at all attached to Edward; and happy above all the rest, in the absence of Marianne, she felt very well able to speak of the affair without embarrassment, and to give her judgment, as she believed, with impartiality on the conduct of every one concerned in it.
She could hardly determine what her own expectation of its event really was; though she earnestly tried to drive away the notion of its being possible to end otherwise at last, than in the marriage of Edward and Lucy. What Mrs. Ferrars would say and do, though there could not be a doubt of its nature, she was anxious to hear; and still more anxious to know how Edward would conduct himself. For HIM she felt much compassion;—for Lucy very little—and it cost her some pains to procure that little;—for the rest of the party none at all.
As Mrs. Jennings could talk on no other subject, Elinor soon saw the necessity of preparing Marianne for its discussion. No time was to be lost in undeceiving her, in
making her acquainted with the real truth, and in endeavouring to bring her to hear it talked of by others, without betraying that she felt any uneasiness for her sister, or any resentment against Edward.
Elinor’s office was a painful one.—She was going to remove what she really believed to be her sister’s chief consolation,—to give such particulars of Edward as she feared would ruin him for ever in her good opinion,-and to make Marianne, by a resemblance in their situations, which to HER fancy would seem strong, feel all her own disappointment over again. But unwelcome as such a task must be, it was necessary to be done, and Elinor therefore hastened to perform it.
She was very far from wishing to dwell on her own feelings, or to represent herself as suffering much, any otherwise than as the self-command she had practised since her first knowledge of Edward’s engagement, might suggest a hint of what was practicable to Marianne. Her narration was clear and simple; and though it could not be given without emotion, it was not accompanied by violent agitation, nor impetuous grief.—THAT belonged rather to the hearer, for Marianne listened with horror, and cried excessively. Elinor was to be the comforter of others in her own distresses, no less than in theirs; and all the comfort that could be given by assurances of her own composure of mind, and a very earnest vindication of Edward from every charge but of imprudence, was readily offered.
But Marianne for some time would give credit to neither. Edward seemed a second Willoughby; and acknowledging as Elinor did, that she HAD loved him most sincerely, could she feel less than herself! As for Lucy Steele, she considered her so totally unamiable, so absolutely incapable of attaching a sensible man, that she could not be persuaded at first to believe, and afterwards to pardon, any former affection of
Edward for her. She would not even admit it to have been natural; and Elinor left her to be convinced that it was so, by that which only could convince her, a better knowledge of mankind.
Her first communication had reached no farther than to state the fact of the engagement, and the length of time it had existed.—Marianne’s feelings had then broken in, and put an end to all regularity of detail; and for some time all that could be done was to soothe her distress, lessen her alarms, and combat her resentment. The first question on her side, which led to farther particulars, was,
“How long has this been known to you, Elinor? has he written to you?”
“I have known it these four months. When Lucy first came to Barton Park last November, she told me in confidence of her engagement.”
At these words, Marianne’s eyes expressed the astonishment which her lips could not utter. After a pause of wonder, she exclaimed—
“Four months!—Have you known of this four months?”
Elinor confirmed it.
“What!—while attending me in all my misery, has this been on your heart?—And I have reproached you for being happy!”—
“It was not fit that you should then know how much I was the reverse!”
“Four months!”—cried Marianne again.—”So calm!—so cheerful!—how have you been supported?”—
“By feeling that I was doing my duty.—My promise to Lucy, obliged me to be secret. I owed it to her, therefore, to avoid giving any hint of the truth; and I owed it to my family and friends, not to create in them a solicitude about me, which it could not be in my power to satisfy.”
Marianne seemed much struck.
“I have very often wished to undeceive yourself and my mother,” added Elinor; “and once or twice I have attempted it;—but without betraying my trust, I never could have convinced you.”
“Four months!—and yet you loved him!”—
“Yes. But I did not love only him;—and while the comfort of others was dear to me, I was glad to spare them from knowing how much I felt. Now, I can think and speak of it with little emotion. I would not have you suffer on my account; for I assure you I no longer suffer materially myself. I have many things to support me. I am not conscious of having provoked the disappointment by any imprudence of my own, I have borne it as much as possible without spreading it farther. I acquit Edward of essential misconduct. I wish him very happy; and I am so sure of his always doing his duty, that though now he may harbour some regret, in the end he must become so. Lucy does not want sense, and that is the foundation on which every thing good may be built.—And after all, Marianne, after all that is bewitching in the idea of a single and constant attachment, and all that can be said of one’s happiness depending entirely on any particular person, it is not meant—it is not fit—it is not possible that it should be so.— Edward will marry Lucy; he will marry a woman superior in person and understanding to half her sex; and time and habit will teach him to forget that he ever thought another superior to HER.”—
“If such is your way of thinking,” said Marianne, “if the loss of what is most valued is so easily to be made up by something else, your resolution, your self-command, are, perhaps, a little less to be wondered at.—They are brought more within my comprehension.”
“I understand you.—You do not suppose that I have ever felt much.—For four months, Marianne, I have had all this hanging on my mind, without being at liberty to speak of it to a single creature; knowing that it would make you and my mother most unhappy whenever it were explained to you, yet unable to prepare you for it in the least.— It was told me,— it was in a manner forced on me by the very person herself, whose prior engagement ruined all my prospects; and told me, as I thought, with triumph.— This person’s suspicions, therefore, I have had to oppose, by endeavouring to appear indifferent where I have been most deeply interested;—and it has not been only once;—I have had her hopes and exultation to listen to again and again.— I have known myself to be divided from Edward for ever, without hearing one circumstance that could make me less desire the connection.—Nothing has proved him unworthy; nor has anything declared him indifferent to me.— I have had to contend against the unkindness of his sister, and the insolence of his mother; and have suffered the punishment of an attachment, without enjoying its advantages.— And all this has been going on at a time, when, as you know too well, it has not been my only unhappiness.— If you can think me capable of ever feeling—surely you may suppose that I have suffered NOW. The composure of mind with which I have brought myself at present to consider the matter, the consolation that I have been willing to admit, have been the effect of constant and painful exertion;—they did not spring up of themselves;—they did not occur to relieve my spirits at first.— No, Marianne.—THEN, if I had not been bound to silence, perhaps nothing could have kept
me entirely—not even what I owed to my dearest friends— from openly shewing that I was VERY unhappy.”—
Marianne was quite subdued.—
“Oh! Elinor,” she cried, “you have made me hate myself for ever.—How barbarous have I been to you!—you, who have been my only comfort, who have borne with me in all my misery, who have seemed to be only suffering for me!—Is this my gratitude?—Is this the only return I can make you?— Because your merit cries out upon myself, I have been trying to do it away.”
The tenderest caresses followed this confession. In such a frame of mind as she was now in, Elinor had no difficulty in obtaining from her whatever promise she required; and at her request, Marianne engaged never to speak of the affair to any one with the least appearance of bitterness;—to meet Lucy without betraying the smallest increase of dislike to her;—and even to see Edward himself, if chance should bring them together, without any diminution of her usual cordiality.— These were great concessions;—but where Marianne felt that she had injured, no reparation could be too much for her to make.
She performed her promise of being discreet, to admiration.—She attended to all that Mrs. Jennings had to say upon the subject, with an unchanging complexion, dissented from her in nothing, and was heard three times to say, “Yes, ma’am.”—She listened to her praise of Lucy with only moving from one chair to another, and when Mrs. Jennings talked of Edward’s affection, it cost her only a spasm in her throat.—Such advances towards heroism in her sister, made Elinor feel equal to any thing herself.
The next morning brought a farther trial of it, in a visit from their brother, who came with a most serious aspect to
talk over the dreadful affair, and bring them news of his wife.
“You have heard, I suppose,” said he with great solemnity, as soon as he was seated, “of the very shocking discovery that took place under our roof yesterday.”
They all looked their assent; it seemed too awful a moment for speech.
“Your sister,” he continued, “has suffered dreadfully. Mrs. Ferrars too—in short it has been a scene of such complicated distress—but I will hope that the storm may be weathered without our being any of us quite overcome. Poor Fanny! she was in hysterics all yesterday. But I would not alarm you too much. Donavan says there is nothing materially to be apprehended; her constitution is a good one, and her resolution equal to any thing. She has borne it all, with the fortitude of an angel! She says she never shall think well of anybody again; and one cannot wonder at it, after being so deceived!—meeting with such ingratitude, where so much kindness had been shewn, so much confidence had been placed! It was quite out of the benevolence of her heart, that she had asked these young women to her house; merely because she thought they deserved some attention, were harmless, well-behaved girls, and would be pleasant companions; for otherwise we both wished very much to have invited you and Marianne to be with us, while your kind friend there, was attending her daughter. And now to be so rewarded! ‘I wish, with all my heart,’ says poor Fanny in her affectionate way, ‘that we had asked your sisters instead of them.’”
Here he stopped to be thanked; which being done, he went on.
“What poor Mrs. Ferrars suffered, when first Fanny broke it to her, is not to be described. While she with the truest affection had been planning a most eligible connection for him, was it to be supposed that he could be all the time secretly engaged to another person!—such a suspicion could never have entered her head! If she suspected ANY prepossession elsewhere, it could not be in THAT quarter. ‘THERE, to be sure,’ said she, ‘I might have thought myself safe.’ She was quite in an agony. We consulted together, however, as to what should be done, and at last she determined to send for Edward. He came. But I am sorry to relate what ensued. All that Mrs. Ferrars could say to make him put an end to the engagement, assisted too as you may well suppose by my arguments, and Fanny’s entreaties, was of no avail. Duty, affection, every thing was disregarded. I never thought Edward so stubborn, so unfeeling before. His mother explained to him her liberal designs, in case of his marrying Miss Morton; told him she would settle on him the Norfolk estate, which, clear of land-tax, brings in a good thousand a-year; offered even, when matters grew desperate, to make it twelve hundred; and in opposition to this, if he still persisted in this low connection, represented to him the certain penury that must attend the match. His own two thousand pounds she protested should be his all; she would never see him again; and so far would she be from affording him the smallest assistance, that if he were to enter into any profession with a view of better support, she would do all in her power to prevent him advancing in it.”
Here Marianne, in an ecstasy of indignation, clapped her hands together, and cried, “Gracious God! can this be possible!”
“Well may you wonder, Marianne,” replied her brother, “at the obstinacy which could resist such arguments as these. Your exclamation is very natural.”
Marianne was going to retort, but she remembered her promises, and forbore.
“All this, however,” he continued, “was urged in vain. Edward said very little; but what he did say, was in the most determined manner. Nothing should prevail on him to give up his engagement. He would stand to it, cost him what it might.”
“Then,” cried Mrs. Jennings with blunt sincerity, no longer able to be silent, “he has acted like an honest man! I beg your pardon, Mr. Dashwood, but if he had done otherwise, I should have thought him a rascal. I have some little concern in the business, as well as yourself, for Lucy Steele is my cousin, and I believe there is not a better kind of girl in the world, nor one who more deserves a good husband.”
John Dashwood was greatly astonished; but his nature was calm, not open to provocation, and he never wished to offend anybody, especially anybody of good fortune. He therefore replied, without any resentment,
“I would by no means speak disrespectfully of any relation of yours, madam. Miss Lucy Steele is, I dare say, a very deserving young woman, but in the present case you know, the connection must be impossible. And to have entered into a secret engagement with a young man under her uncle’s care, the son of a woman especially of such very large fortune as Mrs. Ferrars, is perhaps, altogether a little extraordinary. In short, I do not mean to reflect upon the behaviour of any person whom you have a regard for, Mrs. Jennings. We all wish her extremely happy; and Mrs. Ferrars’s conduct throughout the whole, has been such as every conscientious, good mother, in like circumstances, would adopt. It has been dignified and liberal. Edward has drawn his own lot, and I fear it will be a bad one.”
Marianne sighed out her similar apprehension; and Elinor’s heart wrung for the feelings of Edward, while braving his mother’s threats, for a woman who could not reward him.
“Well, sir,” said Mrs. Jennings, “and how did it end?”
“I am sorry to say, ma’am, in a most unhappy rupture:— Edward is dismissed for ever from his mother’s notice. He left her house yesterday, but where he is gone, or whether he is still in town, I do not know; for WE of course can make no inquiry.”
“Poor young man!—and what is to become of him?”
“What, indeed, ma’am! It is a melancholy consideration. Born to the prospect of such affluence! I cannot conceive a situation more deplorable. The interest of two thousand pounds—how can a man live on it?—and when to that is added the recollection, that he might, but for his own folly, within three months have been in the receipt of two thousand, five hundred a-year (for Miss Morton has thirty thousand pounds,) I cannot picture to myself a more wretched condition. We must all feel for him; and the more so, because it is totally out of our power to assist him.”
“Poor young man!” cried Mrs. Jennings, “I am sure he should be very welcome to bed and board at my house; and so I would tell him if I could see him. It is not fit that he should be living about at his own charge now, at lodgings and taverns.”
Elinor’s heart thanked her for such kindness towards Edward, though she could not forbear smiling at the form of it.
“If he would only have done as well by himself,” said John Dashwood, “as all his friends were disposed to do by him, he might now have been in his proper situation, and
would have wanted for nothing. But as it is, it must be out of anybody’s power to assist him. And there is one thing more preparing against him, which must be worse than all—his mother has determined, with a very natural kind of spirit, to settle THAT estate upon Robert immediately, which might have been Edward’s, on proper conditions. I left her this morning with her lawyer, talking over the business.”
“Well!” said Mrs. Jennings, “that is HER revenge. Everybody has a way of their own. But I don’t think mine would be, to make one son independent, because another had plagued me.”
Marianne got up and walked about the room.
“Can anything be more galling to the spirit of a man,” continued John, “than to see his younger brother in possession of an estate which might have been his own? Poor Edward! I feel for him sincerely.”
A few minutes more spent in the same kind of effusion, concluded his visit; and with repeated assurances to his sisters that he really believed there was no material danger in Fanny’s indisposition, and that they need not therefore be very uneasy about it, he went away; leaving the three ladies unanimous in their sentiments on the present occasion, as far at least as it regarded Mrs. Ferrars’s conduct, the Dashwoods’, and Edward’s.
Marianne’s indignation burst forth as soon as he quitted the room; and as her vehemence made reserve impossible in Elinor, and unnecessary in Mrs. Jennings, they all joined in a very spirited critique upon the party.
CHAPTER 38
Mrs. Jennings was very warm in her praise of Edward’s conduct, but only Elinor and Marianne understood its true merit. THEY only knew how little he had had to tempt him to be disobedient, and how small was the consolation, beyond the consciousness of doing right, that could remain to him in the loss of friends and fortune. Elinor gloried in his integrity; and Marianne forgave all his offences in compassion for his punishment. But though confidence between them was, by this public discovery, restored to its proper state, it was not a subject on which either of them were fond of dwelling when alone. Elinor avoided it upon principle, as tending to fix still more upon her thoughts, by the too warm, too positive assurances of Marianne, that belief of Edward’s continued affection for herself which she rather wished to do away; and Marianne’s courage soon failed her, in trying to converse upon a topic which always left her more dissatisfied with herself than ever, by the comparison it necessarily produced between Elinor’s conduct and her own.
She felt all the force of that comparison; but not as her sister had hoped, to urge her to exertion now; she felt it with all the pain of continual self-reproach, regretted most bitterly that she had never exerted herself before; but it brought only the torture of penitence, without the hope of amendment. Her mind was so much weakened that she still fancied present exertion impossible, and therefore it only dispirited her more.
Nothing new was heard by them, for a day or two afterwards, of affairs in Harley Street, or Bartlett’s Buildings. But though so much of the matter was known to them already, that Mrs. Jennings might have had enough to do in spreading that knowledge farther, without seeking after more, she had resolved from the first to pay a visit of comfort and inquiry to her cousins as soon as she could; and nothing but the hindrance of more visitors than usual, had prevented her going to them within that time.
The third day succeeding their knowledge of the particulars, was so fine, so beautiful a Sunday as to draw many to Kensington Gardens, though it was only the second week in March. Mrs. Jennings and Elinor were of the number; but Marianne, who knew that the Willoughbys were again in town, and had a constant dread of meeting them, chose rather to stay at home, than venture into so public a place.
An intimate acquaintance of Mrs. Jennings joined them soon after they entered the Gardens, and Elinor was not sorry that by her continuing with them, and engaging all Mrs. Jennings’s conversation, she was herself left to quiet reflection. She saw nothing of the Willoughbys, nothing of Edward, and for some time nothing of anybody who could by any chance whether grave or gay, be interesting to her. But at last she found herself with some surprise, accosted by Miss Steele, who, though looking rather shy, expressed great satisfaction in meeting them, and on receiving encouragement from the particular kindness of Mrs. Jennings, left her own party for a short time, to join their’s. Mrs. Jennings immediately whispered to Elinor,
“Get it all out of her, my dear. She will tell you any thing if you ask. You see I cannot leave Mrs. Clarke.”
It was lucky, however, for Mrs. Jennings’s curiosity and Elinor’s too, that she would tell any thing WITHOUT being asked; for nothing would otherwise have been learnt.
“I am so glad to meet you;” said Miss Steele, taking her familiarly by the arm—”for I wanted to see you of all things in the world.” And then lowering her voice, “I suppose Mrs. Jennings has heard all about it. Is she angry?”
“Not at all, I believe, with you.”
“That is a good thing. And Lady Middleton, is SHE angry?”
“I cannot suppose it possible that she should.”
“I am monstrous glad of it. Good gracious! I have had such a time of it! I never saw Lucy in such a rage in my life. She vowed at first she would never trim me up a new bonnet, nor do any thing else for me again, so long as she lived; but now she is quite come to, and we are as good friends as ever. Look, she made me this bow to my hat, and put in the feather last night. There now, YOU are going to laugh at me too. But why should not I wear pink ribbons? I do not care if it IS the Doctor’s favourite colour. I am sure, for my part, I should never have known he DID like it better than any other colour, if he had not happened to say so. My cousins have been so plaguing me! I declare sometimes I do not know which way to look before them.”
She had wandered away to a subject on which Elinor had nothing to say, and therefore soon judged it expedient to find her way back again to the first.
“Well, but Miss Dashwood,” speaking triumphantly, “people may say what they chuse about Mr. Ferrars’s declaring he would not have Lucy, for it is no such thing I can tell you; and it is quite a shame for such ill-natured
reports to be spread abroad. Whatever Lucy might think about it herself, you know, it was no business of other people to set it down for certain.”
“I never heard any thing of the kind hinted at before, I assure you,” said Elinor.
“Oh, did not you? But it WAS said, I know, very well, and by more than one; for Miss Godby told Miss Sparks, that nobody in their senses could expect Mr. Ferrars to give up a woman like Miss Morton, with thirty thousand pounds to her fortune, for Lucy Steele that had nothing at all; and I had it from Miss Sparks myself. And besides that, my cousin Richard said himself, that when it came to the point he was afraid Mr. Ferrars would be off; and when Edward did not come near us for three days, I could not tell what to think myself; and I believe in my heart Lucy gave it up all for lost; for we came away from your brother’s Wednesday, and we saw nothing of him not all Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and did not know what was become of him. Once Lucy thought to write to him, but then her spirits rose against that. However this morning he came just as we came home from church; and then it all came out, how he had been sent for Wednesday to Harley Street, and been talked to by his mother and all of them, and how he had declared before them all that he loved nobody but Lucy, and nobody but Lucy would he have. And how he had been so worried by what passed, that as soon as he had went away from his mother’s house, he had got upon his horse, and rid into the country, some where or other; and how he had stayed about at an inn all Thursday and Friday, on purpose to get the better of it. And after thinking it all over and over again, he said, it seemed to him as if, now he had no fortune, and no nothing at all, it would be quite unkind to keep her on to the engagement, because it must be for her loss, for he had nothing but two thousand pounds, and no hope of any thing else; and if he was to go into orders, as he had some
thoughts, he could get nothing but a curacy, and how was they to live upon that?—He could not bear to think of her doing no better, and so he begged, if she had the least mind for it, to put an end to the matter directly, and leave him shift for himself. I heard him say all this as plain as could possibly be. And it was entirely for HER sake, and upon HER account, that he said a word about being off, and not upon his own. I will take my oath he never dropt a syllable of being tired of her, or of wishing to marry Miss Morton, or any thing like it. But, to be sure, Lucy would not give ear to such kind of talking; so she told him directly (with a great deal about sweet and love, you know, and all that—Oh, la! one can’t repeat such kind of things you know)—she told him directly, she had not the least mind in the world to be off, for she could live with him upon a trifle, and how little so ever he might have, she should be very glad to have it all, you know, or something of the kind. So then he was monstrous happy, and talked on some time about what they should do, and they agreed he should take orders directly, and they must wait to be married till he got a living. And just then I could not hear any more, for my cousin called from below to tell me Mrs. Richardson was come in her coach, and would take one of us to Kensington Gardens; so I was forced to go into the room and interrupt them, to ask Lucy if she would like to go, but she did not care to leave Edward; so I just run up stairs and put on a pair of silk stockings and came off with the Richardsons.”
“I do not understand what you mean by interrupting them,” said Elinor; “you were all in the same room together, were not you?”
“No, indeed, not us. La! Miss Dashwood, do you think people make love when any body else is by? Oh, for shame!—To be sure you must know better than that. (Laughing affectedly.)—No, no; they were shut up in the
drawing-room together, and all I heard was only by listening at the door.”
“How!” cried Elinor; “have you been repeating to me what you only learnt yourself by listening at the door? I am sorry I did not know it before; for I certainly would not have suffered you to give me particulars of a conversation which you ought not to have known yourself. How could you behave so unfairly by your sister?”
“Oh, la! there is nothing in THAT. I only stood at the door, and heard what I could. And I am sure Lucy would have done just the same by me; for a year or two back, when Martha Sharpe and I had so many secrets together, she never made any bones of hiding in a closet, or behind a chimney-board, on purpose to hear what we said.”
Elinor tried to talk of something else; but Miss Steele could not be kept beyond a couple of minutes, from what was uppermost in her mind.
“Edward talks of going to Oxford soon,” said she; “but now he is lodging at No. —, Pall Mall. What an ill-natured woman his mother is, an’t she? And your brother and sister were not very kind! However, I shan’t say anything against them to YOU; and to be sure they did send us home in their own chariot, which was more than I looked for. And for my part, I was all in a fright for fear your sister should ask us for the huswifes she had gave us a day or two before; but, however, nothing was said about them, and I took care to keep mine out of sight. Edward have got some business at Oxford, he says; so he must go there for a time; and after THAT, as soon as he can light upon a Bishop, he will be ordained. I wonder what curacy he will get!—Good gracious! (giggling as she spoke) I’d lay my life I know what my cousins will say, when they hear of it. They will tell me I should write to the Doctor, to get Edward the curacy of his
new living. I know they will; but I am sure I would not do such a thing for all the world.— ‘La!’ I shall say directly, ‘I wonder how you could think of such a thing? I write to the Doctor, indeed!’”
“Well,” said Elinor, “it is a comfort to be prepared against the worst. You have got your answer ready.”
Miss Steele was going to reply on the same subject, but the approach of her own party made another more necessary.
“Oh, la! here come the Richardsons. I had a vast deal more to say to you, but I must not stay away from them not any longer. I assure you they are very genteel people. He makes a monstrous deal of money, and they keep their own coach. I have not time to speak to Mrs. Jennings about it myself, but pray tell her I am quite happy to hear she is not in anger against us, and Lady Middleton the same; and if anything should happen to take you and your sister away, and Mrs. Jennings should want company, I am sure we should be very glad to come and stay with her for as long a time as she likes. I suppose Lady Middleton won’t ask us any more this bout. Good-by; I am sorry Miss Marianne was not here. Remember me kindly to her. La! if you have not got your spotted muslin on!—I wonder you was not afraid of its being torn.”
Such was her parting concern; for after this, she had time only to pay her farewell compliments to Mrs. Jennings, before her company was claimed by Mrs. Richardson; and Elinor was left in possession of knowledge which might feed her powers of reflection some time, though she had learnt very little more than what had been already foreseen and foreplanned in her own mind. Edward’s marriage with Lucy was as firmly determined on, and the time of its taking place remained as absolutely uncertain, as she had concluded it would be;—every thing depended, exactly after her
expectation, on his getting that preferment, of which, at present, there seemed not the smallest chance.
As soon as they returned to the carriage, Mrs. Jennings was eager for information; but as Elinor wished to spread as little as possible intelligence that had in the first place been so unfairly obtained, she confined herself to the brief repetition of such simple particulars, as she felt assured that Lucy, for the sake of her own consequence, would choose to have known. The continuance of their engagement, and the means that were able to be taken for promoting its end, was all her communication; and this produced from Mrs. Jennings the following natural remark.
“Wait for his having a living!—ay, we all know how THAT will end:—they will wait a twelvemonth, and finding no good comes of it, will set down upon a curacy of fifty pounds a-year, with the interest of his two thousand pounds, and what little matter Mr. Steele and Mr. Pratt can give her.—Then they will have a child every year! and Lord help ’em! how poor they will be!—I must see what I can give them towards furnishing their house. Two maids and two men, indeed!—as I talked of t’other day.—No, no, they must get a stout girl of all works.— Betty’s sister would never do for them NOW.”
The next morning brought Elinor a letter by the two-penny post from Lucy herself. It was as follows:
“Bartlett’s Building, March.
“I hope my dear Miss Dashwood will excuse the liberty I take of writing to her; but I know your friendship for me will make you pleased to hear such a good account of myself and my dear Edward, after all the troubles we have went through lately, therefore will make no more apologies, but proceed to say that,
thank God! though we have suffered dreadfully, we are both quite well now, and as happy as we must always be in one another’s love. We have had great trials, and great persecutions, but however, at the same time, gratefully acknowledge many friends, yourself not the least among them, whose great kindness I shall always thankfully remember, as will Edward too, who I have told of it. I am sure you will be glad to hear, as likewise dear Mrs. Jennings, I spent two happy hours with him yesterday afternoon, he would not hear of our parting, though earnestly did I, as I thought my duty required, urge him to it for prudence sake, and would have parted for ever on the spot, would he consent to it; but he said it should never be, he did not regard his mother’s anger, while he could have my affections; our prospects are not very bright, to be sure, but we must wait, and hope for the best; he will be ordained shortly; and should it ever be in your power to recommend him to any body that has a living to bestow, am very sure you will not forget us, and dear Mrs. Jennings too, trust she will speak a good word for us to Sir John, or Mr. Palmer, or any friend that may be able to assist us.—Poor Anne was much to blame for what she did, but she did it for the best, so I say nothing; hope Mrs. Jennings won’t think it too much trouble to give us a call, should she come this way any morning, ‘twould be a great kindness, and my cousins would be proud to know her.—My paper reminds me to conclude; and begging to be most gratefully and respectfully remembered to her, and to Sir John, and Lady Middleton, and the dear children, when you chance to see them, and love to Miss Marianne,
“I am, &c.”
As soon as Elinor had finished it, she performed what she concluded to be its writer’s real design, by placing it in the hands of Mrs. Jennings, who read it aloud with many comments of satisfaction and praise.
“Very well indeed!—how prettily she writes!—aye, that was quite proper to let him be off if he would. That was just like Lucy.—Poor soul! I wish I COULD get him a living, with all my heart.—She calls me dear Mrs. Jennings, you see. She is a good-hearted girl as ever lived.—Very well upon my word. That sentence is very prettily turned. Yes, yes, I will go and see her, sure enough. How attentive she is, to think of every body!—Thank you, my dear, for shewing it me. It is as pretty a letter as ever I saw, and does Lucy’s head and heart great credit.”
Ebd E-BooksDirectory.com
CHAPTER 39
The Miss Dashwoods had now been rather more than two months in town, and Marianne’s impatience to be gone increased every day. She sighed for the air, the liberty, the quiet of the country; and fancied that if any place could give her ease, Barton must do it. Elinor was hardly less anxious than herself for their removal, and only so much less bent on its being effected immediately, as that she was conscious of the difficulties of so long a journey, which Marianne could not be brought to acknowledge. She began, however, seriously to turn her thoughts towards its accomplishment, and had already mentioned their wishes to their kind hostess, who resisted them with all the eloquence of her good-will, when a plan was suggested, which, though detaining them from home yet a few weeks longer, appeared to Elinor altogether much more eligible than any other. The Palmers were to remove to Cleveland about the end of March, for the Easter holidays; and Mrs. Jennings, with both her friends, received a very warm invitation from Charlotte to go with them. This would not, in itself, have been sufficient for the delicacy of Miss Dashwood;—but it was inforced with so much real politeness by Mr. Palmer himself, as, joined to the very great amendment of his manners towards them since her sister had been known to be unhappy, induced her to accept it with pleasure.
When she told Marianne what she had done, however, her first reply was not very auspicious.
“Cleveland!”—she cried, with great agitation. “No, I cannot go to Cleveland.”—
“You forget,” said Elinor gently, “that its situation is not…that it is not in the neighbourhood of…”
“But it is in Somersetshire.—I cannot go into Somersetshire.—There, where I looked forward to going…No, Elinor, you cannot expect me to go there.”
Elinor would not argue upon the propriety of overcoming such feelings;—she only endeavoured to counteract them by working on others;—represented it, therefore, as a measure which would fix the time of her returning to that dear mother, whom she so much wished to see, in a more eligible, more comfortable manner, than any other plan could do, and perhaps without any greater delay. From Cleveland, which was within a few miles of Bristol, the distance to Barton was not beyond one day, though a long day’s journey; and their mother’s servant might easily come there to attend them down; and as there could be no occasion of their staying above a week at Cleveland, they might now be at home in little more than three weeks’ time. As Marianne’s affection for her mother was sincere, it must triumph with little difficulty, over the imaginary evils she had started.
Mrs. Jennings was so far from being weary of her guest, that she pressed them very earnestly to return with her again from Cleveland. Elinor was grateful for the attention, but it could not alter her design; and their mother’s concurrence being readily gained, every thing relative to their return was arranged as far as it could be;—and Marianne found some relief in drawing up a statement of the hours that were yet to divide her from Barton.
“Ah! Colonel, I do not know what you and I shall do without the Miss Dashwoods;”—was Mrs. Jennings’s address to him when he first called on her, after their leaving her was settled—”for they are quite resolved upon going home from the Palmers;—and how forlorn we shall be, when I come
back!—Lord! we shall sit and gape at one another as dull as two cats.”
Perhaps Mrs. Jennings was in hopes, by this vigorous sketch of their future ennui, to provoke him to make that offer, which might give himself an escape from it;—and if so, she had soon afterwards good reason to think her object gained; for, on Elinor’s moving to the window to take more expeditiously the dimensions of a print, which she was going to copy for her friend, he followed her to it with a look of particular meaning, and conversed with her there for several minutes. The effect of his discourse on the lady too, could not escape her observation, for though she was too honorable to listen, and had even changed her seat, on purpose that she might NOT hear, to one close by the piano forte on which Marianne was playing, she could not keep herself from seeing that Elinor changed colour, attended with agitation, and was too intent on what he said to pursue her employment.— Still farther in confirmation of her hopes, in the interval of Marianne’s turning from one lesson to another, some words of the Colonel’s inevitably reached her ear, in which he seemed to be apologising for the badness of his house. This set the matter beyond a doubt. She wondered, indeed, at his thinking it necessary to do so; but supposed it to be the proper etiquette. What Elinor said in reply she could not distinguish, but judged from the motion of her lips, that she did not think THAT any material objection;—and Mrs. Jennings commended her in her heart for being so honest. They then talked on for a few minutes longer without her catching a syllable, when another lucky stop in Marianne’s performance brought her these words in the Colonel’s calm voice,—
“I am afraid it cannot take place very soon.”
Astonished and shocked at so unlover-like a speech, she was almost ready to cry out, “Lord! what should hinder it?”—
but checking her desire, confined herself to this silent ejaculation.
“This is very strange!—sure he need not wait to be older.”
This delay on the Colonel’s side, however, did not seem to offend or mortify his fair companion in the least, for on their breaking up the conference soon afterwards, and moving different ways, Mrs. Jennings very plainly heard Elinor say, and with a voice which shewed her to feel what she said,
“I shall always think myself very much obliged to you.”
Mrs. Jennings was delighted with her gratitude, and only wondered that after hearing such a sentence, the Colonel should be able to take leave of them, as he immediately did, with the utmost sang-froid, and go away without making her any reply!—She had not thought her old friend could have made so indifferent a suitor.
What had really passed between them was to this effect.
“I have heard,” said he, with great compassion, “of the injustice your friend Mr. Ferrars has suffered from his family; for if I understand the matter right, he has been entirely cast off by them for persevering in his engagement with a very deserving young woman.— Have I been rightly informed?—Is it so?—”
Elinor told him that it was.
“The cruelty, the impolitic cruelty,”—he replied, with great feeling,—”of dividing, or attempting to divide, two young people long attached to each other, is terrible.— Mrs. Ferrars does not know what she may be doing—what she may drive her son to. I have seen Mr. Ferrars two or three
times in Harley Street, and am much pleased with him. He is not a young man with whom one can be intimately acquainted in a short time, but I have seen enough of him to wish him well for his own sake, and as a friend of yours, I wish it still more. I understand that he intends to take orders. Will you be so good as to tell him that the living of Delaford, now just vacant, as I am informed by this day’s post, is his, if he think it worth his acceptance—but THAT, perhaps, so unfortunately circumstanced as he is now, it may be nonsense to appear to doubt; I only wish it were more valuable.— It is a rectory, but a small one; the late incumbent, I believe, did not make more than 200 L per annum, and though it is certainly capable of improvement, I fear, not to such an amount as to afford him a very comfortable income. Such as it is, however, my pleasure in presenting him to it, will be very great. Pray assure him of it.”
Elinor’s astonishment at this commission could hardly have been greater, had the Colonel been really making her an offer of his hand. The preferment, which only two days before she had considered as hopeless for Edward, was already provided to enable him to marry;—and SHE, of all people in the world, was fixed on to bestow it!—Her emotion was such as Mrs. Jennings had attributed to a very different cause;—but whatever minor feelings less pure, less pleasing, might have a share in that emotion, her esteem for the general benevolence, and her gratitude for the particular friendship, which together prompted Colonel Brandon to this act, were strongly felt, and warmly expressed. She thanked him for it with all her heart, spoke of Edward’s principles and disposition with that praise which she knew them to deserve; and promised to undertake the commission with pleasure, if it were really his wish to put off so agreeable an office to another. But at the same time, she could not help thinking that no one could so well perform it as himself. It was an office in short, from which, unwilling to give Edward
the pain of receiving an obligation from HER, she would have been very glad to be spared herself;— but Colonel Brandon, on motives of equal delicacy, declining it likewise, still seemed so desirous of its being given through her means, that she would not on any account make farther opposition. Edward, she believed, was still in town, and fortunately she had heard his address from Miss Steele. She could undertake therefore to inform him of it, in the course of the day. After this had been settled, Colonel Brandon began to talk of his own advantage in securing so respectable and agreeable a neighbour, and THEN it was that he mentioned with regret, that the house was small and indifferent;—an evil which Elinor, as Mrs. Jennings had supposed her to do, made very light of, at least as far as regarded its size.
“The smallness of the house,” said she, “I cannot imagine any inconvenience to them, for it will be in proportion to their family and income.”
By which the Colonel was surprised to find that SHE was considering Mr. Ferrars’s marriage as the certain consequence of the presentation; for he did not suppose it possible that Delaford living could supply such an income, as anybody in his style of life would venture to settle on—and he said so.
“This little rectory CAN do no more than make Mr. Ferrars comfortable as a bachelor; it cannot enable him to marry. I am sorry to say that my patronage ends with this; and my interest is hardly more extensive. If, however, by an unforeseen chance it should be in my power to serve him farther, I must think very differently of him from what I now do, if I am not as ready to be useful to him then as I sincerely wish I could be at present. What I am now doing indeed, seems nothing at all, since it can advance him so little towards what must be his principal, his only object of
happiness. His marriage must still be a distant good;—at least, I am afraid it cannot take place very soon.—”
Such was the sentence which, when misunderstood, so justly offended the delicate feelings of Mrs. Jennings; but after this narration of what really passed between Colonel Brandon and Elinor, while they stood at the window, the gratitude expressed by the latter on their parting, may perhaps appear in general, not less reasonably excited, nor less properly worded than if it had arisen from an offer of marriage.
Ebd E-BooksDirectory.com
CHAPTER 40
“Well, Miss Dashwood,” said Mrs. Jennings, sagaciously smiling, as soon as the gentleman had withdrawn, “I do not ask you what the Colonel has been saying to you; for though, upon my honour, I TRIED to keep out of hearing, I could not help catching enough to understand his business. And I assure you I never was better pleased in my life, and I wish you joy of it with all my heart.”
“Thank you, ma’am,” said Elinor. “It is a matter of great joy to me; and I feel the goodness of Colonel Brandon most sensibly. There are not many men who would act as he has done. Few people who have so compassionate a heart! I never was more astonished in my life.”
“Lord! my dear, you are very modest. I an’t the least astonished at it in the world, for I have often thought of late, there was nothing more likely to happen.”
“You judged from your knowledge of the Colonel’s general benevolence; but at least you could not foresee that the opportunity would so very soon occur.”
“Opportunity!” repeated Mrs. Jennings—”Oh! as to that, when a man has once made up his mind to such a thing, somehow or other he will soon find an opportunity. Well, my dear, I wish you joy of it again and again; and if ever there was a happy couple in the world, I think I shall soon know where to look for them.”
“You mean to go to Delaford after them I suppose,” said Elinor, with a faint smile.
“Aye, my dear, that I do, indeed. And as to the house being a bad one, I do not know what the Colonel would be at, for it is as good a one as ever I saw.”
“He spoke of its being out of repair.”
“Well, and whose fault is that? why don’t he repair it?— who should do it but himself?”
They were interrupted by the servant’s coming in to announce the carriage being at the door; and Mrs. Jennings immediately preparing to go, said,—
“Well, my dear, I must be gone before I have had half my talk out. But, however, we may have it all over in the evening; for we shall be quite alone. I do not ask you to go with me, for I dare say your mind is too full of the matter to care for company; and besides, you must long to tell your sister all about it.”
Marianne had left the room before the conversation began.
“Certainly, ma’am, I shall tell Marianne of it; but I shall not mention it at present to any body else.”
“Oh! very well,” said Mrs. Jennings rather disappointed. “Then you would not have me tell it to Lucy, for I think of going as far as Holborn to-day.”
“No, ma’am, not even Lucy if you please. One day’s delay will not be very material; and till I have written to Mr. Ferrars, I think it ought not to be mentioned to any body else. I shall do THAT directly. It is of importance that no time should be lost with him, for he will of course have much to do relative to his ordination.”
This speech at first puzzled Mrs. Jennings exceedingly. Why Mr. Ferrars was to have been written to about it in such a hurry, she could not immediately comprehend. A few moments’ reflection, however, produced a very happy idea, and she exclaimed;—
“Oh, ho!—I understand you. Mr. Ferrars is to be the man. Well, so much the better for him. Ay, to be sure, he must be ordained in readiness; and I am very glad to find things are so forward between you. But, my dear, is not this rather out of character? Should not the Colonel write himself?—sure, he is the proper person.”
Elinor did not quite understand the beginning of Mrs. Jennings’s speech, neither did she think it worth inquiring into; and therefore only replied to its conclusion.
“Colonel Brandon is so delicate a man, that he rather wished any one to announce his intentions to Mr. Ferrars than himself.”
“And so YOU are forced to do it. Well THAT is an odd kind of delicacy! However, I will not disturb you (seeing her preparing to write.) You know your own concerns best. So goodby, my dear. I have not heard of any thing to please me so well since Charlotte was brought to bed.”
And away she went; but returning again in a moment,
“I have just been thinking of Betty’s sister, my dear. I should be very glad to get her so good a mistress. But whether she would do for a lady’s maid, I am sure I can’t tell. She is an excellent housemaid, and works very well at her needle. However, you will think of all that at your leisure.”
“Certainly, ma’am,” replied Elinor, not hearing much of what she said, and more anxious to be alone, than to be mistress of the subject.
How she should begin—how she should express herself in her note to Edward, was now all her concern. The particular circumstances between them made a difficulty of that which to any other person would have been the easiest thing in the world; but she equally feared to say too much or too little, and sat deliberating over her paper, with the pen in her hand, till broken in on by the entrance of Edward himself.
He had met Mrs. Jennings at the door in her way to the carriage, as he came to leave his farewell card; and she, after apologising for not returning herself, had obliged him to enter, by saying that Miss Dashwood was above, and wanted to speak with him on very particular business.
Elinor had just been congratulating herself, in the midst of her perplexity, that however difficult it might be to express herself properly by letter, it was at least preferable to giving the information by word of mouth, when her visitor entered, to force her upon this greatest exertion of all. Her astonishment and confusion were very great on his so sudden appearance. She had not seen him before since his engagement became public, and therefore not since his knowing her to be acquainted with it; which, with the consciousness of what she had been thinking of, and what she had to tell him, made her feel particularly uncomfortable for some minutes. He too was much distressed; and they sat down together in a most promising state of embarrassment.—Whether he had asked her pardon for his intrusion on first coming into the room, he could not recollect; but determining to be on the safe side, he made his apology in form as soon as he could say any thing, after taking a chair.
“Mrs. Jennings told me,” said he, “that you wished to speak with me, at least I understood her so—or I certainly should not have intruded on you in such a manner; though at
the same time, I should have been extremely sorry to leave London without seeing you and your sister; especially as it will most likely be some time—it is not probable that I should soon have the pleasure of meeting you again. I go to Oxford tomorrow.”
“You would not have gone, however,” said Elinor, recovering herself, and determined to get over what she so much dreaded as soon as possible, “without receiving our good wishes, even if we had not been able to give them in person. Mrs. Jennings was quite right in what she said. I have something of consequence to inform you of, which I was on the point of communicating by paper. I am charged with a most agreeable office (breathing rather faster than usual as she spoke.) Colonel Brandon, who was here only ten minutes ago, has desired me to say, that understanding you mean to take orders, he has great pleasure in offering you the living of Delaford now just vacant, and only wishes it were more valuable. Allow me to congratulate you on having so respectable and well-judging a friend, and to join in his wish that the living—it is about two hundred a-year—were much more considerable, and such as might better enable you to— as might be more than a temporary accommodation to yourself—such, in short, as might establish all your views of happiness.”
What Edward felt, as he could not say it himself, it cannot be expected that any one else should say for him. He LOOKED all the astonishment which such unexpected, such unthought-of information could not fail of exciting; but he said only these two words,
“Colonel Brandon!”
“Yes,” continued Elinor, gathering more resolution, as some of the worst was over, “Colonel Brandon means it as a testimony of his concern for what has lately passed—for the
cruel situation in which the unjustifiable conduct of your family has placed you—a concern which I am sure Marianne, myself, and all your friends, must share; and likewise as a proof of his high esteem for your general character, and his particular approbation of your behaviour on the present occasion.”
“Colonel Brandon give ME a living!—Can it be possible?”
“The unkindness of your own relations has made you astonished to find friendship any where.”
“No,” replied be, with sudden consciousness, “not to find it in YOU; for I cannot be ignorant that to you, to your goodness, I owe it all.—I feel it—I would express it if I could—but, as you well know, I am no orator.”
“You are very much mistaken. I do assure you that you owe it entirely, at least almost entirely, to your own merit, and Colonel Brandon’s discernment of it. I have had no hand in it. I did not even know, till I understood his design, that the living was vacant; nor had it ever occurred to me that he might have had such a living in his gift. As a friend of mine, of my family, he may, perhaps—indeed I know he HAS, still greater pleasure in bestowing it; but, upon my word, you owe nothing to my solicitation.”
Truth obliged her to acknowledge some small share in the action, but she was at the same time so unwilling to appear as the benefactress of Edward, that she acknowledged it with hesitation; which probably contributed to fix that suspicion in his mind which had recently entered it. For a short time he sat deep in thought, after Elinor had ceased to speak;—at last, and as if it were rather an effort, he said,
“Colonel Brandon seems a man of great worth and respectability. I have always heard him spoken of as such, and your brother I know esteems him highly. He is
undoubtedly a sensible man, and in his manners perfectly the gentleman.”
“Indeed,” replied Elinor, “I believe that you will find him, on farther acquaintance, all that you have heard him to be, and as you will be such very near neighbours (for I understand the parsonage is almost close to the mansion-house,) it is particularly important that he SHOULD be all this.”
Edward made no answer; but when she had turned away her head, gave her a look so serious, so earnest, so uncheerful, as seemed to say, that he might hereafter wish the distance between the parsonage and the mansion-house much greater.
“Colonel Brandon, I think, lodges in St. James Street,” said he, soon afterwards, rising from his chair.
Elinor told him the number of the house.
“I must hurry away then, to give him those thanks which you will not allow me to give YOU; to assure him that he has made me a very—an exceedingly happy man.”
Elinor did not offer to detain him; and they parted, with a very earnest assurance on HER side of her unceasing good wishes for his happiness in every change of situation that might befall him; on HIS, with rather an attempt to return the same good will, than the power of expressing it.
“When I see him again,” said Elinor to herself, as the door shut him out, “I shall see him the husband of Lucy.”
And with this pleasing anticipation, she sat down to reconsider the past, recall the words and endeavour to comprehend all the feelings of Edward; and, of course, to reflect on her own with discontent.
When Mrs. Jennings came home, though she returned from seeing people whom she had never seen before, and of whom therefore she must have a great deal to say, her mind was so much more occupied by the important secret in her possession, than by anything else, that she reverted to it again as soon as Elinor appeared.
“Well, my dear,” she cried, “I sent you up to the young man. Did not I do right?—And I suppose you had no great difficulty—You did not find him very unwilling to accept your proposal?”
“No, ma’am; THAT was not very likely.”
“Well, and how soon will he be ready?—For it seems all to depend upon that.”
“Really,” said Elinor, “I know so little of these kind of forms, that I can hardly even conjecture as to the time, or the preparation necessary; but I suppose two or three months will complete his ordination.”
“Two or three months!” cried Mrs. Jennings; “Lord! my dear, how calmly you talk of it; and can the Colonel wait two or three months! Lord bless me!—I am sure it would put ME quite out of patience!—And though one would be very glad to do a kindness by poor Mr. Ferrars, I do think it is not worth while to wait two or three months for him. Sure somebody else might be found that would do as well; somebody that is in orders already.”
“My dear ma’am,” said Elinor, “what can you be thinking of?— Why, Colonel Brandon’s only object is to be of use to Mr. Ferrars.”
“Lord bless you, my dear!—Sure you do not mean to persuade me that the Colonel only marries you for the sake of giving ten guineas to Mr. Ferrars!”
The deception could not continue after this; and an explanation immediately took place, by which both gained considerable amusement for the moment, without any material loss of happiness to either, for Mrs. Jennings only exchanged one form of delight for another, and still without forfeiting her expectation of the first.
“Aye, aye, the parsonage is but a small one,” said she, after the first ebullition of surprise and satisfaction was over, “and very likely MAY be out of repair; but to hear a man apologising, as I thought, for a house that to my knowledge has five sitting rooms on the ground-floor, and I think the housekeeper told me could make up fifteen beds!—and to you too, that had been used to live in Barton cottage!— It seems quite ridiculous. But, my dear, we must touch up the Colonel to do some thing to the parsonage, and make it comfortable for them, before Lucy goes to it.”
“But Colonel Brandon does not seem to have any idea of the living’s being enough to allow them to marry.”
“The Colonel is a ninny, my dear; because he has two thousand a-year himself, he thinks that nobody else can marry on less. Take my word for it, that, if I am alive, I shall be paying a visit at Delaford Parsonage before Michaelmas; and I am sure I shan’t go if Lucy an’t there.”
Elinor was quite of her opinion, as to the probability of their not waiting for any thing more.
CHAPTER 41
Edward, having carried his thanks to Colonel Brandon, proceeded with his happiness to Lucy; and such was the excess of it by the time he reached Bartlett’s Buildings, that she was able to assure Mrs. Jennings, who called on her again the next day with her congratulations, that she had never seen him in such spirits before in her life.
Her own happiness, and her own spirits, were at least very certain; and she joined Mrs. Jennings most heartily in her expectation of their being all comfortably together in Delaford Parsonage before Michaelmas. So far was she, at the same time, from any backwardness to give Elinor that credit which Edward WOULD give her, that she spoke of her friendship for them both with the most grateful warmth, was ready to own all their obligation to her, and openly declared that no exertion for their good on Miss Dashwood’s part, either present or future, would ever surprise her, for she believed her capable of doing any thing in the world for those she really valued. As for Colonel Brandon, she was not only ready to worship him as a saint, but was moreover truly anxious that he should be treated as one in all worldly concerns; anxious that his tithes should be raised to the utmost; and scarcely resolved to avail herself, at Delaford, as far as she possibly could, of his servants, his carriage, his cows, and his poultry.
It was now above a week since John Dashwood had called in Berkeley Street, and as since that time no notice had been taken by them of his wife’s indisposition, beyond one verbal enquiry, Elinor began to feel it necessary to pay
her a visit.—This was an obligation, however, which not only opposed her own inclination, but which had not the assistance of any encouragement from her companions. Marianne, not contented with absolutely refusing to go herself, was very urgent to prevent her sister’s going at all; and Mrs. Jennings, though her carriage was always at Elinor’s service, so very much disliked Mrs. John Dashwood, that not even her curiosity to see how she looked after the late discovery, nor her strong desire to affront her by taking Edward’s part, could overcome her unwillingness to be in her company again. The consequence was, that Elinor set out by herself to pay a visit, for which no one could really have less inclination, and to run the risk of a tete-a-tete with a woman, whom neither of the others had so much reason to dislike.
Mrs. Dashwood was denied; but before the carriage could turn from the house, her husband accidentally came out. He expressed great pleasure in meeting Elinor, told her that he had been just going to call in Berkeley Street, and, assuring her that Fanny would be very glad to see her, invited her to come in.
They walked up stairs in to the drawing-room.—Nobody was there.
“Fanny is in her own room, I suppose,” said he:—”I will go to her presently, for I am sure she will not have the least objection in the world to seeing YOU.— Very far from it, indeed. NOW especially there cannot be—but however, you and Marianne were always great favourites.—Why would not Marianne come?”—
Elinor made what excuse she could for her.
“I am not sorry to see you alone,” he replied, “for I have a good deal to say to you. This living of Colonel Brandon’s— can it be true?—has he really given it to Edward?—I heard it
yesterday by chance, and was coming to you on purpose to enquire farther about it.”
“It is perfectly true.—Colonel Brandon has given the living of Delaford to Edward.”
“Really!—Well, this is very astonishing!—no relationship!—no connection between them!—and now that livings fetch such a price!—what was the value of this?”
“About two hundred a year.”
“Very well—and for the next presentation to a living of that value—supposing the late incumbent to have been old and sickly, and likely to vacate it soon—he might have got I dare say—fourteen hundred pounds. And how came he not to have settled that matter before this person’s death?—NOW indeed it would be too late to sell it, but a man of Colonel Brandon’s sense!—I wonder he should be so improvident in a point of such common, such natural, concern!—Well, I am convinced that there is a vast deal of inconsistency in almost every human character. I suppose, however—on recollection—that the case may probably be THIS. Edward is only to hold the living till the person to whom the Colonel has really sold the presentation, is old enough to take it.— Aye, aye, that is the fact, depend upon it.”
Elinor contradicted it, however, very positively; and by relating that she had herself been employed in conveying the offer from Colonel Brandon to Edward, and, therefore, must understand the terms on which it was given, obliged him to submit to her authority.
“It is truly astonishing!”—he cried, after hearing what she said—”what could be the Colonel’s motive?”
“A very simple one—to be of use to Mr. Ferrars.”
“Well, well; whatever Colonel Brandon may be, Edward is a very lucky man.—You will not mention the matter to Fanny, however, for though I have broke it to her, and she bears it vastly well,—she will not like to hear it much talked of.”
Elinor had some difficulty here to refrain from observing, that she thought Fanny might have borne with composure, an acquisition of wealth to her brother, by which neither she nor her child could be possibly impoverished.
“Mrs. Ferrars,” added he, lowering his voice to the tone becoming so important a subject, “knows nothing about it at present, and I believe it will be best to keep it entirely concealed from her as long as may be.— When the marriage takes place, I fear she must hear of it all.”
“But why should such precaution be used?—Though it is not to be supposed that Mrs. Ferrars can have the smallest satisfaction in knowing that her son has money enough to live upon,—for THAT must be quite out of the question; yet why, upon her late behaviour, is she supposed to feel at all?—She has done with her son, she cast him off for ever, and has made all those over whom she had any influence, cast him off likewise. Surely, after doing so, she cannot be imagined liable to any impression of sorrow or of joy on his account—she cannot be interested in any thing that befalls him.— She would not be so weak as to throw away the comfort of a child, and yet retain the anxiety of a parent!”
“Ah! Elinor,” said John, “your reasoning is very good, but it is founded on ignorance of human nature. When Edward’s unhappy match takes place, depend upon it his mother will feel as much as if she had never discarded him; and, therefore every circumstance that may accelerate that dreadful event, must be concealed from her as much as
possible. Mrs. Ferrars can never forget that Edward is her son.”
“You surprise me; I should think it must nearly have escaped her memory by THIS time.”
“You wrong her exceedingly. Mrs. Ferrars is one of the most affectionate mothers in the world.”
Elinor was silent.
“We think NOW,”—said Mr. Dashwood, after a short pause, “of ROBERT’S marrying Miss Morton.”
Elinor, smiling at the grave and decisive importance of her brother’s tone, calmly replied,
“The lady, I suppose, has no choice in the affair.”
“Choice!—how do you mean?”
“I only mean that I suppose, from your manner of speaking, it must be the same to Miss Morton whether she marry Edward or Robert.”
“Certainly, there can be no difference; for Robert will now to all intents and purposes be considered as the eldest son;—and as to any thing else, they are both very agreeable young men: I do not know that one is superior to the other.”
Elinor said no more, and John was also for a short time silent.—His reflections ended thus.
“Of ONE thing, my dear sister,” kindly taking her hand, and speaking in an awful whisper,—”I may assure you;—and I WILL do it, because I know it must gratify you. I have good reason to think—indeed I have it from the best authority, or I should not repeat it, for otherwise it would be very wrong
to say any thing about it—but I have it from the very best authority—not that I ever precisely heard Mrs. Ferrars say it herself—but her daughter DID, and I have it from her—That in short, whatever objections there might be against a certain—a certain connection—you understand me—it would have been far preferable to her, it would not have given her half the vexation that THIS does. I was exceedingly pleased to hear that Mrs. Ferrars considered it in that light—a very gratifying circumstance you know to us all. ‘It would have been beyond comparison,’ she said, ‘the least evil of the two, and she would be glad to compound NOW for nothing worse.’ But however, all that is quite out of the question— not to be thought of or mentioned—as to any attachment you know—it never could be—all that is gone by. But I thought I would just tell you of this, because I knew how much it must please you. Not that you have any reason to regret, my dear Elinor. There is no doubt of your doing exceedingly well— quite as well, or better, perhaps, all things considered. Has Colonel Brandon been with you lately?”
Elinor had heard enough, if not to gratify her vanity, and raise her self-importance, to agitate her nerves and fill her mind;—and she was therefore glad to be spared from the necessity of saying much in reply herself, and from the danger of hearing any thing more from her brother, by the entrance of Mr. Robert Ferrars. After a few moments’ chat, John Dashwood, recollecting that Fanny was yet uninformed of her sister’s being there, quitted the room in quest of her; and Elinor was left to improve her acquaintance with Robert, who, by the gay unconcern, the happy self-complacency of his manner while enjoying so unfair a division of his mother’s love and liberality, to the prejudice of his banished brother, earned only by his own dissipated course of life, and that brother’s integrity, was confirming her most unfavourable opinion of his head and heart.
They had scarcely been two minutes by themselves, before he began to speak of Edward; for he, too, had heard of the living, and was very inquisitive on the subject. Elinor repeated the particulars of it, as she had given them to John; and their effect on Robert, though very different, was not less striking than it had been on HIM. He laughed most immoderately. The idea of Edward’s being a clergyman, and living in a small parsonage-house, diverted him beyond measure;—and when to that was added the fanciful imagery of Edward reading prayers in a white surplice, and publishing the banns of marriage between John Smith and Mary Brown, he could conceive nothing more ridiculous.
Elinor, while she waited in silence and immovable gravity, the conclusion of such folly, could not restrain her eyes from being fixed on him with a look that spoke all the contempt it excited. It was a look, however, very well bestowed, for it relieved her own feelings, and gave no intelligence to him. He was recalled from wit to wisdom, not by any reproof of her’s, but by his own sensibility.
“We may treat it as a joke,” said he, at last, recovering from the affected laugh which had considerably lengthened out the genuine gaiety of the moment—”but, upon my soul, it is a most serious business. Poor Edward! he is ruined for ever. I am extremely sorry for it—for I know him to be a very good-hearted creature; as well-meaning a fellow perhaps, as any in the world. You must not judge of him, Miss Dashwood, from YOUR slight acquaintance.—Poor Edward!—His manners are certainly not the happiest in nature.—But we are not all born, you know, with the same powers,—the same address.— Poor fellow!—to see him in a circle of strangers!—to be sure it was pitiable enough!—but upon my soul, I believe he has as good a heart as any in the kingdom; and I declare and protest to you I never was so shocked in my life, as when it all burst forth. I could not believe it.— My mother was the first person who told me of
it; and I, feeling myself called on to act with resolution, immediately said to her, ‘My dear madam, I do not know what you may intend to do on the occasion, but as for myself, I must say, that if Edward does marry this young woman, I never will see him again.’ That was what I said immediately.— I was most uncommonly shocked, indeed!— Poor Edward!—he has done for himself completely—shut himself out for ever from all decent society!—but, as I directly said to my mother, I am not in the least surprised at it; from his style of education, it was always to be expected. My poor mother was half frantic.”
“Have you ever seen the lady?”
“Yes; once, while she was staying in this house, I happened to drop in for ten minutes; and I saw quite enough of her. The merest awkward country girl, without style, or elegance, and almost without beauty.— I remember her perfectly. Just the kind of girl I should suppose likely to captivate poor Edward. I offered immediately, as soon as my mother related the affair to me, to talk to him myself, and dissuade him from the match; but it was too late THEN, I found, to do any thing, for unluckily, I was not in the way at first, and knew nothing of it till after the breach had taken place, when it was not for me, you know, to interfere. But had I been informed of it a few hours earlier—I think it is most probable—that something might have been hit on. I certainly should have represented it to Edward in a very strong light. ‘My dear fellow,’ I should have said, ‘consider what you are doing. You are making a most disgraceful connection, and such a one as your family are unanimous in disapproving.’ I cannot help thinking, in short, that means might have been found. But now it is all too late. He must be starved, you know;—that is certain; absolutely starved.”
He had just settled this point with great composure, when the entrance of Mrs. John Dashwood put an end to the
subject. But though SHE never spoke of it out of her own family, Elinor could see its influence on her mind, in the something like confusion of countenance with which she entered, and an attempt at cordiality in her behaviour to herself. She even proceeded so far as to be concerned to find that Elinor and her sister were so soon to leave town, as she had hoped to see more of them;—an exertion in which her husband, who attended her into the room, and hung enamoured over her accents, seemed to distinguish every thing that was most affectionate and graceful.
Ebd E-BooksDirectory.com
CHAPTER 42
One other short call in Harley Street, in which Elinor received her brother’s congratulations on their travelling so far towards Barton without any expense, and on Colonel Brandon’s being to follow them to Cleveland in a day or two, completed the intercourse of the brother and sisters in town;—and a faint invitation from Fanny, to come to Norland whenever it should happen to be in their way, which of all things was the most unlikely to occur, with a more warm, though less public, assurance, from John to Elinor, of the promptitude with which he should come to see her at Delaford, was all that foretold any meeting in the country.
It amused her to observe that all her friends seemed determined to send her to Delaford;—a place, in which, of all others, she would now least chuse to visit, or wish to reside; for not only was it considered as her future home by her brother and Mrs. Jennings, but even Lucy, when they parted, gave her a pressing invitation to visit her there.
Very early in April, and tolerably early in the day, the two parties from Hanover Square and Berkeley Street set out from their respective homes, to meet, by appointment, on the road. For the convenience of Charlotte and her child, they were to be more than two days on their journey, and Mr. Palmer, travelling more expeditiously with Colonel Brandon, was to join them at Cleveland soon after their arrival.
Marianne, few as had been her hours of comfort in London, and eager as she had long been to quit it, could not, when it came to the point, bid adieu to the house in which
she had for the last time enjoyed those hopes, and that confidence, in Willoughby, which were now extinguished for ever, without great pain. Nor could she leave the place in which Willoughby remained, busy in new engagements, and new schemes, in which SHE could have no share, without shedding many tears.
Elinor’s satisfaction, at the moment of removal, was more positive. She had no such object for her lingering thoughts to fix on, she left no creature behind, from whom it would give her a moment’s regret to be divided for ever, she was pleased to be free herself from the persecution of Lucy’s friendship, she was grateful for bringing her sister away unseen by Willoughby since his marriage, and she looked forward with hope to what a few months of tranquility at Barton might do towards restoring Marianne’s peace of mind, and confirming her own.
Their journey was safely performed. The second day brought them into the cherished, or the prohibited, county of Somerset, for as such was it dwelt on by turns in Marianne’s imagination; and in the forenoon of the third they drove up to Cleveland.
Cleveland was a spacious, modern-built house, situated on a sloping lawn. It had no park, but the pleasure-grounds were tolerably extensive; and like every other place of the same degree of importance, it had its open shrubbery, and closer wood walk, a road of smooth gravel winding round a plantation, led to the front, the lawn was dotted over with timber, the house itself was under the guardianship of the fir, the mountain-ash, and the acacia, and a thick screen of them altogether, interspersed with tall Lombardy poplars, shut out the offices.
Marianne entered the house with a heart swelling with emotion from the consciousness of being only eighty miles
from Barton, and not thirty from Combe Magna; and before she had been five minutes within its walls, while the others were busily helping Charlotte to show her child to the housekeeper, she quitted it again, stealing away through the winding shrubberies, now just beginning to be in beauty, to gain a distant eminence; where, from its Grecian temple, her eye, wandering over a wide tract of country to the south-east, could fondly rest on the farthest ridge of hills in the horizon, and fancy that from their summits Combe Magna might be seen.
In such moments of precious, invaluable misery, she rejoiced in tears of agony to be at Cleveland; and as she returned by a different circuit to the house, feeling all the happy privilege of country liberty, of wandering from place to place in free and luxurious solitude, she resolved to spend almost every hour of every day while she remained with the Palmers, in the indulgence of such solitary rambles.
She returned just in time to join the others as they quitted the house, on an excursion through its more immediate premises; and the rest of the morning was easily whiled away, in lounging round the kitchen garden, examining the bloom upon its walls, and listening to the gardener’s lamentations upon blights, in dawdling through the green-house, where the loss of her favourite plants, unwarily exposed, and nipped by the lingering frost, raised the laughter of Charlotte,—and in visiting her poultry-yard, where, in the disappointed hopes of her dairy-maid, by hens forsaking their nests, or being stolen by a fox, or in the rapid decrease of a promising young brood, she found fresh sources of merriment.
The morning was fine and dry, and Marianne, in her plan of employment abroad, had not calculated for any change of weather during their stay at Cleveland. With great surprise therefore, did she find herself prevented by a settled
rain from going out again after dinner. She had depended on a twilight walk to the Grecian temple, and perhaps all over the grounds, and an evening merely cold or damp would not have deterred her from it; but a heavy and settled rain even SHE could not fancy dry or pleasant weather for walking.
Their party was small, and the hours passed quietly away. Mrs. Palmer had her child, and Mrs. Jennings her carpet-work; they talked of the friends they had left behind, arranged Lady Middleton’s engagements, and wondered whether Mr. Palmer and Colonel Brandon would get farther than Reading that night. Elinor, however little concerned in it, joined in their discourse; and Marianne, who had the knack of finding her way in every house to the library, however it might be avoided by the family in general, soon procured herself a book.
Nothing was wanting on Mrs. Palmer’s side that constant and friendly good humour could do, to make them feel themselves welcome. The openness and heartiness of her manner more than atoned for that want of recollection and elegance which made her often deficient in the forms of politeness; her kindness, recommended by so pretty a face, was engaging; her folly, though evident was not disgusting, because it was not conceited; and Elinor could have forgiven every thing but her laugh.
The two gentlemen arrived the next day to a very late dinner, affording a pleasant enlargement of the party, and a very welcome variety to their conversation, which a long morning of the same continued rain had reduced very low.
Elinor had seen so little of Mr. Palmer, and in that little had seen so much variety in his address to her sister and herself, that she knew not what to expect to find him in his own family. She found him, however, perfectly the gentleman in his behaviour to all his visitors, and only
occasionally rude to his wife and her mother; she found him very capable of being a pleasant companion, and only prevented from being so always, by too great an aptitude to fancy himself as much superior to people in general, as he must feel himself to be to Mrs. Jennings and Charlotte. For the rest of his character and habits, they were marked, as far as Elinor could perceive, with no traits at all unusual in his sex and time of life. He was nice in his eating, uncertain in his hours; fond of his child, though affecting to slight it; and idled away the mornings at billiards, which ought to have been devoted to business. She liked him, however, upon the whole, much better than she had expected, and in her heart was not sorry that she could like him no more;—not sorry to be driven by the observation of his Epicurism, his selfishness, and his conceit, to rest with complacency on the remembrance of Edward’s generous temper, simple taste, and diffident feelings.
Of Edward, or at least of some of his concerns, she now received intelligence from Colonel Brandon, who had been into Dorsetshire lately; and who, treating her at once as the disinterested friend of Mr. Ferrars, and the kind of confidant of himself, talked to her a great deal of the parsonage at Delaford, described its deficiencies, and told her what he meant to do himself towards removing them.—His behaviour to her in this, as well as in every other particular, his open pleasure in meeting her after an absence of only ten days, his readiness to converse with her, and his deference for her opinion, might very well justify Mrs. Jennings’s persuasion of his attachment, and would have been enough, perhaps, had not Elinor still, as from the first, believed Marianne his real favourite, to make her suspect it herself. But as it was, such a notion had scarcely ever entered her head, except by Mrs. Jennings’s suggestion; and she could not help believing herself the nicest observer of the two;—she watched his eyes, while Mrs. Jennings thought only of his behaviour;—and while his looks of anxious solicitude on Marianne’s feeling, in
her head and throat, the beginning of a heavy cold, because unexpressed by words, entirely escaped the latter lady’s observation;—SHE could discover in them the quick feelings, and needless alarm of a lover.
Two delightful twilight walks on the third and fourth evenings of her being there, not merely on the dry gravel of the shrubbery, but all over the grounds, and especially in the most distant parts of them, where there was something more of wildness than in the rest, where the trees were the oldest, and the grass was the longest and wettest, had—assisted by the still greater imprudence of sitting in her wet shoes and stockings—given Marianne a cold so violent as, though for a day or two trifled with or denied, would force itself by increasing ailments on the concern of every body, and the notice of herself. Prescriptions poured in from all quarters, and as usual, were all declined. Though heavy and feverish, with a pain in her limbs, and a cough, and a sore throat, a good night’s rest was to cure her entirely; and it was with difficulty that Elinor prevailed on her, when she went to bed, to try one or two of the simplest of the remedies.
Ebd E-BooksDirectory.com
CHAPTER 43
Marianne got up the next morning at her usual time; to every inquiry replied that she was better, and tried to prove herself so, by engaging in her accustomary employments. But a day spent in sitting shivering over the fire with a book in her hand, which she was unable to read, or in lying, weary and languid, on a sofa, did not speak much in favour of her amendment; and when, at last, she went early to bed, more and more indisposed, Colonel Brandon was only astonished at her sister’s composure, who, though attending and nursing her the whole day, against Marianne’s inclination, and forcing proper medicines on her at night, trusted, like Marianne, to the certainty and efficacy of sleep, and felt no real alarm.
A very restless and feverish night, however, disappointed the expectation of both; and when Marianne, after persisting in rising, confessed herself unable to sit up, and returned voluntarily to her bed, Elinor was very ready to adopt Mrs. Jennings’s advice, of sending for the Palmers’ apothecary.
He came, examined his patient, and though encouraging Miss Dashwood to expect that a very few days would restore her sister to health, yet, by pronouncing her disorder to have a putrid tendency, and allowing the word “infection” to pass his lips, gave instant alarm to Mrs. Palmer, on her baby’s account. Mrs. Jennings, who had been inclined from the first to think Marianne’s complaint more serious than Elinor, now looked very grave on Mr. Harris’s report, and confirming Charlotte’s fears and caution, urged the necessity of her immediate removal with her infant; and Mr. Palmer, though
treating their apprehensions as idle, found the anxiety and importunity of his wife too great to be withstood. Her departure, therefore, was fixed on; and within an hour after Mr. Harris’s arrival, she set off, with her little boy and his nurse, for the house of a near relation of Mr. Palmer’s, who lived a few miles on the other side of Bath; whither her husband promised, at her earnest entreaty, to join her in a day or two; and whither she was almost equally urgent with her mother to accompany her. Mrs. Jennings, however, with a kindness of heart which made Elinor really love her, declared her resolution of not stirring from Cleveland as long as Marianne remained ill, and of endeavouring, by her own attentive care, to supply to her the place of the mother she had taken her from; and Elinor found her on every occasion a most willing and active helpmate, desirous to share in all her fatigues, and often by her better experience in nursing, of material use.
Poor Marianne, languid and low from the nature of her malady, and feeling herself universally ill, could no longer hope that tomorrow would find her recovered; and the idea of what tomorrow would have produced, but for this unlucky illness, made every ailment severe; for on that day they were to have begun their journey home; and, attended the whole way by a servant of Mrs. Jennings, were to have taken their mother by surprise on the following forenoon. The little she said was all in lamentation of this inevitable delay; though Elinor tried to raise her spirits, and make her believe, as she THEN really believed herself, that it would be a very short one.
The next day produced little or no alteration in the state of the patient; she certainly was not better, and, except that there was no amendment, did not appear worse. Their party was now farther reduced; for Mr. Palmer, though very unwilling to go as well from real humanity and good-nature, as from a dislike of appearing to be frightened away by his
wife, was persuaded at last by Colonel Brandon to perform his promise of following her; and while he was preparing to go, Colonel Brandon himself, with a much greater exertion, began to talk of going likewise.—Here, however, the kindness of Mrs. Jennings interposed most acceptably; for to send the Colonel away while his love was in so much uneasiness on her sister’s account, would be to deprive them both, she thought, of every comfort; and therefore telling him at once that his stay at Cleveland was necessary to herself, that she should want him to play at piquet of an evening, while Miss Dashwood was above with her sister, &c. she urged him so strongly to remain, that he, who was gratifying the first wish of his own heart by a compliance, could not long even affect to demur; especially as Mrs. Jennings’s entreaty was warmly seconded by Mr. Palmer, who seemed to feel a relief to himself, in leaving behind him a person so well able to assist or advise Miss Dashwood in any emergence.
Marianne was, of course, kept in ignorance of all these arrangements. She knew not that she had been the means of sending the owners of Cleveland away, in about seven days from the time of their arrival. It gave her no surprise that she saw nothing of Mrs. Palmer; and as it gave her likewise no concern, she never mentioned her name.
Two days passed away from the time of Mr. Palmer’s departure, and her situation continued, with little variation, the same. Mr. Harris, who attended her every day, still talked boldly of a speedy recovery, and Miss Dashwood was equally sanguine; but the expectation of the others was by no means so cheerful. Mrs. Jennings had determined very early in the seizure that Marianne would never get over it, and Colonel Brandon, who was chiefly of use in listening to Mrs. Jennings’s forebodings, was not in a state of mind to resist their influence. He tried to reason himself out of fears, which the different judgment of the apothecary seemed to render
absurd; but the many hours of each day in which he was left entirely alone, were but too favourable for the admission of every melancholy idea, and he could not expel from his mind the persuasion that he should see Marianne no more.
On the morning of the third day however, the gloomy anticipations of both were almost done away; for when Mr. Harris arrived, he declared his patient materially better. Her pulse was much stronger, and every symptom more favourable than on the preceding visit. Elinor, confirmed in every pleasant hope, was all cheerfulness; rejoicing that in her letters to her mother, she had pursued her own judgment rather than her friend’s, in making very light of the indisposition which delayed them at Cleveland; and almost fixing on the time when Marianne would be able to travel.
But the day did not close so auspiciously as it began.— Towards the evening Marianne became ill again, growing more heavy, restless, and uncomfortable than before. Her sister, however, still sanguine, was willing to attribute the change to nothing more than the fatigue of having sat up to have her bed made; and carefully administering the cordials prescribed, saw her, with satisfaction, sink at last into a slumber, from which she expected the most beneficial effects. Her sleep, though not so quiet as Elinor wished to see it, lasted a considerable time; and anxious to observe the result of it herself, she resolved to sit with her during the whole of it. Mrs. Jennings, knowing nothing of any change in the patient, went unusually early to bed; her maid, who was one of the principal nurses, was recreating herself in the housekeeper’s room, and Elinor remained alone with Marianne.
The repose of the latter became more and more disturbed; and her sister, who watched, with unremitting attention her continual change of posture, and heard the frequent but inarticulate sounds of complaint which passed
her lips, was almost wishing to rouse her from so painful a slumber, when Marianne, suddenly awakened by some accidental noise in the house, started hastily up, and, with feverish wildness, cried out,—
“Is mama coming?—”
“Not yet,” cried the other, concealing her terror, and assisting Marianne to lie down again, “but she will be here, I hope, before it is long. It is a great way, you know, from hence to Barton.”
“But she must not go round by London,” cried Marianne, in the same hurried manner. “I shall never see her, if she goes by London.”
Elinor perceived with alarm that she was not quite herself, and, while attempting to soothe her, eagerly felt her pulse. It was lower and quicker than ever! and Marianne, still talking wildly of mama, her alarm increased so rapidly, as to determine her on sending instantly for Mr. Harris, and despatching a messenger to Barton for her mother. To consult with Colonel Brandon on the best means of effecting the latter, was a thought which immediately followed the resolution of its performance; and as soon she had rung up the maid to take her place by her sister, she hastened down to the drawing-room, where she knew he was generally to be found at a much later hour than the present.
It was no time for hesitation. Her fears and her difficulties were immediately before him. Her fears, he had no courage, no confidence to attempt the removal of:—he listened to them in silent despondence;—but her difficulties were instantly obviated, for with a readiness that seemed to speak the occasion, and the service pre-arranged in his mind, he offered himself as the messenger who should fetch Mrs. Dashwood. Elinor made no resistance that was not easily
overcome. She thanked him with brief, though fervent gratitude, and while he went to hurry off his servant with a message to Mr. Harris, and an order for post-horses directly, she wrote a few lines to her mother.
The comfort of such a friend at that moment as Colonel Brandon—or such a companion for her mother,—how gratefully was it felt!—a companion whose judgment would guide, whose attendance must relieve, and whose friendship might soothe her!—as far as the shock of such a summons COULD be lessened to her, his presence, his manners, his assistance, would lessen it.
HE, meanwhile, whatever he might feel, acted with all the firmness of a collected mind, made every necessary arrangement with the utmost despatch, and calculated with exactness the time in which she might look for his return. Not a moment was lost in delay of any kind. The horses arrived, even before they were expected, and Colonel Brandon only pressing her hand with a look of solemnity, and a few words spoken too low to reach her ear, hurried into the carriage. It was then about twelve o’clock, and she returned to her sister’s apartment to wait for the arrival of the apothecary, and to watch by her the rest of the night. It was a night of almost equal suffering to both. Hour after hour passed away in sleepless pain and delirium on Marianne’s side, and in the most cruel anxiety on Elinor’s, before Mr. Harris appeared. Her apprehensions once raised, paid by their excess for all her former security; and the servant who sat up with her, for she would not allow Mrs. Jennings to be called, only tortured her more, by hints of what her mistress had always thought.
Marianne’s ideas were still, at intervals, fixed incoherently on her mother, and whenever she mentioned her name, it gave a pang to the heart of poor Elinor, who, reproaching herself for having trifled with so many days of
illness, and wretched for some immediate relief, fancied that all relief might soon be in vain, that every thing had been delayed too long, and pictured to herself her suffering mother arriving too late to see this darling child, or to see her rational.
She was on the point of sending again for Mr. Harris, or if HE could not come, for some other advice, when the former—but not till after five o’clock—arrived. His opinion, however, made some little amends for his delay, for though acknowledging a very unexpected and unpleasant alteration in his patient, he would not allow the danger to be material, and talked of the relief which a fresh mode of treatment must procure, with a confidence which, in a lesser degree, was communicated to Elinor. He promised to call again in the course of three or four hours, and left both the patient and her anxious attendant more composed than he had found them.
With strong concern, and with many reproaches for not being called to their aid, did Mrs. Jennings hear in the morning of what had passed. Her former apprehensions, now with greater reason restored, left her no doubt of the event; and though trying to speak comfort to Elinor, her conviction of her sister’s danger would not allow her to offer the comfort of hope. Her heart was really grieved. The rapid decay, the early death of a girl so young, so lovely as Marianne, must have struck a less interested person with concern. On Mrs. Jennings’s compassion she had other claims. She had been for three months her companion, was still under her care, and she was known to have been greatly injured, and long unhappy. The distress of her sister too, particularly a favourite, was before her;—and as for their mother, when Mrs. Jennings considered that Marianne might probably be to HER what Charlotte was to herself, her sympathy in HER sufferings was very sincere.
Mr. Harris was punctual in his second visit;—but he came to be disappointed in his hopes of what the last would produce. His medicines had failed;—the fever was unabated; and Marianne only more quiet—not more herself—remained in a heavy stupor. Elinor, catching all, and more than all, his fears in a moment, proposed to call in further advice. But he judged it unnecessary: he had still something more to try, some more fresh application, of whose success he was as confident as the last, and his visit concluded with encouraging assurances which reached the ear, but could not enter the heart of Miss Dashwood. She was calm, except when she thought of her mother; but she was almost hopeless; and in this state she continued till noon, scarcely stirring from her sister’s bed, her thoughts wandering from one image of grief, one suffering friend to another, and her spirits oppressed to the utmost by the conversation of Mrs. Jennings, who scrupled not to attribute the severity and danger of this attack to the many weeks of previous indisposition which Marianne’s disappointment had brought on. Elinor felt all the reasonableness of the idea, and it gave fresh misery to her reflections.
About noon, however, she began—but with a caution—a dread of disappointment which for some time kept her silent, even to her friend—to fancy, to hope she could perceive a slight amendment in her sister’s pulse;—she waited, watched, and examined it again and again;—and at last, with an agitation more difficult to bury under exterior calmness, than all her foregoing distress, ventured to communicate her hopes. Mrs. Jennings, though forced, on examination, to acknowledge a temporary revival, tried to keep her young friend from indulging a thought of its continuance;—and Elinor, conning over every injunction of distrust, told herself likewise not to hope. But it was too late. Hope had already entered; and feeling all its anxious flutter, she bent over her sister to watch—she hardly knew for what. Half an hour passed away, and the favourable symptom yet blessed her.
Others even arose to confirm it. Her breath, her skin, her lips, all flattered Elinor with signs of amendment; and Marianne fixed her eyes on her with a rational, though languid, gaze. Anxiety and hope now oppressed her in equal degrees, and left her no moment of tranquillity till the arrival of Mr. Harris at four o’clock;—when his assurances, his felicitations on a recovery in her sister even surpassing his expectation, gave her confidence, comfort, and tears of joy.
Marianne was in every respect materially better, and he declared her entirely out of danger. Mrs. Jennings, perhaps satisfied with the partial justification of her forebodings which had been found in their late alarm, allowed herself to trust in his judgment, and admitted, with unfeigned joy, and soon with unequivocal cheerfulness, the probability of an entire recovery.
Elinor could not be cheerful. Her joy was of a different kind, and led to any thing rather than to gaiety. Marianne restored to life, health, friends, and to her doting mother, was an idea to fill her heart with sensations of exquisite comfort, and expand it in fervent gratitude;—but it lead to no outward demonstrations of joy, no words, no smiles. All within Elinor’s breast was satisfaction, silent and strong.
She continued by the side of her sister, with little intermission the whole afternoon, calming every fear, satisfying every inquiry of her enfeebled spirits, supplying every succour, and watching almost every look and every breath. The possibility of a relapse would of course, in some moments, occur to remind her of what anxiety was—but when she saw, on her frequent and minute examination, that every symptom of recovery continued, and saw Marianne at six o’clock sink into a quiet, steady, and to all appearance comfortable, sleep, she silenced every doubt.
The time was now drawing on, when Colonel Brandon might be expected back. At ten o’clock, she trusted, or at least not much later her mother would be relieved from the dreadful suspense in which she must now be travelling towards them. The Colonel, too!—perhaps scarcely less an object of pity!—Oh!—how slow was the progress of time which yet kept them in ignorance!
At seven o’clock, leaving Marianne still sweetly asleep, she joined Mrs. Jennings in the drawing-room to tea. Of breakfast she had been kept by her fears, and of dinner by their sudden reverse, from eating much;—and the present refreshment, therefore, with such feelings of content as she brought to it, was particularly welcome. Mrs. Jennings would have persuaded her, at its conclusion, to take some rest before her mother’s arrival, and allow HER to take her place by Marianne; but Elinor had no sense of fatigue, no capability of sleep at that moment about her, and she was not to be kept away from her sister an unnecessary instant. Mrs. Jennings therefore attending her up stairs into the sick chamber, to satisfy herself that all continued right, left her there again to her charge and her thoughts, and retired to her own room to write letters and sleep.
The night was cold and stormy. The wind roared round the house, and the rain beat against the windows; but Elinor, all happiness within, regarded it not. Marianne slept through every blast; and the travellers—they had a rich reward in store, for every present inconvenience.
The clock struck eight. Had it been ten, Elinor would have been convinced that at that moment she heard a carriage driving up to the house; and so strong was the persuasion that she DID, in spite of the ALMOST impossibility of their being already come, that she moved into the adjoining dressing-closet and opened a window shutter, to be satisfied of the truth. She instantly saw that
her ears had not deceived her. The flaring lamps of a carriage were immediately in view. By their uncertain light she thought she could discern it to be drawn by four horses; and this, while it told the excess of her poor mother’s alarm, gave some explanation to such unexpected rapidity.
Never in her life had Elinor found it so difficult to be calm, as at that moment. The knowledge of what her mother must be feeling as the carriage stopt at the door—of her doubt—her dread—perhaps her despair!—and of what SHE had to tell!—with such knowledge it was impossible to be calm. All that remained to be done was to be speedy; and, therefore staying only till she could leave Mrs. Jennings’s maid with her sister, she hurried down stairs.
The bustle in the vestibule, as she passed along an inner lobby, assured her that they were already in the house. She rushed to the drawing-room,—she entered it,—and saw only Willoughby.
Ebd E-BooksDirectory.com
CHAPTER 44
Elinor, starting back with a look of horror at the sight of him, obeyed the first impulse of her heart in turning instantly to quit the room, and her hand was already on the lock, when its action was suspended by his hastily advancing, and saying, in a voice rather of command than supplication,
“Miss Dashwood, for half an hour—for ten minutes—I entreat you to stay.”
“No, sir,” she replied with firmness, “I shall NOT stay. Your business cannot be with ME. The servants, I suppose, forgot to tell you that Mr. Palmer was not in the house.”
“Had they told me,” he cried with vehemence, “that Mr. Palmer and all his relations were at the devil, it would not have turned me from the door. My business is with you, and only you.”
“With me!”—in the utmost amazement—”well, sir,—be quick—and if you can—less violent.”
“Sit down, and I will be both.”
She hesitated; she knew not what to do. The possibility of Colonel Brandon’s arriving and finding her there, came across her. But she had promised to hear him, and her curiosity no less than her honor was engaged. After a moment’s recollection, therefore, concluding that prudence required dispatch, and that her acquiescence would best promote it, she walked silently towards the table, and sat
down. He took the opposite chair, and for half a minute not a word was said by either.
“Pray be quick, sir,”—said Elinor, impatiently;—”I have no time to spare.”
He was sitting in an attitude of deep meditation, and seemed not to hear her.
“Your sister,” said he, with abruptness, a moment afterwards—”is out of danger. I heard it from the servant. God be praised!—But is it true? is it really true?”
Elinor would not speak. He repeated the inquiry with yet greater eagerness.
“For God’s sake tell me, is she out of danger, or is she not?”
“We hope she is.”
He rose up, and walked across the room.
“Had I known as much half an hour ago—But since I AM here,”—speaking with a forced vivacity as he returned to his seat—”what does it signify?—For once, Miss Dashwood—it will be the last time, perhaps—let us be cheerful together.—I am in a fine mood for gaiety.— Tell me honestly”—a deeper glow overspreading his cheeks—”do you think me most a knave or a fool?”
Elinor looked at him with greater astonishment than ever. She began to think that he must be in liquor;—the strangeness of such a visit, and of such manners, seemed no otherwise intelligible; and with this impression she immediately rose, saying,
“Mr. Willoughby, I advise you at present to return to Combe—I am not at leisure to remain with you longer.— Whatever your business may be with me, will it be better recollected and explained to-morrow.”
“I understand you,” he replied, with an expressive smile, and a voice perfectly calm; “yes, I am very drunk.— A pint of porter with my cold beef at Marlborough was enough to over-set me.”
“At Marlborough!”—cried Elinor, more and more at a loss to understand what he would be at.
“Yes,—I left London this morning at eight o’clock, and the only ten minutes I have spent out of my chaise since that time procured me a nuncheon at Marlborough.”
The steadiness of his manner, and the intelligence of his eye as he spoke, convincing Elinor, that whatever other unpardonable folly might bring him to Cleveland, he was not brought there by intoxication, she said, after a moment’s recollection,
“Mr. Willoughby, you OUGHT to feel, and I certainly DO—that after what has passed—your coming here in this manner, and forcing yourself upon my notice, requires a very particular excuse.—What is it, that you mean by it?”—
“I mean,”—said he, with serious energy—”if I can, to make you hate me one degree less than you do NOW. I mean to offer some kind of explanation, some kind of apology, for the past; to open my whole heart to you, and by convincing you, that though I have been always a blockhead, I have not been always a rascal, to obtain something like forgiveness from Ma—from your sister.”
“Is this the real reason of your coming?”
“Upon my soul it is,”—was his answer, with a warmth which brought all the former Willoughby to her remembrance, and in spite of herself made her think him sincere.
“If that is all, you may be satisfied already,— for Marianne DOES—she has LONG forgiven you.”
“Has she?”—he cried, in the same eager tone.— “Then she has forgiven me before she ought to have done it. But she shall forgive me again, and on more reasonable grounds.—NOW will you listen to me?”
Elinor bowed her assent.
“I do not know,” said he, after a pause of expectation on her side, and thoughtfulness on his own,—”how YOU may have accounted for my behaviour to your sister, or what diabolical motive you may have imputed to me.— Perhaps you will hardly think the better of me,—it is worth the trial however, and you shall hear every thing. When I first became intimate in your family, I had no other intention, no other view in the acquaintance than to pass my time pleasantly while I was obliged to remain in Devonshire, more pleasantly than I had ever done before. Your sister’s lovely person and interesting manners could not but please me; and her behaviour to me almost from the first, was of a kind—It is astonishing, when I reflect on what it was, and what SHE was, that my heart should have been so insensible! But at first I must confess, my vanity only was elevated by it. Careless of her happiness, thinking only of my own amusement, giving way to feelings which I had always been too much in the habit of indulging, I endeavoured, by every means in my power, to make myself pleasing to her, without any design of returning her affection.”
Miss Dashwood, at this point, turning her eyes on him with the most angry contempt, stopped him, by saying,
“It is hardly worth while, Mr. Willoughby, for you to relate, or for me to listen any longer. Such a beginning as this cannot be followed by any thing.— Do not let me be pained by hearing any thing more on the subject.”
“I insist on you hearing the whole of it,” he replied, “My fortune was never large, and I had always been expensive, always in the habit of associating with people of better income than myself. Every year since my coming of age, or even before, I believe, had added to my debts; and though the death of my old cousin, Mrs. Smith, was to set me free; yet that event being uncertain, and possibly far distant, it had been for some time my intention to re-establish my circumstances by marrying a woman of fortune. To attach myself to your sister, therefore, was not a thing to be thought of;—and with a meanness, selfishness, cruelty— which no indignant, no contemptuous look, even of yours, Miss Dashwood, can ever reprobate too much—I was acting in this manner, trying to engage her regard, without a thought of returning it.—But one thing may be said for me: even in that horrid state of selfish vanity, I did not know the extent of the injury I meditated, because I did not THEN know what it was to love. But have I ever known it?—Well may it be doubted; for, had I really loved, could I have sacrificed my feelings to vanity, to avarice?—or, what is more, could I have sacrificed hers?— But I have done it. To avoid a comparative poverty, which her affection and her society would have deprived of all its horrors, I have, by raising myself to affluence, lost every thing that could make it a blessing.”
“You did then,” said Elinor, a little softened, “believe yourself at one time attached to her?”
“To have resisted such attractions, to have withstood such tenderness!—Is there a man on earth who could have done it?—Yes, I found myself, by insensible degrees, sincerely fond of her; and the happiest hours of my life were what I spent with her when I felt my intentions were strictly honourable, and my feelings blameless. Even THEN, however, when fully determined on paying my addresses to her, I allowed myself most improperly to put off, from day to day, the moment of doing it, from an unwillingness to enter into an engagement while my circumstances were so greatly embarrassed. I will not reason here—nor will I stop for YOU to expatiate on the absurdity, and the worse than absurdity, of scrupling to engage my faith where my honour was already bound. The event has proved, that I was a cunning fool, providing with great circumspection for a possible opportunity of making myself contemptible and wretched for ever. At last, however, my resolution was taken, and I had determined, as soon as I could engage her alone, to justify the attentions I had so invariably paid her, and openly assure her of an affection which I had already taken such pains to display. But in the interim—in the interim of the very few hours that were to pass, before I could have an opportunity of speaking with her in private—a circumstance occurred— an unlucky circumstance, to ruin all my resolution, and with it all my comfort. A discovery took place,”—here he hesitated and looked down.—”Mrs. Smith had somehow or other been informed, I imagine by some distant relation, whose interest it was to deprive me of her favour, of an affair, a connection—but I need not explain myself farther,” he added, looking at her with an heightened colour and an enquiring eye—”your particular intimacy—you have probably heard the whole story long ago.”
“I have,” returned Elinor, colouring likewise, and hardening her heart anew against any compassion for him, “I have heard it all. And how you will explain away any part of
your guilt in that dreadful business, I confess is beyond my comprehension.”
“Remember,” cried Willoughby, “from whom you received the account. Could it be an impartial one? I acknowledge that her situation and her character ought to have been respected by me. I do not mean to justify myself, but at the same time cannot leave you to suppose that I have nothing to urge—that because she was injured she was irreproachable, and because I was a libertine, SHE must be a saint. If the violence of her passions, the weakness of her understanding—I do not mean, however, to defend myself. Her affection for me deserved better treatment, and I often, with great self-reproach, recall the tenderness which, for a very short time, had the power of creating any return. I wish—I heartily wish it had never been. But I have injured more than herself; and I have injured one, whose affection for me—(may I say it?) was scarcely less warm than hers; and whose mind—Oh! how infinitely superior!”—
“Your indifference, however, towards that unfortunate girl—I must say it, unpleasant to me as the discussion of such a subject may well be—your indifference is no apology for your cruel neglect of her. Do not think yourself excused by any weakness, any natural defect of understanding on her side, in the wanton cruelty so evident on yours. You must have known, that while you were enjoying yourself in Devonshire pursuing fresh schemes, always gay, always happy, she was reduced to the extremest indigence.”
“But, upon my soul, I did NOT know it,” he warmly replied; “I did not recollect that I had omitted to give her my direction; and common sense might have told her how to find it out.”
“Well, sir, and what said Mrs. Smith?”
“She taxed me with the offence at once, and my confusion may be guessed. The purity of her life, the formality of her notions, her ignorance of the world—every thing was against me. The matter itself I could not deny, and vain was every endeavour to soften it. She was previously disposed, I believe, to doubt the morality of my conduct in general, and was moreover discontented with the very little attention, the very little portion of my time that I had bestowed on her, in my present visit. In short, it ended in a total breach. By one measure I might have saved myself. In the height of her morality, good woman! she offered to forgive the past, if I would marry Eliza. That could not be— and I was formally dismissed from her favour and her house. The night following this affair—I was to go the next morning—was spent by me in deliberating on what my future conduct should be. The struggle was great—but it ended too soon. My affection for Marianne, my thorough conviction of her attachment to me—it was all insufficient to outweigh that dread of poverty, or get the better of those false ideas of the necessity of riches, which I was naturally inclined to feel, and expensive society had increased. I had reason to believe myself secure of my present wife, if I chose to address her, and I persuaded myself to think that nothing else in common prudence remained for me to do. A heavy scene however awaited me, before I could leave Devonshire;—I was engaged to dine with you on that very day; some apology was therefore necessary for my breaking this engagement. But whether I should write this apology, or deliver it in person, was a point of long debate. To see Marianne, I felt, would be dreadful, and I even doubted whether I could see her again, and keep to my resolution. In that point, however, I undervalued my own magnanimity, as the event declared; for I went, I saw her, and saw her miserable, and left her miserable—and left her hoping never to see her again.”
“Why did you call, Mr. Willoughby?” said Elinor, reproachfully; “a note would have answered every purpose.— Why was it necessary to call?”
“It was necessary to my own pride. I could not bear to leave the country in a manner that might lead you, or the rest of the neighbourhood, to suspect any part of what had really passed between Mrs. Smith and myself—and I resolved therefore on calling at the cottage, in my way to Honiton. The sight of your dear sister, however, was really dreadful; and, to heighten the matter, I found her alone. You were all gone I do not know where. I had left her only the evening before, so fully, so firmly resolved within my self on doing right! A few hours were to have engaged her to me for ever; and I remember how happy, how gay were my spirits, as I walked from the cottage to Allenham, satisfied with myself, delighted with every body! But in this, our last interview of friendship, I approached her with a sense of guilt that almost took from me the power of dissembling. Her sorrow, her disappointment, her deep regret, when I told her that I was obliged to leave Devonshire so immediately—I never shall forget it—united too with such reliance, such confidence in me!—Oh, God!—what a hard-hearted rascal I was!”
They were both silent for a few moments. Elinor first spoke.
“Did you tell her that you should soon return?”
“I do not know what I told her,” he replied, impatiently; “less than was due to the past, beyond a doubt, and in all likelihood much more than was justified by the future. I cannot think of it.—It won’t do.—Then came your dear mother to torture me farther, with all her kindness and confidence. Thank Heaven! it DID torture me. I was miserable. Miss Dashwood, you cannot have an idea of the
comfort it gives me to look back on my own misery. I owe such a grudge to myself for the stupid, rascally folly of my own heart, that all my past sufferings under it are only triumph and exultation to me now. Well, I went, left all that I loved, and went to those to whom, at best, I was only indifferent. My journey to town—travelling with my own horses, and therefore so tediously—no creature to speak to— my own reflections so cheerful—when I looked forward every thing so inviting!—when I looked back at Barton, the picture so soothing!—oh, it was a blessed journey!”
He stopped.
“Well, sir,” said Elinor, who, though pitying him, grew impatient for his departure, “and this is all?”
“Ah!—no,—have you forgot what passed in town?— That infamous letter—Did she shew it you?”
“Yes, I saw every note that passed.”
“When the first of hers reached me (as it immediately did, for I was in town the whole time,) what I felt is—in the common phrase, not to be expressed; in a more simple one— perhaps too simple to raise any emotion—my feelings were very, very painful.—Every line, every word was—in the hackneyed metaphor which their dear writer, were she here, would forbid—a dagger to my heart. To know that Marianne was in town was—in the same language—a thunderbolt.— Thunderbolts and daggers!—what a reproof would she have given me!—her taste, her opinions—I believe they are better known to me than my own,—and I am sure they are dearer.”
Elinor’s heart, which had undergone many changes in the course of this extraordinary conversation, was now softened again;—yet she felt it her duty to check such ideas in her companion as the last.
“This is not right, Mr. Willoughby.—Remember that you are married. Relate only what in your conscience you think necessary for me to hear.”
“Marianne’s note, by assuring me that I was still as dear to her as in former days, that in spite of the many, many weeks we had been separated, she was as constant in her own feelings, and as full of faith in the constancy of mine as ever, awakened all my remorse. I say awakened, because time and London, business and dissipation, had in some measure quieted it, and I had been growing a fine hardened villain, fancying myself indifferent to her, and chusing to fancy that she too must have become indifferent to me; talking to myself of our past attachment as a mere idle, trifling business, shrugging up my shoulders in proof of its being so, and silencing every reproach, overcoming every scruple, by secretly saying now and then, ‘I shall be heartily glad to hear she is well married.’— But this note made me know myself better. I felt that she was infinitely dearer to me than any other woman in the world, and that I was using her infamously. But every thing was then just settled between Miss Grey and me. To retreat was impossible. All that I had to do, was to avoid you both. I sent no answer to Marianne, intending by that to preserve myself from her farther notice; and for some time I was even determined not to call in Berkeley Street;—but at last, judging it wiser to affect the air of a cool, common acquaintance than anything else, I watched you all safely out of the house one morning, and left my name.”
“Watched us out of the house!”
“Even so. You would be surprised to hear how often I watched you, how often I was on the point of falling in with you. I have entered many a shop to avoid your sight, as the carriage drove by. Lodging as I did in Bond Street, there was hardly a day in which I did not catch a glimpse of one or
other of you; and nothing but the most constant watchfulness on my side, a most invariably prevailing desire to keep out of your sight, could have separated us so long. I avoided the Middletons as much as possible, as well as everybody else who was likely to prove an acquaintance in common. Not aware of their being in town, however, I blundered on Sir John, I believe, the first day of his coming, and the day after I had called at Mrs. Jennings’s. He asked me to a party, a dance at his house in the evening.—Had he NOT told me as an inducement that you and your sister were to be there, I should have felt it too certain a thing, to trust myself near him. The next morning brought another short note from Marianne—still affectionate, open, artless, confiding—everything that could make MY conduct most hateful. I could not answer it. I tried—but could not frame a sentence. But I thought of her, I believe, every moment of the day. If you CAN pity me, Miss Dashwood, pity my situation as it was THEN. With my head and heart full of your sister, I was forced to play the happy lover to another woman!—Those three or four weeks were worse than all. Well, at last, as I need not tell you, you were forced on me; and what a sweet figure I cut!—what an evening of agony it was!— Marianne, beautiful as an angel on one side, calling me Willoughby in such a tone!—Oh, God!—holding out her hand to me, asking me for an explanation, with those bewitching eyes fixed in such speaking solicitude on my face!—and Sophia, jealous as the devil on the other hand, looking all that was—Well, it does not signify; it is over now.— Such an evening!—I ran away from you all as soon as I could; but not before I had seen Marianne’s sweet face as white as death.—THAT was the last, last look I ever had of her;—the last manner in which she appeared to me. It was a horrid sight!—yet when I thought of her to-day as really dying, it was a kind of comfort to me to imagine that I knew exactly how she would appear to those, who saw her last in this world. She was before me, constantly before me, as I travelled, in the same look and hue.”
A short pause of mutual thoughtfulness succeeded. Willoughby first rousing himself, broke it thus:
“Well, let me make haste and be gone. Your sister is certainly better, certainly out of danger?”
“We are assured of it.”
“Your poor mother, too!—doting on Marianne.”
“But the letter, Mr. Willoughby, your own letter; have you any thing to say about that?”
“Yes, yes, THAT in particular. Your sister wrote to me again, you know, the very next morning. You saw what she said. I was breakfasting at the Ellisons,—and her letter, with some others, was brought to me there from my lodgings. It happened to catch Sophia’s eye before it caught mine—and its size, the elegance of the paper, the hand-writing altogether, immediately gave her a suspicion. Some vague report had reached her before of my attachment to some young lady in Devonshire, and what had passed within her observation the preceding evening had marked who the young lady was, and made her more jealous than ever. Affecting that air of playfulness, therefore, which is delightful in a woman one loves, she opened the letter directly, and read its contents. She was well paid for her impudence. She read what made her wretched. Her wretchedness I could have borne, but her passion—her malice—At all events it must be appeased. And, in short— what do you think of my wife’s style of letter-writing?— delicate—tender—truly feminine—was it not?”
“Your wife!—The letter was in your own hand-writing.”
“Yes, but I had only the credit of servilely copying such sentences as I was ashamed to put my name to. The original was all her own—her own happy thoughts and gentle
diction. But what could I do!—we were engaged, every thing in preparation, the day almost fixed—But I am talking like a fool. Preparation!—day!—In honest words, her money was necessary to me, and in a situation like mine, any thing was to be done to prevent a rupture. And after all, what did it signify to my character in the opinion of Marianne and her friends, in what language my answer was couched?—It must have been only to one end. My business was to declare myself a scoundrel, and whether I did it with a bow or a bluster was of little importance.— ‘I am ruined for ever in their opinion—’ said I to myself—’I am shut out for ever from their society, they already think me an unprincipled fellow, this letter will only make them think me a blackguard one.’ Such were my reasonings, as, in a sort of desperate carelessness, I copied my wife’s words, and parted with the last relics of Marianne. Her three notes—unluckily they were all in my pocketbook, or I should have denied their existence, and hoarded them for ever—I was forced to put them up, and could not even kiss them. And the lock of hair—that too I had always carried about me in the same pocket-book, which was now searched by Madam with the most ingratiating virulence,—the dear lock—all, every memento was torn from me.”
“You are very wrong, Mr. Willoughby, very blamable,” said Elinor, while her voice, in spite of herself, betrayed her compassionate emotion; “you ought not to speak in this way, either of Mrs. Willoughby or my sister. You had made your own choice. It was not forced on you. Your wife has a claim to your politeness, to your respect, at least. She must be attached to you, or she would not have married you. To treat her with unkindness, to speak of her slightingly is no atonement to Marianne—nor can I suppose it a relief to your own conscience.”
“Do not talk to me of my wife,” said he with a heavy sigh.— “She does not deserve your compassion.—She knew I
had no regard for her when we married.—Well, married we were, and came down to Combe Magna to be happy, and afterwards returned to town to be gay.—And now do you pity me, Miss Dashwood?—or have I said all this to no purpose?— Am I—be it only one degree—am I less guilty in your opinion than I was before?—My intentions were not always wrong. Have I explained away any part of my guilt?”
“Yes, you have certainly removed something—a little.— You have proved yourself, on the whole, less faulty than I had believed you. You have proved your heart less wicked, much less wicked. But I hardly know—the misery that you have inflicted—I hardly know what could have made it worse.”
“Will you repeat to your sister when she is recovered, what I have been telling you?—Let me be a little lightened too in her opinion as well as in yours. You tell me that she has forgiven me already. Let me be able to fancy that a better knowledge of my heart, and of my present feelings, will draw from her a more spontaneous, more natural, more gentle, less dignified, forgiveness. Tell her of my misery and my penitence—tell her that my heart was never inconstant to her, and if you will, that at this moment she is dearer to me than ever.”
“I will tell her all that is necessary to what may comparatively be called, your justification. But you have not explained to me the particular reason of your coming now, nor how you heard of her illness.”
“Last night, in Drury Lane lobby, I ran against Sir John Middleton, and when he saw who I was—for the first time these two months—he spoke to me.—That he had cut me ever since my marriage, I had seen without surprise or resentment. Now, however, his good-natured, honest, stupid soul, full of indignation against me, and concern for your
sister, could not resist the temptation of telling me what he knew ought to—though probably he did not think it WOULD—vex me horridly. As bluntly as he could speak it, therefore, he told me that Marianne Dashwood was dying of a putrid fever at Cleveland—a letter that morning received from Mrs. Jennings declared her danger most imminent—the Palmers are all gone off in a fright, &c.—I was too much shocked to be able to pass myself off as insensible even to the undiscerning Sir John. His heart was softened in seeing mine suffer; and so much of his ill-will was done away, that when we parted, he almost shook me by the hand while he reminded me of an old promise about a pointer puppy. What I felt on hearing that your sister was dying—and dying too, believing me the greatest villain upon earth, scorning, hating me in her latest moments—for how could I tell what horrid projects might not have been imputed? ONE person I was sure would represent me as capable of any thing— What I felt was dreadful!—My resolution was soon made, and at eight o’clock this morning I was in my carriage. Now you know all.”
Elinor made no answer. Her thoughts were silently fixed on the irreparable injury which too early an independence and its consequent habits of idleness, dissipation, and luxury, had made in the mind, the character, the happiness, of a man who, to every advantage of person and talents, united a disposition naturally open and honest, and a feeling, affectionate temper. The world had made him extravagant and vain—Extravagance and vanity had made him cold-hearted and selfish. Vanity, while seeking its own guilty triumph at the expense of another, had involved him in a real attachment, which extravagance, or at least its offspring, necessity, had required to be sacrificed. Each faulty propensity in leading him to evil, had led him likewise to punishment. The attachment, from which against honour, against feeling, against every better interest he had outwardly torn himself, now, when no longer allowable,
governed every thought; and the connection, for the sake of which he had, with little scruple, left her sister to misery, was likely to prove a source of unhappiness to himself of a far more incurable nature. From a reverie of this kind she was recalled at the end of some minutes by Willoughby, who, rousing himself from a reverie at least equally painful, started up in preparation for going, and said—
“There is no use in staying here; I must be off.”
“Are you going back to town?”
“No—to Combe Magna. I have business there; from thence to town in a day or two. Good bye.”
He held out his hand. She could not refuse to give him hers’s;—he pressed it with affection.
“And you DO think something better of me than you did?”—said he, letting it fall, and leaning against the mantel-piece as if forgetting he was to go.
Elinor assured him that she did;—that she forgave, pitied, wished him well—was even interested in his happiness—and added some gentle counsel as to the behaviour most likely to promote it. His answer was not very encouraging.
“As to that,” said he, “I must rub through the world as well as I can. Domestic happiness is out of the question. If, however, I am allowed to think that you and yours feel an interest in my fate and actions, it may be the means—it may put me on my guard—at least, it may be something to live for. Marianne to be sure is lost to me for ever. Were I even by any blessed chance at liberty again—”
Elinor stopped him with a reproof.
“Well,”—he replied—”once more good bye. I shall now go away and live in dread of one event.”
“What do you mean?”
“Your sister’s marriage.”
“You are very wrong. She can never be more lost to you than she is now.”
“But she will be gained by some one else. And if that some one should be the very he whom, of all others, I could least bear—but I will not stay to rob myself of all your compassionate goodwill, by shewing that where I have most injured I can least forgive. Good bye,—God bless you!”
And with these words, he almost ran out of the room.
Ebd E-BooksDirectory.com
CHAPTER 45
Elinor, for some time after he left her, for some time even after the sound of his carriage had died away, remained too much oppressed by a crowd of ideas, widely differing in themselves, but of which sadness was the general result, to think even of her sister.
Willoughby, he, whom only half an hour ago she had abhorred as the most worthless of men, Willoughby, in spite of all his faults, excited a degree of commiseration for the sufferings produced by them, which made her think of him as now separated for ever from her family, with a tenderness, a regret, rather in proportion, as she soon acknowledged within herself—to his wishes than to his merits. She felt that his influence over her mind was heightened by circumstances which ought not in reason to have weight; by that person of uncommon attraction, that open, affectionate, and lively manner which it was no merit to possess; and by that still ardent love for Marianne, which it was not even innocent to indulge. But she felt that it was so, long, long before she could feel his influence less.
When at last she returned to the unconscious Marianne, she found her just awaking, refreshed by so long and sweet a sleep to the extent of her hopes. Elinor’s heart was full. The past, the present, the future, Willoughby’s visit, Marianne’s safety, and her mother’s expected arrival, threw her altogether into an agitation of spirits which kept off every indication of fatigue, and made her only fearful of betraying herself to her sister. Short was the time, however, in which that fear could affect her, for within half an hour after
Willoughby’s leaving the house, she was again called down stairs by the sound of another carriage.—Eager to save her mother from every unnecessary moment’s horrible suspense, she ran immediately into the hall, and reached the outward door just in time to receive and support her as she entered it.
Mrs. Dashwood, whose terror as they drew near the house had produced almost the conviction of Marianne’s being no more, had no voice to inquire after her, no voice even for Elinor; but SHE, waiting neither for salutation nor inquiry, instantly gave the joyful relief;—and her mother, catching it with all her usual warmth, was in a moment as much overcome by her happiness, as she had been before by her fears. She was supported into the drawing-room between her daughter and her friend;—and there, shedding tears of joy, though still unable to speak, embraced Elinor again and again, turning from her at intervals to press Colonel Brandon’s hand, with a look which spoke at once her gratitude, and her conviction of his sharing with herself in the bliss of the moment. He shared it, however, in a silence even greater than her own.
As soon as Mrs. Dashwood had recovered herself, to see Marianne was her first desire; and in two minutes she was with her beloved child, rendered dearer to her than ever by absence, unhappiness, and danger. Elinor’s delight, as she saw what each felt in the meeting, was only checked by an apprehension of its robbing Marianne of farther sleep;—but Mrs. Dashwood could be calm, could be even prudent, when the life of a child was at stake, and Marianne, satisfied in knowing her mother was near her, and conscious of being too weak for conversation, submitted readily to the silence and quiet prescribed by every nurse around her. Mrs. Dashwood WOULD sit up with her all night; and Elinor, in compliance with her mother’s entreaty, went to bed. But the rest, which one night entirely sleepless, and many hours of the most wearing anxiety seemed to make requisite, was kept
off by irritation of spirits. Willoughby, “poor Willoughby,” as she now allowed herself to call him, was constantly in her thoughts; she would not but have heard his vindication for the world, and now blamed, now acquitted herself for having judged him so harshly before. But her promise of relating it to her sister was invariably painful. She dreaded the performance of it, dreaded what its effect on Marianne might be; doubted whether after such an explanation she could ever be happy with another; and for a moment wished Willoughby a widower. Then, remembering Colonel Brandon, reproved herself, felt that to HIS sufferings and his constancy far more than to his rival’s, the reward of her sister was due, and wished any thing rather than Mrs. Willoughby’s death.
The shock of Colonel Brandon’s errand at Barton had been much softened to Mrs. Dashwood by her own previous alarm; for so great was her uneasiness about Marianne, that she had already determined to set out for Cleveland on that very day, without waiting for any further intelligence, and had so far settled her journey before his arrival, that the Careys were then expected every moment to fetch Margaret away, as her mother was unwilling to take her where there might be infection.
Marianne continued to mend every day, and the brilliant cheerfulness of Mrs. Dashwood’s looks and spirits proved her to be, as she repeatedly declared herself, one of the happiest women in the world. Elinor could not hear the declaration, nor witness its proofs without sometimes wondering whether her mother ever recollected Edward. But Mrs. Dashwood, trusting to the temperate account of her own disappointment which Elinor had sent her, was led away by the exuberance of her joy to think only of what would increase it. Marianne was restored to her from a danger in which, as she now began to feel, her own mistaken judgment in encouraging the unfortunate attachment to Willoughby, had contributed to
place her;—and in her recovery she had yet another source of joy unthought of by Elinor. It was thus imparted to her, as soon as any opportunity of private conference between them occurred.
“At last we are alone. My Elinor, you do not yet know all my happiness. Colonel Brandon loves Marianne. He has told me so himself.”
Her daughter, feeling by turns both pleased and pained, surprised and not surprised, was all silent attention.
“You are never like me, dear Elinor, or I should wonder at your composure now. Had I sat down to wish for any possible good to my family, I should have fixed on Colonel Brandon’s marrying one of you as the object most desirable. And I believe Marianne will be the most happy with him of the two.”
Elinor was half inclined to ask her reason for thinking so, because satisfied that none founded on an impartial consideration of their age, characters, or feelings, could be given;—but her mother must always be carried away by her imagination on any interesting subject, and therefore instead of an inquiry, she passed it off with a smile.
“He opened his whole heart to me yesterday as we travelled. It came out quite unawares, quite undesignedly. I, you may well believe, could talk of nothing but my child;— he could not conceal his distress; I saw that it equalled my own, and he perhaps, thinking that mere friendship, as the world now goes, would not justify so warm a sympathy—or rather, not thinking at all, I suppose—giving way to irresistible feelings, made me acquainted with his earnest, tender, constant, affection for Marianne. He has loved her, my Elinor, ever since the first moment of seeing her.”
Here, however, Elinor perceived,—not the language, not the professions of Colonel Brandon, but the natural embellishments of her mother’s active fancy, which fashioned every thing delightful to her as it chose.
“His regard for her, infinitely surpassing anything that Willoughby ever felt or feigned, as much more warm, as more sincere or constant—which ever we are to call it—has subsisted through all the knowledge of dear Marianne’s unhappy prepossession for that worthless young man!—and without selfishness—without encouraging a hope!—could he have seen her happy with another—Such a noble mind!— such openness, such sincerity!—no one can be deceived in HIM.”
“Colonel Brandon’s character,” said Elinor, “as an excellent man, is well established.”
“I know it is”—replied her mother seriously, “or after such a warning, I should be the last to encourage such affection, or even to be pleased by it. But his coming for me as he did, with such active, such ready friendship, is enough to prove him one of the worthiest of men.”
“His character, however,” answered Elinor, “does not rest on ONE act of kindness, to which his affection for Marianne, were humanity out of the case, would have prompted him. To Mrs. Jennings, to the Middletons, he has been long and intimately known; they equally love and respect him; and even my own knowledge of him, though lately acquired, is very considerable; and so highly do I value and esteem him, that if Marianne can be happy with him, I shall be as ready as yourself to think our connection the greatest blessing to us in the world. What answer did you give him?—Did you allow him to hope?”
“Oh! my love, I could not then talk of hope to him or to myself. Marianne might at that moment be dying. But he did not ask for hope or encouragement. His was an involuntary confidence, an irrepressible effusion to a soothing friend— not an application to a parent. Yet after a time I DID say, for at first I was quite overcome—that if she lived, as I trusted she might, my greatest happiness would lie in promoting their marriage; and since our arrival, since our delightful security, I have repeated it to him more fully, have given him every encouragement in my power. Time, a very little time, I tell him, will do everything;—Marianne’s heart is not to be wasted for ever on such a man as Willoughby.— His own merits must soon secure it.”
“To judge from the Colonel’s spirits, however, you have not yet made him equally sanguine.”
“No.—He thinks Marianne’s affection too deeply rooted for any change in it under a great length of time, and even supposing her heart again free, is too diffident of himself to believe, that with such a difference of age and disposition he could ever attach her. There, however, he is quite mistaken. His age is only so much beyond hers as to be an advantage, as to make his character and principles fixed;—and his disposition, I am well convinced, is exactly the very one to make your sister happy. And his person, his manners too, are all in his favour. My partiality does not blind me; he certainly is not so handsome as Willoughby—but at the same time, there is something much more pleasing in his countenance.— There was always a something,—if you remember,—in Willoughby’s eyes at times, which I did not like.”
Elinor could NOT remember it;—but her mother, without waiting for her assent, continued,
“And his manners, the Colonel’s manners are not only more pleasing to me than Willoughby’s ever were, but they are of a kind I well know to be more solidly attaching to Marianne. Their gentleness, their genuine attention to other people, and their manly unstudied simplicity is much more accordant with her real disposition, than the liveliness— often artificial, and often ill-timed of the other. I am very sure myself, that had Willoughby turned out as really amiable, as he has proved himself the contrary, Marianne would yet never have been so happy with HIM, as she will be with Colonel Brandon.”
She paused.—Her daughter could not quite agree with her, but her dissent was not heard, and therefore gave no offence.
“At Delaford, she will be within an easy distance of me,” added Mrs. Dashwood, “even if I remain at Barton; and in all probability,—for I hear it is a large village,—indeed there certainly MUST be some small house or cottage close by, that would suit us quite as well as our present situation.”
Poor Elinor!—here was a new scheme for getting her to Delaford!—but her spirit was stubborn.
“His fortune too!—for at my time of life you know, everybody cares about THAT;—and though I neither know nor desire to know, what it really is, I am sure it must be a good one.”
Here they were interrupted by the entrance of a third person, and Elinor withdrew to think it all over in private, to wish success to her friend, and yet in wishing it, to feel a pang for Willoughby.
CHAPTER 46
Marianne’s illness, though weakening in its kind, had not been long enough to make her recovery slow; and with youth, natural strength, and her mother’s presence in aid, it proceeded so smoothly as to enable her to remove, within four days after the arrival of the latter, into Mrs. Palmer’s dressing-room. When there, at her own particular request, for she was impatient to pour forth her thanks to him for fetching her mother, Colonel Brandon was invited to visit her.
His emotion on entering the room, in seeing her altered looks, and in receiving the pale hand which she immediately held out to him, was such, as, in Elinor’s conjecture, must arise from something more than his affection for Marianne, or the consciousness of its being known to others; and she soon discovered in his melancholy eye and varying complexion as he looked at her sister, the probable recurrence of many past scenes of misery to his mind, brought back by that resemblance between Marianne and Eliza already acknowledged, and now strengthened by the hollow eye, the sickly skin, the posture of reclining weakness, and the warm acknowledgment of peculiar obligation.
Mrs. Dashwood, not less watchful of what passed than her daughter, but with a mind very differently influenced, and therefore watching to very different effect, saw nothing
in the Colonel’s behaviour but what arose from the most simple and self-evident sensations, while in the actions and words of Marianne she persuaded herself to think that something more than gratitude already dawned.
At the end of another day or two, Marianne growing visibly stronger every twelve hours, Mrs. Dashwood, urged equally by her own and her daughter’s wishes, began to talk of removing to Barton. On HER measures depended those of her two friends; Mrs. Jennings could not quit Cleveland during the Dashwoods’ stay; and Colonel Brandon was soon brought, by their united request, to consider his own abode there as equally determinate, if not equally indispensable. At his and Mrs. Jennings’s united request in return, Mrs. Dashwood was prevailed on to accept the use of his carriage on her journey back, for the better accommodation of her sick child; and the Colonel, at the joint invitation of Mrs. Dashwood and Mrs. Jennings, whose active good-nature made her friendly and hospitable for other people as well as herself, engaged with pleasure to redeem it by a visit at the cottage, in the course of a few weeks.
The day of separation and departure arrived; and Marianne, after taking so particular and lengthened a leave of Mrs. Jennings, one so earnestly grateful, so full of respect and kind wishes as seemed due to her own heart from a secret acknowledgment of past inattention, and bidding Colonel Brandon farewell with a cordiality of a friend, was carefully assisted by him into the carriage, of which he seemed anxious that she should engross at least half. Mrs. Dashwood and Elinor then followed, and the others were left by themselves, to talk of the travellers, and feel their own dullness, till Mrs. Jennings was summoned to her chaise to take comfort in the gossip of her maid for the loss of her two young companions; and Colonel Brandon immediately afterwards took his solitary way to Delaford.
The Dashwoods were two days on the road, and Marianne bore her journey on both, without essential fatigue. Every thing that the most zealous affection, the most solicitous care could do to render her comfortable, was the office of each watchful companion, and each found their reward in her bodily ease, and her calmness of spirits. To Elinor, the observation of the latter was particularly grateful. She, who had seen her week after week so constantly suffering, oppressed by anguish of heart which she had neither courage to speak of, nor fortitude to conceal, now saw with a joy, which no other could equally share, an apparent composure of mind, which, in being the result as she trusted of serious reflection, must eventually lead her to contentment and cheerfulness.
As they approached Barton, indeed, and entered on scenes of which every field and every tree brought some peculiar, some painful recollection, she grew silent and thoughtful, and turning away her face from their notice, sat earnestly gazing through the window. But here, Elinor could neither wonder nor blame; and when she saw, as she assisted Marianne from the carriage, that she had been crying, she saw only an emotion too natural in itself to raise any thing less tender than pity, and in its unobtrusiveness entitled to praise. In the whole of her subsequent manner, she traced the direction of a mind awakened to reasonable exertion; for no sooner had they entered their common sitting-room, than Marianne turned her eyes around it with a look of resolute firmness, as if determined at once to accustom herself to the sight of every object with which the remembrance of Willoughby could be connected.—She said little, but every sentence aimed at cheerfulness, and though a sigh sometimes escaped her, it never passed away without the atonement of a smile. After dinner she would try her piano-forte. She went to it; but the music on which her eye first rested was an opera, procured for her by Willoughby, containing some of their favourite duets, and bearing on its
outward leaf her own name in his hand-writing.—That would not do.—She shook her head, put the music aside, and after running over the keys for a minute, complained of feebleness in her fingers, and closed the instrument again; declaring however with firmness as she did so, that she should in future practice much.
The next morning produced no abatement in these happy symptoms. On the contrary, with a mind and body alike strengthened by rest, she looked and spoke with more genuine spirit, anticipating the pleasure of Margaret’s return, and talking of the dear family party which would then be restored, of their mutual pursuits and cheerful society, as the only happiness worth a wish.
“When the weather is settled, and I have recovered my strength,” said she, “we will take long walks together every day. We will walk to the farm at the edge of the down, and see how the children go on; we will walk to Sir John’s new plantations at Barton Cross, and the Abbeyland; and we will often go the old ruins of the Priory, and try to trace its foundations as far as we are told they once reached. I know we shall be happy. I know the summer will pass happily away. I mean never to be later in rising than six, and from that time till dinner I shall divide every moment between music and reading. I have formed my plan, and am determined to enter on a course of serious study. Our own library is too well known to me, to be resorted to for any thing beyond mere amusement. But there are many works well worth reading at the Park; and there are others of more modern production which I know I can borrow of Colonel Brandon. By reading only six hours a-day, I shall gain in the course of a twelve-month a great deal of instruction which I now feel myself to want.”
Elinor honoured her for a plan which originated so nobly as this; though smiling to see the same eager fancy which
had been leading her to the extreme of languid indolence and selfish repining, now at work in introducing excess into a scheme of such rational employment and virtuous self-control. Her smile however changed to a sigh when she remembered that promise to Willoughby was yet unfulfilled, and feared she had that to communicate which might again unsettle the mind of Marianne, and ruin at least for a time this fair prospect of busy tranquillity. Willing therefore to delay the evil hour, she resolved to wait till her sister’s health were more secure, before she appointed it. But the resolution was made only to be broken.
Marianne had been two or three days at home, before the weather was fine enough for an invalid like herself to venture out. But at last a soft, genial morning appeared; such as might tempt the daughter’s wishes and the mother’s confidence; and Marianne, leaning on Elinor’s arm, was authorised to walk as long as she could without fatigue, in the lane before the house.
The sisters set out at a pace, slow as the feebleness of Marianne in an exercise hitherto untried since her illness required;—and they had advanced only so far beyond the house as to admit a full view of the hill, the important hill behind, when pausing with her eyes turned towards it, Marianne calmly said,
“There, exactly there,”—pointing with one hand, “on that projecting mound,—there I fell; and there I first saw Willoughby.”
Her voice sunk with the word, but presently reviving she added,
“I am thankful to find that I can look with so little pain on the spot!—shall we ever talk on that subject, Elinor?”—
hesitatingly it was said.—”Or will it be wrong?—I can talk of it now, I hope, as I ought to do.”—
Elinor tenderly invited her to be open.
“As for regret,” said Marianne, “I have done with that, as far as HE is concerned. I do not mean to talk to you of what my feelings have been for him, but what they are NOW.—At present, if I could be satisfied on one point, if I could be allowed to think that he was not ALWAYS acting a part, not ALWAYS deceiving me;—but above all, if I could be assured that he never was so VERY wicked as my fears have sometimes fancied him, since the story of that unfortunate girl”—
She stopt. Elinor joyfully treasured her words as she answered,
“If you could be assured of that, you think you should be easy.”
“Yes. My peace of mind is doubly involved in it;—for not only is it horrible to suspect a person, who has been what HE has been to ME, of such designs,—but what must it make me appear to myself?—What in a situation like mine, but a most shamefully unguarded affection could expose me to”—
“How then,” asked her sister, “would you account for his behaviour?”
“I would suppose him,—Oh, how gladly would I suppose him, only fickle, very, very fickle.”
Elinor said no more. She was debating within herself on the eligibility of beginning her story directly, or postponing it till Marianne were in stronger health;—and they crept on for a few minutes in silence.
“I am not wishing him too much good,” said Marianne at last with a sigh, “when I wish his secret reflections may be no more unpleasant than my own. He will suffer enough in them.”
“Do you compare your conduct with his?”
“No. I compare it with what it ought to have been; I compare it with yours.”
“Our situations have borne little resemblance.”
“They have borne more than our conduct.—Do not, my dearest Elinor, let your kindness defend what I know your judgment must censure. My illness has made me think— It has given me leisure and calmness for serious recollection. Long before I was enough recovered to talk, I was perfectly able to reflect. I considered the past: I saw in my own behaviour, since the beginning of our acquaintance with him last autumn, nothing but a series of imprudence towards myself, and want of kindness to others. I saw that my own feelings had prepared my sufferings, and that my want of fortitude under them had almost led me to the grave. My illness, I well knew, had been entirely brought on by myself by such negligence of my own health, as I had felt even at the time to be wrong. Had I died,—it would have been self-destruction. I did not know my danger till the danger was removed; but with such feelings as these reflections gave me, I wonder at my recovery,—wonder that the very eagerness of my desire to live, to have time for atonement to my God, and to you all, did not kill me at once. Had I died,— in what peculiar misery should I have left you, my nurse, my friend, my sister!—You, who had seen all the fretful selfishness of my latter days; who had known all the murmurings of my heart!—How should I have lived in YOUR remembrance!— My mother too! How could you have consoled her!—I cannot express my own abhorrence of myself. Whenever I looked
towards the past, I saw some duty neglected, or some failing indulged. Every body seemed injured by me. The kindness, the unceasing kindness of Mrs. Jennings, I had repaid with ungrateful contempt. To the Middletons, to the Palmers, the Steeles, to every common acquaintance even, I had been insolent and unjust; with a heart hardened against their merits, and a temper irritated by their very attention.—To John, to Fanny,—yes, even to them, little as they deserve, I had given less than their due. But you,—you above all, above my mother, had been wronged by me. I, and only I, knew your heart and its sorrows; yet to what did it influence me?—not to any compassion that could benefit you or myself.—Your example was before me; but to what avail?— Was I more considerate of you and your comfort? Did I imitate your forbearance, or lessen your restraints, by taking any part in those offices of general complaisance or particular gratitude which you had hitherto been left to discharge alone?—No;—not less when I knew you to be unhappy, than when I had believed you at ease, did I turn away from every exertion of duty or friendship; scarcely allowing sorrow to exist but with me, regretting only THAT heart which had deserted and wronged me, and leaving you, for or I professed an unbounded affection, to be miserable for my sake.”
Here ceased the rapid flow of her self-reproving spirit; and Elinor, impatient to soothe, though too honest to flatter, gave her instantly that praise and support which her frankness and her contrition so well deserved. Marianne pressed her hand and replied,
“You are very good.—The future must be my proof. I have laid down my plan, and if I am capable of adhering to it—my feelings shall be governed and my temper improved. They shall no longer worry others, nor torture myself. I shall now live solely for my family. You, my mother, and Margaret, must henceforth be all the world to me; you will
share my affections entirely between you. From you, from my home, I shall never again have the smallest incitement to move; and if I do mix in other society, it will be only to shew that my spirit is humbled, my heart amended, and that I can practise the civilities, the lesser duties of life, with gentleness and forbearance. As for Willoughby—to say that I shall soon or that I shall ever forget him, would be idle. His remembrance can be overcome by no change of circumstances or opinions. But it shall be regulated, it shall be checked by religion, by reason, by constant employment.”
She paused—and added in a low voice, “If I could but know HIS heart, everything would become easy.”
Elinor, who had now been for some time reflecting on the propriety or impropriety of speedily hazarding her narration, without feeling at all nearer decision than at first, heard this; and perceiving that as reflection did nothing, resolution must do all, soon found herself leading to the fact.
She managed the recital, as she hoped, with address; prepared her anxious listener with caution; related simply and honestly the chief points on which Willoughby grounded his apology; did justice to his repentance, and softened only his protestations of present regard. Marianne said not a word.—She trembled, her eyes were fixed on the ground, and her lips became whiter than even sickness had left them. A thousand inquiries sprung up from her heart, but she dared not urge one. She caught every syllable with panting eagerness; her hand, unknowingly to herself, closely pressed her sister’s, and tears covered her cheeks.
Elinor, dreading her being tired, led her towards home; and till they reached the door of the cottage, easily conjecturing what her curiosity must be though no question was suffered to speak it, talked of nothing but Willoughby, and their conversation together; and was carefully minute in
every particular of speech and look, where minuteness could be safely indulged. As soon as they entered the house, Marianne with a kiss of gratitude and these two words just articulate through her tears, “Tell mama,” withdrew from her sister and walked slowly up stairs. Elinor would not attempt to disturb a solitude so reasonable as what she now sought; and with a mind anxiously pre-arranging its result, and a resolution of reviving the subject again, should Marianne fail to do it, she turned into the parlour to fulfill her parting injunction.
Ebd E-BooksDirectory.com
CHAPTER 47
Mrs. Dashwood did not hear unmoved the vindication of her former favourite. She rejoiced in his being cleared from some part of his imputed guilt;—she was sorry for him;—she wished him happy. But the feelings of the past could not be recalled.—Nothing could restore him with a faith unbroken— a character unblemished, to Marianne. Nothing could do away the knowledge of what the latter had suffered through his means, nor remove the guilt of his conduct towards Eliza. Nothing could replace him, therefore, in her former esteem, nor injure the interests of Colonel Brandon.
Had Mrs. Dashwood, like her daughter, heard Willoughby’s story from himself—had she witnessed his distress, and been under the influence of his countenance and his manner, it is probable that her compassion would have been greater. But it was neither in Elinor’s power, nor in her wish, to rouse such feelings in another, by her retailed explanation, as had at first been called forth in herself. Reflection had given calmness to her judgment, and sobered her own opinion of Willoughby’s deserts;—she wished, therefore, to declare only the simple truth, and lay open such facts as were really due to his character, without any embellishment of tenderness to lead the fancy astray.
In the evening, when they were all three together, Marianne began voluntarily to speak of him again;—but that it was not without an effort, the restless, unquiet thoughtfulness in which she had been for some time
previously sitting—her rising colour, as she spoke,—and her unsteady voice, plainly shewed.
“I wish to assure you both,” said she, “that I see every thing—as you can desire me to do.”
Mrs. Dashwood would have interrupted her instantly with soothing tenderness, had not Elinor, who really wished to hear her sister’s unbiased opinion, by an eager sign, engaged her silence. Marianne slowly continued—
“It is a great relief to me—what Elinor told me this morning—I have now heard exactly what I wished to hear.”— For some moments her voice was lost; but recovering herself, she added, and with greater calmness than before—”I am now perfectly satisfied, I wish for no change. I never could have been happy with him, after knowing, as sooner or later I must have known, all this.—I should have had no confidence, no esteem. Nothing could have done it away to my feelings.”
“I know it—I know it,” cried her mother. “Happy with a man of libertine practices!—With one who so injured the peace of the dearest of our friends, and the best of men!— No—my Marianne has not a heart to be made happy with such a man!—Her conscience, her sensitive conscience, would have felt all that the conscience of her husband ought to have felt.”
Marianne sighed, and repeated, “I wish for no change.”
“You consider the matter,” said Elinor, “exactly as a good mind and a sound understanding must consider it; and I dare say you perceive, as well as myself, not only in this, but in many other circumstances, reason enough to be convinced that your marriage must have involved you in many certain troubles and disappointments, in which you would have been poorly supported by an affection, on his side, much less
certain. Had you married, you must have been always poor. His expensiveness is acknowledged even by himself, and his whole conduct declares that self-denial is a word hardly understood by him. His demands and your inexperience together, on a small, very small income, must have brought on distresses which would not be the LESS grievous to you, from having been entirely unknown and unthought of before. YOUR sense of honour and honesty would have led you, I know, when aware of your situation, to attempt all the economy that would appear to you possible: and, perhaps, as long as your frugality retrenched only on your own comfort, you might have been suffered to practice it, but beyond that—and how little could the utmost of your single management do to stop the ruin which had begun before your marriage?— Beyond THAT, had you endeavoured, however reasonably, to abridge HIS enjoyments, is it not to be feared, that instead of prevailing on feelings so selfish to consent to it, you would have lessened your own influence on his heart, and made him regret the connection which had involved him in such difficulties?”
Marianne’s lips quivered, and she repeated the word “Selfish?” in a tone that implied—”do you really think him selfish?”
“The whole of his behaviour,” replied Elinor, “from the beginning to the end of the affair, has been grounded on selfishness. It was selfishness which first made him sport with your affections; which afterwards, when his own were engaged, made him delay the confession of it, and which finally carried him from Barton. His own enjoyment, or his own ease, was, in every particular, his ruling principle.”
“It is very true. MY happiness never was his object.”
“At present,” continued Elinor, “he regrets what he has done. And why does he regret it?—Because he finds it has
not answered towards himself. It has not made him happy. His circumstances are now unembarrassed—he suffers from no evil of that kind; and he thinks only that he has married a woman of a less amiable temper than yourself. But does it follow that had he married you, he would have been happy?—The inconveniences would have been different. He would then have suffered under the pecuniary distresses which, because they are removed, he now reckons as nothing. He would have had a wife of whose temper he could make no complaint, but he would have been always necessitous—always poor; and probably would soon have learned to rank the innumerable comforts of a clear estate and good income as of far more importance, even to domestic happiness, than the mere temper of a wife.”
“I have not a doubt of it,” said Marianne; “and I have nothing to regret—nothing but my own folly.”
“Rather say your mother’s imprudence, my child,” said Mrs. Dashwood; “SHE must be answerable.”
Marianne would not let her proceed;—and Elinor, satisfied that each felt their own error, wished to avoid any survey of the past that might weaken her sister’s spirits; she, therefore, pursuing the first subject, immediately continued,
“One observation may, I think, be fairly drawn from the whole of the story—that all Willoughby’s difficulties have arisen from the first offence against virtue, in his behaviour to Eliza Williams. That crime has been the origin of every lesser one, and of all his present discontents.”
Marianne assented most feelingly to the remark; and her mother was led by it to an enumeration of Colonel Brandon’s injuries and merits, warm as friendship and design could unitedly dictate. Her daughter did not look, however, as if much of it were heard by her.
Elinor, according to her expectation, saw on the two or three following days, that Marianne did not continue to gain strength as she had done; but while her resolution was unsubdued, and she still tried to appear cheerful and easy, her sister could safely trust to the effect of time upon her health.
Margaret returned, and the family were again all restored to each other, again quietly settled at the cottage; and if not pursuing their usual studies with quite so much vigour as when they first came to Barton, at least planning a vigorous prosecution of them in future.
Elinor grew impatient for some tidings of Edward. She had heard nothing of him since her leaving London, nothing new of his plans, nothing certain even of his present abode. Some letters had passed between her and her brother, in consequence of Marianne’s illness; and in the first of John’s, there had been this sentence:— “We know nothing of our unfortunate Edward, and can make no enquiries on so prohibited a subject, but conclude him to be still at Oxford;” which was all the intelligence of Edward afforded her by the correspondence, for his name was not even mentioned in any of the succeeding letters. She was not doomed, however, to be long in ignorance of his measures.
Their man-servant had been sent one morning to Exeter on business; and when, as he waited at table, he had satisfied the inquiries of his mistress as to the event of his errand, this was his voluntary communication—
“I suppose you know, ma’am, that Mr. Ferrars is married.”
Marianne gave a violent start, fixed her eyes upon Elinor, saw her turning pale, and fell back in her chair in hysterics. Mrs. Dashwood, whose eyes, as she answered the servant’s
inquiry, had intuitively taken the same direction, was shocked to perceive by Elinor’s countenance how much she really suffered, and a moment afterwards, alike distressed by Marianne’s situation, knew not on which child to bestow her principal attention.
The servant, who saw only that Miss Marianne was taken ill, had sense enough to call one of the maids, who, with Mrs. Dashwood’s assistance, supported her into the other room. By that time, Marianne was rather better, and her mother leaving her to the care of Margaret and the maid, returned to Elinor, who, though still much disordered, had so far recovered the use of her reason and voice as to be just beginning an inquiry of Thomas, as to the source of his intelligence. Mrs. Dashwood immediately took all that trouble on herself; and Elinor had the benefit of the information without the exertion of seeking it.
“Who told you that Mr. Ferrars was married, Thomas?”
“I see Mr. Ferrars myself, ma’am, this morning in Exeter, and his lady too, Miss Steele as was. They was stopping in a chaise at the door of the New London Inn, as I went there with a message from Sally at the Park to her brother, who is one of the post-boys. I happened to look up as I went by the chaise, and so I see directly it was the youngest Miss Steele; so I took off my hat, and she knew me and called to me, and inquired after you, ma’am, and the young ladies, especially Miss Marianne, and bid me I should give her compliments and Mr. Ferrars’s, their best compliments and service, and how sorry they was they had not time to come on and see you, but they was in a great hurry to go forwards, for they was going further down for a little while, but howsever, when they come back, they’d make sure to come and see you.”
“But did she tell you she was married, Thomas?”
“Yes, ma’am. She smiled, and said how she had changed her name since she was in these parts. She was always a very affable and free-spoken young lady, and very civil behaved. So, I made free to wish her joy.”
“Was Mr. Ferrars in the carriage with her?”
“Yes, ma’am, I just see him leaning back in it, but he did not look up;—he never was a gentleman much for talking.”
Elinor’s heart could easily account for his not putting himself forward; and Mrs. Dashwood probably found the same explanation.
“Was there no one else in the carriage?”
“No, ma’am, only they two.”
“Do you know where they came from?”
“They come straight from town, as Miss Lucy— Mrs. Ferrars told me.”
“And are they going farther westward?”
“Yes, ma’am—but not to bide long. They will soon be back again, and then they’d be sure and call here.”
Mrs. Dashwood now looked at her daughter; but Elinor knew better than to expect them. She recognised the whole of Lucy in the message, and was very confident that Edward would never come near them. She observed in a low voice, to her mother, that they were probably going down to Mr. Pratt’s, near Plymouth.
Thomas’s intelligence seemed over. Elinor looked as if she wished to hear more.
“Did you see them off, before you came away?”
“No, ma’am—the horses were just coming out, but I could not bide any longer; I was afraid of being late.”
“Did Mrs. Ferrars look well?”
“Yes, ma’am, she said how she was very well; and to my mind she was always a very handsome young lady—and she seemed vastly contented.”
Mrs. Dashwood could think of no other question, and Thomas and the tablecloth, now alike needless, were soon afterwards dismissed. Marianne had already sent to say, that she should eat nothing more. Mrs. Dashwood’s and Elinor’s appetites were equally lost, and Margaret might think herself very well off, that with so much uneasiness as both her sisters had lately experienced, so much reason as they had often had to be careless of their meals, she had never been obliged to go without her dinner before.
When the dessert and the wine were arranged, and Mrs. Dashwood and Elinor were left by themselves, they remained long together in a similarity of thoughtfulness and silence. Mrs. Dashwood feared to hazard any remark, and ventured not to offer consolation. She now found that she had erred in relying on Elinor’s representation of herself; and justly concluded that every thing had been expressly softened at the time, to spare her from an increase of unhappiness, suffering as she then had suffered for Marianne. She found that she had been misled by the careful, the considerate attention of her daughter, to think the attachment, which once she had so well understood, much slighter in reality, than she had been wont to believe, or than it was now proved to be. She feared that under this persuasion she had been unjust, inattentive, nay, almost unkind, to her Elinor;—
that Marianne’s affliction, because more acknowledged, more immediately before her, had too much engrossed her tenderness, and led her away to forget that in Elinor she might have a daughter suffering almost as much, certainly with less self-provocation, and greater fortitude.
Ebd E-BooksDirectory.com
CHAPTER 48
Elinor now found the difference between the expectation of an unpleasant event, however certain the mind may be told to consider it, and certainty itself. She now found, that in spite of herself, she had always admitted a hope, while Edward remained single, that something would occur to prevent his marrying Lucy; that some resolution of his own, some mediation of friends, or some more eligible opportunity of establishment for the lady, would arise to assist the happiness of all. But he was now married; and she condemned her heart for the lurking flattery, which so much heightened the pain of the intelligence.
That he should be married soon, before (as she imagined) he could be in orders, and consequently before he could be in possession of the living, surprised her a little at first. But she soon saw how likely it was that Lucy, in her self-provident care, in her haste to secure him, should overlook every thing but the risk of delay. They were married, married in town, and now hastening down to her uncle’s. What had Edward felt on being within four miles from Barton, on seeing her mother’s servant, on hearing Lucy’s message!
They would soon, she supposed, be settled at Delaford.—Delaford,—that place in which so much conspired to give her an interest; which she wished to be acquainted with, and yet desired to avoid. She saw them in an instant in their parsonage-house; saw in Lucy, the active, contriving manager, uniting at once a desire of smart appearance with the utmost frugality, and ashamed to be suspected of half her economical practices;—pursuing her
own interest in every thought, courting the favour of Colonel Brandon, of Mrs. Jennings, and of every wealthy friend. In Edward—she knew not what she saw, nor what she wished to see;—happy or unhappy,—nothing pleased her; she turned away her head from every sketch of him.
Elinor flattered herself that some one of their connections in London would write to them to announce the event, and give farther particulars,—but day after day passed off, and brought no letter, no tidings. Though uncertain that any one were to blame, she found fault with every absent friend. They were all thoughtless or indolent.
“When do you write to Colonel Brandon, ma’am?” was an inquiry which sprung from the impatience of her mind to have something going on.
“I wrote to him, my love, last week, and rather expect to see, than to hear from him again. I earnestly pressed his coming to us, and should not be surprised to see him walk in today or tomorrow, or any day.”
This was gaining something, something to look forward to. Colonel Brandon must have some information to give.
Scarcely had she so determined it, when the figure of a man on horseback drew her eyes to the window. He stopt at their gate. It was a gentleman, it was Colonel Brandon himself. Now she could hear more; and she trembled in expectation of it. But—it was NOT Colonel Brandon—neither his air—nor his height. Were it possible, she must say it must be Edward. She looked again. He had just dismounted;—she could not be mistaken,—it WAS Edward. She moved away and sat down. “He comes from Mr. Pratt’s purposely to see us. I WILL be calm; I WILL be mistress of myself.”
In a moment she perceived that the others were likewise aware of the mistake. She saw her mother and Marianne change colour; saw them look at herself, and whisper a few sentences to each other. She would have given the world to be able to speak—and to make them understand that she hoped no coolness, no slight, would appear in their behaviour to him;—but she had no utterance, and was obliged to leave all to their own discretion.
Not a syllable passed aloud. They all waited in silence for the appearance of their visitor. His footsteps were heard along the gravel path; in a moment he was in the passage, and in another he was before them.
His countenance, as he entered the room, was not too happy, even for Elinor. His complexion was white with agitation, and he looked as if fearful of his reception, and conscious that he merited no kind one. Mrs. Dashwood, however, conforming, as she trusted, to the wishes of that daughter, by whom she then meant in the warmth of her heart to be guided in every thing, met with a look of forced complacency, gave him her hand, and wished him joy.
He coloured, and stammered out an unintelligible reply. Elinor’s lips had moved with her mother’s, and, when the moment of action was over, she wished that she had shaken hands with him too. But it was then too late, and with a countenance meaning to be open, she sat down again and talked of the weather.
Marianne had retreated as much as possible out of sight, to conceal her distress; and Margaret, understanding some part, but not the whole of the case, thought it incumbent on her to be dignified, and therefore took a seat as far from him as she could, and maintained a strict silence.
When Elinor had ceased to rejoice in the dryness of the season, a very awful pause took place. It was put an end to by Mrs. Dashwood, who felt obliged to hope that he had left Mrs. Ferrars very well. In a hurried manner, he replied in the affirmative.
Another pause.
Elinor resolving to exert herself, though fearing the sound of her own voice, now said,
“Is Mrs. Ferrars at Longstaple?”
“At Longstaple!” he replied, with an air of surprise.— “No, my mother is in town.”
“I meant,” said Elinor, taking up some work from the table, “to inquire for Mrs. EDWARD Ferrars.”
She dared not look up;—but her mother and Marianne both turned their eyes on him. He coloured, seemed perplexed, looked doubtingly, and, after some hesitation, said,—
“Perhaps you mean—my brother—you mean Mrs.—Mrs. ROBERT Ferrars.”
“Mrs. Robert Ferrars!”—was repeated by Marianne and her mother in an accent of the utmost amazement;—and though Elinor could not speak, even HER eyes were fixed on him with the same impatient wonder. He rose from his seat, and walked to the window, apparently from not knowing what to do; took up a pair of scissors that lay there, and while spoiling both them and their sheath by cutting the latter to pieces as he spoke, said, in a hurried voice,
“Perhaps you do not know—you may not have heard that my brother is lately married to—to the youngest—to Miss Lucy Steele.”
His words were echoed with unspeakable astonishment by all but Elinor, who sat with her head leaning over her work, in a state of such agitation as made her hardly know where she was.
“Yes,” said he, “they were married last week, and are now at Dawlish.”
Elinor could sit it no longer. She almost ran out of the room, and as soon as the door was closed, burst into tears of joy, which at first she thought would never cease. Edward, who had till then looked any where, rather than at her, saw her hurry away, and perhaps saw—or even heard, her emotion; for immediately afterwards he fell into a reverie, which no remarks, no inquiries, no affectionate address of Mrs. Dashwood could penetrate, and at last, without saying a word, quitted the room, and walked out towards the village—leaving the others in the greatest astonishment and perplexity on a change in his situation, so wonderful and so sudden;—a perplexity which they had no means of lessening but by their own conjectures.
Ebd E-BooksDirectory.com
CHAPTER 49
Unaccountable, however, as the circumstances of his release might appear to the whole family, it was certain that Edward was free; and to what purpose that freedom would be employed was easily pre-determined by all;—for after experiencing the blessings of ONE imprudent engagement, contracted without his mother’s consent, as he had already done for more than four years, nothing less could be expected of him in the failure of THAT, than the immediate contraction of another.
His errand at Barton, in fact, was a simple one. It was only to ask Elinor to marry him;—and considering that he was not altogether inexperienced in such a question, it might be strange that he should feel so uncomfortable in the present case as he really did, so much in need of encouragement and fresh air.
How soon he had walked himself into the proper resolution, however, how soon an opportunity of exercising it occurred, in what manner he expressed himself, and how he was received, need not be particularly told. This only need be said;—that when they all sat down to table at four o’clock, about three hours after his arrival, he had secured his lady, engaged her mother’s consent, and was not only in the rapturous profession of the lover, but, in the reality of reason and truth, one of the happiest of men. His situation indeed was more than commonly joyful. He had more than the ordinary triumph of accepted love to swell his heart, and raise his spirits. He was released without any reproach to himself, from an entanglement which had long formed his
misery, from a woman whom he had long ceased to love;— and elevated at once to that security with another, which he must have thought of almost with despair, as soon as he had learnt to consider it with desire. He was brought, not from doubt or suspense, but from misery to happiness;—and the change was openly spoken in such a genuine, flowing, grateful cheerfulness, as his friends had never witnessed in him before.
His heart was now open to Elinor, all its weaknesses, all its errors confessed, and his first boyish attachment to Lucy treated with all the philosophic dignity of twenty-four.
“It was a foolish, idle inclination on my side,” said he, “the consequence of ignorance of the world—and want of employment. Had my brother given me some active profession when I was removed at eighteen from the care of Mr. Pratt, I think—nay, I am sure, it would never have happened; for though I left Longstaple with what I thought, at the time, a most unconquerable preference for his niece, yet had I then had any pursuit, any object to engage my time and keep me at a distance from her for a few months, I should very soon have outgrown the fancied attachment, especially by mixing more with the world, as in such case I must have done. But instead of having any thing to do, instead of having any profession chosen for me, or being allowed to chuse any myself, I returned home to be completely idle; and for the first twelvemonth afterwards I had not even the nominal employment, which belonging to the university would have given me; for I was not entered at Oxford till I was nineteen. I had therefore nothing in the world to do, but to fancy myself in love; and as my mother did not make my home in every respect comfortable, as I had no friend, no companion in my brother, and disliked new acquaintance, it was not unnatural for me to be very often at Longstaple, where I always felt myself at home, and was always sure of a welcome; and accordingly I spent the
greatest part of my time there from eighteen to nineteen: Lucy appeared everything that was amiable and obliging. She was pretty too—at least I thought so THEN; and I had seen so little of other women, that I could make no comparisons, and see no defects. Considering everything, therefore, I hope, foolish as our engagement was, foolish as it has since in every way been proved, it was not at the time an unnatural or an inexcusable piece of folly.”
The change which a few hours had wrought in the minds and the happiness of the Dashwoods, was such—so great— as promised them all, the satisfaction of a sleepless night. Mrs. Dashwood, too happy to be comfortable, knew not how to love Edward, nor praise Elinor enough, how to be enough thankful for his release without wounding his delicacy, nor how at once to give them leisure for unrestrained conversation together, and yet enjoy, as she wished, the sight and society of both.
Marianne could speak HER happiness only by tears. Comparisons would occur—regrets would arise;—and her joy, though sincere as her love for her sister, was of a kind to give her neither spirits nor language.
But Elinor—how are HER feelings to be described?— From the moment of learning that Lucy was married to another, that Edward was free, to the moment of his justifying the hopes which had so instantly followed, she was every thing by turns but tranquil. But when the second moment had passed, when she found every doubt, every solicitude removed, compared her situation with what so lately it had been,—saw him honourably released from his former engagement, saw him instantly profiting by the release, to address herself and declare an affection as tender, as constant as she had ever supposed it to be,—she was oppressed, she was overcome by her own felicity;—and happily disposed as is the human mind to be easily
familiarized with any change for the better, it required several hours to give sedateness to her spirits, or any degree of tranquillity to her heart.
Edward was now fixed at the cottage at least for a week;—for whatever other claims might be made on him, it was impossible that less than a week should be given up to the enjoyment of Elinor’s company, or suffice to say half that was to be said of the past, the present, and the future;—for though a very few hours spent in the hard labor of incessant talking will despatch more subjects than can really be in common between any two rational creatures, yet with lovers it is different. Between THEM no subject is finished, no communication is even made, till it has been made at least twenty times over.
Lucy’s marriage, the unceasing and reasonable wonder among them all, formed of course one of the earliest discussions of the lovers;—and Elinor’s particular knowledge of each party made it appear to her in every view, as one of the most extraordinary and unaccountable circumstances she had ever heard. How they could be thrown together, and by what attraction Robert could be drawn on to marry a girl, of whose beauty she had herself heard him speak without any admiration,—a girl too already engaged to his brother, and on whose account that brother had been thrown off by his family—it was beyond her comprehension to make out. To her own heart it was a delightful affair, to her imagination it was even a ridiculous one, but to her reason, her judgment, it was completely a puzzle.
Edward could only attempt an explanation by supposing, that, perhaps, at first accidentally meeting, the vanity of the one had been so worked on by the flattery of the other, as to lead by degrees to all the rest. Elinor remembered what Robert had told her in Harley Street, of his opinion of what
his own mediation in his brother’s affairs might have done, if applied to in time. She repeated it to Edward.
“THAT was exactly like Robert,”—was his immediate observation.—”And THAT,” he presently added, “might perhaps be in HIS head when the acquaintance between them first began. And Lucy perhaps at first might think only of procuring his good offices in my favour. Other designs might afterward arise.”
How long it had been carrying on between them, however, he was equally at a loss with herself to make out; for at Oxford, where he had remained for choice ever since his quitting London, he had had no means of hearing of her but from herself, and her letters to the very last were neither less frequent, nor less affectionate than usual. Not the smallest suspicion, therefore, had ever occurred to prepare him for what followed;—and when at last it burst on him in a letter from Lucy herself, he had been for some time, he believed, half stupified between the wonder, the horror, and the joy of such a deliverance. He put the letter into Elinor’s hands.
“DEAR SIR,
“Being very sure I have long lost your affections, I have thought myself at liberty to bestow my own on another, and have no doubt of being as happy with him as I once used to think I might be with you; but I scorn to accept a hand while the heart was another’s. Sincerely wish you happy in your choice, and it shall not be my fault if we are not always good friends, as our near relationship now makes proper. I can safely say I owe you no ill-will, and am sure you will be too generous to do us any ill offices. Your brother has gained my affections entirely, and as we could not live without one another, we
are just returned from the altar, and are now on our way to Dawlish for a few weeks, which place your dear brother has great curiosity to see, but thought I would first trouble you with these few lines, and shall always remain,
“Your sincere well-wisher, friend, and sister, “LUCY FERRARS.
“I have burnt all your letters, and will return your picture the first opportunity. Please to destroy my scrawls—but the ring with my hair you are very welcome to keep.”
Elinor read and returned it without any comment.
“I will not ask your opinion of it as a composition,” said Edward.—”For worlds would not I have had a letter of hers seen by YOU in former days.—In a sister it is bad enough, but in a wife!—how I have blushed over the pages of her writing!—and I believe I may say that since the first half year of our foolish—business—this is the only letter I ever received from her, of which the substance made me any amends for the defect of the style.”
“However it may have come about,” said Elinor, after a pause,—”they are certainly married. And your mother has brought on herself a most appropriate punishment. The independence she settled on Robert, through resentment against you, has put it in his power to make his own choice; and she has actually been bribing one son with a thousand a-year, to do the very deed which she disinherited the other for intending to do. She will hardly be less hurt, I suppose, by Robert’s marrying Lucy, than she would have been by your marrying her.”
“She will be more hurt by it, for Robert always was her favourite.—She will be more hurt by it, and on the same principle will forgive him much sooner.”
In what state the affair stood at present between them, Edward knew not, for no communication with any of his family had yet been attempted by him. He had quitted Oxford within four and twenty hours after Lucy’s letter arrived, and with only one object before him, the nearest road to Barton, had had no leisure to form any scheme of conduct, with which that road did not hold the most intimate connection. He could do nothing till he were assured of his fate with Miss Dashwood; and by his rapidity in seeking THAT fate, it is to be supposed, in spite of the jealousy with which he had once thought of Colonel Brandon, in spite of the modesty with which he rated his own deserts, and the politeness with which he talked of his doubts, he did not, upon the whole, expect a very cruel reception. It was his business, however, to say that he DID, and he said it very prettily. What he might say on the subject a twelvemonth after, must be referred to the imagination of husbands and wives.
That Lucy had certainly meant to deceive, to go off with a flourish of malice against him in her message by Thomas, was perfectly clear to Elinor; and Edward himself, now thoroughly enlightened on her character, had no scruple in believing her capable of the utmost meanness of wanton ill-nature. Though his eyes had been long opened, even before his acquaintance with Elinor began, to her ignorance and a want of liberality in some of her opinions—they had been equally imputed, by him, to her want of education; and till her last letter reached him, he had always believed her to be a well-disposed, good-hearted girl, and thoroughly attached to himself. Nothing but such a persuasion could have prevented his putting an end to an engagement, which, long before the discovery of it laid him open to his mother’s anger, had been a continual source of disquiet and regret to him.
“I thought it my duty,” said he, “independent of my feelings, to give her the option of continuing the engagement or not, when I was renounced by my mother, and stood to all appearance without a friend in the world to assist me. In such a situation as that, where there seemed nothing to tempt the avarice or the vanity of any living creature, how could I suppose, when she so earnestly, so warmly insisted on sharing my fate, whatever it might be, that any thing but the most disinterested affection was her inducement? And even now, I cannot comprehend on what motive she acted, or what fancied advantage it could be to her, to be fettered to a man for whom she had not the smallest regard, and who had only two thousand pounds in the world. She could not foresee that Colonel Brandon would give me a living.”
“No; but she might suppose that something would occur in your favour; that your own family might in time relent. And at any rate, she lost nothing by continuing the engagement, for she has proved that it fettered neither her inclination nor her actions. The connection was certainly a respectable one, and probably gained her consideration among her friends; and, if nothing more advantageous occurred, it would be better for her to marry YOU than be single.”
Edward was, of course, immediately convinced that nothing could have been more natural than Lucy’s conduct, nor more self-evident than the motive of it.
Elinor scolded him, harshly as ladies always scold the imprudence which compliments themselves, for having spent so much time with them at Norland, when he must have felt his own inconstancy.
“Your behaviour was certainly very wrong,” said she; “because—to say nothing of my own conviction, our relations
were all led away by it to fancy and expect WHAT, as you were THEN situated, could never be.”
He could only plead an ignorance of his own heart, and a mistaken confidence in the force of his engagement.
“I was simple enough to think, that because my FAITH was plighted to another, there could be no danger in my being with you; and that the consciousness of my engagement was to keep my heart as safe and sacred as my honour. I felt that I admired you, but I told myself it was only friendship; and till I began to make comparisons between yourself and Lucy, I did not know how far I was got. After that, I suppose, I WAS wrong in remaining so much in Sussex, and the arguments with which I reconciled myself to the expediency of it, were no better than these:— The danger is my own; I am doing no injury to anybody but myself.”
Elinor smiled, and shook her head.
Edward heard with pleasure of Colonel Brandon’s being expected at the Cottage, as he really wished not only to be better acquainted with him, but to have an opportunity of convincing him that he no longer resented his giving him the living of Delaford—”Which, at present,” said he, “after thanks so ungraciously delivered as mine were on the occasion, he must think I have never forgiven him for offering.”
NOW he felt astonished himself that he had never yet been to the place. But so little interest had be taken in the matter, that he owed all his knowledge of the house, garden, and glebe, extent of the parish, condition of the land, and rate of the tithes, to Elinor herself, who had heard so much of it from Colonel Brandon, and heard it with so much attention, as to be entirely mistress of the subject.
One question after this only remained undecided, between them, one difficulty only was to be overcome. They were brought together by mutual affection, with the warmest approbation of their real friends; their intimate knowledge of each other seemed to make their happiness certain—and they only wanted something to live upon. Edward had two thousand pounds, and Elinor one, which, with Delaford living, was all that they could call their own; for it was impossible that Mrs. Dashwood should advance anything; and they were neither of them quite enough in love to think that three hundred and fifty pounds a-year would supply them with the comforts of life.
Edward was not entirely without hopes of some favourable change in his mother towards him; and on THAT he rested for the residue of their income. But Elinor had no such dependence; for since Edward would still be unable to marry Miss Morton, and his chusing herself had been spoken of in Mrs. Ferrars’s flattering language as only a lesser evil than his chusing Lucy Steele, she feared that Robert’s offence would serve no other purpose than to enrich Fanny.
About four days after Edward’s arrival Colonel Brandon appeared, to complete Mrs. Dashwood’s satisfaction, and to give her the dignity of having, for the first time since her living at Barton, more company with her than her house would hold. Edward was allowed to retain the privilege of first comer, and Colonel Brandon therefore walked every night to his old quarters at the Park; from whence he usually returned in the morning, early enough to interrupt the lovers’ first tete-a-tete before breakfast.
A three weeks’ residence at Delaford, where, in his evening hours at least, he had little to do but to calculate the disproportion between thirty-six and seventeen, brought him to Barton in a temper of mind which needed all the improvement in Marianne’s looks, all the kindness of her
welcome, and all the encouragement of her mother’s language, to make it cheerful. Among such friends, however, and such flattery, he did revive. No rumour of Lucy’s marriage had yet reached him:—he knew nothing of what had passed; and the first hours of his visit were consequently spent in hearing and in wondering. Every thing was explained to him by Mrs. Dashwood, and he found fresh reason to rejoice in what he had done for Mr. Ferrars, since eventually it promoted the interest of Elinor.
It would be needless to say, that the gentlemen advanced in the good opinion of each other, as they advanced in each other’s acquaintance, for it could not be otherwise. Their resemblance in good principles and good sense, in disposition and manner of thinking, would probably have been sufficient to unite them in friendship, without any other attraction; but their being in love with two sisters, and two sisters fond of each other, made that mutual regard inevitable and immediate, which might otherwise have waited the effect of time and judgment.
The letters from town, which a few days before would have made every nerve in Elinor’s body thrill with transport, now arrived to be read with less emotion that mirth. Mrs. Jennings wrote to tell the wonderful tale, to vent her honest indignation against the jilting girl, and pour forth her compassion towards poor Mr. Edward, who, she was sure, had quite doted upon the worthless hussy, and was now, by all accounts, almost broken-hearted, at Oxford.— “I do think,” she continued, “nothing was ever carried on so sly; for it was but two days before Lucy called and sat a couple of hours with me. Not a soul suspected anything of the matter, not even Nancy, who, poor soul! came crying to me the day after, in a great fright for fear of Mrs. Ferrars, as well as not knowing how to get to Plymouth; for Lucy it seems borrowed all her money before she went off to be married, on purpose we suppose to make a show with, and
poor Nancy had not seven shillings in the world;—so I was very glad to give her five guineas to take her down to Exeter, where she thinks of staying three or four weeks with Mrs. Burgess, in hopes, as I tell her, to fall in with the Doctor again. And I must say that Lucy’s crossness not to take them along with them in the chaise is worse than all. Poor Mr. Edward! I cannot get him out of my head, but you must send for him to Barton, and Miss Marianne must try to comfort him.”
Mr. Dashwood’s strains were more solemn. Mrs. Ferrars was the most unfortunate of women—poor Fanny had suffered agonies of sensibility—and he considered the existence of each, under such a blow, with grateful wonder. Robert’s offence was unpardonable, but Lucy’s was infinitely worse. Neither of them were ever again to be mentioned to Mrs. Ferrars; and even, if she might hereafter be induced to forgive her son, his wife should never be acknowledged as her daughter, nor be permitted to appear in her presence. The secrecy with which everything had been carried on between them, was rationally treated as enormously heightening the crime, because, had any suspicion of it occurred to the others, proper measures would have been taken to prevent the marriage; and he called on Elinor to join with him in regretting that Lucy’s engagement with Edward had not rather been fulfilled, than that she should thus be the means of spreading misery farther in the family.— He thus continued:
“Mrs. Ferrars has never yet mentioned Edward’s name, which does not surprise us; but, to our great astonishment, not a line has been received from him on the occasion. Perhaps, however, he is kept silent by his fear of offending, and I shall, therefore, give him a hint, by a line to Oxford, that his sister and I both think a letter of proper submission from him, addressed perhaps to Fanny, and by her shewn to her mother, might not be taken amiss; for we all know the
tenderness of Mrs. Ferrars’s heart, and that she wishes for nothing so much as to be on good terms with her children.”
This paragraph was of some importance to the prospects and conduct of Edward. It determined him to attempt a reconciliation, though not exactly in the manner pointed out by their brother and sister.
“A letter of proper submission!” repeated he; “would they have me beg my mother’s pardon for Robert’s ingratitude to HER, and breach of honour to ME?—I can make no submission—I am grown neither humble nor penitent by what has passed.—I am grown very happy; but that would not interest.—I know of no submission that IS proper for me to make.”
“You may certainly ask to be forgiven,” said Elinor, “because you have offended;—and I should think you might NOW venture so far as to profess some concern for having ever formed the engagement which drew on you your mother’s anger.”
He agreed that he might.
“And when she has forgiven you, perhaps a little humility may be convenient while acknowledging a second engagement, almost as imprudent in HER eyes as the first.”
He had nothing to urge against it, but still resisted the idea of a letter of proper submission; and therefore, to make it easier to him, as he declared a much greater willingness to make mean concessions by word of mouth than on paper, it was resolved that, instead of writing to Fanny, he should go to London, and personally intreat her good offices in his favour.— “And if they really DO interest themselves,” said Marianne, in her new character of candour, “in bringing about a reconciliation, I shall think that even John and Fanny are not entirely without merit.”
After a visit on Colonel Brandon’s side of only three or four days, the two gentlemen quitted Barton together.— They were to go immediately to Delaford, that Edward might have some personal knowledge of his future home, and assist his patron and friend in deciding on what improvements were needed to it; and from thence, after staying there a couple of nights, he was to proceed on his journey to town.
Ebd E-BooksDirectory.com
CHAPTER 50
After a proper resistance on the part of Mrs. Ferrars, just so violent and so steady as to preserve her from that reproach which she always seemed fearful of incurring, the reproach of being too amiable, Edward was admitted to her presence, and pronounced to be again her son.
Her family had of late been exceedingly fluctuating. For many years of her life she had had two sons; but the crime and annihilation of Edward a few weeks ago, had robbed her of one; the similar annihilation of Robert had left her for a fortnight without any; and now, by the resuscitation of Edward, she had one again.
In spite of his being allowed once more to live, however, he did not feel the continuance of his existence secure, till he had revealed his present engagement; for the publication of that circumstance, he feared, might give a sudden turn to his constitution, and carry him off as rapidly as before. With apprehensive caution therefore it was revealed, and he was listened to with unexpected calmness. Mrs. Ferrars at first reasonably endeavoured to dissuade him from marrying Miss Dashwood, by every argument in her power;—told him, that in Miss Morton he would have a woman of higher rank and larger fortune;—and enforced the assertion, by observing that Miss Morton was the daughter of a nobleman with thirty thousand pounds, while Miss Dashwood was only the daughter of a private gentleman with no more than THREE; but when she found that, though perfectly admitting the truth of her representation, he was by no means inclined to be guided by it, she judged it wisest, from the experience of
the past, to submit—and therefore, after such an ungracious delay as she owed to her own dignity, and as served to prevent every suspicion of good-will, she issued her decree of consent to the marriage of Edward and Elinor.
What she would engage to do towards augmenting their income was next to be considered; and here it plainly appeared, that though Edward was now her only son, he was by no means her eldest; for while Robert was inevitably endowed with a thousand pounds a-year, not the smallest objection was made against Edward’s taking orders for the sake of two hundred and fifty at the utmost; nor was anything promised either for the present or in future, beyond the ten thousand pounds, which had been given with Fanny.
It was as much, however, as was desired, and more than was expected, by Edward and Elinor; and Mrs. Ferrars herself, by her shuffling excuses, seemed the only person surprised at her not giving more.
With an income quite sufficient to their wants thus secured to them, they had nothing to wait for after Edward was in possession of the living, but the readiness of the house, to which Colonel Brandon, with an eager desire for the accommodation of Elinor, was making considerable improvements; and after waiting some time for their completion, after experiencing, as usual, a thousand disappointments and delays from the unaccountable dilatoriness of the workmen, Elinor, as usual, broke through the first positive resolution of not marrying till every thing was ready, and the ceremony took place in Barton church early in the autumn.
The first month after their marriage was spent with their friend at the Mansion-house; from whence they could superintend the progress of the Parsonage, and direct every thing as they liked on the spot;—could chuse papers, project
shrubberies, and invent a sweep. Mrs. Jennings’s prophecies, though rather jumbled together, were chiefly fulfilled; for she was able to visit Edward and his wife in their Parsonage by Michaelmas, and she found in Elinor and her husband, as she really believed, one of the happiest couples in the world. They had in fact nothing to wish for, but the marriage of Colonel Brandon and Marianne, and rather better pasturage for their cows.
They were visited on their first settling by almost all their relations and friends. Mrs. Ferrars came to inspect the happiness which she was almost ashamed of having authorised; and even the Dashwoods were at the expense of a journey from Sussex to do them honour.
“I will not say that I am disappointed, my dear sister,” said John, as they were walking together one morning before the gates of Delaford House, “THAT would be saying too much, for certainly you have been one of the most fortunate young women in the world, as it is. But, I confess, it would give me great pleasure to call Colonel Brandon brother. His property here, his place, his house, every thing is in such respectable and excellent condition!—and his woods!—I have not seen such timber any where in Dorsetshire, as there is now standing in Delaford Hanger!—And though, perhaps, Marianne may not seem exactly the person to attract him— yet I think it would altogether be advisable for you to have them now frequently staying with you, for as Colonel Brandon seems a great deal at home, nobody can tell what may happen—for, when people are much thrown together, and see little of anybody else—and it will always be in your power to set her off to advantage, and so forth;—in short, you may as well give her a chance—You understand me.”—
But though Mrs. Ferrars DID come to see them, and always treated them with the make-believe of decent affection, they were never insulted by her real favour and
preference. THAT was due to the folly of Robert, and the cunning of his wife; and it was earned by them before many months had passed away. The selfish sagacity of the latter, which had at first drawn Robert into the scrape, was the principal instrument of his deliverance from it; for her respectful humility, assiduous attentions, and endless flatteries, as soon as the smallest opening was given for their exercise, reconciled Mrs. Ferrars to his choice, and re-established him completely in her favour.
The whole of Lucy’s behaviour in the affair, and the prosperity which crowned it, therefore, may be held forth as a most encouraging instance of what an earnest, an unceasing attention to self-interest, however its progress may be apparently obstructed, will do in securing every advantage of fortune, with no other sacrifice than that of time and conscience. When Robert first sought her acquaintance, and privately visited her in Bartlett’s Buildings, it was only with the view imputed to him by his brother. He merely meant to persuade her to give up the engagement; and as there could be nothing to overcome but the affection of both, he naturally expected that one or two interviews would settle the matter. In that point, however, and that only, he erred;— for though Lucy soon gave him hopes that his eloquence would convince her in TIME, another visit, another conversation, was always wanted to produce this conviction. Some doubts always lingered in her mind when they parted, which could only be removed by another half hour’s discourse with himself. His attendance was by this means secured, and the rest followed in course. Instead of talking of Edward, they came gradually to talk only of Robert,—a subject on which he had always more to say than on any other, and in which she soon betrayed an interest even equal to his own; and in short, it became speedily evident to both, that he had entirely supplanted his brother. He was proud of his conquest, proud of tricking Edward, and very proud of marrying privately without his mother’s consent. What
immediately followed is known. They passed some months in great happiness at Dawlish; for she had many relations and old acquaintances to cut—and he drew several plans for magnificent cottages;—and from thence returning to town, procured the forgiveness of Mrs. Ferrars, by the simple expedient of asking it, which, at Lucy’s instigation, was adopted. The forgiveness, at first, indeed, as was reasonable, comprehended only Robert; and Lucy, who had owed his mother no duty and therefore could have transgressed none, still remained some weeks longer unpardoned. But perseverance in humility of conduct and messages, in self-condemnation for Robert’s offence, and gratitude for the unkindness she was treated with, procured her in time the haughty notice which overcame her by its graciousness, and led soon afterwards, by rapid degrees, to the highest state of affection and influence. Lucy became as necessary to Mrs. Ferrars, as either Robert or Fanny; and while Edward was never cordially forgiven for having once intended to marry her, and Elinor, though superior to her in fortune and birth, was spoken of as an intruder, SHE was in every thing considered, and always openly acknowledged, to be a favourite child. They settled in town, received very liberal assistance from Mrs. Ferrars, were on the best terms imaginable with the Dashwoods; and setting aside the jealousies and ill-will continually subsisting between Fanny and Lucy, in which their husbands of course took a part, as well as the frequent domestic disagreements between Robert and Lucy themselves, nothing could exceed the harmony in which they all lived together.
What Edward had done to forfeit the right of eldest son, might have puzzled many people to find out; and what Robert had done to succeed to it, might have puzzled them still more. It was an arrangement, however, justified in its effects, if not in its cause; for nothing ever appeared in Robert’s style of living or of talking to give a suspicion of his regretting the extent of his income, as either leaving his
brother too little, or bringing himself too much;—and if Edward might be judged from the ready discharge of his duties in every particular, from an increasing attachment to his wife and his home, and from the regular cheerfulness of his spirits, he might be supposed no less contented with his lot, no less free from every wish of an exchange.
Elinor’s marriage divided her as little from her family as could well be contrived, without rendering the cottage at Barton entirely useless, for her mother and sisters spent much more than half their time with her. Mrs. Dashwood was acting on motives of policy as well as pleasure in the frequency of her visits at Delaford; for her wish of bringing Marianne and Colonel Brandon together was hardly less earnest, though rather more liberal than what John had expressed. It was now her darling object. Precious as was the company of her daughter to her, she desired nothing so much as to give up its constant enjoyment to her valued friend; and to see Marianne settled at the mansion-house was equally the wish of Edward and Elinor. They each felt his sorrows, and their own obligations, and Marianne, by general consent, was to be the reward of all.
With such a confederacy against her—with a knowledge so intimate of his goodness—with a conviction of his fond attachment to herself, which at last, though long after it was observable to everybody else—burst on her—what could she do?
Marianne Dashwood was born to an extraordinary fate. She was born to discover the falsehood of her own opinions, and to counteract, by her conduct, her most favourite maxims. She was born to overcome an affection formed so late in life as at seventeen, and with no sentiment superior to strong esteem and lively friendship, voluntarily to give her hand to another!—and THAT other, a man who had suffered no less than herself under the event of a former attachment,
whom, two years before, she had considered too old to be married,—and who still sought the constitutional safeguard of a flannel waistcoat!
But so it was. Instead of falling a sacrifice to an irresistible passion, as once she had fondly flattered herself with expecting,—instead of remaining even for ever with her mother, and finding her only pleasures in retirement and study, as afterwards in her more calm and sober judgment she had determined on,—she found herself at nineteen, submitting to new attachments, entering on new duties, placed in a new home, a wife, the mistress of a family, and the patroness of a village.
Colonel Brandon was now as happy, as all those who best loved him, believed he deserved to be;—in Marianne he was consoled for every past affliction;—her regard and her society restored his mind to animation, and his spirits to cheerfulness; and that Marianne found her own happiness in forming his, was equally the persuasion and delight of each observing friend. Marianne could never love by halves; and her whole heart became, in time, as much devoted to her husband, as it had once been to Willoughby.
Willoughby could not hear of her marriage without a pang; and his punishment was soon afterwards complete in the voluntary forgiveness of Mrs. Smith, who, by stating his marriage with a woman of character, as the source of her clemency, gave him reason for believing that had he behaved with honour towards Marianne, he might at once have been happy and rich. That his repentance of misconduct, which thus brought its own punishment, was sincere, need not be doubted;—nor that he long thought of Colonel Brandon with envy, and of Marianne with regret. But that he was for ever inconsolable, that he fled from society, or contracted an habitual gloom of temper, or died of a broken heart, must not be depended on—for he did neither. He lived to exert,
and frequently to enjoy himself. His wife was not always out of humour, nor his home always uncomfortable; and in his breed of horses and dogs, and in sporting of every kind, he found no inconsiderable degree of domestic felicity.
For Marianne, however—in spite of his incivility in surviving her loss—he always retained that decided regard which interested him in every thing that befell her, and made her his secret standard of perfection in woman;—and many a rising beauty would be slighted by him in after-days as bearing no comparison with Mrs. Brandon.
Mrs. Dashwood was prudent enough to remain at the cottage, without attempting a removal to Delaford; and fortunately for Sir John and Mrs. Jennings, when Marianne was taken from them, Margaret had reached an age highly suitable for dancing, and not very ineligible for being supposed to have a lover.
Between Barton and Delaford, there was that constant communication which strong family affection would naturally dictate;—and among the merits and the happiness of Elinor and Marianne, let it not be ranked as the least considerable, that though sisters, and living almost within sight of each other, they could live without disagreement between themselves, or producing coolness between their husbands.
Prepared and Published by:
Ebd E-BooksDirectory.com
More e-books for free download:
Emma by Jane Austen Emma Woodhouse is Jane Austen’s lovely, lively, willful, and fallible heroine. She schemes to find a suitable husband for her pliant friend Harriet, only to discover that she understands the feelings of others as little as she does her own heart.
Eugenie Grandet by Honore de Balzac A classic novel by Balzac which makes your ribs tickle with hilarity and your hair stand on end. The early work in author’s Comedie humaine, this book depicts the fall of the Grandet household as an economic and social consequence of the Revolution.
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë Grown up as an orphan with her cruel aunt and at a charity school, Jane Eyre becomes an independent survivor. This powerful novel by Charlotte Brontë has dazzled generations of readers with its story of a
woman’s quest for freedom.
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott The beautiful Meg, artistic tomboy Jo, doomed Beth, and selfish Amy: since the publication of Little Women in 1869, these four sisters have become America’s most beloved literary siblings.
More e-books for free download:
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen A withering satire and a perfect literary parody of marriage among gentry at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Although written in back in 1798, Northanger Abbey was not published until 1817, after Austen’s death.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen One of the most popular novels in English literature, Jane Austen’s most widely read book. Mother’s attempts to marry off her daughters, the romantic clash between Elizabeth and Darcy, flirtation and intrigue, pride which keeps lovers apart.
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë Wuthering Heights is the only novel of Emily Bronte, who died a year after its publication, at the age of thirty. A brooding Yorkshire tale of a love that is stronger than death, it is also a fierce vision of
metaphysical passion.
Tess of the d’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy Hardy’s simple girl Tess becomes a tragic heroine going from innocent girl at the beginning to pure woman whose life is shaped by events beyond her control. Perhaps the finest of the novels by Thomas Hardy and a
Affiliate Disclosure: This blog may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you click on the link and make a purchase. This comes at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers. Your support helps keep this blog running and allows me to continue providing you with quality content. Thank you for your support!
This tutorial series introduces the core features of GitLab, beginning with understanding GitLab and Git basics and navigating the GitLab interface. It then progresses to GitLab Flow, demonstrating its application through practical exercises like modifying a project readme and managing merge requests. The series further explores GitLab CI/CD, detailing pipeline creation, job configuration, artifact management, and caching. Finally, it covers migrating from Jenkins to GitLab CI/CD and utilizing GitLab for packaging and releasing software, including interaction with the package, container, and infrastructure registries.
GitLab Core Features Study Guide
Quiz
What is GitLab, and what is its primary function? GitLab is an open-source software development platform that, at its core, is a source code management system. However, it extends beyond this by offering additional functionalities like CI/CD and project collaboration tools. GitLab describes itself as a DevOps platform.
Explain the difference between Git and GitLab in 2-3 sentences. Git is a distributed version control system used to track changes to source code files within a codebase. GitLab, on the other hand, is a source code management system that provides a platform to host Git repositories, enabling collaboration among software development teams. Think of Git as the engine for version control, and GitLab as the online service to manage and share Git-controlled projects.
Describe the basic GitLab workflow, also known as the GitLab flow, in brief. The GitLab flow generally involves creating feature branches off the main branch for specific development tasks. Once development is complete, a merge request is created to propose merging the feature branch back into the main branch after review and testing. Depending on the GitLab flow variation, changes may then be merged into environment branches (like staging or production) or managed through release branches.
What are merge requests in GitLab, and what is their purpose? A merge request in GitLab is a request to merge changes from one branch into another, typically from a feature branch into the main branch. It serves as a central place for team members to discuss, review, and verify the changes on a branch before they are integrated into the main codebase, often triggering automated testing.
What are GitLab issues used for, and how should a software development workflow ideally begin with them? GitLab issues are used to track work related to a GitLab project, such as reporting bugs, tracking tasks, and requesting new features. Ideally, a software development workflow should begin with the creation of an issue to clearly define the scope and objectives of the work that needs to be done before any code changes are made.
Explain the concept of a branching strategy in the context of Git. A branching strategy is a defined workflow that a development team follows when using Git (or another version control system) to manage concurrent development. It outlines how branches are created, how collaboration occurs on these branches, and how changes are eventually merged back into the main codebase, aiming to maintain code stability and facilitate feature development.
Describe the key difference between the GitHub flow and the Git flow branching strategies. The GitHub flow is a simpler strategy primarily using feature branches off the main branch, which are merged back in after review and testing. The Git flow is more complex, utilizing long-lived develop and main branches, as well as supporting branches for features, releases, and hotfixes, making it suitable for more structured release cycles.
What are GitLab pipelines, and what are their basic components? GitLab pipelines are a top-level component used to define the CI/CD (Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery or Deployment) process for a GitLab project. Their basic components include stages, which define the chronological order of jobs, and jobs, which are associated with stages and define the specific steps (scripts) to be executed by GitLab runners.
What is the purpose of GitLab runners in the CI/CD process? GitLab runners are open-source applications that execute the instructions defined within the jobs of a GitLab pipeline. They pick up and run the scripts specified in the .gitlab-ci.yml file, performing tasks such as compiling code, running tests, and deploying applications, either on shared GitLab infrastructure or on self-hosted machines.
What is the GitLab Package Registry, and what types of packages does it support? The GitLab Package Registry allows users to use GitLab as a private or public repository for various software packages. It supports a number of package managers and formats, including Maven packages, container images (via the Container Registry), and Terraform modules (via the Infrastructure Registry), enabling teams to manage their dependencies and releases directly within GitLab.
Essay Format Questions
Compare and contrast the three main Git branching strategies discussed (GitHub flow, Git flow, and GitLab flow). Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each and in what scenarios each strategy might be most appropriate.
Explain in detail the environment branches variation of the GitLab flow. Describe the typical branch structure, the process of developing and deploying features, and how hotfixes are managed within this workflow.
Discuss the role and importance of merge requests in a collaborative software development environment using GitLab. Explain the key features of a merge request and how they facilitate code review, discussion, and integration.
Describe the fundamental concepts and benefits of Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery/Deployment (CI/CD) as implemented in GitLab pipelines. Explain the relationship between pipelines, stages, jobs, and GitLab runners in automating the software development lifecycle.
Discuss the various registries offered by GitLab (Package Registry, Container Registry, and Infrastructure Registry). Explain the purpose of each registry and how they contribute to the overall DevOps lifecycle within the GitLab platform.
Glossary of Key Terms
Branch: An independent line of development within a Git repository. Branches allow for isolated work on features or bug fixes without affecting the main codebase.
Commit: A snapshot of the changes made to files in a Git repository at a specific point in time, along with metadata like author and commit message.
CI/CD (Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery or Deployment): A set of practices that automate the building, testing, and deployment of software, enabling faster and more frequent releases.
Git: A distributed version control system used for tracking changes in source code during software development.
GitLab: A web-based DevOps platform that provides source code management (Git repositories), CI/CD pipelines, issue tracking, and other collaborative features.
GitLab Flow: A streamlined branching strategy that offers a balance between simplicity and structure, with variations for environment and release branches.
GitLab Group: A way to organize multiple projects and users, allowing for centralized management of settings and permissions.
GitLab Issue: A tool within GitLab used to track tasks, bugs, feature requests, and other work items related to a project.
GitLab Pipeline: A configurable automated process defined in a .gitlab-ci.yml file that describes the steps for building, testing, and deploying code.
GitLab Project: A container in GitLab for a single codebase (Git repository) along with its associated issues, merge requests, CI/CD configuration, and other features.
GitLab Runner: An agent that executes the jobs defined in a GitLab pipeline. Runners can be shared, group-specific, or project-specific.
Merge Request: A request to merge changes from one branch into another in GitLab, facilitating code review and discussion.
Package Registry: A feature in GitLab that allows you to store and manage software packages (e.g., Maven, npm, NuGet) within your projects or groups.
Release: A specific version of a software project that is made available to users, often marked with a Git tag and potentially including release notes and assets.
Repository (Repo): A directory where your project’s files and their history are stored, managed by a version control system like Git.
Stage (in CI/CD): A phase in a GitLab pipeline that contains one or more jobs. Stages are executed in a defined order.
Tag (Git Tag): A static marker in a Git repository that typically points to a specific commit, often used to denote releases.
GitLab Tutorial Series Briefing Document
Date: October 26, 2023 Prepared For: Review of GitLab Tutorial Series Sources Prepared By: Gemini AI
This document provides a detailed review of the main themes, important ideas, and facts presented in the provided excerpts from the GitLab tutorial series. Quotes from the original sources are included where appropriate to illustrate key points.
Main Themes
Introduction to GitLab: The series begins by defining GitLab as an open-source software development platform, emphasizing its core as a source code management (SCM) system with added DevOps functionalities like CI/CD. It differentiates GitLab from Git, highlighting GitLab as a platform for hosting and collaborating on Git repositories.
Core GitLab Features: The tutorials cover several core features of GitLab, including the user interface, Git integration, the GitLab Flow, CI/CD pipelines, package and release management, and integration with external testing platforms like LambdaTest.
Fundamentals of Git: A significant portion of the early tutorials focuses on introducing and explaining fundamental Git commands and concepts, such as git init, git status, git add, git commit, branching (git branch, git checkout), merging (git merge), and stashing (git stash). Best practices for using Git, like developing on feature branches and not committing directly to the main branch, are also emphasized.
GitLab Flow as a Development Workflow: The series introduces the GitLab Flow as GitLab’s primary branching strategy, contrasting it with other common Git workflows like GitHub Flow and Git Flow. It details the two variations of GitLab Flow: one using environment branches and the other using release branches. The tutorials then demonstrate the environment branches variation in practice.
Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery/Deployment (CI/CD) in GitLab: A key focus of the later tutorials is GitLab’s CI/CD capabilities. The series explains the core components of GitLab CI/CD, including pipelines, jobs, stages, and runners. It then guides the user through creating and implementing GitLab CI/CD pipelines, including defining jobs, stages, specifying Docker images, using variables, caching dependencies, and generating artifacts.
GitLab Package and Release Management: The series introduces GitLab’s features for managing software packages and releases. It explains the GitLab Package Registry, Container Registry, and Infrastructure Registry, detailing how to publish and consume packages and container images from within GitLab pipelines. The concept of GitLab Releases, including associated release notes and evidence, is also introduced.
Integration with LambdaTest: The series explicitly covers the integration of the LambdaTest platform with GitLab CI for performing cross-browser testing, indicating GitLab’s interoperability with other developer tools.
Most Important Ideas and Facts
Tutorial Series Overview:
The tutorial series aims to teach users how to utilize the core features of GitLab.
Topics to be covered include: What is GitLab, basics of Git, GitLab interface, GitLab Flow, hands-on activities using GitLab Flow, CI/CD in GitLab, migrating Jenkins pipelines to GitLab CI, GitLab’s packaging and releasing features, and integrating LambdaTest with GitLab CI.
Learning objectives include understanding GitLab CI, fundamental Git commands, working with GitLab Flow, performing CI/CD in GitLab, migrating from Jenkins, and deploying software using GitLab’s packaging and releasing features.
The course is intended for DevOps engineers, software teams migrating from Jenkins to GitLab, and developers whose team uses GitLab.
Prerequisites include access to a GitLab instance and a recent version of Git installed.
What is GitLab and Basics of Git:
GitLab is an “open source software development platform” and a “DevOps platform.”
At its core, GitLab is a “source code management system” built on top of Git.
Git is a “version control system” used to track changes to source code files.
GitLab is used to “host Git repositories so that they can be shared with other people on your team,” similar to file sharing platforms but specifically for source code.
Benefits of using GitLab include enabling collaboration, built-in CI/CD functionality, and high interoperability with other tools.
Basic Git commands covered include:
git –version: To verify Git installation.
git init <repository_name>: To initialize a new Git repository in a specified directory.
git config –global init.defaultBranch main: To set the default branch name to main.
cd <repository_name>: To navigate into the newly created repository.
git branch -m main: To rename the current branch to main.
.git directory: A hidden folder that makes a directory a Git repository.
git status: To check the current state of the Git repository, including untracked files and staged changes.
Main branch (or pristine/stable branch): Supposed to contain bug-free, deployable code. Developers should avoid committing directly to this branch for feature development.
Feature branch: An isolated copy of the codebase for developing new features without impacting the main branch.
git add <file_name>: To move changes from the working directory to the staging area. Git employs a “two-stage commit” process.
git commit -m “<commit_message>”: To create a commit object, recording changes from the staging area to the Git history. Commit messages should be concise descriptions of the changes.
git log: To view the history of commits in the repository, including commit hash, author information, date, and commit message.
git branch <branch_name>: To create a new branch.
git checkout <branch_name>: To switch to an existing branch. git checkout -b <new_branch_name> creates and switches to a new branch.
git merge <source_branch>: To merge changes from the specified source branch into the currently checked-out branch.
git branch -d <branch_name>: To delete a branch.
git stash or git stash push: To save uncommitted changes temporarily without creating a commit.
git stash list: To view a list of stashed changes.
git stash apply: To reapply stashed changes to the working directory, keeping the changes in the stash.
git stash pop: To reapply stashed changes and remove them from the stash.
git stash clear: To remove all entries from the stash.
git clone <repository_url>: To download a Git repository from a remote source to the local machine.
GitLab Interface:
Key GitLab terminology includes:
Group: Manages settings across multiple projects, enables logical categorization of users and projects, and provides cross-project views of issues and merge requests.
Project: A container for a Git repository with built-in CI/CD functionality, issue tracking, and collaboration tools like merge requests. There is a one-to-one mapping between a GitLab project and a Git repository.
Members: GitLab users or groups with access to a project, assigned roles with specific permissions.
Merge Request: A request to merge one branch into another, providing a space for discussion, review, and verification of changes.
Issue: A way to track work related to a project, used for bug reports, tasks, feature requests, and more. Software development workflow should ideally begin with the creation of an issue.
The GitLab interface includes a projects dashboard, navigation bar with profile and help menus, to-do list, merge request and issues pages, a top-level search, and a “+” menu for creating new items.
Account settings allow users to manage profile information, access tokens, notifications, and more.
Project creation allows starting from a blank project, a template, or importing from other systems.
Project home page displays commits, branches, tags, file structure, and the rendered README. It also provides options for creating new files, uploading, creating directories, branching, tagging, using a web IDE, downloading the source code, and cloning the repository.
Project features include issue tracking with agile boards, merge request management, CI/CD configuration, package and container registries, infrastructure registry for Terraform modules, project wiki for documentation, and code snippets.
Project settings allow configuration of general information, merge request behavior (merge methods, squash options, merge checks), repository settings (default branch, protected branches), and monitoring settings (GitLab Pages).
GitLab Flow:
A branching strategy is a software development workflow within Git that describes how teams create, collaborate on, and merge branches.
Choosing a branching strategy depends on team requirements, SCM system, deployment environments, deployment management, and code base structure.
Common Git branching strategies include GitHub Flow, Git Flow, and GitLab Flow.
GitHub Flow: Simple workflow with feature branches created off main, changes pushed to GitHub, pull requests opened, automated testing, review and verification, and merging into main.
Git Flow: More complex, uses a long-lived develop branch, feature branches off develop, release branches off develop for testing and bug fixes before merging into main (tagged with release version), and hotfix branches off main for production issues, merged back into both main and develop.
GitLab Flow: Simpler than Git Flow, more structured than GitHub Flow, with two variations:
Environment Branches: Long-lived production branch. Feature branches off main, merged into environment branches (e.g., staging) and then into production. Upstream first policy for hotfixes (created off main, merged back into main and pre-production branches before production).
Release Branches: Used for releasing software to the outside world (e.g., open source). Similar to environment branches but uses release branches (created as late as possible, only major bug fixes, upstream first policy for bug fixes). Release branches are long-lived until a release is no longer supported.
GitLab Flow with environment branches uses main as an integration branch and promotes changes through pre-production environments to production.
Practicing GitLab Flow:
The GitLab Flow practice demonstrates the environment branches variation.
The process begins with an issue defining the work scope. Issues can contain subtasks using Markdown checkboxes.
A production branch is created from main to represent the production environment.
Protecting the production branch in project settings restricts who can merge into and push to it (e.g., only Maintainers). Force pushing should generally be disabled on protected branches.
git clone is used to download the remote GitLab project (Git repository) to the local machine.
A feature branch (readme-introduction) is created off main using git checkout -b.
Local changes are made to the README.md file, staged with git add, and committed with git commit -m.
git push -u origin <feature_branch_name> is used to push the local branch and its commits to the remote GitLab repository, setting up tracking.
A Merge Request is created from the feature branch to the main branch. The title is often automatically populated from the latest commit message.
Merge Requests provide a platform for discussion, assigning reviewers, and automated testing (though not explicitly set up in this initial demonstration).
Reviewers can add comments to specific lines of code in the “Changes” tab (diff view).
Requested changes are made locally, committed, and pushed. These new commits automatically update the existing Merge Request.
Threads on code comments can be resolved once the requested changes are made.
Merge Requests are approved by reviewers and then merged into the target branch (main). The source branch can be automatically deleted upon merge.
Since the environment branches variation is used, a second Merge Request is created to merge the main branch into the production branch.
A Git tag (e.g., v1.0) is created on the production branch to mark a release. Tags can have messages and release notes.
Creating a tag can also generate a release in the “Deployments” section of the GitLab project.
git pull is used to sync the local repository with the remote repository after merges and tag creation.
git branch -d <local_branch_name> deletes a local branch that has been merged remotely.
git branch –all shows both local and remote branches.
git pull –prune removes remote branches from the local repository’s tracking information if they have been deleted on the remote.
The original issue related to the changes should be closed and marked as done after the changes are merged and the tag is created.
CI/CD in GitLab:
A GitLab pipeline is defined in a YAML file named .gitlab-ci.yml at the root of the project.
The pipeline editor in GitLab provides syntax validation and visualization of the pipeline.
A pipeline consists of:
Pipelines: Top-level component defining the CI/CD process.
Jobs: Associated with stages, define the actual steps (shell scripts) to be executed. script is the only required property of a job.
Stages: Define the chronological order of jobs. Multiple jobs within a stage can run in parallel by default.
GitLab Runners: Open-source application that executes the instructions defined in jobs. Can be local, cloud, or on-prem. GitLab hosts shared runners.
The image keyword at the top of .gitlab-ci.yml specifies the Docker image to be used for the pipeline’s jobs, providing necessary dependencies.
variables keyword allows defining pipeline-level variables that can be referenced in job scripts. GitLab also has predefined environment variables (e.g., CI_PROJECT_DIRECTORY).
cache keyword is used to cache directories (specified by paths) between pipeline runs to speed up execution (e.g., caching Maven dependencies in .m2/repository).
stages keyword defines the names and order of pipeline stages (e.g., build, test, deploy).
Each job is associated with a stage using the stage keyword.
artifacts keyword in a job definition specifies files or directories to be persisted after the job completes.
when: always specifies that artifacts should always be generated.
reports: junit: <path> specifies the path to JUnit test report XML files, which GitLab can then render in the UI.
environment keyword in a job definition associates the job with a specific environment (e.g., staging), creating deployments visible in the Environments page.
workflow: rules: can control when a pipeline runs based on conditions (e.g., only run when a Git tag is created using if: $CI_COMMIT_TAG).
Migrating Jenkins Pipelines to GitLab CI:
The example uses a Maven project with TestNG for testing and aims to migrate a Jenkins pipeline to GitLab CI.
The Jenkins pipeline has a single “test” stage, defines environment variables, uses the Maven Integration Plugin, authenticates with LambdaTest using Jenkins credentials, and runs Maven tests.
The GitLab CI pipeline for the migration would need to:
Define stages (potentially build, test).
Specify a Docker image with necessary dependencies (e.g., Maven, Java).
Set environment variables, potentially including LambdaTest credentials.
Define jobs to execute Maven commands for building and testing (mvn clean install).
Integrate with LambdaTest by setting up the desired capabilities and running tests against the LambdaTest hub URL, likely using environment variables for LambdaTest username and access key.
Configure JUnit or TestNG report generation as artifacts for visualization in GitLab.
The GitLab CI example provided focuses on deploying a Maven package, but the principles for running tests against LambdaTest would involve similar steps within a test job.
GitLab Packaging and Releasing Features:
A software release in GitLab can include:
Generic software packages (artifacts).
Release notes.
Release evidence (issues, milestones, test reports).
A snapshot of the project’s source code.
GitLab Package Registry: Allows using GitLab as a public or private software package registry, supporting various package managers (e.g., Maven). Packages are associated with projects and groups. Can be used from within CI/CD pipelines.
GitLab Container Registry: Private container registry for Docker images, associated with projects and groups. Container images can be used in and published from GitLab pipelines.
GitLab Infrastructure Registry: Supports publishing and sharing Terraform modules, with a registry per project. Terraform modules can be built and published from pipelines.
To deploy a Maven package to the GitLab Package Registry:
Configure the settings.xml (e.g., ci_settings.xml) with server credentials using the predefined CI_JOB_TOKEN for authentication within a GitLab pipeline. For external authentication, a personal access token or deploy token would be needed.
Modify the pom.xml to:
Reference a GitLab environment variable (CI_COMMIT_TAG) for the <version> tag to version snapshots based on Git tags.
Add a <repositories> tag specifying the GitLab Maven Package Registry URL, constructed using predefined environment variables (CI_API_V4_URL, CI_PROJECT_ID).
Add a <distributionManagement> section to define the deployment repository as the GitLab Maven Package Registry.
Create a GitLab CI pipeline (.gitlab-ci.yml) that:
Uses a Maven Docker image.
Defines a maven_options variable for the local Maven repository.
Uses workflow: rules: to trigger the pipeline only on Git tag creation (if: $CI_COMMIT_TAG).
Caches the Maven repository.
Has a deploy job that runs mvn deploy -s ci_settings.xml to publish the package.
Successfully deploying a Maven package to the GitLab Package Registry makes it available for download and use as a dependency in other Maven projects.
This detailed briefing document summarizes the key aspects of the GitLab tutorial series excerpts, providing a comprehensive overview of the topics covered, important concepts, and practical applications of GitLab’s features.
Understanding GitLab: Core Concepts and Workflow
What is GitLab and how does it differ from Git?
GitLab is an open-source software development platform that, at its core, is a source code management system. However, it offers additional functionality such as CI/CD (Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery/Deployment) capabilities. GitLab describes itself as a DevOps platform, providing tools for the entire software development lifecycle.
Git, on the other hand, is a version control system used to track changes made to source code files within a codebase. GitLab is a source code management system that you would use to host Git repositories so that they can be shared and collaborated on with a team, similar to how you might share files using services like Dropbox or Google Drive. GitLab enables collaboration, has built-in CI/CD, and is highly interoperable with other tools.
What is the basic GitLab workflow, also known as the GitLab Flow?
The GitLab Flow is a branching strategy and software development workflow within the context of Git and GitLab. It describes how a development team will create, collaborate on, and merge branches of source code.
There are two main variations of the GitLab Flow:
Environment Branches: This workflow uses long-lived environment branches such as production. Feature branches are created off of the main branch and are then merged into environment branches in a specific order (e.g., main $\rightarrow$ staging $\rightarrow$ production). Hotfixes are created off main and merged back into main and pre-production branches before production.
Release Branches: This variation is used when releasing software to the outside world. Similar to the first, feature branches are created off main and merged back. Release branches are created as late as possible, and only major bug fixes are applied to them. Bug fixes follow an upstream-first policy.
The GitLab Flow aims to be simpler than Gitflow but more structured than GitHub Flow.
What are some key components of the GitLab interface that a user should be familiar with?
Key components of the GitLab interface include:
Dashboard: Provides an overview of projects, starred projects, and the ability to create new projects.
Navigation Bar: Located at the top, it includes access to profile settings, support/help, to-do lists, merge requests, issues, and a top-level search function. It also has a “+” icon to create new projects, groups, or snippets.
Left-hand Side Menu: Offers access to various dashboards such as Projects, Groups, Security, and Environments.
Project Home Page: Displays the code repository, commits, branches, tags, and provides options to create/upload files, create branches/tags, use the Web IDE, download the repository, and clone it.
Issues: A system for tracking work, reporting bugs, requesting features, and managing tasks related to a project.
Merge Requests: A place to propose changes, have discussions about branch changes, perform code reviews, and merge branches.
CI/CD: Section for configuring and managing Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery/Deployment pipelines, including pipelines, jobs, and schedules.
Packages & Registries: Where software packages, container images (Docker), and infrastructure modules (Terraform) can be published and managed.
Settings: Project and group settings allow configuration of various aspects like visibility, permissions, merge request behavior, and protected branches.
How can you initiate a new project and manage access for team members in GitLab?
To initiate a new project in GitLab, you can click the “New project” button on your dashboard or by using the “+” icon in the navigation bar. You can choose to create a blank project, create from a template, or import a project from another source. When creating a blank project, you’ll need to provide a project name (or slug), choose a visibility level (private, internal, or public), and can initialize it with a README.
To manage access for team members, you can add members to a GitLab project or a group. Navigate to the project’s or group’s “Members” section in the left-hand menu under “Manage”. From there, you can invite users by their email or GitLab username and assign them a role (e.g., Guest, Reporter, Developer, Maintainer, Owner) which determines their permissions within the project or group.
What are merge requests in GitLab and why are they important for collaboration?
A merge request in GitLab is a request to merge one branch into another. It serves as a central place for team members to discuss, review, and verify the changes proposed on a feature branch before they are integrated into the main codebase.
Merge requests are crucial for collaboration because they:
Provide a dedicated space for code review and feedback through inline comments on the diff.
Allow for automated testing to be triggered to ensure the changes do not introduce regressions.
Keep a record of the discussions and decisions made regarding the proposed changes.
Enable the use of approvals to enforce that changes are reviewed by authorized team members before merging.
Facilitate continuous integration practices by ensuring that changes are reviewed and tested frequently.
How can you create and utilize GitLab CI/CD pipelines for your projects?
To create a GitLab CI/CD pipeline, you need to define a YAML file named .gitlab-ci.yml at the root of your project’s repository. This file outlines the pipeline’s structure, including stages (e.g., build, test, deploy) and jobs within those stages.
You can use the Pipeline Editor in GitLab (under CI/CD $\rightarrow$ Editor) to create or modify this file. The editor provides syntax validation and visualization of the pipeline.
In the .gitlab-ci.yml file, you can specify:
image: The Docker image to be used for the pipeline’s jobs, providing the necessary environment and dependencies.
stages: An array defining the different stages of your pipeline, which will be executed in order.
Jobs: Under each stage, you define jobs with scripts to be executed by GitLab Runners. Jobs can include commands to compile code, run tests, build artifacts, and deploy applications.
variables: Custom environment variables that can be used throughout the pipeline.
cache: Defines directories to be cached between pipeline runs to speed up execution (e.g., dependencies).
artifacts: Specifies files or directories produced by a job that should be stored and can be downloaded or used by subsequent jobs.
reports: Configures specific reports, such as JUnit test reports, to be collected and displayed in the GitLab UI.
environment: Associates a deploy job with a specific environment (e.g., staging, production), which is tracked by GitLab.
workflow: Controls when a pipeline should run based on rules (e.g., only on tag creation).
Once the .gitlab-ci.yml file is committed to your repository, GitLab will automatically trigger pipelines based on the defined rules (e.g., on every push or merge request). You can monitor the status of your pipelines under the CI/CD $\rightarrow$ Pipelines section of your project.
What is the GitLab Package Registry and how can you use it to manage software packages?
The GitLab Package Registry is a feature that allows you to use GitLab as a private or public registry for various software package formats (e.g., Maven, npm, PyPI, NuGet, Conan, Go modules). It enables you to publish, share, and consume packages directly within your GitLab projects and groups.
To use the Package Registry:
Configure your project: Ensure your project’s build configuration (e.g., pom.xml for Maven, package.json for npm) is set up to interact with the GitLab Package Registry. This typically involves specifying the registry URL as a repository and configuring authentication.
Authenticate: You’ll need to authenticate to publish and consume packages. This can be done using:
A GitLab personal access token with the api scope.
A deploy token created within the project.
The CI_JOB_TOKEN within a GitLab CI/CD pipeline for automated publishing.
Publish packages: You can publish packages from your local machine using the respective package manager’s commands (e.g., mvn deploy for Maven, npm publish for npm) or as part of a GitLab CI/CD pipeline.
Consume packages: To use packages from the registry in another project, you need to configure that project’s package manager to point to the GitLab Package Registry and provide the necessary authentication.
Packages in the registry are associated with a specific GitLab project and can be private or public depending on the project’s visibility. The Package Registry provides a centralized place to manage and depend on your project’s or organization’s software packages.
What are GitLab Releases and how do they relate to tags and other project components?
GitLab Releases provide a way to formalize and track specific versions of your software. A release in GitLab can include:
Software packages published to the Package Registry.
Release notes describing the changes in the release.
Release evidence, which can include links to associated issues, merge requests, milestones, and test reports.
A snapshot of the project’s source code at the time of the release.
GitLab Releases are closely related to Git tags. Typically, you create a Git tag to mark a specific point in your repository’s history that corresponds to a release. When you create a release in GitLab (either manually or through a CI/CD pipeline), it is associated with an existing Git tag.
Releases can be created from the Repository $\rightarrow$ Tags page by creating a new tag and optionally adding release notes. They can also be automated as part of your CI/CD pipeline when a specific tag is created (e.g., a version tag). The release page (Deployments $\rightarrow$ Releases) provides an overview of all releases for a project, allowing users to download assets, view release notes, and track the history of your software.
GitLab Tutorial Series Overview
The GitLab Tutorial Series, hosted by Moss, aims to teach users how to utilize the core features of GitLab. The series covers a range of topics, starting with the fundamentals and progressing to more advanced functionalities.
Here’s a breakdown of the key aspects of the tutorial series as discussed in the sources:
Topics Covered:
Introduction to GitLab: Defining what GitLab is as an open-source DevOps platform and a source code management system with built-in CI/CD. The series differentiates between Git (version control) and GitLab (hosting Git repositories).
Basics of Git: Covering fundamental Git commands, including verifying installation (git –version), initializing a repository (git init), configuring the default branch name (git config –global init.defaultBranch main), changing directory (cd), and renaming a branch (git branch -m).
GitLab Interface: Familiarizing users with the major components of the GitLab interface, including the login page, projects dashboard, navigation bar (profile, support, to-do list, merge requests, issues), top-level search, and left-hand side menu (dashboards for projects, groups, security, environments).
GitLab Terminology: Introducing important GitLab terms such as Group, Project, Members, Merge Request (the equivalent of a pull request in GitHub), and Issue.
GitLab Flow: Presenting GitLab’s primary branching strategy, contrasting it with GitHub Flow (simpler) and Git Flow (more complex). The series discusses two variations of GitLab Flow: one using environment branches (production, pre-production) and the other using release branches. The concept of an “upstream first policy” for hotfixes and bug fixes is also explained.
Applying GitLab Flow: Demonstrating the environment branches variation of GitLab Flow through a practical exercise involving creating a feature branch, modifying a file, creating merge requests (merging into main then production), protecting branches, tagging releases, and syncing local and remote repositories.
CI/CD in GitLab: Showing how to implement Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery/Deployment (CI/CD) pipelines in GitLab. This includes defining pipelines using .gitlab-ci.yml files, understanding stages and jobs, and utilizing GitLab Runners. The series covers writing pipelines that produce artifacts, cache dependencies, and use variables. The Pipeline Editor with its validation and visualization features is also introduced.
Migrating Jenkins Pipelines to GitLab CI/CD: Explaining the key differences between Jenkins Pipelines and GitLab CI/CD and guiding users through the migration process. This involves mapping Jenkins terminology (agent, stages, steps, environment, tools) to GitLab equivalents (runner, stages, script, variables, Docker images). The series also demonstrates using GitLab pipelines to run tests on the LambdaTest Selenium automation grid.
GitLab Packaging and Releasing Features: Introducing GitLab’s package registry (for various software packages like Maven), container registry (for Docker images), and infrastructure registry (for Terraform modules). The series demonstrates deploying artifacts to the GitLab package registry from a CI/CD pipeline and describes GitLab releases.
Integrating LambdaTest Platform with GitLab CI: While listed in the roadmap, the practical steps for this integration are shown within the “Migrating Jenkins Pipelines to GitLab CI/CD” module, where LambdaTest is used as the test execution platform.
Learning Objectives:
Upon completing the tutorial series, learners should be able to:
Understand and implement GitLab CI.
Know the fundamental commands of Git.
Work in GitLab using the GitLab flow.
Understand and perform CI/CD in GitLab.
Migrate Jenkins pipelines to GitLab.
Deploy software using GitLab’s packaging and releasing features.
Sync changes between local and remote Git repositories.
Create merge requests and understand their components.
Implement GitLab pipelines in their own projects.
Write GitLab pipelines that produce artifacts, cache dependencies, and use variables.
Describe the anatomy of a GitLab pipeline.
Explain the differences between Jenkins Pipelines and GitLab CI/CD.
Use GitLab pipelines to run tests on the LambdaTest Selenium automation grid.
Deploy artifacts from a GitLab pipeline to the GitLab package registry.
Describe GitLab releases and its registries (package, container, infrastructure).
Target Audience:
The course is designed for:
DevOps engineers.
Software teams looking to migrate from Jenkins to GitLab.
Developers whose teams use GitLab.
Prerequisites:
To follow along with the tutorials, users need:
Access to a GitLab instance (either gitlab.com or a private instance) with a user account.
A recent version of Git installed on their machine.
Key Concepts and Features Highlighted:
Open-Source DevOps Platform: GitLab is presented as a comprehensive platform beyond just source code management.
Collaboration: GitLab facilitates collaboration among software teams.
Interoperability: GitLab can integrate with other tools.
GitLab Flow: A structured yet simpler branching strategy compared to Git Flow.
Merge Requests: Central to the GitLab workflow for code review and discussion.
GitLab Issues: Used for tracking work, reporting bugs, and requesting features.
GitLab Pipelines: Defined in YAML (.gitlab-ci.yml), they automate the software development lifecycle.
GitLab Runners: Execute the instructions defined in pipeline jobs.
Pipeline Editor: Provides a user-friendly interface for creating and validating GitLab CI/CD pipelines.
Artifacts and Caching: Mechanisms for managing build outputs and improving pipeline performance.
Pipeline Variables: For configuring pipeline behavior and storing sensitive information securely (protected and masked variables).
GitLab Registries: For managing software packages, container images, and infrastructure modules.
Releases: GitLab provides features for creating and managing software releases.
SSH Key Authentication: A secure method for authenticating with GitLab, especially for command-line interactions.
The GitLab Tutorial Series appears to be a comprehensive guide for individuals and teams looking to leverage GitLab’s core functionalities, from basic version control with Git to advanced CI/CD and release management practices.
GitLab Core Features: Development and DevOps Platform
Drawing on the GitLab Tutorial Series and our previous discussion, the core features of GitLab revolve around its identity as an open source software development platform and a DevOps platform. At its core, GitLab is a source code management system that hosts Git repositories, enabling collaboration among software teams. However, its core functionality extends significantly beyond this.
Here’s a breakdown of the core GitLab features discussed in the sources:
Source Code Management with Git: GitLab allows users to host Git repositories, similar to how files are shared on platforms like Dropbox or Google Drive, but specifically for source code. It supports fundamental Git commands such as initializing repositories (git init), managing branches (git branch, git checkout), adding files to the staging area (git add), committing changes (git commit), and syncing local and remote repositories (git push, git pull).
Branching Strategies and GitLab Flow: GitLab emphasizes the use of branching for feature development, advocating against committing directly to the main branch. The tutorial series introduces the GitLab Flow, a structured branching strategy that is simpler than Git Flow but more organized than GitHub Flow. It includes variations using environment branches (like production) and release branches. The core principle involves creating feature branches off the main branch, merging into pre-production branches, and finally into production.
Merge Requests:Merge requests are a central collaboration feature in GitLab, serving as requests to merge one branch into another. They provide a space for discussion, code review, and verification of changes. Opening a merge request can trigger automated testing.
Issue Tracking:GitLab Issues are used to track work related to a project, including bug reports, tasks, and feature requests. The software development workflow is suggested to begin with the creation of an issue. Issues can have subtasks defined using markdown checkboxes.
Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery/Deployment (CI/CD): GitLab has built-in CI/CD functionality. This core feature allows users to automate the building, testing, and deployment of their software through GitLab Pipelines defined in .gitlab-ci.yml files. Pipelines consist of stages (defining the order of execution) and jobs (defining the actual tasks) that are executed by GitLab Runners. Pipelines can produce artifacts and utilize caching to optimize performance. Pipeline variables can be defined for configuration.
GitLab Interface: The GitLab interface provides dashboards for projects and groups, navigation for key features like merge requests and issues, and tools for creating new projects, groups, and snippets. The Pipeline Editor offers a user-friendly way to create and validate CI/CD configurations.
Groups and Projects: GitLab uses groups to manage settings across multiple projects and categorize users, while projects serve as containers for Git repositories and also include built-in CI/CD and issue tracking.
Members and Roles: Access to GitLab projects and groups is managed through members who are assigned specific roles with defined permissions.
Registries: GitLab provides several registries as core features:
Package Registry: For publishing and sharing software packages (e.g., Maven packages).
Container Registry: A private registry for Docker images.
Infrastructure Registry: For publishing and sharing Terraform modules.
Releases: GitLab offers features for managing software releases, including associating tags, release notes, and assets with specific versions of the code.
These features collectively make GitLab a comprehensive platform supporting the entire software development lifecycle, from planning and coding to building, testing, and deploying applications.
GitLab CI/CD: Core Concepts and Pipeline Automation
Drawing on the GitLab Tutorial Series and our previous discussion [Your previous turn], GitLab CI/CD is a core feature of the GitLab platform that provides built-in Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery/Deployment capabilities. It allows users to automate the software development lifecycle, from building and testing to deploying applications.
Here’s a detailed discussion of GitLab CI/CD based on the sources:
GitLab Pipelines: At the heart of GitLab CI/CD are pipelines, which are top-level components used to define the entire CI/CD process for a GitLab project. Pipelines are configured using a YAML file named .gitlab-ci.yml located at the root directory of the project. This file defines the stages and jobs that will be executed. Pipelines are triggered by various events, such as code commits and pushes, merge requests, and the creation of Git tags.
Stages: Within a pipeline, stages define the chronological order in which jobs are executed. You can define multiple stages (e.g., build, test, deploy) to structure your CI/CD process. Jobs within the same stage are executed in parallel by default.
Jobs:Jobs are associated with specific stages in a pipeline and define the actual steps to be executed. These steps typically involve running shell scripts to compile code, execute tests, and deploy applications. The script keyword is the only required property of a job and contains the shell commands.
GitLab Runners:GitLab Runners are open-source applications that execute the instructions defined within the jobs in a pipeline. Runners can be installed on various infrastructure, including local machines, cloud servers, or on-premises environments. GitLab also offers shared runners hosted by GitLab. You can also register your own runners if you prefer to manage the execution environment.
.gitlab-ci.yml Configuration: The .gitlab-ci.yml file is where you define your pipeline’s structure and behavior. Key keywords used in this file include:
stages: To define the different stages in the pipeline.
image: To specify a Docker image that the GitLab Runner should use to execute the job, providing a consistent and reproducible environment with necessary dependencies. You can define a default image for the entire pipeline or specific images for individual jobs. For example, the tutorial uses the maven image for a Maven project.
variables: To define environment variables that can be used during pipeline runtime. Variables can be defined at the pipeline level or job level. GitLab also provides predefined environment variables like CI_PROJECT_DIRECTORY, CI_JOB_TOKEN, and CI_COMMIT_TAG. Variables can be marked as protected (available only to protected branches or tags) and masked (hidden in job logs) for sensitive information like passwords.
cache: To specify directories that should be cached between pipeline runs to improve performance by avoiding the need to re-download dependencies (e.g., Maven dependencies in .m2/repository).
artifacts: To define files or directories that should be persisted after a job completes and can be downloaded or used by subsequent jobs in the pipeline. You can specify when artifacts should be generated using the when condition (e.g., always). For test reports, you can use the reports keyword (e.g., junit) to have GitLab render them in the UI.
workflow: To control when a pipeline will run using rules. For example, you can configure a pipeline to run only when a Git tag is created.
environment: To associate a deploy job with a specific environment (e.g., staging), which can be tracked in GitLab’s Environments dashboard.
Pipeline Editor: GitLab provides a Pipeline Editor within the GitLab interface, which helps users create and validate their .gitlab-ci.yml files. The editor offers syntax highlighting, validation to ensure the configuration is valid, and visualization of the pipeline structure. It also provides linting information and the ability to view the merged YAML configuration. GitLab also offers a library of CI/CD templates for various technologies and frameworks.
Testing and Reporting: GitLab CI/CD integrates with testing frameworks. By specifying JUnit test reports as artifacts, GitLab can parse these reports and display a summary of the test results within the pipeline view, including the number of tests passed, failed, and the duration.
Deployment: GitLab CI/CD can be used to automate the deployment of applications to various environments. The environment keyword allows you to track deployments in GitLab. While the tutorial demonstrates a basic deployment step using Maven, in real-world scenarios, this could involve deploying to cloud platforms, servers, or container orchestration systems.
Comparison with Jenkins: As discussed previously [Your previous turn] and highlighted in the tutorial, there are key differences between GitLab CI/CD and Jenkins. GitLab CI/CD configuration is done through a single YAML file in the repository, while Jenkins pipelines can be defined in Groovy. GitLab recommends using Docker images for environment consistency, whereas Jenkins relies on agents with pre-installed tools or the tools directive (which has no direct GitLab equivalent). GitLab emphasizes a fresh environment for each job (requiring explicit artifact sharing), while Jenkins uses a shared workspace by default.
In summary, GitLab CI/CD is a powerful and integrated toolset within GitLab that enables teams to automate their software development processes, ensuring faster feedback loops, consistent builds and tests, and streamlined deployments. The declarative YAML configuration, the flexibility of using Docker images, and the integrated UI for pipeline management and reporting make it a central component of the GitLab DevOps platform.
Git Basics: Core Concepts and Commands
Drawing on the GitLab Tutorial Series and our conversation history, here’s a discussion of Git basics:
At its core, Git is a distributed version control system. You use Git to track changes made to source code files within a codebase.
Here are some fundamental Git concepts and commands covered in the tutorial:
Verifying Git Installation: You can check if Git is installed on your machine and see its version by opening your terminal and running the command git –version.
Initializing a Git Repository (git init): The git init command is used to initialize a new Git repository.
If you run git init without any parameters, it will initialize the current directory as a Git repository. This is useful for adding version control to an existing codebase.
To create a new Git repository in a subdirectory, you can pass the desired name of the repository as an argument to git init, for example, git init test-project. This creates a subdirectory with the specified name and initializes a Git repository inside it.
Default Branch Name: When initializing a new Git repository, Git might create a default branch with a name other than main. The tutorial shows how to rename the default branch to main using the following commands:
git config –global init.defaultBranch main (to set the default name for all new repositories)
cd test-project (to navigate into the newly created repository)
git branch -m main (to rename the current branch to main)
The .git Directory: After initializing a Git repository, a hidden folder called .git is created within the repository’s directory. This .git directory is what makes the folder a Git repository; without it, it’s just a regular folder. The .git directory tracks all the changes and the history of the repository. You can verify if a directory is a Git repository by checking for the existence of the .git folder or by running git status inside the directory.
Checking Repository Status (git status): The git status command tells you the current state of your Git repository. It shows information about the current branch, whether there are any uncommitted changes, files in the staging area, or untracked files. You’ll find yourself running git status very frequently when working with Git.
Branching:Branching is one of Git’s most powerful features. The main branch (or sometimes called pristine or stable branch) is intended to contain code that is bug-free and deployable.
Developers should never commit changes directly to the main branch when working on new features. Doing so risks breaking the codebase for everyone.
Instead, you should create a dedicated branch for each new feature. A branch in Git can be thought of as an entirely separate copy of the codebase where you can work and experiment without affecting the main branch.
Creating a Branch (git branch <branch_name>): You can create a new branch using the git branch command followed by the desired name of the branch. For example, git branch my-feature creates a branch named my-feature.
Switching Between Branches (git checkout <branch_name>): To work on a specific branch, you need to check out to that branch using the git checkout command followed by the branch name. For example, git checkout my-feature switches your working directory to the my-feature branch.
The Two-Stage Commit Process: Git uses a two-stage commit process.
Working Directory: This is where you make changes to your files.
Staging Area: Before committing your changes to the repository’s history, you need to add those changes to the staging area. The staging area allows you to group logically related changes together before creating a commit. Changes in the working directory appear in red in the git status output.
Commit History: A commit object tracks a specific set of changes to the repository.
Adding Files to the Staging Area (git add <file_name>): To move changes from the working directory to the staging area, you use the git add command followed by the name of the file or directory you want to add. For example, git add hello.txt stages the hello.txt file. Changes in the staging area appear in green in the git status output.
Committing Changes (git commit -m “commit message”): To create a commit object and save the staged changes to the repository’s history, you use the git commit command.
You should provide a concise commit message that describes the changes you’re making. This metadata helps in reviewing the history later.
You can use git commit by itself, which will open a text editor to write your commit message.
Alternatively, you can use the -m option followed by your commit message in quotes, for example, git commit -m “Adding initial hello.txt file”.
The first time you use git commit on a machine, Git might prompt you to configure your username and email address using git config –global user.name “Your Name” and git config –global user.email “your.email@example.com”. This information is associated with your commits.
Viewing Commit History (git log): The git log command displays a list of all the commits that have been made in the repository. It shows the commit hash (a unique identifier), the author, the date, and the commit message. The HEAD pointer indicates the current commit you’re checked out to. git log –all –oneline provides a concise one-line summary of the commit history for all branches.
Modifying Files: After creating a branch and making changes to files, git status will show the modified files in the working directory. You need to use git add to stage these changes and then git commit to save them to the current branch.
Merging Branches (git merge <branch_name>): Once you have completed a feature on a dedicated branch and are confident in your changes, you can merge that branch into another branch (e.g., main).
To merge a branch, you first need to check out to the target branch (the branch you want to merge into).
Then, you use the git merge command followed by the name of the source branch (the branch containing the changes you want to merge). For example, if you’re on the main branch and want to merge the my-feature branch, you would run git merge my-feature.
The tutorial mentions a fast-forward merge, which occurs when the target branch has not diverged from the source branch since the creation of the source branch. In this case, Git simply moves the target branch pointer to the latest commit of the source branch.
Deleting a Branch (git branch -d <branch_name>): After a feature branch has been successfully merged into the main branch, it is often no longer needed and can be deleted using the git branch -d command followed by the branch name. For example, git branch -d my-feature would delete the my-feature branch.
Stashing Changes (git stash): The git stash command allows you to temporarily save changes you’ve made in your working directory without committing them. This is useful when you need to switch to another branch quickly or want to experiment without affecting your current working state.
git stash or git stash push will stash your uncommitted changes.
git stash list shows a list of your stashed changes.
git stash apply reapplies the stashed changes to your working directory but keeps the stash entry.
git stash pop reapplies the stashed changes and removes the stash entry from the list.
git stash clear removes all entries in the stash.
These basic Git commands and concepts are fundamental for using GitLab as a source code management system and for participating in collaborative software development workflows. The tutorial series builds upon these basics to introduce more advanced features within the GitLab platform.
GitLab Interface: Components and Navigation
Based on the GitLab Tutorial Series provided in the sources, here’s a discussion of the GitLab interface:
The GitLab interface offers a wide array of features for software development, making it a comprehensive DevOps platform. Navigating this interface is a key skill for utilizing GitLab effectively.
Key Components and Navigation:
Top Navigation Bar: After logging into your GitLab account, you’ll typically land on a projects dashboard. The top navigation bar provides access to several important areas:
Profile Menu (Far Right): Allows you to access your GitLab profile, set a status, upgrade your subscription, edit your profile, view account preferences (including access tokens and SSH keys), and sign out.
Support/Help Menu: Provides access to GitLab documentation and support resources.
To-Do List: Shows a list of items requiring your attention, such as assigned issues or merge requests.
Merge Requests Dropdown: Allows you to access merge requests assigned to you or where you are a reviewer. A merge request is a request to merge one branch into another and is a central place for code review and discussion.
Issues Page: Enables you to query issues across projects based on various parameters, such as issues assigned to you or where you were mentioned. A GitLab issue is a way to track work related to a GitLab project, including bug reports, tasks, and feature requests. Your software development workflow should often begin with the creation of an issue.
New Item Creation: A “+” icon allows you to create new projects, repositories, groups, and snippets. A snippet is a small piece of code that can be shared.
Top-Level Search Bar: Enables searching across GitLab.
Left-Hand Side Menu: This menu provides access to various dashboards and project/group-specific sections:
Projects Dashboard: Lists all your GitLab projects, starred projects, and allows you to explore public projects. A GitLab project is essentially a container for a Git repository with built-in CI/CD functionality and issue tracking. It has a one-to-one mapping to a Git repository. As we discussed previously, Git is a version control system, while GitLab is a source code management system that hosts Git repositories.
Groups Dashboard: Shows the GitLab groups you are a member of and allows you to create new groups. A group allows you to manage settings across multiple projects and provides logical categorization of users or projects.
Environments Dashboard: Shows information about project environments.
Within a project, the left-hand menu provides access to sections like:
Overview: Displays commits, branches, tags, and the project’s code. You can switch between branches (separate lines of development) using the branch specifier. The main branch is often the default branch.
Issues: For managing and creating issues related to the project. Projects also have agile boards for issue tracking.
Merge Requests: For managing and viewing merge requests related to the project.
CI/CD: For configuring continuous integration and continuous delivery/deployment pipelines. A GitLab pipeline is a top-level component defining the CI/CD process for a project.
Packages & Registries: For publishing and managing software packages, container images (Docker), and Terraform modules. The GitLab Package Registry allows GitLab to act as a public or private software package registry. The GitLab Container Registry is a private registry for Docker images. The Infrastructure Registry supports Terraform modules.
Deployments: For viewing releases and environments. A release in GitLab can include packages, release notes, evidence, and a snapshot of the source code.
Analytics: Provides project analytics.
Wiki: For publishing project documentation.
Snippets: For creating and managing code snippets within the project.
Settings: Allows you to configure various project settings, similar to group settings but at the project level. This includes settings for merge requests (e.g., merge methods, merge checks), repository (e.g., default branch, protected branches), and CI/CD. Protected branches, like main and often production, restrict who can push changes to them.
Within a group, the left-hand menu provides access to:
Group Information: Includes activity, labels, and members. Members are GitLab users or groups with access to the group or its projects. Members are assigned roles with specific permissions.
Issues: Shows all issues associated with projects in the group.
Boards: Provides a lightweight agile board for group-level issue management.
Merge Requests: Shows merge requests across all projects within the group.
Settings: Allows you to manage general settings (name, ID, visibility), integrations with external tools, group-level CI/CD, and runners (processes that execute CI/CD jobs).
Key Terminology:
Group: Manages settings across multiple projects, enables logical categorization of users or projects.
Project: A container for a Git repository with built-in CI/CD and issue tracking.
Member: A GitLab user or group with access to a project or group, assigned a role with permissions.
Merge Request: A request to merge one branch into another, facilitating code review and discussion.
Issue: A way to track work related to a GitLab project (bugs, tasks, features).
Snippet: A small, shareable piece of code.
Account Settings:
You can access your account settings from the profile dropdown menu by selecting “Edit profile”. This area allows you to manage:
General Information: Your name, email, etc..
Access Tokens: For authenticating with GitLab via the command line or APIs. Similar to uploading files to Dropbox or Google Drive, GitLab hosts Git repositories for sharing, and access tokens can be used instead of passwords for command-line interactions.
SSH Keys: Another method for command-line authentication. You generate an SSH key pair and add the public key to your GitLab profile. This allows your Git client to communicate securely with your GitLab account. The tutorial demonstrates how to generate an SSH key pair using ssh-keygen and add the public key to GitLab.
Project Homepage:
The project homepage provides a quick overview of the project’s activity and code. Key elements include:
Codebase View: Displays the files and directories in the repository, with the README file often rendered at the bottom.
Branch Specifier: Shows the currently checked-out branch and allows you to switch between branches or tags.
New File/Upload: Options to create new files or upload existing ones directly through the web interface.
Web IDE: A browser-based integrated development environment for modifying the codebase.
Clone Repository: Provides the SSH or HTTPS URL to clone the repository to your local machine using the git clone command. Cloning downloads the project as a Git repository to your local machine, allowing you to make commits and push them back to GitLab.
Quick access to create new branches or tags.
Understanding these components and how to navigate them is crucial for effectively using GitLab for source code management, collaboration, and CI/CD workflows.
Learn GitLab in 3 Hours | GitLab Complete Tutorial For Beginners
The Original Text
Hey what’s up everybody my name is Moss and Welcome to this tutorial series on GitLab in this tutorial series I’m going to teach you how to utilize some of the core features of GitLab in this video I’m going to walk you through the road map of topics that we’re going to cover in the tutorial series as well as the learning objectives and who this course is made for I’ll also cover the first and second topics of this course in this video as well so without further delay let’s dive right in so for the first topic of this video we are going to be answering the question what is GitLab and then I’ll walk you through the basics of git but before i do that let me introduce myself my name is moss and I’m an experienced devOps engineer with over six years of experience in industry now let’s take a look at the roadmap of topics that we’ll be covering in this tutorial series as I already mentioned our first topic will be answering the question What is GitLab then I’m going to walk you through the basics of Git and after that I’ll introduce you to the major components of the GitLab interface once you’re comfortable with the GitLab interface I’m going to introduce you to the basic workflow in GitLab called the git lab flow and once I’ve given a high level overview of the GitLab flow we’ll perform hands-on activities that utilize the GitLab flow we’ll then dive into more advanced topics starting with how to do CI/CD in GitLab I’ll then show you how to migrate your Jenkins pipelines to GitLab CI after that we’ll explore get lab’s packaging and releasing features and finally I’ll show you how to integrate the lambda test platform with GitLab ci to perform cross browser testing now let’s quickly go over our learning objectives the first learning objective is to give you an introduction to GitLab CI you will also learn the fundamental commands of Git you will know how to work in GitLab using the GitLab flow you will also understand and be able to perform CI/CD in GitLab you will know how to migrate your Jenkins pipelines to GitLab and you’ll learn how to deploy software using GitLab’s packaging and releasing features so who is this course for this course is made for devOps engineers software teams who want to migrate from Jenkins to GitLab and developers whose team uses GitLab the prerequisite to this course is that you have access to GitLab or a private instance of GitLab so you should have a user account on whatever GitLab instance that you’re using you will also need a recent version of git installed on your machine now let’s get into the first topic what is git lab get lab is an open source software development platform and at its core it is a source code management system but it also offers additional functionality like CI/CD on top of being a source code management system and as you can see on the right GitLab describes itself as a DevOps platform so what’s the difference between Git and GitLab Git is a version control system you use Git to keep track of changes made to source code files in a codebase in contrast GitLab is a source code management system so you would use GitLab to host Git repositories so that they can be shared with other people on your team similar to how you might upload and share files to dropbox or google drive you’re doing the same with GitLab but for source code so why use GitLab GitLab enables collaboration among software teams with the GitLab flow git lab also has built-in CI CD functionality GitLab is highly interoperable and it can integrate with other tools these are just some of the features that gitlab offers but there are plethora of other features now that we have a high level understanding of What GitLab is ? let’s dive into our next topic okay let’s get ourselves up to speed with some basic git commands this might be a refresher if you’re already familiar with git but if you’re not let’s go ahead and verify that you have git installed on your machine i currently have my terminal open and to verify my installation of git i’m going to invoke git and i’m going to pass in the dash dash version option and this will return the version of git that is installed on my machine if it’s installed and as you can see i have get version 2.33.0 installed so the first git command that we should cover is the git init command and if you don’t pass any parameters to the get init command it will initialize the current directory as a git repository so if i were to execute the get init command as it is right now it would initialize the lambda test folder as a new git repository and it makes sense to use git init like that if you have a pre-existing code base that you want to check into version control and initialize as a new git repository however if you didn’t have a pre-existing code base that you wanted to initialize as a git repository then what you would do is you would pass the desired name of the git repository that you want to initialize as an argument to the get init command and that’s the option that we’re going to use and let’s call our git repository test hyphen project okay and what this is going to do is it will create a subdirectory under the lambda test directory and uh that directory will be called test hyphen project and that will be our git repository so i’m going to go ahead and execute the get init command and you can see at the bottom here it says initialize empty git repository in and then it specifies the path of the git repository and then directly above that it gives us an informational message about the name of the default branch in our git repositories and it gives us a couple of commands to rename the default branch in our repositories so let’s go ahead and do that let’s execute the first command here which is git config dash dash global init dot default branch and then let’s set the the default name to the default branch of our Git repositories as main and then to execute the second command we need to change directories into the Git repository that we just created so I’ll go ahead and cd into the test project directory and then to rename the branch of our current git repository to main we will execute git branch dash m and then the target name which is main so if we take a look at the test project directory it should be empty let me clear the terminal real quick and if I do an ls there’s nothing in the test project directory if I do an ls-al to see the hidden folders in the directory you’ll see a hidden folder called dot git and the dot get directory is what makes the test project directory a Git repository without the dot git directory the test project folder is just a folder it is not a Git repository it’s not tracking changes to any of the files within the test project folder so if i wanted to verify that the test project directory is a git repository i can look for the dot get folder and i can also do a git status inside of the directory and this will also tell me whether or not i’m in a git repository and as you can see from the output of the git status command we are currently on branch main which is the default branch that was created when we use the get init command and then it says that there are no commits yet so we haven’t generated any new git commits uh in this repository so this repository is essentially a blank slate it has zero git history uh yet and then in the last line of the output it says that there’s nothing to commit so the git status command essentially uh tells us what the current state of our git repository is so if we’ve added any new files to the test project directory or changed existing files within the test project directory when we perform a git status git status will show all of those changes in the output git status is a very useful command and you’ll find yourself running git status very frequently when you’re using git and working inside of a Git repository now this git repository isn’t very useful to us if there aren’t any files in the project that we want to version control so what we can do is add new files to the test project directory and commit those new files on the main branch but if we do that then we’re not taking advantage of of git’s one of git’s most powerful features which is branching so what’s important to know is that the main branch in a git repository and it’s not always called the main branch sometimes it’s called the pristine branch or the stable branch is a branch that is supposed to be code that has no bugs in it it’s supposed to be deployable code that can go to the customer and because of that if you’re a developer who wants to work on a new feature working on the main branch is dangerous because while you’re working on that feature you might commit some changes that cause other parts of the code base to break and if the main branch breaks that breaks the code base for everyone not just for you so it’s really important to understand as a developer you should never be committing changes directly to the main branch of your git repository so if you’re developing a new feature in a git repository you always want to make sure that you’re not developing that feature on the main branch you should be developing it on its own dedicated branch and you can think of a branch in git as an entirely separate copy of the code base it’s a copy of the code base that you can work on and experiment in and develop your feature in without having any impact on the main branch of the code base so you would develop your feature in this branch or this copy of the code base and once you’ve completed your feature and you’re confident you’ve ran tests on the feature and you’re confident it can be merged into the primary version of the code base you can actually use git to merge your branch and your feature into the main version of the code base so we are going to follow the best practice of creating a branch in order to make changes in our repository but before we can actually create a branch we do have to generate some history so right now in our git repository we have no commits made in the repository so we have to make at least one commit in the repository so that we can create a new branch and use that branch to develop a feature so what I’m going to do is create a new file in this git repository I’m going to create it using vim so I’m going to invoke vim and feel free to use a different uh editor if you prefer a different editor but I’ll call the file hello dot text okay and inside of this file we’ll simply say hello okay so if I do an ls you can see that we now have the hello text file in our Git repository and how does adding the hello.txt file change the state of our git repository well we can check the state of our repository using the get status command so I’m going to do git status and you can see now we have a little bit different output in the git status command it says that we’re on branch main there have been no commits made to this repository and then there is one untracked file and that is the hello.txt file and git is really useful in that it suggests commands to use to progress through the the workflow and it says use Git add and then the file name to include in what will be committed so what is the get ad command and what does it mean to add a file to a git repository and to answer that question I’m going to pull up uh the get documentation in my browser and I’m already at the target page and just for reference I’m at get hyphen sem.com so in git there is a concept of a two-stage commit and what that means is that in order to commit changes to git repositories history which means make a commit object a commit object is what tracks a particular set of changes to a git repository we have to use this two-stage commit and it this two-stage commit process and it begins with adding changes from what’s called the working directory into the staging area and if you’re wondering well how do i know whether or not my changes are in the working directory or if they’re in the staging area it’s pretty easy to check where your change is at using the get status command if I take a look back at my terminal from the get status output we can tell whether or not a change is in the working directory or if it’s in the staging area if it’s in the working directory those changes will show up in red as they do here so this change is currently in the working directory and we want to move it to the staging area and what the staging area allows you to do is commit changes that are logically related to each other so in the working directory you can make changes to whatever files and you can make unrelated changes within files but you don’t have to commit all of those changes at once what you can do is you can stage those changes the changes that are logically related to each other before actually creating a commit object and creating well-formed commits is actually very important to do so in order to move changes from the working directory to the staging area we have to use the get add command followed by uh the the argument of the get add command are the name of the files or the directories that we want to add to the staging area and then from the staging area in order to to create a commit object we would use the git commit command so let’s go back to our terminal and add our hello.txt file to the staging area so to do that i’m going to say git add hello dot text okay and it doesn’t provide any output from that command but it did execute successfully and we can confirm that by running the git status command again so now our hello.txt file is in the staging area and how do we know it’s in the staging area well any changes that are currently staged will show up in green and you can see here that git recognizes that it’s a new file that has just been added to the repository and in order to commit this file to git’s history we would use the git commit command and we can also unstage this file as well and move it back to the working directory and git tells us how to do that we can use Git rm dash dash cache and then the file name to unstage this file but we won’t unstage this file we are going to follow through with the two stage commit process and to do so we will invoke git commit okay and if we invoke git commit by itself what it will do is it will bring up the default uh git editor and prompt us for a commit message and a git commit message is essentially a description a very concise description of the change that we’re making so it’s metadata on uh the changes that we’re making to the git repository so that later on if someone wants to review the changes made to the repository they have concise summaries of all the changes that have been that have been made within a single commit so we can use git commit without any arguments or options and if so it’ll invoke your default editor and in my case it should pull up vim and it does and it prompts me to enter a commit message but the other option without using without pulling up the default editor so if I exit vim and do git commit I can use the dash m option and this way I can actually pass my commit message in inline with the invocation of the git commit command so if I wrap it in quotes I can then pass in my commit message directly at the command line and this is the option that I’m going to use and in my commit message I’m simply going to say adding hello dot text okay and end quotes and then I hit enter and in my case it does give me a confirmation message that a commit object was created but if this is the first time that you’re using this git installation on your machine then when you invoke the git commit command it will probably ask you to enter a username and email address for your git configuration so that when it creates the commit object the metadata related to who committed uh those changes and who was the author of those changes will show up with your information in my case I already have those configurations set but if you want to set those configurations now you would simply say Git config and pass pass in the dash dash global option and then we’ll say user.name and then you can pass in your name so in my case I would just say moss and then we can also say Git config dash dash global user dot email and then you would pass in your email same as the username I won’t reset my email since I have it uh already configured so I’m gonna do a control c and now that we have a commit generated in the repository we might want to review the history of the repository at a later date so how would we do that how would we take a look at the commit that we just created well to do that we can use the get log command so if I invoke git log just like this it will show a list of all of the commits that have been made in the git repository so I’m going to go ahead go ahead and hit enter and in the output of the git log command we can see all of the metadata related to a commit so in our case we only have a single commit and on the first line here you can see the hash of the commit object and the hash is the unique identifier of that commit object and directly next to the hash of the commit is this head and then the arrow pointing to main what this is saying is that the main branch is um pointing to this commit so essentially the main branch is up to date with the latest version of the repository and then head and the arrow here pointing to main this simply means that we’re currently checked out to the main branch if we made changes to the repository if we made new commits on the repository it would be associated with the main branch and then below that line we have information on the author and this is information that would have been configured using these commands so I have the author name and the author email address and then below that is the uh creation date of the commit okay and then directly below that is the actual commit message that uh we provided in line when invoking the git commit command okay so now that we’ve created our first commit in the Git repository when I perform a Git status we shouldn’t see the no commits message in the output of the Git status command and as you can see we don’t see it all we see is that we’re currently on branch main and that there is nothing to commit and the working tree is clean meaning there’s no changes in the working directory that could be added to the staging area now if we want to make any additional changes to the Git repository what we should do first is create a branch so that we can work on those changes on a separate branch that isn’t the main branch so let’s say I want to modify the hello.txt file and I also want to add a new file to the Git repository so the first thing that I want to do is create a branch and to create a branch I can use the get branch command and then as an argument to the get branch command I can pass in the name of the the desired name of the branch that I want to create so let’s call this branch my hyphen feature and then I’ll hit enter so that just created the branch and I can confirm that it created the branch uh by just invoking git branch without any arguments and you can see that two branches are listed in the output the main branch and then the my hyphen feature branch but notice something is that the main branch is highlighted green with this asterisk and what uh that means is that we’re still working on the main branch if we were to make any changes right now add any new files those changes would be added to the main branch if we were to commit them so what we need to do is we need to check out to the my feature branch so in git we call it checking out to a branch and before we check out the my feature branch let’s run uh git log one time and you can see in the git log output now uh not only is the main branch listed in the output but also the my feature branch and both of the branches are pointing to the same commit right now but also notice that the head pointer is currently pointing to main which means that we’re uh that we’re working on the main branch and any changes that we make would be committed to the main branch and they would not be applied to the my feature branch so let’s go ahead and check out to the my feature branch and to do that we can use git checkout and then the name of the branch that we want to check out to so I’m going to say git check out my hyphen feature and it says in the output that we switch to branch whoops that we switch to branch my hyphen feature and if I run a git status you can see that we’re currently on branch my hyphen feature and that there is no changes to commit and also if we run git log again not much has changed but notice uh that the head pointer is now pointing to the my feature branch and it’s no longer pointing to the main branch which further confirms that we’re checked out to the my feature branch and any changes that we make at this point and commits that we create will be associated with the my feature branch and they will not be applied to the main branch so let’s add some new changes to our git repository and practice the two-stage commit process so the first change that I’m going to make is to the hello.txt file so I’m going to open it in vim but feel free to use whatever editor editor you prefer and I will simply add world so be hello world and we’ll save it and I’ll do a git status and you can see in the working directory Git prompts me it says changes not staged for commit and then it shows here instead of new file it shows that the hello.txt file was modified and we can either use git add to add those changes uh to the staging area or we can use git restore and then the name of the file to discard the changes in this case it would remove the word world from the hello.txt file that we just added if I were to run git restore and then the file name git restore and then hello.txt and then for the next change I’m going to create a new file and I’m going to call it tess.txt and I’m going to say unrelated change and I’ll save it and then I’ll do git status again so the test.txt file is a new file which means it’s going to be listed under untracked files Git currently is not tracking the test.txt file in order to track this file we have to add it to this Git repository’s history and to add it to the the history we have to make a new commit now remember that I mentioned that we can stage logically related changes together so that we can create well-formed commits and it might be the case that the change that I made to the hello.txt file is unrelated to the addition of the test.txt file so I might want to commit these changes separately so let’s exercise the staging area and commit just the changes made to the hello.txt file and then we’ll create a separate commit for the addition of the tests.txt file so to add the changes made to the hello.txt file to the staging area I would say git add and then hello dot text and then if I do a git status we can see that the changes made to the hello.txt file are in are now in the staging area and then when we invoke git commit it will only commit the changes that have been staged to get’s history so if I say git commit dash m and then we’ll say modifying hello.txt I’ll hit enter so it created a new commit and then if I do git status the change where we added the test.txt file to the repository is still in the working directory and if I perform a Git log we should see two commits in this git repository’s history and we do and notice now that the branches are not pointing to the same commit anymore the main branch is pointing to our first commit in the repository and the my feature branch is now pointing to the latest commit uh made in the repository where we’re modifying the hello.txt file so now let’s add and commit the test.txt file so I will say Git add test.text and then git commit dash m and we’ll say adding the test.txt file okay so that created a second commit so now we have two commits on the my feature branch so if we list the files in the test project directory we can see the hello.txt file and the test.txt file and if I were to cat the hello.txt file we can see the contents of the file and it says hello world so this is the latest version of the hello.txt file on the my hyphen feature branch if we were to check out back to the main branch you’ll notice that the directory structure gets updated as well as the hello.txt file so let’s go ahead and check out to the main branch so I’m going to use Git checkout and then main and it says that we’ve switched to the the main branch and I’ll confirm with Git status as well and it says that we’re on the main branch here as well so if I do an ls you can see that the test.txt file is no longer listed in the directory because on the main branch the test.txt file hasn’t been created yet and similarly if we can’t the hello.txt file you can see that it’s the older version of the hello hello.txt file that doesn’t say hello world so while we made changes on the my hyphen feature branch the history of the main branch has remained intact nothing has changed on the main branch we’ve only made changes on a separate branch which remember we can kind of consider almost like an entirely separate copy of the code base it’s an isolated uh space where we can make changes and experiment without impacting um the main version of the of the git repository but if we’re satisfied with the changes that we’ve made on that branch then what we can do is we can merge those uh changes and those commits into the main branch and to merge a branch in git we want to be checked out to the target branch and then we’ll specify the source branch that contains changes that we want to merge so currently we’re checked out to the main branch if I do a git status we can see that we’re checked out to the main branch and the main branch is the branch that we want to merge changes into so now that we’re checked out to the main branch we can use the git merge command to merge the changes from the my hyphen feature branch into the main branch and the only argument that we need to pass to the git merge command is the name of the source branch which in our case is the my hyphen feature branch and real quickly before we execute the command I want to do a git log and I’m actually going to pass in the dash dash all option in the dash dash one line and dash dash all will show us the history of all branches in the git repository and dash dash one line will give us a nice uh one line summary for each uh each commit in the repository okay so there’s three commits in total and you can see that the my feature branch is pointing to this commit and then the main branch is uh kind of behind it’s pointing to the first commit that was made in the repository so when we perform a get log after executing the merge we should expect to see the main branch pointing to this commit so let’s go ahead and execute the merge I’m going to say git merge my feature and it gives us kind of a confirmation message saying that it performed a fast forward merge and we have a new file test.text and a couple of lines were changed in the hello.txt file and we can also confirm this by performing an ls and we can see that the test.txt file now exists in the test project directory and if i cat hello.txt we can see it’s the latest version of hello.txt which includes hello world and finally let’s check the history using git log actually i meant to use git log with the one line option in dash dash all okay so now we can see in the output here that the main branch is pointing to the same commit that the my feature branch is pointing to so it includes the changes contained in both of these commits and since the changes that were made on the my hyphen feature branch are now merged into the main branch there’s really no need for the my hyphen feature branch so i’m going to delete that branch and i can do so using git branch dash d and then my hyphen feature now there is one more very useful git command that i’d like to show you so i’m going to go ahead and clear the terminal and the command is git stash the git stash command allows you to experiment with various changes and save those changes without actually committing them to the get the git repositories history as a commit so to show you what I mean I’m going to make a modification uh to the hello.txt file so I’m going to open it up I’m going to add a word here I’m just going to say hello world testing and I will save the file so I’m going to run git status and we can see in the output that the hello.txt file has been modified and we can stage that change to be committed or we can actually stash that change where we added the word testing to the hello.txt file when I use the git stash command I’m taking all the changes that are in my working directory and I’m stashing stashing them away in a reserved location that’s outside of git’s history and to stash our changes to the hello.txt file i can either say git stash or git stash push and that will stash the changes made to the hello.txt file away so I hit enter and it says saved working directory and index state work in progress on the main branch and if I perform a git status you’ll notice that I have a clean working directory that change no longer no longer exists in the working directory and if I cat the hello.txt file the testing word is not included in the hello.txt file that change that I made still exists but it’s been stashed away and to see that change I can use Git stash list and it will list all of the changes that have been stashed by Git so i can see my change in the stash at position zero and if i want to reapply that change to the working directory i can either use get stash apply or i can use git stash pop and there is a difference between these two commands when i use git stash apply it will reapply the changes to the working directory and you can see here that now hello.txt is modified if I cat hello.txt i can see the word testing in the file now but it will not remove this change from the stash so if I do get stash list again I can still see that change listed in position 0. the only difference between Git stash apply and get stash pop is that Git stash pop will actually pop this uh change off of the stash so that it is no longer listed in the stash so if i perform a git stash clear it will clear all of the entries in the stash i still have my change applied in the working directory i’ll stash this change again but i’m going to use pop instead of apply so get stash push and then get stash list okay and then i’ll do git stash pop okay and it shows that the hello.txt file has been uh modified and if i do git stash list you can see that that stash entry has been removed in later videos we’ll explore a few more git commands but at this point you’re ready to start working with git lab and in the next video we’ll introduce you to some of the major components of the gitlab interface hey what’s up everybody my name is moss and welcome back to this tutorial series on gitlab in this video we are going to focus on getting you familiar with the gitlab interface with the overwhelming number of features that gitlab offers it’s easy to get lost in the interface so we’re going to complete some basic tasks so that you feel more comfortable working in gitlab and prepare you for the activities in upcoming videos let’s take a closer look at what we’re going to cover our first objective is to provide an introduction to get lab terminology our next objective is to become familiar with the gitlab interface first let’s explain some important git lab terms starting with group a group will allow you to manage settings across multiple projects at the same time a group enables logical categorization of multiple users or gitlab projects a gitlab group can also provide a cross-project view of things like issues and merge requests the next important term is project a GitLab project is essentially a container for a git repository similar to GitHub repositories there is a one-to-one mapping from a GitLab project to a git repository a GitLab project also has built-in ci cd functionality you can also perform issue tracking inside of a GitLab project in addition GitLab projects provide collaboration tools like merge requests these are just some of the features that a GitLab project offers but they are the features that we will primarily focus on in this series another important term to be familiar with are members members are GitLab users or groups that have access to a GitLab project in addition members are assigned to roles and these roles include permissions to perform actions on GitLab projects or groups one of the most important concepts to be familiar with in GitLab are merge requests a merge request is a request to merge one branch into another merge requests provide a space to have a conversation with the team about the changes on a branch and it is the central place through which changes are reviewed and verified and finally we have git lab issues a GitLab issue is a way to track work related to a GitLab project and we can use GitLab issues to report bugs track tasks request new features and much more your software development workflow should begin with the creation of an issue a quick note as I said in the previous video GitLab has a plethora of features so for the sake of time I will only be covering the most relevant features in the GitLab interface for this series if I skip over a particular feature in the interface it doesn’t necessarily mean that the feature isn’t useful or important it is only to keep our conversation focused on the topics that will most likely be covered in this series now that we’re familiar with some of the key terms and concepts in GitLab we can begin our activities in the GitLab interface okay so the first thing that we want to do is navigate to gitlab.com and from here we’ll navigate to the login page so go ahead and log in to your GitLab account and if you don’t have a GitLab account already then you can create one by just coming down here to the register now link and you can follow the steps on this page to create a new GitLab account and so if that is the case then just pause the video and create an account and then we will log into our GitLab account after after the account has been created so I’m going to sign in and the home page once we sign in is like a projects dashboard it lists all of our git lab projects and then we can also see starred projects which are like favorited projects and then we can explore other projects on gitlab.com and from this page we can also create a new project as well which we will do shortly if we take a look at the navigation bar on the far right we have our profile and we can access our GitLab profile from this drop-down menu we can set a status associated with our profile um and then it allows us to upgrade to a higher tier GitLab subscription then we can also edit the profile and we can view our account preferences and then we can also sign out from here and next to our profile menu we have a support slash help menu and next to the help menu we also have this to-do list page which will basically show us a list of items in gitlab that we’re um you know that we need to be aware of like if there’s issues assigned to us or merge requests assigned to our account then those will show up on this page next to the to-do list page we have a merge request drop down menu and this is where we can access merge requests that have been assigned to our account or merge requests where we have been listed as a reviewer for that merge request and then we have an issues page where we can query issues across projects based on query parameters and the default query here is where my account is the assignee on the issue but we could have any other query parameter in here like where my account was at mentioned for instance in an issue comment and next to the top level search we can create new items in GitLab so some of those items we can create new project a new project slash reposito repository we can create a new group and we can create a new snippet which is like a code snippet it’s just a small snippet of code it’s not a full code base and then in the left hand side menu we can access various dashboards so for instance we’re in the projects dashboard right now but we could also access the group’s dashboard or security dashboard or the environments dashboard and that will show related information to those features now before we create a new project i do want to review the account settings of uh of a GitLab account so you can get familiar with those and we will update some information inside of the account settings so from the get lab profile drop down menu we will select edit profile and that will take us to the top level of the account user settings and then under chat we have access tokens so there’s a few ways that you can authenticate with your GitLab account the first way is the most obvious is where you go to the sign in page and you enter your username and password but if you’re authenticating via the command line you’ll likely use one of two ways you’ll either authenticate using a personal access token or you’ll you’ll authenticate using an SSH key pair and this page allows you to create new tokens or delete personal access tokens for your account and when you created a personal access token similar to how the applications page was set up you can select scopes for that personal access token which will define the level of authorization that that token has to your account so we can give it right permission to repositories read permission the ability to interact with the GitLab api below notifications are where we can manage SSH keys for our account and this is the method that we’re going to use to authenticate with our account we won’t be using the personal access tokens we will create an SSH key pair and then on this page is where we would add the public key of our of our SSH key pair to this page so we would create a new public key for GitLab account so that we can authenticate with it and our Git client can communicate with uh our GitLab account so now that we’ve gone over the user settings I would like to prepare our git client to authenticate with our GitLab account and remember that i said that we were going to use SSH keys to authenticate with our account so what we’re going to do now is create an SSH key pair and then add the public key of that key pair to our GitLab profile so I’m going to navigate to my terminal and open up a new terminal session and in my terminal I’m going to invoke the SSH keygen command so that’s going to be SSH hyphen keygen and then we’re going to use dash t option and we’re going to specify the kind of encryption that we want to use and we’re not going to use RSA GitLab it advises to use this type of encryption and suggests that it’s more secure than RSA so ed25519 and then we will add a comment to this key and we’ll say that it’s our get lab key pair okay and after you’ve typed that in go ahead and hit enter and it prompts us to enter a file name in which to save the key in this case we’re going to accept the default file name and notice where this key is being saved it’s being saved in the hidden .ssh folder and that’s going to be the name of our key pair so the name of the private key and the public key and only the file extensions will be different between the public key and the private key so I’m going to hit enter and then it prompts us to enter a passphrase for the key pair and I’m going to leave it empty for no passphrase I’ll hit enter again and then that generated the the key pair for us in this directory in the data ssh directory now what we’re going to do is add the public key of that key pair that we just generated to our GitLab profile and to do that we’ll first cat the public key so I’m going to cat dot ssh ed id underscore ed dot pub okay for the public key pair or for the public key rather and then I’m going to copy the output to my clipboard and then I’m going to navigate back to the GitLab interface and we’ll navigate to SSH keys and then I’m going to paste in in the key field I’m going to paste in the value of the public key in the key field okay and then the title is the comment that we added when we generated the key so get lab key pair and we can set an expiration date if we want to I’m going to leave that blank so that does it doesn’t have an expiration date and then I’m going to select add key so now that we’ve added that public SSH key to our account we should be able to authenticate with our GitLab account from the command line and to verify that we can authenticate I’ll open up the terminal and then I can invoke my SSH client I’ll use the dash capital t option and then we’re going to say get at get lab.com okay and I’m using gitlab.com uh because my account is on gitlab.com if you’re using uh like a private instance of GitLab then you would want to specify uh that private instance URL okay so if I hit enter it says welcome to GitLab and then it specifies my username which means that it did successfully authenticate with my account okay so now that we know our SSH key pair is working let’s navigate back to get lab and I want to take a look at the groups dashboard so from the left hand side menu I’m going to select groups and let’s navigate to the your groups page and on the groups dashboard you can see that I’ve already created a group called tech with moss group but let’s go ahead and create a new group so up in the top right here I’m going to select new group and then I’ll select um create group and then I can give the group a name so feel free to to enter whatever name you prefer here I’m gonna say moss test group okay and then I can specify a unique group URL and then under the group URL we can specify the visibility level of the group uh whether it’s private or public if it’s public then the group can be viewed without any authentication and then they have some personalization options for this group so I can specify what my role is and I’m going to leave it as software developer but you can see here that they have other roles that you can select and then it says who will be using this group and I’m going to specify just me instead of my company or team but if I do select my company or team I have this drop down where I can specify what the group will be used for and then I can also invite members to the group using their email address so I’m going to select just me and then i’m going to select create group and on the group homepage i can see subgroups and projects that are associated with this group so a group can have a subgroup and from this page i can also create new subgroups or new projects that are associated with this group this moss test group and in the left-hand menu of the group i can access the group information which will include the group activity labels and then members and from the members page we can control the membership that people have to this group so you can see here there’s one member and it’s my account and i am the owner so my role is the owner for uh this moss test group but i can add additional members uh using their uh email address and then i can specify the role that that member would have when they’re added to this group and below group information i can select issues and if i select issues it will show me all issues that are associated with this group which there might be issues created in multiple projects so this view inside of the group will actually show issues across projects and in the board section i can also utilize a lightweight agile board you can see here that has issues that have a status of open will show up here issues that have a status of close will show in this column and then you can also add additional columns to match you know your desired issue workflow and below issues we can also view merge requests so if i select merge requests we would get a view of merge requests that again are across projects so it would be all projects that this group is a member of so you can add groups as members to gitlab projects right so any merge requests that show up here would be across all the projects that this gitlab group is a member of and then finally we have the group settings and under the group settings we have general settings where we can control things like the group name the group id the description of the group we can upload a group avatar kind of like how we can upload an avatar for our profile and we can also control the visibility level we can control permissions and enable large file storage or disable large file storage and that’s Git lfs we can enable default branch protection which allows us to protect certain branches so that developers cannot push new commits to to specific branches under the general settings we have integrations and this is where we can set up new integrations uh with external tools uh like atlassian bamboo for ci cd we could integrate uh get this GitLab group with a confluence workspace also with JIRA we can also specify group level ci cd and here we can define group level variables which can be referenced from within a GitLab ci cd pipeline and we can also configure runners which i won’t get into too much detail about right now I’ll leave that for a later video but essentially if you’re familiar with Jenkins agents runners are are kind of a similar concept runners are processes that pick up and execute ci cd jobs uh for git lab so now that we’ve explored the interface for groups let’s navigate back to the home page and from the home page let’s go ahead and create a new project so I’m going to navigate up to the top right and I’m going to select new project and on this page we can create a blank project so we start a project from scratch or we can create a project from a project template if we’ve created a project template and we can also import a project so for migrating uh you know our source code from another source code management system uh like GitHub we can use this import project feature and then the last option here if we want to use GitLab purely like as if we were uh using it like Jenkins where it’s just performing ci cd for us we can still utilize a external source code management system like GitHub and then we’ll just use the ci cd feature that GitLab offers to facilitate CI/CD for our project but in our case we are going to create a blank project so I’m going to select the create blank project and then it takes us to a page where we can fill out uh some details on our project now you can use the project name field to provide a name for your project but if you leave this field blank and you provide a project slug which will be essentially the the URL or part of the URL of the project then it will automatically fill in the project name field for you so I’m going to use that option and I’m going to call the project moss hyphen test hyphen project okay and notice that the project name field automatically gets filled in as I enter the project slug I can also specify where this project should live by using this drop drop down I can specify a group or a specific user right now it’s under my account tech with moss so I’m going to leave it under tech with moss and then I can provide a project description if that is applicable and under the description i can specify a visibility level so whether or not the project is going to be private or public and then if it’s a public uh project the project can be accessed without authentication to get lab if the visibility is set to private then i have to explicitly grant access to each user or to a group by adding them as members to the project and then the last setting allows us to initialize the repository with a readme file which we would do if we didn’t have an existing code base locally that we would want to push up to this gitlab project and we don’t in our case so i’m going to leave this setting checked and then i’m going to select create project so here we have the home page of the project and we can access the commits the branches uh the git tags that have been created and then it tells us a little bit of information about the storage that this project is utilizing and if i exit out of these messages we can see the actual code base and all of the files in the code base and right now there’s just the readme file but you’ll notice that below the directory the readme file is automatically rendered at the bottom of the page and the readme file was also automatically filled out with some resources to help us get started with our project and above the root directory we can also see a couple of other things the first is the branch specifier so right now we’re checked out to the main branch so the version of the code base that we’re viewing here is the version on the main branch and if we wanted to switch branches and view a different branch we could just select the drop down and either search for a branch or a git tag and then check out to that branch in our case we don’t have any other branches in this repository so we only have the main branch as the only option and then next to the branch specifier we have the option to create new files upload files we can also create a new directory and this is all within the current directory that we’re that we’re in and we’re in the top level directory right now but we can also create a new branch or we can create a new tag a new git tag and another really cool feature is we can use a web ide to modify the code base in our browser without having to download it locally and modify it in our local ide and next to web ide we also have the option to download the source code as a compressed file and then finally we can clone the repository using either ssh or https and we didn’t cover the git clone command in the last video but we will cover it in an upcoming video but essentially cloning means that we are downloading this project as a git repository to our local machine so that we can make commits to the repository and then push those commits back up to git lab so the key difference between cloning and downloading as a compressed file is that if we were to download it as a compressed file it’s not technically a git repository so we wouldn’t be able to make commits inside of that compressed file after we’ve extracted the project and then in the issues section we can manage and create issues related to this project and we also have agile boards similar to what we saw in the groups settings page as well below the issues section we have merge requests and this is where we can manage and view all of the merge requests related to this project and right now there are none but we can create a new merge request from this page i think we can also create a merge request from the home page of the project as well under merge requests we can configure cicd for the project so we can create new pipelines and we will explore this feature in later videos but we can create new gitlab pipelines and pipeline jobs and we can set schedules for those pipelines in the packages and registries section we can publish software packages to the package registry and then we can also utilize the container registry to publish docker images and in the infrastructure registry we can publish terraform modules if we have any terraform modules and under analytics is the project wiki and the wiki is where you could publish documentation related to the project so for instance if you had architectural documentation describing the architecture of your application you could publish it to the project wiki and the gitlab project can have snippets of code so you can create a snippet of code which essentially is a small piece of code it might not be an entire code base or an entire file from a code base it could be just a single function from a file that might be useful to others so maybe you could share that function with others and you can use snippets to do that a snippet can be shared with other users it can be version controlled and downloaded now for the project settings i won’t go into too much detail because what you’ll notice is that a lot of the settings are similar to group settings but they are at the project level so if i go into settings and then general you’ll see very similar fields to the group settings fields with the exception of merge requests so this is a big one you can configure various settings related to merge requests in your gitlab project so for instance you can specify what kind of merge method you would like merge requests to take so down here under the merge method we can specify whether or not we want a merge commit a merge commit with a semi linear history or a fast forward merge you can also specify the default behavior for squashing commits when merging a merge request and then you can enable merge checks as well so for instance we can enforce that all pipelines must succeed before the merge request can be merged in the repository section we can configure various settings related to branches in the gitlab project so for instance we can set the default branch of the project which means that any time we were to open a new merge request the target branch would automatically be selected as the default branch another important setting are protected branches it’s typically a best practice to protect the main branch or your stable branch or your production branch since protecting the branch means that only certain people can actually push commits to it and also you can disable force pushing to that branch so nobody can override the history of uh of a protected branch and under the monitoring settings we can also control settings related to gitlab pages which is a pretty cool feature pages essentially allows you to host a static website off of this gitlab project so now that we’re familiar with the project’s features and settings i’d like us to go ahead and create a new issue in this project so i’m going to select the issues section and in the issues section i’m going to scroll down and i’m going to select new issue so for the title of the issue i’m going to say modify the project readme and for the issue type i’m going to leave it as issue but if we select this drop down we can also select a different issue type in this case we have the incident issue type as well in the description of the issue i’m going to say modify the project readme file to practice the get lab flow and what’s cool about the description field is that we can utilize markdown syntax in this field and then we can preview that syntax in the preview field so right now we’re not using any markdown but i can modify this and i’ll add a hashtag and a single hashtag will give me a header so if i preview that i now have um a markdown header i’m going to change this hashtag to a bullet and then i’ll scroll down and i’ll leave the remaining fields empty but we can assign the issue to a specific user in the project right now i’m the only user in the project we can also add a due date for the issue and we can associate it with a milestone in the project and we can also add labels to the issue as well and now i’ll select create issue so now that we have the issue created you may remember at the beginning of the video when i was discussing the definition of issues i mentioned that your software development workflow should always begin with the creation of an issue and in the upcoming videos i’m going to introduce you to the gitlab flow which is the primary workflow that you would utilize uh in gitlab and we’re going to practice the gitlab flow by modifying the readme file so thanks for watching and i will see you in the next video hey what’s up everybody my name is moss and welcome back to this tutorial series on gitlab after watching the previous video you should be comfortable navigating the gitlab interface and this means we can start practicing our development workflow inside of gitlab to do this i’m going to introduce you to gitlab’s primary branching strategy so if you haven’t already go ahead and grab a coffee and let’s get started in this video i’m going to introduce you to the get lab flow by the end of this video you should be able to do the following describe the concept of a branching strategy describe the gitlab flow and explain the differences between the gitlab flow and other branching strategies what is a branching strategy a branching strategy is a software development workflow within the context of git or another version control system and it describes how a development team will create collaborate on emerge branches of source code in a codebase we practiced a very basic branching strategy in the first video using a feature branch a branching strategy takes advantage of the branching system in a version control system to enable concurrent development in the code base but how do you choose a branching strategy unfortunately this is not a straightforward question as it depends on multiple factors these factors include but are not limited to team requirements the source code management system that you’re using the environments to which code is deployed and how you want to manage deployment to those environments and the structure of your code base some of the most common branching strategies in git include the following the GitHub flow the git flow and the git lab flow let’s take a look at each of these branching strategies we’ll start with a GitHub flow the GitHub flow is the simplest workflow of the three each of the white circles in the graph represent git commits the GitHub flow begins by creating a feature branch off of the main branch while checked out to the feature branch we would make some number of changes until we feel like our feature is ready to be reviewed by others and undergo automated testing we would then upload our changes to GitHub by using the get push command this action is commonly known as pushing our commits after pushing our changes we would open what’s known as a pull request a pull request is the equivalent of a merge request in git lab the opening of the pull request should trigger automated testing of the changes located on the feature branch once the changes have been reviewed and verified the feature branch is merged into the main branch now let’s take a look at the git flow the git flow is the most complex of the three workflows the git flow utilizes a long-lived develop branch as the default branch from which developers create feature branches the git flow also utilizes release branches which are created off of the develop branch if a bug is found during testing on the release branch a bug fix can be applied to the release branch and then merged back into the develop branch release branches are then merged into the main branch and main is tagged with the release version using a git tag in a perfect world the changes merge from the release branch into the main branch are bug free since it is unrealistic to expect that this is the case every time a release branch is merged the git flow includes hotfix branches the hotfix branch is created directly off of the main branch to quickly address issues introduced by the changes that are now in production in addition to merging the hotfix branch back into the main branch it is also very important to merge the hotfix branch into the develop branch to ensure that any new development work incorporates the hotfix now let’s explore the GitLab flow and its variations the GitLab flow is simpler than the Git flow but more structured than the GitHub flow there are two variations of the GitLab flow the first as seen here utilizes environment branches in this workflow we have a long-lived production branch which represents the production environment in which the software application is deployed the code on the production branch should always be deployable like the GitHub flow this workflow utilizes feature branches off of the main branch but main is merged into some number of environment branches and then to the production branch you can think of merging a feature branch into the main branch as deploying your changes to a staging environment once changes have been verified in the staging environment they can be promoted to the production branch you can have multiple pre-production environment branches representing various environments in which the changes must be tested in before merging those changes into the production branch unlike the git flow the GitLab flow has an upstream first policy when it comes to hot fixes this means that if issues are found in the production environment after a change has been deployed the hotfix branch must be created off of the main branch and merge back into main and any other pre-production branches before being merged into the production branch the feature branching workflow is similar to the github flow but instead of creating a pull request we create a merge request like the github flow the opening of a merge request should trigger automated testing the second variation of the gitlab flow utilizes release branches instead of environment branches you should use this variation of the workflow only if you’re releasing software to the outside world for instance if you are developing an open source project this variation is similar to the first in that you branch off of the main branch into feature branches and then merge back into main in this workflow you will want to wait as
long as possible to create a release branch after creating the release branch apply only major bug fixes to the release branch incrementing the versioning as needed bug fixes are merged with the upstream first policy release branches are long-lived until a specific release of software is no longer supported or maintained by the development team let’s quickly recap the GitLab flow there are two variations of the GitLab flow the first variation utilizes long-lived environment branches in this workflow changes are promoted through one or more pre-production branches before being merged into the production branch the second variation utilizes release branches this variation should only be used when releasing software to the outside world such as an open source project the GitLab flow is simpler than the git flow however the git lab flow provides more structure than the GitHub flow hey what’s up everybody my name is moss and welcome back to this tutorial series on GitLab in the last video I introduced you to the concept of the GitLab flow and in this video we are going to apply the GitLab flow to the project that we previously created I talked about two variations of the GitLab flow in the last video and in this demonstration we’re going to be utilizing the environment branches variation before we get started let’s quickly review the learning objectives for this module on practicing the GitLab flow after completing this video you should be able to do the following sync changes between local and remote git repositories create merge requests demonstrate familiarity with the components of a merge request and apply the GitLab flow in your own GitLab projects now that we’ve covered the learning objectives let’s get started okay so I’m on the homepage of my GitLab account and if you haven’t already go ahead and sign into your GitLab account and once you’ve done that we’re going to navigate to the GitLab project that we created in a prior video I called when I created that project I called mine moss test project and I’m going to open that project up now you might remember from the previous video when we created this project after creating the project we also created an issue within the project and let’s navigate back to that issue it’s under the issues section and then list and then we only have this single issue in the project called modify the project readme so let’s open that issue up I mentioned earlier that the get lab flow should begin with the creation of an issue an issue helps define the scope of work that needs to be completed and the scope of this issue is not well defined right now it just says modify the project readme without any additional information to specify what what should be modified in the readme or how it should be modified so let’s edit this issue and update it to be more specific on what updates should be made to the project readme file so to edit I’ll select the pencil and i’m going to use some markdown syntax that we haven’t seen yet so if you want to uh create a check box that you can check with markdown you can use hyphen open bracket space close bracket and then text so temporarily i’ll just put hi and then if i preview i can see that next to hi is rendered a checkbox that i can select now i can’t select it right now because i haven’t saved the changes but you can use this in issues to create like tasks that you can check off within the issue and for this task i’m going to say that we should introduce ourselves in the project readme and i’ll select save changes and get lab recognizes these check boxes as subtasks within the issue and to confirm that you can see up here it says zero of one task completed and the single subtask that we have in this issue is just to introduce ourselves and project readme so GitLab will actually track uh how many subtasks have been completed within an issue using these markdown checkboxes now since I’ll be working on this issue I’m going to assign it to myself and I can just go up here select edit and then I can search for a user but I’m the only user in this project so I’m going to select myself and now that we’ve further defined the issue let’s navigate back to the project homepage and from the home page we’re going to create a new branch remember at the beginning of the video I said that we’re going to be using the environment branches variation of the GitLab flow so to create a new branch I’m going to come down to this drop down here and I’m going to select new branch and this branch is being created from the main branch and we will call it production okay so this will represent uh pushing changes to this branch will represent pushing changes to the production environment for for our code base even though this isn’t really a code base right now it’s just the readme file so i’ll select create branch and you’ll notice that after creating the branch we’re automatically checked out to the production branch or the branch that we created so i’m going to switch back to the main branch let’s take a look at the branches that we have in the repository now so i’m going to navigate to this subsection here branches and we have two active branches we have the main branch which is listed as the default branch and the production branch in addition to being the default branch the main branch is also protected which means that only people in the project with certain permissions can push changes to that branch and since we’re utilizing the environment branches variation of the GitLab flow I think it’s a good idea to also protect the production branch since that represents our production environment and I don’t think people should be able to push changes to the production branch unless they are a specific role in the project and as it says up here we can control protected branches in the project settings so I’m going to click on that and navigate to the project settings and then scroll down to the protected branches section and we’ll expand that and says by default protected branches restrict who can modify the branch so under the branch selection I’m going to select the production branch and then we’ll select who is allowed to merge into the production branch and we’ll say only people with the maintainers role can merge into the production branch and uh we’ll also set the same for people who are allowed to push to the production branch only maintainers can do so and the last setting lets us allow or disable force pushing to this branch and it is a best practice to not enable force pushing on shared branches the only time it’s it might be okay to force push as if you’re on an isolated branch and you know that you’re the only person working on that branch so now let’s click protect and now that branch is a protected branch should be listed under here yep we can see it listed along with the main branch as a protected branch so let’s navigate back to the project homepage although we can modify the readme file in get lab what we’re going to do is modify it locally on our machine so we have to get the the project onto our machine and to do that we have to clone uh the project so even though it’s called a project uh behind the scenes it is a git repository and when you want to um begin working on a git repository locally on your machine you have to clone the repository which will essentially download the code base to your local machine so you can work on it and we can clone a repository by copying the clone command specified in this drop-down and we have two selections or two options we can clone with ssh or we can clone with https and if you remember from an earlier video we set up ssh keys for our gitlab account so we won’t be using the clone with https method we’ll be using the clone with ssh method instead so i’m going to select this copy url button and now that it’s copied to my clipboard i’m going to open up my terminal and in my terminal i’m going to paste the command or rather the ssh url of the repository or of the gitlab project and then i’m going to preface it with the command git clone so the git clone command is what we use to copy a git repository from the remote source down to our local machine okay so after git clone we just specify uh the remote repository so i’m gonna hit enter okay and it looks like it successfully downloaded the project and it created a directory called moss test project so if i do an ls i have moss test project and if i cd into it and i list uh all the files i have the dot get folder so that tells us that we are inside of a git repository and we have the single readme file that’s in the repository if I do a git status I’m checked out to the main branch the reason I’m checked out to the main branch after cloning is because it’s the default branch so whatever the default branch is when you clone that git repository you will be checked out to that branch so to begin the GitLab flow I have to branch off of the main branch into a feature branch so that’s what I’m going to do now and I’m going to use the git checkout command to create a branch I can use git branch to create the branch or I can use git checkout with the dash b option which will create the branch and check me out to that branch in one command and we’ll call the branch readme hyphen introduction okay and you can see in the output it says switch to a new branch read me hyphen introduction and if I do a git status I can see that I’m on the readme hyphen introduction branch and now that we’re on a feature branch we can begin making modifications uh to the code base and in this case we’re not modifying code we’re just modifying the readme file and to modify the readme file I’m going to open it up in vim but feel free to use whatever editor you prefer to to modify the file in so i’ll say vim and then readme and under the first header i’m going to put a subheader okay so a markdown subheader using two hashtags and i’m going to call it introduction and under the introduction section feel free to put whatever you like for me i’m going to put my name so i’m going to say name moss and then uh activities i like to do and i like to mountain bike and play tennis okay and i’m gonna put a new line uh between the subsection and the bulleted list okay so now let’s save and quit the file okay and i’m gonna do a git status and we can see our modifications are currently in the working directory for the readme file and I’m going to add and commit the changes to the readme file so I’m going to say git add readme okay so now the changes are uh staged and let’s commit the changes so I’m going to say git commit dash m so that I can pass in the commit message directly at the command line I’m going to say updating project readme with introduction okay so now in our local copy of the repository we have created a new feature branch and we made a change and committed that change on the feature branch but neither the branch or the change that we made on that branch is currently represented in the remote repository so if we were to navigate to get lab and I refresh the page we’re not going to see the branch that we just created or the changes that we just made to the repository and that’s because git is a distributed version control system and we have to sync changes from our local repository uh to the remote repository so if we’re syncing changes from our local repository to the remote repository we have to push our changes and we would use the git push command to do so however if we’re syncing changes in the opposite direction from the remote repository to our local repository then we pull changes and we do that using the get pull command now right now there’s no changes from the remote repository that are not in our local repository so we don’t have to do a get pull but there are changes locally that we should push up to the remote repository so we’re going to use the get push command and since this branch doesn’t exist yet on the remote repository the readme hyphen introduction branch we have to pass in the dash u option and specify the name of the remote which by default is going to be origin and after we specify uh the name of the remote and origin is just going is a variable that’s resolving to gitlab essentially it’s it’s resolving to the url of the gitlab project after we’ve specified the name of the remote we specify the branch name so we’re going to say origin and then readme hyphen introduction okay so we’re pushing our changes the commits that we made uh from our local branch up to get lab and we’re also passing in the dash u option to tell git lab uh to create the readme hyphen introduction branch so i’m going to hit enter okay and in the return message it does confirm that the changes were pushed up and it also tells me that i can create a merge request from the branch that was just created in gitlab and you can see down here as well that it specifies that there is a new branch okay so let’s navigate back to gitlab and confirm that so i’ll refresh the page and you can see in the top message here it says you push the readme hyphen introduction branch and in the drop down list we can now see that branch as well and if i were to switch to the readme introduction branch we should be able to see the changes in the readme file and you can see under the project name we have the introduction section and the bulleted list uh with my name and the activities that i like to do okay so the changes were pushed up successfully and from here we can actually create a merge request and it suggests uh creating a merge request here as well so i’m going to go ahead and select create merge request and on the merge request creation page you can see in the title the title is automatically generated from the latest commit message on the readme introduction branch so if i open the terminal you can see where i entered git commit that was my commit message okay and i’m going to leave the the title as is the other thing to notice is the branch that we’re merging into uh it says from readme hyphen introduction into main so why is the main branch chosen as the branch that we’re merging into it’s the default branch so not only does that mean when we clone the repository that will automatically be checked out to the main branch but also when we open new merge requests we’ll automatically be merging our feature branch into the default branch which in this case is the main branch and this also follows the guidelines of the gitlab flow as well the feature branches are supposed to be created off of the main branch and then promoted to maine and then to some number of uh pre-production branches before being merged into the production branch and in the description of the merge request I’ll be a little bit more descriptive about the change I’m gonna say that i updated the readme to include my name and activities that I like to do okay now if we take a look at the fields below the description field we have an assignee field and I’m going to assign this merge request to myself and then we have a reviewer field and in this case I can only assign myself as a reviewer but ideally you would always want a second pair of eyes to review the code changes that you’re submitting in a merge request but in this case I am going to select myself as the reviewer as well and then we can specify the milestone uh if there is a milestone associated with this merge request and we can also add one or more labels uh project labels to this merge requests as well so this is labels are used as a way of kind of categorizing changes so for instance maybe if this merge request was changing the UI of our application we would have like a UI project label that we could uh add to this merge request is kind of a tag that is searchable if someone were to search merge requests in this GitLab project and then the last two options are merge options and the first of which is automatically selected which is delete the source branch when the merge request is accepted and in this case we are going to leave that checked because we’re merging a feature branch into the main branch and feature branches are supposed to be short-lived they shouldn’t be long-lived branches like the main branch in the production branch so we will leave that checked for the second option squash commits when merge request is accepted uh this one we will leave unchecked but squashing commits can be a useful feature uh basically what it means is that let’s say you had a hundred commits and uh maybe there was a large percentage of those commits where you were just fixing small things like adding a semicolon to the end of a statement or adding a comment here and there uh it would be useful to reduce the number of commits and to do that you can squash one two or more commits together into a single commit if you wanted to but I’m going to leave that option unchecked and I’m going to select create merge request okay so after the merge request gets created we’re brought to this page with three tabs of information the overview tab the commits tab and the changes tab and in the overview tab we have kind of a summary of all of the activities that are happening in the merge requests the overview tab is really where the conversation about these changes will happen so we can see the description of the merge requests and in addition to that we can see other events um like where I requested a review for myself and I also assigned this merge request to myself we can add comments uh from this page as well and we can also control the workflow of the merge requests on this tab as well so from this overview tab we can approve the merge requests and we can also proceed with merging the branch into the main branch as well and the approve button is available to me because I’m assigned as a reviewer of this merge request so I can review it since or I can approve it since I am a reviewer but you’ll notice that next to it says approval is optional and for the free tier of git lab uh you can’t enforce approval before a branch is merged but if you have a higher tier of GitLab then you can there’s a setting where you can enforce that uh one or more approvals have occurred on a merge request before it can be emer uh before it can be merged so this merge button would be grayed out if uh if that feature was enabled or if that setting was enabled and if I scroll up and select the commits tab i get a list of all the commits that are included in this merge request and then if I select the changes tab I can see a diff of the changes that are included in this merge request as well so in the diff that you see here we’re comparing the main branch with the latest version of the readme hyphen introduction branch if we had made more than one commit on the readme hyphen introduction branch then we could select an older commit and compare an older commit on that branch with the current version of the main branch it also shows me how many files have changed and how many lines have been added and how many lines have been removed and in the settings or the preferences here i can compare changes in line or in a side-by-side view where it will show uh the main branch version of the readme file on one side and the uh readme hyphen introduction branch on the other side okay so we have this side by side diff available to us as well I’m going to select the inline diff now a very useful feature for reviewers and participants of a merge request is the ability to comment on each line of code in a diff okay so if I hover over each line I have this comment button and I can add a comment to that line or I can do as it says I can drag for multiple multiple lines so I can comment on uh all of these lines from line three to line six okay I can add a new comment for that entire block that we added or I can add a comment for a single line okay so now I’m going to act as my own reviewer and I’m going to request some changes to line six and I’ll ask myself to add an additional activity to the list of activities that I like to do okay and I can either start a review or just add a comment and since I’m requesting changes I’m going to select start a review okay and it says submit review and I’m going to do that and now that that review has been submitted i should be able to see it on the not only in the diff in the changes tab but i should also be able to see it in the overview tab as part of the activity so if i scroll down now i can see that i started a thread on the diff and i can see the comment that i added here and since i requested changes i as the creator of the merge requests should make those changes those requested changes and then when i’ve done so i would select resolve thread to indicate to the reviewer that i did make those changes so i’m going to go ahead and make the changes that were requested on the readme file and i’m going to make the changes locally and not in the editor and when we make changes locally and we push them after a merge request has already been created for a branch those changes will be automatically associated with the open merge request for my branch so let’s go ahead and navigate back to the terminal and i’m going to open the readme file in vim and in the activities line i’m going to add one more activity okay so i like uh mountain biking tennis and going to the beach all right so i’ll go ahead and save and quit and I’ll do a git status and I’ll add the changes to the staging area and then I’ll do a git commit well actually let me do a get status real quick okay they’re in the staging area and then I’ll do a git commit dash m and I’m going to say adding third activity to readme to project readme all right okay so if I do a git status I have one commit so I’m ahead of the remote branch and it says use git push to publish my changes so I’m going to do that I’m going to say git push without the dash up option because I’ve already created the readme hyphen introduction branch in git lab and you’ll notice in the output of the git push command now it says we get a message from the remote and it says view merge request for readme hyphen introduction so it recognizes that we already have a merge request open for this branch and it specifies which merge requests merge requests number one and then if I navigate back to the GitLab interface we can see automatically in the merge requests the merge request gets automatically updated with the latest commit that was pushed to the readme hyphen introduction branch and in the review that I started on line six git lab recognizes that I modified this line after the review was started and so it adds kind of like a reply to that thread saying that moss changed this line in version two of the diff just now since I made the requested changes I’m going to go ahead and resolve the thread so I’ll select resolve thread and now if I switch roles to the reviewer I would just double check that the changes that I requested were added so I would select version two of the diff and I would review again review line six to make sure uh those changes were added and it looks like they have been so I would go back to the overview page and I would select approve and then I would merge the merge request so I’m going to go ahead and select merge and delete source branch is checked so the readme hyphen introduction branch should be deleted after we select merge and then git lab gives us a confirmation to say that the changes were merged successfully and the source branch was deleted but we do still have the option to cherry pick our change uh into a new merge request or we if we found like a regression for instance after merging we can revert the change which means that it will basically be undoing the merge into the main branch okay so now that we’ve merged our first merge request let’s navigate back to the home page and we’re checked out to the main branch and if i scroll down to review the readme file we can see that now on the main branch the changes that were previously on the readme hyphen introduction branch are now included on the main branch’s version of the of the file but remember that since we’re using the environment branches variation of the gitlab flow when we merge into the main branch the main branch acts as kind of like a pre-production branch or maybe a staging environment so our final destination or the final target branch is the production branch so we need to make a second merge request to merge the main branch now into the production branch so to create that second merge request i’m going to navigate to the merge requests section and i’m going to select new merge request and on this page i have to select the source branch and then the target branch okay our source branch our target branch is listed as main right now but we know that’s not the case our target branch should be the production branch and our source branch should be the main branch so here we’re saying we want to merge main into the production branch okay so i’m going to select compare branches and continue and for the title i’ll provide something similar to the original commit message i’ll just say that we’re updating we updated the readme file with an introduction i’ll leave the description blank and then i will assign it to myself and i will uh also assign myself as a reviewer okay and then i will select create merge request and for this merge request i’m just going to directly approve and merge it but it is important to note that for every merge request that we create between two branches that when a merge request is opened it should trigger automated testing and as changes are promoted up through pre-production branches and they get uh closer to being merged into the production branch the scope of testing broadens at each level so when we have a merge request open from the feature branch into the main branch our scope of testing will likely be smaller than when we’re merging the main branch into the production branch so we’ll go ahead and assume that automated testing was completed when this merge request was opened and i’m going to select approve and then i’m going to select merge and merging these changes into the production branch essentially means that we are cutting a release and to formalize that release what we can do is create a git tag so i’m going to navigate to the repository section and then i’m going to go to tags and currently we don’t have any tags in this repository and i’m going to select new tag to create one and i’m going to use semantic versioning and i’m just going to save v1.0 for the tag name and then we are going to create the tag not from the main branch but from the production branch since it represents our uh our production environment and the tag can optionally have a message associated with it i’m just going to say this is the first release and under the release notes i’ll simply say updated the project read me with uh introduction section okay and then i will select create tag and now that we’ve created this tag it should have also generated a release in the deployment section so if i navigate to deployments and then releases we will see version 1.0 and it gives us the ability to download assets of the source code okay so now we’ve completed the gitlab flow but there is one last step that we need to do and that is to sync our local repository with the remote repository right now the remote repository has commits that the local repository on my machine doesn’t have so we need to do a get pull from the command line to sync the remote repository with our local repository so i’ll navigate to the terminal and in my project i’m going to first do a git status and when i do a git status you’ll notice that i’m currently checked out to the readme hyphen introduction branch and that branch no longer exists in the remote repository it was deleted after we merged the branch into the main branch so what i want to do here is first do a git checkout to the main branch and now that i’m checked out to the main branch i’m going to do a git pull okay and so the get pole worked successfully you’ll notice that it also uh recognized that there was a new tag so it created a new tag in my local repository but if i were to execute the get branch command here you’ll see that the main branch exists but also the readme hyphen introduction branch still exists locally so we need to delete the local version of that branch and to do so we can say git branch dash d readme hyphen introduction and that deleted the local version of the readme branch now that command deleted the local version of the branch but my local repository still thinks that there is a remote branch called readme hyphen introduction so if i do get branch dash dash all it’ll show me not only the local branches but also the remote branches and the remote branches are listed in red and you see here that the readme hyphen introduction branch is still listed and to update this list of remote branches we can pass in an option to the get pull command called dash dash prune and this will prune remote branches from this list so i’m going to say i’m going to hit enter here and in the output it says that it deleted the readme hyphen introduction branch and i’ll run the get branch command again and we can see it’s no longer listed in the local branches or in the remote branches list anymore and there is one last thing that we should do that i forgot about before wrapping up the gitlab flow and that is to close out the original issue that we created in the gitlab project now that we’ve synced the local repository with the remote repository let’s go ahead and close out that issue so i’m going to navigate back to gitlab and then i’ll navigate to the issues section and then list and then i’ll select the issue that i created and then i’m going to indicate in the check box that we completed this subtask which updates the count of tasks completed and once we’ve done that we can go ahead and close this issue so i’m going to select close issue in addition to closing the issue i’m also going to mark it as done and now that we’ve closed the issue that we created for this change to the readme file we’ve come full circle with the gitlab flow so congratulations on completing your first round of the gitlab flow and in the next video we are going to explore the ci cd features of git lab hey what’s up everybody my name is moss and welcome back to this tutorial series on gitlab we have familiarized ourselves with the gitlab interface and are now comfortable using the gitlab flow but we’re still not using some of the most important features the gitlab platform offers in today’s world just about every code base is supported by a continuous integration and continuous delivery slash deployment pipeline let’s take a look at the features related to cicd that gitlab offers for its projects in this video i’m going to show you how to perform ci cd in gitlab let’s review our learning objectives for this module after completing this module you should be able to do the following demonstrate an understanding of how gitlab pipelines integrate with a gitlab project implement gitlab pipelines in your own gitlab projects write a gitlab pipeline that produces artifacts write a gitlab pipeline that caches dependencies write a gitlab pipeline that uses variables and finally describe the anatomy of a gitlab pipeline let’s define some important gitlab cicd terminology the first is a gitlab pipeline a pipeline is a top level component used to define a cicd process for a gitlab project and within a pipeline we can define stages and jobs next we have jobs jobs are associated with stages within a pipeline and they define the actual steps to be executed such as running commands to compile code then we have stages pipeline stages define the chronological order of jobs and finally we have get lab runners gitlab runner is an open source application that executes the instructions defined within jobs it’s a program that can be installed on your local machine a cloud server or on-prem shared runners are hosted by gitlab now that we’ve defined these concepts let’s get started okay so the first thing that i want to do is quickly walk through the code base that we’re going to be using i’ve created this gitlab project called sample maven project and it’s a very simple maven code base and it’s actually based off of a code base that you can automatically generate from a tutorial by maven and if you simply search maven in five minutes in your browser the first link here maven in five minutes has a tutorial where you can generate the same project so under this section creating a project i generated this code base using this command so it creates a project of maven archetype quickstart so let’s take a look at that code base in gitlab if i exit out of the tutorial and then in the root directory of the gitlab project i’ll go into source so we have a pom file and then we have the source directory and in the source directory we have it separated out by the test directory and then the main directory which contains a single a single class called app and inside of the app class it simply prints out hello world to the console and then if i go back to the test directory we have a single test class called app test and if i open that up we have a junit test test class and then a single test case within that test class in this test case asserts true on a condition that is always true so this test case will always pass unless we were to change this condition to false and that’s pretty much all there is to this code base it’s very straightforward so let’s navigate back to the project home page so to define a ci cd pipeline for a gitlab project you need to create a yaml file at the root directory of your project and its name should be dot get lab hyphen ci dot yaml and there’s two ways that you can create that file you can either create it from the drop down here so you could just create a new file and call it dot get lab hyphen ci dot yaml or you can create it from the ci cd section and they have a dedicated section for editing and creating a GitLab pipelines i think that the best method for creating pipelines is using the pipeline editor and I’ll show you why so I’m going to select editor so this will create a pipeline on the main branch and it says create a new dot get lab hyphen ci dot yaml file at the root of the repository to get started and then i can create a new ci cd pipeline by clicking this button so I’m going to select it and on the right hand side we have this help section for getting started with GitLab CI cd I’m going to close this out but before I do I’m going to open up this link for viewing its syntax reference document that GitLab provides I’m just going to open that up in a new tab because we may refer to it later on okay and after I’ve opened that up I’m going to go ahead and collapse that help section and when we open the editor for the first time GitLab automatically fills out this template pipeline definition for a very basic uh pipeline and in the um pipeline definition there’s three stages defined so here’s a stages statement and then under that statement we have a build stage a test stage and then a deploy stage and this isn’t the only pipeline template that GitLab offers you can see up here it says browse templates but if I were to open the pipeline section up in a new tab if i scroll down you can see a list of ci cd templates based on your technology stack or the framework that you’re using and there is a template for just about every technology that you can think of you have go golang templates flutter templates gradle there’s even a maven template for maven projects but we aren’t going to use this template and we also are not going to use the template defined here as well but the pipeline definition that we’ll write is going to be from scratch and it will closely match this structure where we have a build test and deploy stage and under the stages definition they define the jobs and the first job here is the build job and you don’t necessarily have to follow this naming convention you could just call this build if you wanted to but it does make it clear when you add the hyphen job to the statement and then to associate a job with a particular stage we would just use the stage keyword here and then the value would be the name of the stage that we want this job associated with and after associating the job with a particular stage we can then uh specify a shell script that would be executed by the GitLab runner so if I hover over any of these keywords it gives me a definition of the keyword and you can see here for the script it says um these would be shell scripts executed by the GitLab runner and it is the only required property of of jobs so under the script statement they have two echo statements where they’re kind of you know pretending to compile a code base right and then under the build job they’ve defined a unit test job which is associated with the test stage where they run unit tests and then a lint test job that is also associated with the test stage so there are two jobs associated with the test stage and then the last job is the deploy job which is associated with the deploy stage now one thing I want you to notice about using the pipeline editor is at the top it says this GitLab CI configuration is valid so when we use the editor one of the benefits of using the editor is that GitLab while we’re editing the pipeline GitLab is checking and validating the pipeline syntax and the configuration to make sure that it is actually going to run in addition we also get these tabs here the visualize lint and view merged yml tabs if we look at the visualize tab it gives us a graphical version of our pipeline so now you can see that the build job is associated with the build stage the test jobs the unit tests and the lin test jobs are associated with the test stage and the deploy job is uh associated with the deploy stage by default when multiple jobs are associated with a single stage those jobs will be executed in parallel and then on the lin tab it gives us some information on the parameters and properties of our pipeline definition so here it also says that the syntax is correct and the configuration is valid and then for each of the parameters in the pipeline it gives us some properties associated with that parameter so you can see here all of the jobs are listed and then in the value we have these properties also listed under the value so for this first property we have the only policy and its value is branches and tags and this policy is referring to the only keyword that you can use in a pipeline definition so if we take a look at the keyword reference we have only and accept keywords and you can use only an accept with four other keywords references like get references pipeline variables changes and also kubernetes and these keywords control if a job will run in a pipeline because if i use references for instance i can specify specific git references so only run this job when the the get reference matches a particular regular expression so for instance only run this job if it’s a particular branch like the main branch or a feature branch and that can be a regular expression as well so it can be like any branch that starts with a JIRA issue id for instance so going back to that pipeline definition if we take a look at the value here branches and tags this job will run when the get reference for the pipeline is a get branch or a git tag and then below the only policy we have the when keyword and its value is on success and this specifies a conditional the one keyword specifies a conditional so when should you run this job only on success of previous stages so this is only going to run if prior stages have have passed successfully otherwise if a earlier stage has failed this job will not run and this is the default value for this condition so we didn’t have to explicitly set the only keyword or the when keyword in that pipeline definition because this is the default behavior jobs will only run when when prior jobs have passed successfully unless you change that you explicitly change that condition okay and then on the last tab we can uh view the merged yaml file okay so this is just a view-only version of the yaml file without the comments and then I’m going to navigate back to the edit tab okay so let’s start editing this template so that it works for our maven project so i’m going to delete all of these comments here and like i said before our pipeline definition is going to be similar to this one so i am going to keep the stages definition and i also will keep these jobs but i’m going to clean it clean it up a little bit so i’m going to delete the extra echo statement we’ll keep that lint test job and then we’ll keep the unit test job as well so now we can start adding our own stuff to this pipeline definition and the first thing that i want to specify is the docker image that the git lab runners should use when they execute jobs in this pipeline so if your project has dependencies that need to be installed for it to be able to compile the code base and run tests on the code base you can specify a docker image that includes those dependencies and the gitlab runner will use that image to actually execute all of the steps defined within your jobs and to specify the image it’s very simple at the top here i’m going to use the image keyword and then after uh specifying the image keyword we would uh provide a value and that value is going to be the name of the docker image that we want the runner to use and in this case we’re going to use the maven image which includes all the dependencies that we’re going to need in order to uh to compile and test and run our maven project so after specifying uh the maven image name i’m going to specify the version and in this case i’m just going to say latest so i’m going to use the latest docker image for maven so now that we’ve defined the docker image that should be used when running these jobs the next thing that i want to define are variables so we can define pipeline variables inside of our pipeline definition using the variables keyword and what should be our variables for this pipeline definition well we’re going to have two variables the first is going to be called maven cli options and the only option that we’re going to pass to maven is the dash dash batch mode and this will run maven in a non interactive mode so that it won’t prompt interactive mode so that and now that i’ve defined this variable i can reference it in any of the shell scripts that i define in any job in the pipeline definition and i said that there were two variables and the second variable is going to be called maven options okay and we’re only going to pass in one option and that’s the location of the local repo so i’m going to say dash d maven dot repo dot local is equal to and then i’m actually going to reference an environment variable that is known as a predefined environment variable and it’s called ci underscore project directory so we don’t have to explicitly define the value of this environment variable because it’s predefined by gitlab okay so within the project directory we will specify the dot m2 folder and then repository and i think the git lab configuration validator is complaining about a couple of things that i’ve done here if i hover over the yellow squiggly line it says cannot read an implicit mapping pair i think the first thing is this extra quotation mark but also i’ve used tabs here and i think i should be using two spaces so i’m gonna do one two and one two so now that we’ve defined those variables uh the next thing i wanna do is utilize gitlab’s built-in caching feature for uh its pipelines we can actually cache artifacts of a pipeline run to speed up future runs of the pipeline and to do that we simply need to specify the cache keyword and then after using the cache keyword we would then specify the paths within the project that we would like to cache and in our case it’s really important to cache the maven dependencies because otherwise um the maven dependencies will be re-downloaded for each job that runs so below the paths keyword we can specify the path that we want to cache which is going to be dot m2 and then repository okay so now that we’re caching the maven dependencies we can move on to the build job and under the build job i’m going to leave this echo statement but i’m going to add one more shell script and here i’m going to invoke maven with the cli options so i’m going to reference the variable that we defined so maven cli options and then we will use the compile command and that’s all we need for the build job so i’ll scroll down to the unit test job and again i’m going to add one more shell statement and this is going to be maven and then we will use the maven cli options again and then we’ll invoke the test command now one thing that is really cool is that gitlab can actually render junit test reports and all we have to do is generate those test reports as artifacts so under the script statements i’m going to specify the artifacts keyword when we use the artifacts keyword we can specify a path that contains artifacts that we would like to persist beyond uh the the length of the job so after the pipeline has finished any paths that were specified as containing artifacts those items will be persisted after the the pipeline finishes so we can access those artifacts and download them from get lab and in this case we’re storing junit reports so the first thing that i want to specify is when these artifacts should be generated and i’m going to say that they should always be generated and then under the when condition i’m going to specify the reports keyword and under reports i’m going to specify junit okay and under the junit keyword we can specify the path to our junit reports and that’s going to be under the target directory surefire reports test and then any file with test hyphen dot xml okay i’ll also do this for the reports so i’m going to do this okay so now that we’re generating those junit reports as artifacts we should be able to download those reports after the pipeline finishes and then also we will be able to though those reports will be rendered within the gitlab ui so you’ll be able to see what that looks like once we run this pipeline okay so after the unit test job there is the lint test job and it’s not doing anything but i am going to leave this job there so that you can kind of see that the job runs in parallel and then after the lint test job we have the deploy job for the deploy job we won’t actually deploy the application to some remote server what we’ll do is we’ll just use maven package and then we’ll run the application locally so under the echo statement what we’re going to do is invoke maven and we will invoke it with our cli options and we’re going to invoke the package command and finally after invoking package we will run the program using maven and then we’ll invoke we’ll reference the cli options and then we’ll say exec java dash d exec dot main class is equal to com dot my company dot app and then the app class so when this command is ran we should see hello world printed out to the console of the job now the last thing that i want to add to the deploy job is the environment keyword so we’re going to add an environment to the deploy job and it will be the staging environment so this deploy job is going to you know quote unquote deploy our maven application to the station environment and what that is going to do is it’s going to create a deployment under the deployment section in the environments page so we’ll take a look at that after the pipeline has ran other than that i think that’s pretty much everything that we need for this pipeline so all we need to do is uh commit our changes to the file and as soon as we make a new commit the pipeline will run so i’m going to select commit changes and it says that it’s currently checking the pipeline status and in a little bit it should show up with a link to the running pipeline there we have the link to the running pipeline so i’m going to go ahead and select that and open it up in a new tab so when we navigate to the pipeline tab we can see the status of each job in each stage and you can see under the testing stage that both test jobs are currently running in parallel and the build job has already completed uh successfully so now the deploy job has begun now that both of the test jobs have completed successfully and this pipeline run should take a little bit longer because on the first run the cache is empty so we haven’t cached any of the maven dependencies so after this run the pipeline run should be a lot quicker and now it looks like the deploy job has completed successfully so the whole pipeline has completed successfully let’s take a look at each one of these jobs so i’m going to open up the build job in a new link and when we open up a job we get the console output of all of the commands that we defined uh in the uh in the job definition so up at the top we can see that the job begins it’s running with get lab runner and then after that you can see that the gitlab runner is pulling the maven the latest maven docker image so that it can run the the job within that docker image and it’s really convenient next to each of these statements you get the time duration for how long that that particular command took and in the top right you can also see the total duration of the job which was 44 seconds the timeout period is set to one hour and that simply means that if at one hour the job is still running uh that the job will automatically be cancelled because maybe it’s you know the job is hanging for some unknown reason and you don’t want to utilize all of your runner you know resources on a job that’s hanging so if we scroll down further in the console we can see that the runner clones down the code base and then on line 30 it checks the cache for default and it says fatal file does not exist so there is no cache because this is the first run of the pipeline and then on line 36 we can see the first shell statement of our build job where we say we’re compiling the code we invoke maven compile with the cli options and then starting at line 44 you can see where maven begins downloading all of the maven dependencies so what i’m going to do is i’m going to scroll down below where it’s downloading those dependencies and after it downloads the dependencies it uh compiles the module and we can see that it was a successful build and it took a total of eight seconds and since the job was successful you can see it line 393 it’s saving a new cache and on uh 395 we can see that it caches the dot m2 repository directory and then it uploads that zip file to essentially back to gitlab so now that we’ve seen the build job let’s take a look at the test job not the lint test job but the unit test job so i’ll open that in a new tab and here if i scroll up to the top i’m going to use this button to scroll to the top we can see roughly the same output as we did in the build job where it’s um you know preparing the maven docker image to execute our maven commands on so starting on line 36 we can see where our unit test job begins and then we invoke uh maven with our cli options and then the test command okay and then it downloads the necessary uh dependencies and if i scroll down below that we can see where the tests actually get executed and one test ran and there were zero failures so we get a successful build and then below that you can see here it saves the cache for the successful job and we can see that it’s caching the m2 repository directory now below the cache creation starting at line 211 you can see where it’s uploading the artifacts that we created and the artifacts that we generated and remember in the pipeline definition were theJUnit test reports and it identifies the surefire reports directory on line 211 there were no fail-safe reports so it says that there were no matching files there but it did find uh one matching file for the surefire test reports and it uploaded those artifacts as a JUnit test report so we’ll take a look at those test reports in a little bit but first I’m going to go back to the pipeline and let’s open up the deploy job and let’s quickly walk through the deploy job as well so I’m going to scroll up using the scroll to top button and then again we have a very similar you know output as we did in the previous jobs it clones down the code base uh it recognizes that there is a cache and it downloads that cache and it extracts it and then the uh maven package command is invoked so it then downloads the necessary dependencies and if I scroll down you can see it’s running running the tests again and then if I scroll further it packages the program as a jar file and then it runs the exec command on the main class okay and then it downloads uh more dependencies and then if I scroll down to the bottom you can see where on line 250 it actually runs uh the app class and it prints to the console hello world and then finally on line 258 you can see that it creates a new cache okay and then the job finishes so now that we’ve looked at the job output let’s navigate back to the pipeline tab and on the pipeline tab we can see several tabs here the pipeline the overall graphical view of the pipeline but then we also have this test tab and we can see that there is one test so if I open this test tab we can get a summary of the tests that pass and this is generated from the JUunit reports and it shows us which jobs are associated with those tests and if I wanted to download these test reports I could simply go back to the pipelines page which will show me a list of all the pipelines that have ran and you can see the pipeline that we just ran over here on the right it shows me uh an artifacts drop down and I can actually download artifacts that were generated by the pipeline and in this case there was only one set of artifacts which uh which was the JUnit test reports and in addition to the artifacts I also specified an environment in the deploy job and that should have showed up under the deployment so if I go to deployments and then environments we can see that there is one environment the staging environment and there is one deployment to the staging environment and it shows the job associated with that deployment and the commit as well if I wanted to see a list of all of the jobs that have ran I can go back to the CI/CD section and select jobs and this will show me a list of all of the jobs that have ran in the past you’ll also notice that under the jobs section we can create schedules for our pipeline so if I select new schedule I can specify an interval uh pattern or a cron pattern to run our pipeline uh maybe like every uh every day or every week so that’s also a useful feature that we can use for our GitLab pipelines now a few more things that I’d like to show you are in the settings so if I go to settings and then CI/CD we can update various settings related to our pipeline so if I expand the general pipeline configuration I can actually specify a custom path for the pipeline definition within the project I can also change the timeout period for jobs that fail if they run longer than the timeout period and then below the general settings if I collapse this you have auto DevOps and if you turn this on GitLab will attempt to like automatically set up a pipeline based off of your project’s technology like whether it’s a maven project or you know a going project or something like that under auto DevOps we can configure GitLab runners and right now I’ve been using shared runners which are hosted by GitLab and under shared runners I can see all of the runners that are available to me that I can use however if I didn’t want to use shared runners and instead I wanted to host the GitLab runner program on my own infrastructure I could register my own runners with this GitLab project so that in the pipeline definition I can assign jobs to those runners that are hosted on my infrastructure and then under the runners configuration we can also define pipeline variables at the project level uh here as well so if I expand uh the variables section now i can create new variables and these variables that i uh create can be protected and masked so protected variables can only be exposed to protected branches or tags and then masked variables are hidden in job logs and this is useful in the event that you have um environment variables that would be passwords so for instance if you’re trying to upload um an artifact to artifactory and you need to authenticate with your artifactory instance you would need the username and password for the artifactory user in that case you can use a masked variable for the artifactory password so if i were to select add variable i can specify the key of the variable like r to factory password and then the value of the password and i can specify the type and the environment scope and i can protect it and then i can also mask the variable as well if i added that variable you can see that the value here is um is not visible but if i need to i can still reveal the value using this button and the last thing that i’d like to mention are pipeline triggers so you can trigger a pipeline for a branch or a tag by using a trigger token so a use case a sample use case for this might be if you wanted to trigger a pipeline to run via a slack command so if you you know had a slack bot you can provide the token to the slackbot so that the slackbot can communicate with the gitlab api and trigger this pipeline to run so i’m going to navigate back to the cicd pipeline section and i think that wraps up everything that i wanted to cover in this particular module so i hope you enjoyed this video and i will see you in the next hey what’s up everybody my name is moss and welcome back to this tutorial series on gitlab we’ve introduced you to gitlab pipelines but you may be in a situation where your team is already using jenkins pipelines to facilitate ci cd this means that you already have pipelines defined and you need to convert those jenkins pipelines into their gitlab pipeline equivalent while taking advantage of gitlab’s most useful ci cd features before migrating any of your pipelines you’ll need to understand some key differences in how these tools facilitate ci cd in this video i’ll show you how to migrate to gitlab ci cd from jenkins pipelines let’s quickly review our learning objectives after completing this video you should be able to do the following explain the differences between jenkins pipelines and gitlab cicd migrate your own jenkins pipelines to gitlab pipelines and use gitlab pipelines to run tests on the lambda test selenium automation grid there are a couple of prerequisites that you will need before starting the tutorial the first is familiarity with jenkins pipelines and terminology you will also need a lambdatest account let’s begin the tutorial by performing a comparison of terminology and concepts between the two tools we will define a mapping of terms between declarative jenkins pipelines and gitlab cicd we will refer to jenkins terms and draw a mapping from that term to its equivalent in gitlab the first is the agent section of a jenkins pipeline this section of the pipeline specifies which jenkins agents should execute the pipeline in git lab we use what are known as git lab runners which execute jobs in a gitlab pipeline jenkins agents and get lab runners do have differences but they serve very similar roles in their respective tools both are software applications that execute tasks defined in a pipeline next is the jenkins stages section jenkins and gitlab share the concept of stages in their pipelines in both tools stages define the chronological order of a pipeline execution however in gitlab stages are enumerated in a list at the top of the pipeline definition we then have the steps section of a jenkins pipeline the steps section of a jenkins pipeline allows you to define commands to be executed by the jenkins agent in gitlab we can use the equivalent script section in a gitlab pipeline there are two important jenkins directives which you have likely used in the past the first is the environment directive this jenkins directive will allow you to define environment variables that will be available during pipeline runtime the variables keyword in gitlab provides equivalent functionality as the jenkins environment directive the last one is the jenkins tools directive this jenkins directive allows you to install tools that are necessary to execute the pipeline steps however there is no equivalent in gitlab for the tools directive and instead git lab recommends using pre-built docker container images now that we’ve defined this mapping between the tools let’s move on to the next part of the tutorial okay so the first thing that I want to do is walk through the code base that we’re going to be using and once we’ve reviewed the code base then we’ll walk through the Jenkins pipeline that tests this code base and after walking through the Jenkins pipeline code we’ll then write an equivalent GitLab pipeline together this will demonstrate a simple migration from a Jenkins pipeline to a GitLab pipeline but hopefully it will highlight some of the key differences that i mentioned during the presentation in the pipeline that we write we’ll utilize the lambda test selenium automation grid in order to execute the tests that are defined in this codebase so let’s start walking through the code
base I’m in git lab and I’m currently inside of the project which is called automation demo automation demo is a maven project that utilizes test ng as its testing framework and what you’ll notice under the source directory is that there is only a test directory there is no main directory and that’s because there’s no application for this code base this is just a test class this code base contains only a single java test class and it’s testing a website a public website out on the internet so let’s navigate into the test directory and take a look at the test class so we have a single test class called automation demo test dot java so I’ll open up that file and in this test class we have three methods the first is the test setup method and then we have a single test method called test element addition and then we have a teardown method so the test setup method is parameterized and it runs before our single test method the first thing that the test setup method does is set the desired capabilities and the capabilities are parameterized so the we get these uh parameters from the testing configuration xml configuration and after setting the desired capabilities it then generates a new remote web driver and it uses the lambda test hub URL now these capabilities are parameterized but if you wanted to you could actually use the capabilities generator that is provided by LambdaTest to automatically generate this code that sets the desired capabilities I have the capabilities generator already pulled up in a tab but you can google search lambda test capabilities generator and it should pull up as the first result you can see here the capabilities generator right here so I’ll navigate to this page and from here I can select which language I want the capabilities to be generated in in our case it would be java and then I can select selenium or selenium and then I could just copy this code into my test class so I’ll navigate back to the test class and under where the capabilities are defined you can see that it creates a new remote web driver and here it lists the hub URL and it concatenates it using the username and access key variables which are defined up here so my username for my lambda test account is tech with moss and then I have my account access key defined as an environment variable which is called uh lt underscore access under underscore token now you might be wondering where does this hub URL come from and we can actually retrieve the full URL which includes the username and access key from the capabilities generator so if I navigate back to the generator you can see in the right hand side here access key if I click that we have the username the access key and then we have the full hub URL which includes username and access key and i could copy that to my clipboard and I could also use that here with everything hard coded and once the test setup method completes we then run this single test method called test element edition which connects to using the driver connects to this test URL and the test URL is just to do mvc.com so if I were to navigate to this URL let’s open it up in a new tab it’s a very simple to do uh to-do list application so if I just say to do one and hit enter it adds this as an item in a to-do list and then i can check each item and mark it as completed and i can clear those items okay so if i scroll back to our test method after connecting to the test url the test method then adds five items to the to-do list so you can see here in the in the for loop it adds uh five items and then after it adds those items it iterates over that list and for each item it marks it as complete and then deletes that item from the list and once our test method completes the teardown method is called and it quits the driver okay so now that we’ve walked through the test class let’s navigate back to the repository and real quickly i want to show the test ng xml file so that we can see how our tests are configured and inside of our xml file you can see that there are three test scenarios defined in the first test scenario we’re using chrome on windows and in the second scenario we’re using firefox on windows and then in the last one we’re using microsoft edge on mac os so now let’s navigate back to the repository and you can see in the repository I have a Jenkins file defined a Jenkins pipeline so let’s take a look at this Jenkins pipeline so this is a pretty simple pipeline it has a single stage called the test stage and it begins by specifying that it can run on any available Jenkins agent and then after the agent section it then defines an environment section and in the environment section we define two environment variables lambda test underscore username which is my my lambda test account username and then maven cli options okay and we run it in batch mode and then we specify the testing configuration xml file and inside of the test stage we have the steps section and inside of steps we invoke the pipeline maven integration plugin using the with maven statement and with that invocation we specify the maven installation and we also specify some additional options in this case we specify the JUnit publisher so this is also using the JUnit Jenkins plugin in order to publish JUnit reports visually in the Jenkins UI and inside of the with maven statement we invoke with credentials and specify some Jenkins credentials called lambda tests access token so I created a Jenkins credential to store my lambda test account access token and we’re making that access token value available as an environment variable called lt underscore access underscore token so now in the innermost statement we invoke shell and call maven with our maven cli options and then the test command and if i navigate to jenkins i actually ran this pipeline already if i take a look at the console output you can see where it invokes the pipeline maven integration plugin it masks the environment variable lt access token and then it calls maven with those cli options and the test command and if i scroll down we can see where the tests begin and you can see it makes a connection to the remote web driver and it runs those tests on the lambda test selenium automation grid and finishes successfully after the build finishes you can see where the pipeline maven integration plugin then publishes the junit reports and if we navigate back to the build page you can see here that we can review the test results of the pipeline so if i navigate into the test class we have the same test method but it was executed three times for each of our test scenarios and if i navigate to the pipeline page we also get the test result trend graph here as well in this case we only have one one result okay so now let’s navigate back to git lab and we’ve walked through the jenkins pipeline so now let’s write an equivalent gitlab pipeline so from here i’m going to navigate to the ci cd section of the repository and we’ll open up the pipeline editor so i’m going to open this up in a new tab then i’ll select create new ci cd pipeline and we’ll start with this basic template but we are going to delete the majority of it so we’ll only have one stage so i’m going to go ahead and delete these comments and i’ll leave only the test stage so i’ll delete the build stage the deploy stage okay and we’ll leave one uh test job okay now when the gitlab runner executes this test job it’s going to invoke maven commands so maven needs to be available somehow to the get lab runner and in the case of jenkins i installed maven on the jenkins controller node so when we invoked the pipeline maven integration plugin we were able to reference a specific maven installation that the plug-in could use to execute maven commands but as i mentioned in the presentation gitlab recommends using pre-built docker container images that have all of your dependencies already installed on the image and we can specify a docker image in a pipeline that a gitlab runner should use to execute the script section of a particular job and not only that we can specify default images at the top level of the pipeline but we can also specify docker images per job in the pipeline so if a particular job needs to utilize a specific docker image we can also specify those images under a job definition within the pipeline and that will override any of the images that are defined as the default images in the top level of the pipeline in our case we’re going to use the default image throughout the whole pipeline and to define an image we use the image keyword and then we specify the name of the image as well as the tag in this case we’re going to use the maven image and we’ll use the latest version of the maven image now after specifying the docker image we need to replicate the environment directive in our jenkins pipeline so if we go back to the jenkins pipeline we have this environment directive where we define two variables the username and then the maven cli options so we need to replicate that in our pipeline and to do that we can use the variables keyword so following the image definition i will use the variables keyword and under variables we’ll first define the username environment variable and after the username variable we have maven cli options and here we’re just going to specify batch mode so it will run maven in a non-interactive mode so that it doesn’t prompt the user for input and then we will specify the testng xml file and finally we’ll specify a maven options variable and here we’re going to specify the local repo is equal to and then i’m going to use a predefined environment variable ci underscore project directory dot m2 and then repository and similar to the last video we need to cache the dependencies that maven downloads when running maven commands so that when the pipeline runs it’s running in a fresh environment we don’t want it to re-download all of the maven dependencies so we want to make sure that we cache that and that is a difference between the gitlab pipeline in the jenkins pipeline the jenkins pipeline is a shared workspace that’s going to exist between pipeline runs unless we explicitly tell it to utilize a fresh a fresh workspace so below the variables section i’m going to use the cache keyword and below cache i’ll specify the file paths that i want to cache so i’m going to use the paths keyword and below paths i will specify dot m2 and then repository okay so now that we’re caching the maven dependencies let’s move to the test job and i’m going to remove these scripts i’ll also remove these comments and under the script section we’re going to invoke maven so here i’ll say maven and then dollar sign and we’ll reference our environment variable maven cli options and then the test command so that’s everything that we need for the script section but we do also want to produce junit reports as well and we can generate those reports using the artifacts keyword so below the script section i’m going to use the artifacts keyword and then under artifacts we’ll first specify the when condition when these artifacts should be produced and we’re going to say always and under the when condition we’ll specify what kind of artifact and this will be reports and under reports we’ll specify junit as the type of report and finally under the junit keyword we would specify the path to our surefire reports so i’m going to say target and then surefire reports and then test hyphen then asterisk and then dot xml and that’s pretty much all we need inside of the pipeline definition but we are missing one environment variable and that is the lambda test access token environment variable so in jenkins we save that value as a jenkins credential and then in the jenkins pipeline we invoked the with credentials function to use the access token as an environment variable in the case of git lab we can define those kinds of environment variables that shouldn’t be you know checked into version control in the settings of the repository and then under the ci cd section so let’s go ahead and open that up and from here let’s expand the variables section and i’ll select add variable and we’ll call it uh lt underscore access token and to retrieve the value i’ll navigate back to the lambda test capabilities generator and i’ll select access key and then i’m going to copy the access key value to my clipboard okay and i’ll navigate back to gitlab and we’ll paste that value in and this is of type variable and we’ll keep the environment scope the same it’s protected but we also want this variable masked as well and masking this variable means that it will be it won’t its value won’t be revealed in the pipeline job logs so i’ll go ahead and select add variable and you can see in the ui that the value of the variable isn’t revealed okay so now let’s navigate back to the pipeline editor and there’s one thing that i’d like to point out that is a really important difference between gitlab pipelines and jenkins pipelines so in gitlab if we were to have multiple stages for instance before the test stage let’s say we had a build stage where we compiled code the the compiled program would be an artifact that would be used during the test stage however each of the jobs that are ran in uh their respective stages are being ran in a fresh environment it’s not a shared workspace so the uh the compiled program that was generated during the build stage would not be available to jobs in the test stage so if artifacts are produced in a particular stage that a downstream stage are dependent on then what we need to do is use the artifacts keyword to specify those artifacts that were produced in the upstream stage what happens when we use the artifacts keyword is the artifacts that we specify are uploaded to gitlab by the gitlab runner and by default those artifacts are downloaded by downstream jobs so this default behavior is different than in jenkins pipelines where in a jenkins pipeline you have a jenkins agent running all stages of the pipeline in a shared workspace unless we explicitly state in the pipeline to use different jenkins agents for each of the pipeline stages and there is a nice example of the artifacts keyword usage in the gitlab documentation that i’d like to quickly show so if we google search artifacts gitlab keyword and i’ll select the artifacts keyword if i scroll down to this code snippet you can see part of a pipeline definition here and we have four pipeline jobs defined we have two build jobs for two different platforms and two test jobs for each of those platforms so for the osx build it produces a set of binaries and you can see here how the artifacts keyword is used under artifacts they specify paths to produces artifacts and then the binaries directory and we have the same definition for the linux platform build as well and then if we take a look at the test jobs what you’ll notice is this dependencies keyword so the default behavior is all artifacts that were produced in previous upstream stages will automatically be downloaded by a job so for instance in the deploy stage here this is going to download all of the artifacts that were previously produced however if a job only needs a subset of artifacts that were produced in prior stages then what you can do is specify the dependencies keyword and so in the case of testing the osx platform all we need are the binaries from the osx build job so under the dependencies keyword we specify the uh the job name that produced those artifacts and you can see that the same thing happens for the test job for the linux platform the dependencies uh that are specified here are the artifacts from the build job for the linux platform so i did want to quickly detour because i do think this is a very important difference between jenkins pipelines and gitlab pipelines and it’s a use case that you’ll likely run into if you’re if you need to you know compile your application and even if you didn’t have to compile your application you’re likely producing artifacts in an upstream stage that need to be shared with downstream uh stages so let’s navigate back to our gitlab pipeline and i’ll remove this build sage since we won’t be using that and let’s quickly do a side-by-side comparison of our gitlab pipeline in our jenkins pipeline just to make sure that we’ve covered everything that was defined in the jenkins pipeline so i’ll pull this jenkins pipeline out into a new window okay so starting from the top we have the top level pipeline definition then we have uh agent any so this can run on any jenkins agent uh here we don’t have an agent section we’re just specifying the image that should be used by the gitlab runner when executing the commands defined in our script section and then for the environment directive in our jenkins pipeline we have the equivalent of variables keyword to define our environment variables in the pipeline in the jenkins pipeline we don’t need to specify the maven options variable we’re using the pipeline maven integration plugin here and then we also have the cache statement in our gitlab pipeline which we don’t have to specify in the jenkins pipeline because it’s using you know a shared workspace across the whole pipeline in between pipeline runs so unless we clear that workspace we won’t have to re-download the maven dependencies every time we run the jenkins pipeline so in gitlab we do need to specify the cache keyword so that we’re not re-downloading those maven dependencies on each run then we have the stages definition in our jenkins pipeline with just the single test stage here we have the stages definition and then a single test job that is associated with the test stage and then in the step section we invoke with maven and we specify the maven installation that we want to use and we say that we want to also utilize the junit publisher and then we invoke the with credentials function to specify the access token credentials as an environment variable and here in the gitlab pipeline since we’re using the docker image the maven docker image we don’t have to specify um you know with maven or anything like that or a maven installation this is going to be ran inside of the maven uh docker container so here we invoke uh the maven test command with our cli options and finally we produce the artifacts from the test job which in this case are junit test reports here we’re specifying the junit publisher using the pipeline maven integration plugin now i do want to mention that i wrote this jenkins pipeline this way because we are using a maven project and since we’re using a maven project it’s best to use the pipeline maven integration plug-in but even without the plug-in we could still do the same thing that we’re doing here for our maven project and i have an alternate version of the pipeline in this repository as well so it’s called jenkinsfile old and if we open this up the first difference that you’ll see between the two Jenkins pipelines is that here I’m using the tools directive to specify a maven insulation and a jdk and I’m also specifying the maven options environment variable as well so I guess you could say this is a more generic version of the pipeline because maybe your your tool dependency isn’t maven or the JDK maybe your tool dependency is that you know Python 2.7 or Python 3 is installed for you to be able to run the steps in the Jenkins pipeline and if you recall from the presentation GitLab does not have an equivalent for this tools directive where we can specify tools that should be installed or present on the Jenkins agent that is executing the steps defined in the pipeline instead in GitLab we’re using docker images to to perform the same role as the tools directive and that gives us somewhat similar functionality to the image keyword in our GitLab pipeline and to show an example if I search for docker uh pipeline plugin and then cloud ps they actually have an article that specifies how you can run a docker image kind of the same way you run it here you can see we’re invoking docker.image we’re specifying the image name in a version and then inside of this block we download the source code and then we execute maven so this is happening within the docker container similar to how this script is being executed inside of a docker container so this is another alternative method to writing our Jenkins pipeline but it does require the the docker pipeline plugin to be present on the Jenkins instance and I think that’s what I like about GitLab in this case even though it’s it’s great that Jenkins is an extensible tool in the case of GitLab none of this functionality is provided through plugins it’s just there by default okay so let’s go ahead and commit our GitLab pipeline I’m going to exit out of these windows and we will commit these changes which should trigger a pipeline to automatically run so we should see it pop up here in a second and you can see that a pipeline is now running so I can select view pipeline and we have the test job running so I’ll go ahead and open up the test job and let’s see where where it’s at okay so it looks like the job has downloaded the maven dependencies and then it started the tests and you can see down here that it began a session with the remote web driver to execute the tests and three tests ran and there were zero failures so there was a successful build and then it creates the cache and then it also uploads artifacts which in this case are the surefire the JUnit test reports and in the first run of the pipeline we would expect to see the download of maven dependencies but in future runs of the pipeline those dependencies should be cached so they won’t be redownloaded so I’ll navigate to the pipelines section and the first thing that I’d like to point out from the pipeline page is next to our our pipeline we have this artifacts drop down here where we can download the artifacts that were generated from the pipeline in this case we just have the JUnit test reports if I navigate into the pipeline we have the visual graphical view of the pipeline execution but under the tests section we can also uh see the results of the test execution in the pipeline so we have a 100 success rate we can see which jobs uh executed tests if I go into the test job it tells us the test class name as well as the name of the test and then the status of that test and how long that test or the duration of that particular test now this test uses the lambda test selenium automation grid as the remote web driver so if we navigate to our lambda test account we should be able to see the results of the tests and the test scenarios in our lambda test account and the results of those tests are recorded and we can access those recordings from the left-hand menu here if i select automation it’ll take us to the automation page where we can view a timeline of test results so I’ll click on the most recent here and from the automation logs tab we can view the results of each of our test scenarios we had three test scenarios defined one for windows 10 on Firefox version 93 one for windows 10 on chrome version 94 and then the final one is Mac OS and then that’s on running on Microsoft edge version 94. so for each of these test scenarios we can view the recording of that scenario so if I select play we can see the website that we’re connecting to in our tests and then it adds five items to the to-do list and once those five items are added it begins checking them off and marking them as completed which clears the item from the list okay and then that concludes the test scenario and i won’t go through each one but you can see in each of the test scenarios we have the test scenario successfully completing the the test defined in our test class and for each of these scenarios we can use the tabs up here to dive deeper into the details of the test scenario execution in the event that maybe the scenario failed and we had to perform uh debugging then we can explore all the details of the scenarios of the scenario from these tabs so I’m going to navigate back to our GitLab project and I think that wraps up everything that I wanted to cover so I hope you enjoyed this video and I will see you in the next one hey what’s up everybody my name is moss and welcome back to this tutorial series on git lab in the last video we discussed the differences between Jenkins and GitLab CI and I walked you through a sample migration from a Jenkins pipeline to a GitLab pipeline in this video I’m going to introduce you to some additional features of GitLab pipelines we are going to cover the packaging and releasing features of git lab let’s review our learning objectives for this module after completing this module you should be able to do the following deploy artifacts from a GitLab pipeline to the GitLab package registry describe git lab releases describe the GitLab package container and infrastructure registries a software release in a GitLab project may include the following generic software packages generated from GitLab pipeline job artifacts such as platform specific binaries release notes release evidence that includes everything associated with the release such as issues milestones or test reports and by default a snapshot of the gitlab project’s source code now let’s talk about the registries available in gitlab starting with the package registry the gitlab package registry allows you to use gitlab as a public or private software package registry and the registry supports a number of package managers you can publish and share software packages to the registry and these packages can be published from within a cicd pipeline packages are associated to a gitlab project and groups that project is added to the gitlab container registry is a private container registry for publishing and consuming container images and every gitlab project has its own container registry the container images in the registry are associated with a gitlab project and any groups that project has been added to you can utilize container images stored in the registry from a gitlab pipeline you can also build and publish container images to the registry from a gitlab pipeline lastly we have the infrastructure registry which supports publishing and sharing of terraform modules each gitlab project has an infrastructure registry and you can build and publish a terraform module from a gitlab pipeline now that we’ve defined releases and the available registries in Gitlab let’s get started okay so the first thing that i’d like to do is quickly walk through the code base that we’re going to be using today and once we’ve done that we’ll then write a gitlab pipeline for our code base i’m currently logged into git lab and i’m inside of the test pipeline project the test pipeline code base should be pretty familiar to you if you’ve been following this series it’s a maven project that was generated using the quick start maven archetype if we take a look at the source directory it has a single app.java class and it simply prints out hello world to the console okay and then it has one matching test class as well but what’s more relevant to review in this video is the ci underscore settings.xml file and the palm.xml file because inside of these files we have configurations that are going to be used by the Gitlab pipeline that we write the ci underscore settings.xml file is used as our maven settings.xml file so let’s quickly take a look at the settings and inside of our settings we define a server configuration with an id of gitlab hyphen maven and then we also define a property with the name job hyphen token and its value actually references a predefined gitlab environment variable so this is how we would reference a gitlab environment variable from within a file and this variable is called ci underscore job underscore token this predefined environment variable is one of several ways that we can authenticate with the get lab package registry if we want to authenticate with the gitlab package registry from within a gitlab pipeline then we would want to use the CI job token to do that however if we want to authenticate uh with the package registry outside of a Gitlab pipeline so we’re authenticating from a Jenkins pipeline or even from our local machine what we would want to use is either a personal access token a gitlab personal access token that we generated for our account and that has to have the scope of api access or we need a deploy token that’s generated from our GitLab project and the value of either the deploy token or the personal access token has to be used in place of the CI job token since we’re authenticating from outside of a GitLab pipeline but in our case we are going to write a GitLab pipeline so I’m going to use the ci underscore job underscore token environment variable to authenticate with the package registry so that we can deploy a maven package to the projects registry and one thing that I’d like to point out before we move on is that this code base will be made available to you okay so now let’s take a look at the pom.xml file inside of the palm.xml file I modified the version tag and again I’m referencing a predefined GitLab environment variable called ci underscore commit underscore tag so when we write the GitLab pipeline we’re going to configure the pipeline to run anytime a Git tag is pushed or created in our GitLab project so the pipeline is going to reference the environment variable and so will the palm.xml file when it generates a snapshot the other thing that was modified in this pom.xml file is the repositories tag so we added a repositories tag and it specifies the GitLab maven package registry url and to form the package registry url we use GitLab predefined environment variables again and in this case you can see the first environment variable that’s reference is ci underscore api underscore v4 underscore url so this is going to be the api url for git lab followed by projects followed by the next predefined environment variable which is our GitLab project’s id ci underscore project underscore id and then we specify packages and then maven okay so now that we’ve reviewed the palm.xml file and the ci underscore settings.xml file we can start writing a GitLab pipeline that deploys this this maven codebase as a maven package to this GitLab project’s package registry so what I’m going to do now is navigate to the pipeline editor so under CI/CD I’ll select editor and then I’m going to select create new ci cd pipeline okay and the first thing that I want to do is delete all of the stuff that we don’t need in this pipeline template so I’ll delete the comments and then I’m going to delete the build and test stage and just leave the deploy stage so I’ll remove all of the jobs associated with the test and build stage so we only have the deploy stage and the single deploy job now in this case since we’re just demonstrating the uh the package registry feature in GitLlab I’m removing the build and test stage but of course in a production and pipeline you’d want to keep the build and test stage in addition to the deploy stage and after removing those stages I’m going to define the docker image that the deploy job should use when executing these steps inside of the deploy job so at the top of the pipeline definition I’m going to specify the image keyword and then I’m going to specify the maven image and the latest version of the maven image the next thing that I want to do is define the relevant pipeline variables so under stages I’m going to define the variables keyword and under variables we are going to have a single variable called maven underscore options and this is going to specify our local repo so d maven repo local and then dollar sign CI underscore project underscore directory so this is a predefined environment variable that we can use and then the dot m2 repository and after defining the variables I’m going to use a keyword that we haven’t used in previous videos and that is the workflow keyword the workflow keyword is used to control the behavior of the pipeline and under the workflow keyword we can specify the rules keyword um and rules essentially uh create conditions on which the pipeline will either be ran or not ran and in our case we’re going to define a single rule so under the rules keyword I’m going to put hyphen and then I’ll put the conditional if statement and then I’m going to put dollar sign ci underscore commit underscore tag so what this rule is saying is that this pipeline will run if it was triggered by the creation of a Git tag either a Git tag was pushed to the project or we created a Git tag manually from the repository section and then the tags page now after specifying the workflow rules we will create a cache using the cache keyword so under workflow i’m going to use the cache keyword and we’ll specify paths and we’ll specify one path which will be dot m2 repository and then the final thing that we need to do is actually invoke maven in the deploy job so in the deploy job i’m going to remove this first statement here and we are going to invoke maven and then we’ll say maven deploy and then specify the settings file using s ci underscore settings dot xml and then I’ll also remove these comments here so if I wrote this pipeline correctly it should publish the maven package to this gitlab project’s package registry and it says that this is a valid gitlab ci configuration so let’s go ahead and commit this pipeline and then see if it runs successfully so i’m going to navigate down here and i’ll select commit changes and based on the workflow keyword this shouldn’t run automatically until we’ve created a new tag in the repository so let’s navigate to the pipelines page and you can see that no pipeline has started yet so i’m going to navigate to the repository section and then to the tags page and from here i’m going to select new tag and we’ll give the tag name version 1.0.0 and we’ll create it from the main branch i’ll leave the message blank and release notes blank for now and then i’ll select create tag okay so that created a new git tag and if i navigate back to ci cd and then pipelines that triggered a new pipeline job so i’m going to open up that pipeline job and we have the single deploy job so i’m going to open up the deploy job and let’s take a look at the output okay so it looks like the pipeline completed successfully and if we take a look at the output i won’t go through all of the output but starting at line 614 we can see where maven deploy started and on line 617 we can see where it started uploading the maven package to the url that we specified in the palm.xml file and you can see in the url how it expanded the predefined environment variables like the api url for GitLab as well as the GitLab project id right here and then also the the tag version name as well so it appears that it successfully uploaded our maven package to this project’s package registry and to verify that let’s go to the packages and registries section and then I’m going to navigate to the package registry page and from this page you can see that we have one package available and it’s associated with the v 1.0.0 tag and it’s a maven package so if I were to open that the package up we can see all the details related to this maven package so on this page it provides a history of the package and it also shows me how to add this package as a dependency in a downstream project and also how to set up this registry this GitLab projects registry in my palm.xml file and then i can also access the files associated with this maven package so that’s pretty much all I had for this video I hope you enjoyed it and I will see you in the next series if you’d like to learn more be sure to follow our blog at lambdatest.com forward slash blog as well as our LambdaTest community at community.lambdatest.com you can also earn resume worthy LambdaTest Selenium Certifications at lambdatest.com forward slash certifications you
Affiliate Disclosure: This blog may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you click on the link and make a purchase. This comes at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers. Your support helps keep this blog running and allows me to continue providing you with quality content. Thank you for your support!
The provided texts are tutorials focused on image editing techniques within the free, open-source software GIMP and darktable. They cover fundamental adjustments like color balance, exposure, and contrast, often contrasting the approaches for JPEG and RAW files. More advanced methods such as layer masks, dodging and burning, sharpening, selections, compositing, creating special effects like double exposures and vignettes, and fixing common issues like overexposure are also explored. The tutorials guide users through specific projects, offering practical application of these editing tools and concepts.
GIMP & Darktable Study Guide
Quiz
Explain the purpose of the Curves tool in GIMP.
Describe two methods for zooming in and out of an image in GIMP.
What is the function of the Healing tool in GIMP, and how is a source point selected?
Why is it generally recommended to duplicate the background layer before editing in GIMP?
Explain the concept of non-destructive editing and how it can be achieved in GIMP using layers.
Briefly describe the difference between a pixel layer and a text layer in GIMP.
What is Darktable, and what is its primary function in a photo editing workflow alongside GIMP?
Explain the purpose of the histogram in Darktable during the editing process.
Describe the function of dodging and burning in photo editing.
What is the main difference between sharpening an image for online use versus preparing it for a large print?
Quiz Answer Key
The Curves tool in GIMP allows for precise adjustments to the tonal range of an image, affecting highlights, shadows, and midtones. It can be used to increase contrast, correct exposure issues, and create various artistic effects by manipulating a curve representing the image’s tonal values.
Two methods for zooming in and out in GIMP are using the Zoom tool (activated by the ‘Z’ key) to click or drag around an area to zoom in, and using the Control (PC) or Command (Mac) key while clicking with any tool to zoom out. Alternatively, the zoom controls can be found in the View menu or the Tool Options panel when the Zoom tool is selected.
The Healing tool in GIMP is used to repair imperfections in an image, such as blemishes or stray hairs, by replacing the selected area with pixel information from a designated source area. A source point is selected by holding down the Control (PC) or Command (Mac) key and clicking on an area with desirable texture and color.
Duplicating the background layer in GIMP allows for non-destructive editing. By working on a copy, the original image data remains untouched, providing the flexibility to revert to the original or adjust the edits on the duplicated layer without permanently altering the base image.
Non-destructive editing is a method of making changes to an image without overwriting the original data, allowing for flexibility and reversibility. In GIMP, this is primarily achieved through the use of layers, where edits are applied to separate layers, leaving the underlying original image intact. Adjusting layer opacity or blending modes are examples of non-destructive techniques.
A pixel layer in GIMP is a standard layer that contains image data made up of individual pixels, and it’s where most direct image manipulations like painting and retouching occur. A text layer, on the other hand, contains editable text elements. Text layers have a special icon in the Layers panel and can be modified using the Text tool to change the content, font, size, and color until they are rasterized into a pixel layer.
Darktable is a free and open-source raw image processing software that works in conjunction with GIMP. Its primary function is to handle the initial processing and adjustments of raw camera files, similar to Adobe Lightroom or Camera Raw, before further detailed editing in a pixel-based editor like GIMP.
The histogram in Darktable is a graphical representation of the tonal distribution in an image, showing the frequency of different brightness levels from black to white. It helps photographers assess the exposure of an image, identify areas of over or underexposure (clipping), and guide adjustments to the tonal range, such as setting white and black points.
Dodging and burning are traditional darkroom techniques used in digital editing to selectively lighten (dodge) or darken (burn) specific areas of an image. This is done to enhance contrast, bring out details, and direct the viewer’s attention by manipulating the brightness of localized regions within the photograph.
Sharpening for online use often involves a slightly more aggressive approach to make images appear crisp on various screen sizes and resolutions, whereas sharpening for a large print requires more subtlety to avoid exaggerating noise and artifacts that might become visible at a larger scale. The viewing distance also plays a crucial role in determining the appropriate level of sharpening for prints.
Essay Format Questions
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using adjustment layers (or the mimicked version in GIMP) in a photo editing workflow. How do they contribute to non-destructive editing and creative exploration?
Compare and contrast the roles of GIMP and Darktable in a comprehensive photo editing workflow, particularly when working with raw image files. Explain how these two software programs can complement each other.
Analyze the impact of tonal and color adjustments on the overall mood and visual narrative of a photograph. Using examples from the source material, discuss the significance of tools like Curves, Levels, and Color Balance.
Evaluate the importance of understanding layer management in GIMP for complex image editing tasks such as compositing and applying creative effects. Describe different types of layers and their specific applications.
Explore the concept and application of dodging and burning as a technique for enhancing depth, detail, and focus in a photograph. Discuss the potential pitfalls and best practices for using this technique effectively in GIMP.
Glossary of Key Terms
Contrast: The difference in tonal values (lightness and darkness) within an image.
Curves Tool: A GIMP tool that allows for precise adjustments to the tonal range of an image by manipulating a curve.
Darktable: A free and open-source raw image processing software used for editing raw files before potentially moving to a pixel editor like GIMP.
Dodge: A photo editing technique used to selectively lighten specific areas of an image.
Burn: A photo editing technique used to selectively darken specific areas of an image.
Exposure: The overall brightness or darkness of an image, determined by the amount of light that reaches the sensor or film.
GIMP: GNU Image Manipulation Program, a free and open-source raster graphics editor similar to Adobe Photoshop.
Healing Tool: A GIMP tool used to repair imperfections in an image by blending pixels from a source area with a target area.
Histogram: A graphical representation of the tonal distribution in an image, showing the frequency of each brightness level.
Hue: The pure color in the color spectrum (e.g., red, green, blue).
Layer Mask: A non-destructive way to selectively hide or reveal parts of a layer in GIMP.
Layers: Separate levels within a GIMP image that can contain individual elements, allowing for non-destructive editing and compositing.
Levels Tool: A GIMP tool used to adjust the tonal range of an image by manipulating the black point, white point, and midtones.
Non-destructive Editing: Making changes to an image in a way that does not permanently alter the original data, allowing for reversibility.
Opacity: The degree to which a layer is transparent or opaque.
Pixel Layer: A standard layer in GIMP that contains rasterized image data made up of pixels.
Raw File: An unprocessed image file directly from a digital camera sensor, containing the maximum amount of data and offering greater flexibility in editing.
Retouching: The process of making minor corrections or enhancements to an image, such as removing blemishes or adjusting skin tones.
Saturation: The intensity or purity of a color.
Sharpening: An image editing technique used to enhance the edges and details in an image, making it appear clearer.
Tone Curve: Another term for the Curves tool, referring to the graphical representation of tonal adjustments.
Vignette: A darkening or reduction of saturation towards the corners of an image.
White Balance: The process of adjusting the color temperature of an image to neutralize any color casts and ensure that white objects appear white.
Briefing Document: Review of GIMP Tutorials
Document Version: 1.0 Date: October 26, 2023 Prepared for: User Request Subject: Detailed Review of GIMP Tutorial Excerpts
This briefing document provides a detailed review of the main themes, important ideas, and facts presented in the provided excerpts from GIMP tutorials. Where appropriate, direct quotes from the original sources are included. The tutorials cover a range of fundamental and intermediate GIMP skills, including image adjustments, retouching, interface customization, layer management, non-destructive editing techniques, working with raw files via Darktable, and various creative effects.
Main Themes
Introduction to GIMP Interface and Basic Operations: The tutorials begin by familiarizing users with the GIMP interface, including toolbars, panels, and basic actions like opening files, zooming, and selecting tools.
“let’s jump back into and let’s grab our Zoom tool which you can grab from the tool bar which is right here or you can use the keyboard shortcut which is the letter Z”
The tutorials emphasize customization of the interface for user preference, including combining panels into single window mode, resizing panels, rearranging tabs, and adjusting the size of tool icons and layer thumbnails.
“you can combine them all by going up to Windows and selecting single Window mode”
“for Mac users you’re going to go up to and select preferences from here and if you’re on Windows it’s going to be under edit down here at the bottom”
Fundamental Image Adjustments: Several tutorials focus on essential image editing techniques, including contrast adjustment using the Curves tool, retouching blemishes and stray hairs using the Healing tool and Clone tool, and resizing images for online use.
“I love the curves tool for applying contrast”
“to retouch we are going to use the healing tool in gamp which is very similar to the healing tool in Photoshop we also have another retouching tool that is similar to the one in Photoshop which is called the Clone tool”
The importance of setting a source image for retouching is highlighted: “if you take a look down here it says set a source image first”
Saving images correctly in GIMP is covered, noting the distinction between saving the project file (.xcf) and exporting to common formats like JPEG and PNG.
“there’s something you have to do specifically in order to save your image as a JPEG or PNG file”
Color and Tonal Adjustments: A dedicated tutorial explores various color and tonal adjustment tools available in GIMP under the “Colors” menu.
Tools covered include Color Balance, Color Temperature (White Balance), Hue-Saturation, Exposure, Shadows and Highlights, Brightness-Contrast, Levels, and Curves.
The instructor expresses personal preferences, often favoring the Curves tool for tonal adjustments and Hue-Saturation for color correction over other similar tools.
“never ever use this one [Hue and chroma] I don’t anyways”
The benefit of shooting in RAW format for greater flexibility in white balance adjustments is mentioned.
“it’s much easier to change the white balance in Raw versus JPEG”
Understanding and Utilizing Layers: A significant portion of the tutorials is dedicated to explaining the concept of layers in GIMP and how to work with them effectively.
The analogy of analog layers (sheets of paper) is used to introduce the digital concept.
Four main types of layers are identified: Background layer, Grouped layers, Pixel layer, and Text layer.
Differences between GIMP’s background layer and Photoshop’s are highlighted, particularly the initial unlocked state in GIMP.
“in Photoshop the background layers are automatically locked you can’t move them you can’t apply any edits to them but in you can”
Four ways to customize layers are discussed: Layer Styles (effects like drop shadows), Layer Masks (for non-destructive pixel hiding), Blending Modes (to interact with underlying layers), and Opacity (to control transparency).
Various functions at the bottom of the Layers panel are introduced, including deleting, duplicating, adding masks, merging, and creating new layers and layer groups.
The concept of the Layer Boundary (yellow and black dashed line for individual layers, blue and black for groups) and its purpose in showing layer size and confining edits is explained.
Non-Destructive Editing: The tutorials strongly advocate for non-destructive editing practices to maintain image quality and flexibility.
Duplicating the background layer before applying edits is recommended.
Using adjustment layers (mimicked by duplicated and edited layers) to control the intensity of adjustments via opacity is demonstrated.
“what you have done is you’ve done what is known as destructive editing you’ve applied an edit directly to the pixels and you alter them in a way that you cannot get them back”
The workaround for GIMP not having built-in adjustment layers like Photoshop is presented: “in essence this edited layer is our adjustment layer”
Working with RAW Files via Darktable: A dedicated section introduces Darktable as a free and powerful RAW editor that works in conjunction with GIMP.
Darktable is presented as a Lightroom and Adobe Camera Raw alternative with image management and editing capabilities.
The Lighttable and Darkroom modules are introduced, along with other modules like Map, Print, and Tethering.
The Darkroom interface, including left and right panels, history panel, snapshots, and categorized editing tools, is overviewed.
Customizing the right panel by creating personalized workflows (presets) to show only frequently used tools is demonstrated.
The non-destructive nature of RAW editing in Darktable is emphasized: “you’re not actually editing the raw file instead you’re editing a preview…it’s non-destructive”
Importing images into Darktable from various sources (hard drive, camera, media card, tethering) is explained.
Setting import parameters, including metadata inclusion, is covered.
Practical Editing Project in Darktable: A step-by-step walkthrough of editing a landscape photograph in Darktable is provided.
The editing process includes adjusting exposure using the Exposure module and histogram analysis, correcting white balance, adding contrast with the Tone Curve, removing unwanted elements with the Retouching tool, reducing digital noise with the Denoise tool, and enhancing the sky and water with the Graduated Density tool.
The use of clipping indicators to avoid overexposure and underexposure is demonstrated.
The importance of personal preference in white balance adjustments is noted.
Creating S-curves in the Tone Curve to add contrast is explained.
Managing multiple instances of a module (e.g., Graduated Density) for targeted adjustments is shown.
Addressing issues like dust spots and color banding in Darktable is covered.
Exporting Images from Darktable: The process of exporting edited images from Darktable is detailed, including destination selection, file naming options, format choices (JPEG, PNG, TIFF, etc.), quality settings, resizing, watermarking, metadata inclusion, and more advanced options.
Recommendations for common export settings (JPEG, sRGB profile, appropriate quality) for online sharing are provided.
Understanding bit depth (8-bit vs. 16-bit) and its implications is briefly touched upon.
The use of “Create unique file name” option is explained.
Refining Edits and Exploring Advanced Techniques in GIMP: The tutorials then transition back to GIMP to refine edits and explore more advanced techniques.
The Levels tool is revisited for setting white and black points, particularly when working with JPEG files. The difference between linear and logarithmic histograms is explained.
The Curves tool is explored as a versatile tool for setting white and black points, adjusting exposure, and adding contrast through S-curves, offering a more flexible alternative to the Levels tool.
Dodge and burn techniques are introduced, both conceptually (darkroom analogy) and practically using GIMP’s Dodge/Burn tool.
Tips for effective dodging and burning, such as using low exposure settings for gradual build-up and avoiding the halo effect, are provided.
Lens correction in Darktable is discussed, including its effects on vignetting and distortion, and the need for potential cropping or further correction in GIMP.
Sharpening techniques in both Darktable (Traditional Sharpen) and GIMP (Unsharp Mask, High Pass filter) are demonstrated. The High Pass filter with an overlay blending mode is highlighted as a preferred method, along with the use of layer masks for selective sharpening (e.g., avoiding skin).
Advanced compositing techniques are introduced through a “Sky Replacement” project, covering the selection of the sky, feathering edges, pasting a new sky as a layer, and using layer masks for seamless blending. The importance of matching atmospheric conditions is emphasized, and using a gradient on a layer mask to achieve this is shown.
Creating a “Matte Effect” (faded or muted look) using both the Levels and Curves tools in GIMP is demonstrated, with a preference expressed for the Curves tool for a more traditional and versatile result.
Adding a “Retro Effect” to an image is covered, including desaturation, adding dust and scratch textures (using “Open as Layers” and adjusting blending modes and opacity), and creating a color fade effect using a large, low-opacity brush on a new layer with different color choices and blending modes.
Achieving a “Dramatic Lighting” effect using selection tools to isolate areas (e.g., a subject), inverting the selection, darkening the surroundings, and then enhancing the subject with curves adjustments is shown.
Adding vignettes in both Darktable and GIMP is explained. GIMP is presented as offering more flexibility, especially for creating custom-shaped vignettes using layer masks and selections from external files (e.g., a heart shape). Gaussian blur is used to soften the vignette edges.
Important Ideas and Facts
GIMP offers a highly customizable user interface.
The Curves tool is a powerful and versatile tool for adjusting contrast and tonal range.
Non-destructive editing is crucial for maintaining image quality and allowing for future adjustments.
Layers are fundamental to advanced image manipulation in GIMP.
Layer masks provide a non-destructive way to control the visibility of layer pixels.
Blending modes allow layers to interact in various ways to create different effects.
Darktable is a free, open-source RAW editor that integrates well with GIMP for processing RAW files.
RAW files offer greater flexibility for editing compared to JPEG files.
Dodging and burning are techniques for selectively lightening and darkening areas of an image to enhance depth and detail.
Sharpening should typically be applied as one of the final steps in the editing process.
Layer masks can be used to apply sharpening selectively.
Compositing involves combining multiple images into a single document.
The matte effect is characterized by reduced contrast, particularly in the blacks and shadows.
Retro effects often involve desaturation, added textures (dust, scratches), and color shifts.
Vignettes darken the edges of an image, drawing focus to the center.
Conclusion
The provided excerpts offer a comprehensive introduction to various essential image editing techniques in GIMP, complemented by the use of Darktable for RAW file processing. The tutorials emphasize core concepts like non-destructive editing, layer management, and the effective use of key adjustment tools. By following these tutorials and practicing the techniques, users can develop a strong foundation for enhancing their digital images using free and open-source software. The inclusion of practical projects further reinforces the learning process and encourages creative exploration.
GIMP Basic Image Editing and Interface Guide
1. What are some basic image editing techniques in GIMP demonstrated in the sources?
The sources demonstrate several fundamental image editing techniques in GIMP, including adjusting contrast using the Curves tool, retouching images by removing blemishes and stray hairs with the Healing tool and Clone tool, zooming in and out, resizing images for online use (scaling), and saving images in different formats like JPEG and PNG via the “Export As” function.
2. How does GIMP’s Healing tool work for retouching?
GIMP’s Healing tool, similar to Photoshop’s, requires setting a source image first. To do this, you hold down the Ctrl key (PC) or Command key (Mac) and click on an area of the image with similar color, luminosity, and contrast to the area you want to retouch. Once the source is set (indicated by a small circle), you can click on the blemish or area you want to cover, and GIMP will use the pixel information from the source to blend and remove the imperfection. For stray hairs, it’s recommended to resize the brush to be slightly larger than the hair’s thickness and then click and drag along the hair’s length after setting a source point adjacent to the hair.
3. What are the differences in saving images between GIMP and Photoshop as highlighted in the sources?
The sources emphasize that saving images in GIMP for formats like JPEG or PNG is different from Photoshop. In Photoshop, you typically use “Save As.” In GIMP, you must use the “Export As” function. The standard “Save” function in GIMP saves the image in GIMP’s native format (.xcf), which preserves layers and editing information. To get a shareable file format like JPEG or PNG, you need to explicitly choose “Export As” and select the desired file type.
4. How can the GIMP interface be customized according to the sources?
The GIMP interface offers several customization options. Users can switch to “Single Window Mode” via the Windows menu to combine all panels. The left and right panels can be resized by dragging the three small dots located between them. Individual tabs within these panels can be rearranged by clicking and dragging, closed, or even made into free-floating windows (though this functionality had issues in the Mac version at the time of recording). New tabs can be added back through the Windows -> Dockable Dialogues menu. Users can also increase the size of tool icons and layer thumbnail previews in the Preferences (under GIMP on Mac, Edit on Windows) by navigating to Interface -> Icon Theme and adjusting the icon size, and within the Layers panel’s preferences for thumbnail size.
5. What are the four main types of layers in GIMP, as described in the sources?
The four main types of layers in GIMP discussed are: * Background Layer: This is created when a new document is opened or when an image is opened for the first time. Unlike Photoshop, it is not automatically locked initially and can be edited or moved unless explicitly locked. * Grouped Layers: These layers serve to organize other layers together, allowing for collective management. * Pixel Layer: Any layer containing image data, whether from an opened file or created through painting, is a pixel layer. * Text Layer: These layers contain editable text, indicated by a specific icon in the layer preview. Once a text layer is modified in a way that rasterizes it, it becomes a pixel layer, and the text is no longer directly editable as text.
6. How can layers be customized in GIMP based on the information provided?
Layers in GIMP can be customized in several ways: * Locking: Layers can be locked to prevent moving, editing pixels, or altering the alpha (transparency) channel. * Linking: Multiple layers can be linked together so that actions like moving are applied to all linked layers simultaneously. * Layer Styles (Effects): Although not covered in detail, the source mentions layer styles like drop shadows can be applied. * Layer Masks: These allow for non-destructive hiding or revealing of parts of a layer based on a grayscale image associated with the layer. * Blending Modes: These control how a layer interacts visually with the layers beneath it, offering various effects. * Opacity: Adjusting the opacity of a layer changes its transparency, allowing underlying layers to show through.
7. What is the workaround suggested in the sources for mimicking adjustment layers in GIMP?
Since GIMP does not have built-in adjustment layers like Photoshop, the suggested workaround is to duplicate the layer you want to adjust and then apply the desired edit (e.g., exposure change) to the duplicated layer. This edited layer then acts as a pseudo-adjustment layer. The opacity of this layer can be adjusted to control the intensity of the effect. If the results are not satisfactory, the adjustment layer can be turned off or deleted, preserving the original layer. This method allows for non-destructive editing.
8. How does the source describe the integration of raw editing with GIMP using Darktable?
The sources explain that GIMP, like Photoshop, cannot directly edit raw files. Instead, it integrates with a separate raw editor called Darktable. Darktable is presented as a free and powerful alternative to Lightroom and Adobe Camera Raw, offering features for importing, organizing (with tags, keywords, labels, stars), and editing raw images non-destructively. The workflow involves editing raw files in Darktable and then exporting them (typically as JPEG or other raster formats) to be further worked on in GIMP. The source highlights Darktable’s extensive set of editing tools, its modular interface, and the ability to customize the displayed tools for a streamlined workflow.
Image Tonal Adjustment: Levels and Curves
Based on the sources, tonal adjustments are crucial for enhancing the contrast and detail in an image. The tonal range of an image includes blacks, shadows, midtones, highlights, and whites, which are visually represented by a histogram.
Levels Tool:
The levels tool displays a histogram showing the distribution of tones in an image. Gaps in the histogram on the left side indicate missing detail in the blacks and shadows, while gaps on the right side indicate missing detail in the whites and highlights.
Adjusting the black point (the leftmost slider in the levels tool) involves dragging it to the right edge of the histogram to set the darkest point in the image, thereby adding contrast.
Similarly, adjusting the white point (the rightmost slider) by dragging it to the left edge of the histogram sets the brightest point and also increases contrast.
Be cautious not to drag these markers too far inside the histogram, as this will lead to clipping, resulting in a loss of detail in those tonal ranges. The clipping indicator can highlight areas where detail is being lost (red for whites/highlights, blue for blacks/shadows). It is recommended to set the clipping preview mode to ‘luminance only’ for tonal adjustments.
In GIMP, the levels tool can also be used to target individual color channels for removing color casts. Dragging the midpoint slider in a color channel can decrease that color and increase its complement (e.g., moving the midpoint to the right in the red channel reduces red and adds green).
The midpoint slider in the levels tool can be used to adjust the overall exposure of an image, making it darker or brighter.
In GIMP, you can switch the histogram display from linear to logarithmic to better visualize peaks and valleys, which can aid in editing.
Curves Tool:
The curves tool is considered a more advanced yet precise tool for adding contrast compared to the levels tool. It also displays a histogram in the background.
Instead of horizontal sliders, the curves tool features a linear line representing the tonal range, from black (bottom left) to white (top right).
Contrast is often added using the curves tool by creating an “S curve”: dragging down the line in the blacks and shadows to make them darker and dragging up the line in the whites and highlights to make them brighter.
The curves tool allows for pinpoint adjustments along the tonal range by adding anchor points to the line. This enables subtle and targeted modifications to blacks, shadows, midtones, and highlights independently.
Similar to the levels tool, the curves tool in Dart Table allows setting the white and black points by dragging the ends of the curve to the edges of the histogram. An ‘S curve’ can then be applied for contrast, and the midpoint can be adjusted for exposure.
Other Tonal Adjustment Tools:
The sources briefly mention other tools for tonal adjustments, including “Shadows and Highlights”, which can be used to brighten the shadows and darken the highlights to increase detail and contrast. In Dart Table, this tool can perform basic dodging and burning by adjusting the brightness of shadows and highlights.
The “Brightness and Contrast” tool provides simpler controls for making an image brighter or darker and adjusting overall contrast. However, the curves tool is often preferred for more control.
In Dart Table, the “tone curve” tool can also be used to set white and black points and adjust midtones for exposure, offering similar functionality to the levels tool but with the added flexibility of curve adjustments.
In summary, tonal adjustments involve manipulating the distribution of light and dark tones in an image to improve contrast, reveal detail, and achieve a desired look. The levels and curves tools are fundamental for these adjustments, offering different levels of control and precision in both GIMP and Dart Table. Understanding the histogram is essential for making informed tonal adjustments and avoiding clipping.
GIMP and Dart Table Color Adjustment Tools and Techniques
Based on the sources, color adjustments are essential for modifying the hues, saturation, and overall color balance of an image. Several tools are available in both GIMP and Dart Table for this purpose.
GIMP Color Adjustment Tools:
Levels Tool: While primarily for tonal adjustments, the levels tool in GIMP can also be used to target individual color channels for removing color casts. By adjusting the midpoint slider for a specific color channel (e.g., red), you can decrease that color and increase its complementary color (e.g., green).
Color Balance: This tool allows you to remove or add color casts in an image. You can target specific tonal ranges (shadows, midtones, highlights) to apply these color adjustments precisely. For example, you can add red to the shadows or remove red from the highlights.
Color Temperature (White Balance): Similar to white balance adjustments in Lightroom or Adobe Camera Raw, this tool allows you to adjust the color temperature of an image. You can input the original Kelvin temperature at which the image was captured and then adjust it to your desired temperature. However, the source notes that significant white balance adjustments on JPEG files may lead to unnatural skin tones, and it’s generally easier to adjust white balance in raw files.
Hue and Chroma: The source explicitly states that the instructor does not use this tool.
Hue-Saturation: This is a recommended tool for color adjustments in GIMP. It allows you to target individual color channels to modify their hue, saturation, and brightness levels. This is often used for removing color casts or changing the colors and intensity of specific parts of an image.
Saturation: This tool adjusts the overall color saturation in a way that is described as slightly different from the Hue-Saturation option, but the instructor prefers the Hue-Saturation tool.
Colorize: This tool allows you to replace the colors in a selected layer with a uniform color based on the chosen foreground color. You can adjust the hue, saturation, and lightness of the colorize effect.
Blending Modes: When working with layers, blending modes offer various ways to combine the colors of one layer with the layer(s) below. For example, using the “HSV Hue” or “Color” blending mode with a solid color fill layer can effectively change the color of objects in the underlying layer. Other blending modes like “soft light” can also create color effects like a sepia tone. For changing eye color, “darken only” was suggested as a potentially effective blending mode.
Velvia: This tool, mentioned in the context of Dart Table but later used in GIMP, is designed to boost color saturation in an image.
Dart Table Color Adjustment Tools:
Graduated Density Tool: This tool allows for localized color adjustments. You can apply a gradient of color changes across a selected area of the image, often used for enhancing skies by adjusting hue and saturation.
White Balance: Similar to GIMP, Dart Table has a white balance tool to adjust the color temperature of raw files.
Color Grading: This category contains tools like split toning, color contrast, color correction, and shadows and highlights, which allow for more advanced color manipulations.
Effects Panel: This includes options to convert images to monochrome and other color-related effects.
Velvia: This module is available in Dart Table to boost color saturation.
General Concepts:
Color Casts: These are unwanted tints of a particular color that can affect the overall look of an image. Several tools, like Color Balance and Hue-Saturation, can be used to remove them.
Color Saturation: This refers to the intensity of the colors in an image. Tools like Hue-Saturation and Velvia can be used to increase or decrease saturation.
Color Profiles: When exporting images, choosing the appropriate color profile (e.g., sRGB for online use) is important for consistent color rendering across different devices.
The sources emphasize that experimenting with these tools using your own images is the best way to understand how they work and achieve your desired creative vision.
Editing JPEGs in GIMP and Dart Table
Based on the sources, editing JPEG files can be done in GIMP, and while Dart Table primarily focuses on raw files, JPEGs can still be opened and have basic adjustments applied. However, the sources highlight some important considerations and techniques specific to editing JPEGs.
Limitations of JPEG Editing:
The sources emphasize that it is generally better to shoot in raw format rather than JPEG if extensive editing is anticipated. This is because JPEG files are compressed, and in the process, some image data is discarded. This loss of information can lead to issues like color banding (sharp changes between colors due to insufficient color information) when making significant adjustments.
When you edit and resave a JPEG, it undergoes further compression, which can lead to a gradual degradation of image quality over multiple edits – this is known as destructive editing.
GIMP for JPEG Editing:
Despite the limitations, GIMP offers several tools for editing JPEGs.
Basic Adjustments:The levels tool is recommended for setting the white and black points in a JPEG image to increase contrast. You can adjust the sliders to the edges of the histogram to maximize the tonal range. Be mindful of clipping, which can be monitored with the clipping indicators.
The levels tool can also be used to adjust the midtones to control the overall exposure of the JPEG.
The curves tool can be used similarly to levels for adjusting the tonal range and adding contrast with an “S curve”. It offers more precise control over different tonal areas.
Basic tools like brightness and contrast are available, but the curves tool is often preferred for greater control over contrast.
Color Adjustments:The color balance tool can help remove or add color casts in JPEG images.
The color temperature (white balance) tool can be used to adjust the warmth or coolness of the image, but significant adjustments on JPEGs may produce less desirable results, especially with skin tones.
The hue-saturation tool is recommended for targeting individual color channels to remove color casts or modify the hue, saturation, and brightness of specific colors within the JPEG.
Retouching:The healing tool and clone tool can be used to remove blemishes, stray hairs, and other imperfections in JPEG images. The healing tool blends pixel information from a source area to a target area, while the clone tool directly copies pixels.
Dodging and burning techniques can be applied to selectively lighten (dodge) or darken (burn) areas of the JPEG to enhance depth and detail. This can be done using the Dodge and Burn tool in GIMP, with careful attention to the exposure setting and avoiding the “halo effect” along edges.
Sharpening:The unsharp mask filter and the high pass filter are available for sharpening JPEG images in GIMP. The high pass filter, when used with a blending mode like “overlay,” can effectively sharpen edges while allowing for selective application with layer masks to avoid over-sharpening skin.
Saving JPEGs:In GIMP, you cannot directly “save” an image as a JPEG if it has been modified. Instead, you need to use the “Export As” option and then choose the JPEG file format.
When exporting as JPEG, you can set the quality level, which affects the amount of compression. A higher quality setting results in a larger file size but less compression artifacts. The source suggests a quality of 80 is often sufficient for online use and even prints, with a smaller file size and minimal visible difference compared to 100%.
It is generally recommended to avoid saving over the original JPEG file if you plan to make further edits, as each save introduces more compression artifacts. Saving a copy or working non-destructively with layers is advisable.
Dart Table and JPEGs:
While primarily a raw file editor, Dart Table can open JPEG files and apply basic adjustments like exposure, white balance, contrast (using the tone curve), and sharpening.
You can also use tools like shadows and highlights in Dart Table to perform basic dodging and burning on JPEGs.
When exporting JPEGs from Dart Table, you have options to set the quality, size, and color profile. The source recommends using sRGB for online use.
Workflow Considerations for JPEGs:
The source recommends working non-destructively as much as possible when editing JPEGs in GIMP. This can be achieved by duplicating layers before making significant adjustments, allowing you to adjust the opacity of edits or discard them entirely without affecting the original pixels.
For complex edits, consider merging layers into a new visible layer before applying destructive tools like dodging and burning.
In conclusion, while JPEGs can be edited effectively in GIMP and with some basic adjustments in Dart Table, it’s crucial to be aware of the format’s limitations due to compression. Working non-destructively and avoiding excessive adjustments can help maintain image quality. Shooting in raw format is generally recommended for greater flexibility and quality in post-processing.
Image Importing in GIMP and Dart Table
Based on the sources, importing images is a crucial first step in both GIMP and Dart Table, although the processes and primary uses differ slightly for each.
Importing Images in GIMP:
To open an image in GIMP, you can go to File > Open. This will open the selected image in a new window or within the single-window interface if that mode is enabled.
You can open multiple images as separate layers within the same GIMP document by either:
Clicking and dragging the image files directly onto the GIMP canvas.
Going to File > Open as Layers and selecting the desired images.
When you open an image in GIMP for the first time, the initial layer created is considered the background layer.
Importing Images in Dart Table:
Importing in Dart Table is primarily done within the Light Table module. The Import panel is located in the top left corner of this module. Clicking on it expands the panel with various import options.
Add to library: This option is used to import images that are already saved on your hard drive or from a connected media card.
You can navigate through your computer’s folders to select the desired images.
It allows for the selection of individual photos or a range of photos.
A thumbnail preview of the images can be toggled on to help you identify the files before importing.
By selecting a top-level folder and enabling the recursive directory option, Dart Table will search through all subfolders to find images for import.
For connected media cards, you might need to add them to the “places” section for easier future access by clicking the plus icon and navigating to your media card.
Copy and import: This option is similar to “add to library” but also allows you to rename your files during the import process.
This can be useful when importing directly from a media card or if your files haven’t been renamed yet.
You can define naming rules using predefined variables to structure the new file names.
By default, images imported with this method are saved into the system pictures folder within a subfolder named “Darktable,” but you can change the destination folder.
You can choose to keep the original file names if desired.
You can override the import date and apply the date the photo was taken instead.
Mount camera (when a camera is connected): When your camera is connected to the computer, this option becomes available.
Clicking “Mount camera” may provide options to import directly from the camera’s media card or to use tethered shooting.
Tethered shooting allows you to capture images directly into Dart Table. When activated, a new interface opens, and captured images are automatically imported into the Light Table.
Common Import Settings in Dart Table:
During import in Dart Table, you can configure parameters to include or exclude specific metadata from the images, such as copyright information and geo tags.
When using “copy and import,” you can set renaming rules that consist of a base part (parent folder), a session part (subdirectory), and a file name part (file name structure).
You can save your export settings as presets in Dart Table for consistent exporting in the future.
The sources emphasize that for Dart Table, importing is always done in the Light Table module before you can edit images in the Dark Room module.
Dodge and Burn: Image Editing Techniques in GIMP and Dart Table
Based on the sources, Dodge and burn is an editing technique used to control the brightness or darkness of specific areas within an image to enhance depth, bring out detail, and fulfill a creative vision.
Traditional vs. Digital Dodge and Burn:
Historically, in darkroom photography, dodging involved selectively obstructing light during printing to make areas lighter, while burning involved giving more light to certain areas to make them darker.
In the digital realm, tools within software like GIMP and Dart Table simulate these effects.
Dodge and Burn in GIMP:
GIMP has a dedicated Dodge and Burn Tool.
It can be accessed by right-clicking on the smudge tool icon and selecting “Dodge/Burn”. The keyboard shortcut is Shift + D.
The tool applies a brush effect to the image.
You can choose between “Dodge” to lighten areas and “Burn” to darken them.
You can target specific tonal ranges: Shadows, Midtones, or Highlights, allowing you to apply the effect selectively within those brightness levels.
The “Exposure” setting controls the intensity of the Dodge or Burn effect.
A high exposure (e.g., 100%) applies the edit very strongly and can lead to unnatural-looking results and poor blending.
A low exposure (e.g., 10-15%) is recommended for a more gradual and realistic build-up of the effect, allowing the edit to blend more smoothly with the surrounding areas. Applying multiple strokes at a lower exposure is preferable to a single stroke at high exposure.
It’s advisable to work non-destructively when using Dodge and burn in GIMP. This can be done by:
Duplicating the layer before applying the Dodge and burn.
Merging all visible layers into a new layer (Right-click > New from Visible) and then applying Dodge and burn to this new layer, leaving the original layers untouched. This allows for adjustments or discarding the Dodge and burn effect later without altering the base image.
A common pitfall to avoid is the “halo effect”, which occurs when the Dodge or Burn is applied imprecisely around objects, creating a visible bright or dark outline. This can give the impression of an over-edited image. Careful brushwork within the lines of the desired area is crucial to prevent this.
Dodge and Burn in Dart Table:
Dart Table doesn’t have a specific “Dodge and Burn Tool” in the same way as GIMP.
However, basic dodging and burning can occur automatically or be achieved using the Shadows and Highlights tool. This tool adjusts the brightness of shadows and the darkness of highlights to increase contrast and reveal more detail.
Adjusting the tone curve in Dart Table can also contribute to dodging and burning effects by selectively brightening or darkening different parts of the tonal range.
The source mentions that after applying lens correction in Dart Table, the image might appear flatter with less contrast, potentially requiring further adjustments that could include techniques similar to dodging and burning using the available tonal adjustment tools.
Workflow Considerations:
Dodge and burn is often applied after basic tonal adjustments like setting the white and black points and adjusting contrast.
It can be used to subtly enhance existing highlights and shadows, bring out texture in specific areas, and guide the viewer’s eye within the image.
For portraits, careful dodging and burning can enhance features and create more flattering light, while avoiding over-sharpening skin textures. For landscapes, it can add depth and dimension to elements like rocks, water, and foliage.
In the context of fixing overexposed images, dodging (brightening shadows) and burning (darkening highlights) can be part of the process to try and recover lost detail, although the success of this depends on the severity of the overexposure and the amount of information retained in the file.
In summary, Dodge and burn is a powerful technique for localized tonal adjustments. In GIMP, it is implemented with a dedicated tool offering precise control over the area, tonal range, and intensity of the effect. In Dart Table, similar results can be achieved through the Shadows and Highlights tool and adjustments to the tone curve. Regardless of the software, a subtle and gradual approach is key to achieving natural and impactful results while avoiding common artifacts like the halo effect.
GIMP Photo Editing Masterclass
The Original Text
hello and welcome to the photo editing Master Class where you’re going to learn how to edit your photos in like a pro now this photo editing master class is 5 hours long and includes 33 different lessons in total the timestamps are in the description below so if you’re ready to master photo editing in let’s do it all right so are you ready to edit your first image in if so that’s exactly what we’re going to do in this tutorial so let’s go up to file click on open you’re going to navigate to your section one folder and you’re going to select the o1 image and you’re going to go ahead and open that so this is the image that we’re going to be working on and as you can see it’s kind of flat there’s not a lot of contrast in the image and that’s due to the highlights and the Shadows or maybe it’s the blacks and the whites of the tonal range that are missing details and we’re going to find out which one it is with the levels tool which is going to show us the histogram of the particular image but first let me show you my final edit so this is the edit that I created for this project and as you can see it has a lot more contrast than the original image so that’s what we’re going to do in this tutorial add some contrast and make it pop so we’re going to start off with with the levels tool and then I’m going to show you a different tool to add contrast because I prefer the second one better but it’s nice to know more than one way to edit an image that way you can decide which one is best for you so we’re going to go up to colors and we’re going to click on levels so the levels tool shows you the histogram of the image and if you’ve ever taken one of my photography courses before then you may already know everything you need to know about the histogram but for those of you that do not we’re going to take a quick tour over the histogram so you can get an idea of what we’re going to do for this particular edit now I’m going to go ahead and grab a corner here so I can drag this out and make this a little larger to make it easier to see so the histogram is made up of the different tones of your image and that includes the blacks which are over here on the left then we have the Shadows we have the midtones in the middle then we have the highlights the whites on the right and then we have what is known as the black and the white points which are pure white and pure black so we have our black point right here and that’s designated by this little icon right here and the white point is over here now we have some detail missing in the image which is causing the image to have a low amount of contrast and we can see that there’s a gap on the right side and a gap on the left side so the blacks and the whites in this case are missing detail so what we want to do is we want to fill in that Gap and that’s going to add contrast to the image so we’re going to grab our Black Point here and drag it to the edge of the histogram on the right side here I’m going to go ahead and make this smaller now and we can see that the image is darker and that’s already adding some contrast we’re going to do the same thing with the white point now we’re going to click and drag that over to the left side here so I have 238 for the white Point 11 for the Black Point and that creates contrast in the image and fills in those gaps now another thing you can do with the levels tool is you can Target individual color channels and I like to use these for removing color casts in my image for example if you find that the image is too red you can drag the midpoint here to the right to remove that red and it’s going to add green instead or if you want to add red move it to the left okay so since I’m not a big fan of this particular tool I’m going to go ahead and cancel out of this and go to my favorite tool for adding contrast which is the curves tool it’s a little bit more advanced but it does provide more precision and control over the levels tool so let’s go ahead and grab that by going up to colors and clicking on curves now just like with the levels tool we do have a histogram in the back but this time instead of applying our adjustments along a horizontal line we’re going to manipulate this linear line that goes from the bottom left to the top right the top right here represents the white point so this little circle if we grab that and pull it down it’s going to make adjustments to the white Point down here we have our black point so I can drag this to the right and make it darker that way but what I want to do to create the contrast for this image is I want to manipulate this linear line along the blacks and the shadows and the whites and the highlights so I can pinpoint where that adjustment is going to be applied along that tonal range and it’s going to be more subtle versus linear like we had with the levels tool so we’re going to click right around here and you’re going to click and drag down that’s going to make the image darker and then that line begins to bend so it creates a subtle transition from our edit from this point and it slowly diminishes as it gets up to this part of the tonal range so this part of the tonal range really isn’t being affected by this adjustment down here now if I click and drag up that’s going to make the whites and the highlights brighter so by doing that we add contrast with what is known as an S curve because now this linear line looks like an S curve and this gives you the control and the Precision to apply that contrast exactly where you want it in the image because now I can come in and say okay I’m going to take this Anchor Point and move it up a little bit higher and that’s going to make an adjustment based on that new location versus where it was down here so it’s a lot flatter up here than it is down here so you can make this adjustment based on your own Creative Vision and your own personal editing style the other thing you can do now is you can continue adding additional anchor points along this line now in order to Target specific points of the tonal range for example you can come in here and click in the midpoint here and adjust the midtones of the image and make adjustments that way because maybe that contrast was too much and you want to flatten it out a little bit you can do that and then I can come in here and Target this part of the tonal range as well so you can make these adjustments based on your own Creative Vision just like I mentioned I’m going to go ahead and stick with this right here and I’m going to go ahead and click okay and now we have our finished edit how cool is that I love the curves tool for applying contrast all right before we continue on with the next tutorial I want you to keep this image open and that’s because we’re going to continue working on this image in the next tutorial and I’m going to show you how to retouch this image by removing blemishes and the stray hair all right I’m now going to show you how to retouch your images in so if you’re ready let’s jump back into and let’s grab our Zoom tool which you can grab from the tool bar which is right here or you can use the keyboard shortcut which is the letter Z and just like in Photoshop or any other editing software you just click to zoom in now my favorite way to zoom in is to click and drag around the area that I want to zoom in and we want to zoom in so we can actually see what we’re going to be retouching which are some of these blemishes and this stray hair now if you zoomed in too far and you want to zoom out you can come over here to the tool options and click on zoom out to do that or you can use a keyboard shortcut in addition to the zoom tool which is your control key if you’re on a PC or your command key if you’re on a Mac and when you hold that down and then click it will then go ahead and zoom out once you release you can go ahead and zoom back in all right to retouch we are going to use the healing tool in gamp which is very similar to the healing tool in Photoshop we also have another retouching tool that is similar to the one in Photoshop which is called the Clone tool so if we come over here to the toolbar click on this little icon right here and then you will see your heel tool over here but in order to select it I can’t select it by clicking and dragging down what I need to do is rightclick on this icon and then I can scroll down and select the healing tool from here or you can use the keyboard shortcut which is the letter H all right so let’s say we want to remove this blemish right here and if you click on it nothing happens and that’s because if you take a look down here it says set a source image first so the first thing we need to do is give some information to about what we want to do so what we want to do is we want to take pixel information colors luminous values contrast Etc from one part of the image to cover up another part of the image in this case the blemish so we need to give a Target source to work from in order to do that what we need to do is we need to hold down our control key if you’re on a PC or your command key if you’re on a Mac now you’re going to select an area that’s similar to the colors and the pixel values of the area that we want to retouch I’m going to go ahead and click out here I’m going to hold down my command key and click once and then we’re left with this little circle which is the target area now when I come over here and click on this blemish it disappears how cool is that I love it it’s very similar to what we have in Photoshop but let’s say for whatever reason you don’t like the results let’s go ahead and undo that with command or Control Plus the letter Z what we need to do is change our Target source so I’m going to select an area closer to that blemish so again I’m going to hold down my command or control key and I’m going to click right here to reset that Source now sometimes you may need to click more than once in order to get the results that you want now we can come over here and begin removing these other blemishes by setting a new Target because we don’t want to use this area for this blemish for example because these pixels are much brighter than down here and it’s not going to blend in as well if you don’t set the correct Target area okay so I’m going to come over here click pull down that keyboard shortcut and continue removing blemishes as needed all right so the next thing I want to show you is removing this stray hair right here and what we need to do this time is resize the editing tool to be smaller or a little bit larger than the thickness of the stray hair now when it comes to blemishes I like to have my brush size a little bit larger than the blemish that I’m removing so this blemish right here is much smaller so I’ll probably use a smaller one but this size brush works okay for that one as well but for this stray hair this brush is too large so we’re going to come over to our tool options here and we’re going to resize this smaller I’m going to go right around five for the size actually that’s a little bit too small so I’m going to go up up to 9 and I’m going to go ahead and set my target area right here so hold down command or control click to set that Target point and this time instead of clicking and releasing we’re going to click and drag down to paint over that hair how cool is that now you may have noticed that this little circle followed my brush as I was brushing downward here and that’s because we want to Target the different colors and the contrast levels and the pixel values along the edge or the length I should say of that hair versus the pixels in here because if it just stuck to this area it wouldn’t blend in as well because this area is much darker than it is down here all right so go ahead and keep this image open for the next tutorial as well because I want to show you how to properly resize your images for online use so if you’re ready for that let’s do it all right I’m going to share two more things in this tutorial that you need to know when working with images in and that is how to scale your image larger or smaller so you have the proper size when posting online and also how to save your image in gim because it’s a little bit different than what you would do in Photoshop there’s something you have to do specifically in order to save your image as a JPEG or PNG file and I’m going to show you how to do that in this tutorial so let’s go ahead and take a look at this image again and what we’re going to do is we’re going to scale it down smaller so it’s the recommended size based on what Facebook or Instagram tells us our image should be so I did a quick Google search for Facebook post sizes and it shows it right here but if you want the other ones if you come down here and find this hootsuite.com post it’s been updated for 2022 and then you can scroll down here and then you’ll see the different sizes for in Instagram Facebook Twitter and Linkedin so landscape portrait and square images we’re going to have 1 1200 X 630 or 630 X 1200 or 1 1200 by 1200 so 1 12200 is the maximum width or height that you need anything larger is going to take up extra hard space on your hard drive because you’re using images that are too large for Facebook anyways or at least what they recommend and what Facebook is going to do is they’re going to compress that image down smaller anyways so you might as well start off with the size that they recommend and I’m going to give you a pro tip on which file format I recommend when posting to Facebook now if you’re going to do a story you can go a little bit larger 1080 by 1920 all right so we know our width for this image because it is the landscape is 1200 pixels wide so let’s go ahead and resize this image smaller by going up to image and selecting scale image so from here you want to make sure you have this little icon turned on so it should look like this and when you type in 1200 for the width and hit your tab key it’s going to automatically adjust the height to 800 which is going to keep the image in proportion now down here we have a resolution of 300 which again is too large for online use 300 is for print and then 72 is for online use click my Tab Key and it’s going to update the Y resolution now when I click scale it should resize the image and what I want to do now is I want to fill in the window with this image like it was before it’s too small so to fix that we can go up to view zoom and select fit image and window or you can use this keyboard shortcut which is shift plus command or control if you’re on a PC Plus the letter J so that fills it back into the work space all right so what we need to do now is we need to crop the image so it’s 1,200 by 630 pixels tall versus the 800 pixels tall it is right now that being said you don’t have to do that you can actually post the image as it is right now but it’s not going to show all 800 pixels of the image it’s only going to show 630 pixels and then when somebody clicks on that image they’ll see the full size and the full resolution of that image so if you want to keep the image cropped to the recommended size that Facebook gives us you can go up to image click on canvas size and then we can crop the canvas from here so this time since we don’t want the image to stay in proportion we’re going to undo this option here so it looks like this then we’re going to type in the height which is 630 you’re going to click your tab key and then down here we have our thumbnail preview and once you click that tab key it’s going to update with a new preview showing where the image is going to be cropped so right now she’s going to be cropped across her shoulders and her neck right here we don’t want that I want the full body so I’m going to click and drag up to make sure the entire subject is in the frame and then when you click resize it will recrop that image now we do have this yellow and black dashed line around the image and that is known as the layer Bal boundary so this is letting you know that we have pixels within the image that are still available so I’m going to go ahead and turn this final edit layer off and then with my move tool which you can grab with the letter M you can click and reposition the image to recompose it as needed so those pixels were not deleted permanently now in order to save this to be used on Facebook or Pinterest or anywhere else you need to save the file as a JPEG or a PNG file now if we go up to file and click on save as it’s not going to give you the option to save it as a JPEG file so if I type in JPEG and click save I’m going to get this little message right here that says the given file name cannot be used for saving you can use this dialogue to save to the xcf file format which is a proprietary file format for which is similar to the PSD files that we use in Photoshop so xcf is for saving files with layers I’m going to go ahead and click okay and I’m going to cancel out of this because we can’t save a JPEG with that window so we need to go back to file and this time instead of save save as or save a copy we’re going to select export as now I can save it as a JPEG file but for Facebook what I like to do is I like to save it as a PNG file and that’s because PNG files are not compressed JPEG files will give you an option in to compress the file based on the quality setting that you give it so in Photoshop that could be 80 90 100 or whatever you want and then when you upload that file to Facebook Facebook is going to compress that file again and then you end up losing information in the image and you can can have what is known as color banding which gives the illusion that there is a sharp change from one color to another and that looks like there’s little bands in your sky for example and that’s because there’s not enough colors from one color to another so the transition from let’s say a dark blue sky to a light blue at the Horizon there’s not enough colors within that particular sky and that creates the Banning effect well that comes about from compressing the file one too many times so short story is use PNG file if you want a higher quality image or if you’re noticing that you’re getting that kind of banding in your image and then you can click on export here then you’re going to get another window here with some other options and I like to just keep everything set as is now even though it says it’s compressing at a level of nine that’s okay it’s still better than what you’re going to get with a JPEG file and then once you click export it’s going to export that file and then you can upload it as needed all right so that is it for the editing portion of the quick start guide but we’re not done yet we still have some things we need to learn about in order to get the most out of it as a photo editor using so if you’re ready to get started on the next topic let’s do it all right we’re now going to discover gimp’s interface so you know where everything is located how to customize the interface so it looks more like Photoshop like rearranging the panels increasing the icon size of your tools and more so if you’re ready to get started let’s do it all right let’s start off by opening up a file by going up to file and selecting open and you’re going to navigate to the section one folder and open up any image doesn’t really matter because we’re only going to be using this for demonstration purposes actually let’s open up o2x CF since it has an extra layer in it and and once you install for the very first time you may have had this setup here where there’s three individual panels if so you can combine them all by going up to Windows and selecting single Window mode all right let’s go ahead and get this image back in the center here and it doesn’t look like it’s going to fit so to get that to fit inside of there we’re going to go up to view and select zoom and then fit image in window window all right now that it looks more like Photoshop let’s go ahead and customize the interface some more one of the things you may want to do is resize the left and the right panel by making them wider or thinner so if you take a look right here we have three little dots and once you get your mouse cursor over there you’re going to get this little icon right here and once you see that you can then click and drag it to the left or to the right and you can do the same thing for the right side as well the other thing you may want to do is rearrange these individual tabs here that have some information about different tools and features and you may not want to have all of them either so you can actually hide them so let’s go ahead and hide some of these up here these are all the default ones so I’m going to go ahead and click right here on this little arrow and click on close tab to well close it out the other thing you can do is you can click and drag this out and create a free flow in panel it doesn’t look like it’s working in the Mac version right now so let me show you the windows version here and show you how that looks so I’m going to click here drag it out and now I have a free floating window now I just want to mention real quick that this class is being recorded on the Mac version but it doesn’t matter because is the same on Windows Mac and the Linux system the only real difference is the font and each operating system because the default operating system font is different for Windows compared to Mac so that’s why it looks a little bit different visually it’s because of that font other than that it’s exactly the same all right so the other thing you can do is you can take this tab and pull it down here in with these other paths as well so you’re just going to click and drag it down all right now we have all four tabs here in the same panel and it got rid of that bottom because there was nothing else there but if you still want to have that split for whatever reason just click a tab drag it to the bottom and you’re going to notice a little bit of a line at the bottom there actually it’s pretty thick that blue line right there once you release it’s then going to separate those into two different parts now you can also take a tab from over here and bring it over to the right panel by clicking and dragging and you’re going to notice a outline once you see that outline you want to make sure all of it is selected there you can then release and it will be added inside you can also rearrange the tabs by order so if you want to move the brushes to the end you can click here and drag it to the right and it will move it into that new position I’m going to go ahead and close some of these tabs because I don’t need all of these right now go ahead and close the channels and I’m going to close out the path now if you close a panel or a tab by mistake you can actually add them back by going up to Windows dockable dialogues and then choosing the tool or the information that you need so if you want your histogram you can add that in there and I don’t need that so I’m going to go ahead and close that so go ahead and add any tabs you think you’re going to need most of the time I’m just using the layers and the tool options that’s pretty much it and undo history once in a while but I like to use my keyboard TR cuts to undo anyway so I really don’t have any use for that now the other thing that I like to do is I like to increase the tool icons and increase the size of my layer thumbnail previews here so let me show you how to do that for Mac users you’re going to go up to and select preferences from here and if you’re on Windows it’s going to be under edit down here at the bottom all right so there’s one main difference between Mac and windows that’s it I promise all right so once you’re in preference this here let me go ahead and go back you will navigate to interface going to expand that and look for Icon theme now up here in the icon theme you can change well the theme of my personal preference is symbolic you can go through these and choose the one that you like and to increase the icon size you’re going to choose it from down here because I’m blind I like to use the largest available which is is huge once you click okay you’re all set and you’ll notice that the tabs also increased in size as well so that makes it easier to see and read what that tab is all about now for increasing the layer thumbnail preview in the layers panel here you’re going to click right here down to preview size and then you have all your options right here so medium is the default I’m not quite sure what tiny is for I’m not sure if anybody can actually read that but again because I am blind I like to go with gigantic all right much improved if you ask me all right now down here at the bottom of the layers panel you have some functions that will allow you to rearrange the layers move them duplicate add layer mask delete them and we’ll go over these later on in the class as we work on some different projects you’ll begin learning what all of these are for now let’s take a look at the tool options over here because again you’re probably going to be using this one the majority of the time in conjunction with your layers so the tool options are going to list all the options available for the tool that you have selected so every time you select a new tool it will update with the different options available for that tool some tools will have more options than others and we’ll go over some of these tool options as we work on the tools later on in the class as you progress through it now down here at the bottom we have some additional information that you can use to customize the interface the main one is this one right here the pixels or the dimensions that you want to set by default it’s pixels but if you want inches or millimeters you can choose those different measurements from here and then this is showing the current zoom level for the image in your interface right now so if you grab your Zoom tool and zoom in it will update or you can change it from here if you want to go 200% 800% Etc and then going going back down 15.9 to fit it inside at least for the way I have everything set up right now and then we have our file name and the size of the file the working file all right so that’s it for the overview of the workspace as you progress through the course we will go over some additional tips and tricks for getting the most out of your interface and you will begin recognizing where everything is located as you work on the projects in the remainder of the class you’re now going to learn about three tools that you can use in to help you achieve your Creative Vision now the scale image and the move tool you’re mostly going to use when creating composits in which you’re going to learn how to do in a future section but the rotate tool you’re going to use more often when you have crooked Horizons in your landscape images and you need to straighten them out so I’m going to show you how to use all three tools right now so let’s jump into and get started by opening up our O2 file here in our section 01 folder so to open this file from here I’m going to click and drag this over to the interface and it’s going to automatically open as a new document now depending on your operating system this may or may not work if it didn’t open the file this way go up to file and select open from here so let’s start off by moving this image layer right here of our subject from the last tutorial and move her Above This l landscape layer here so let’s come down here and click on this little icon right here to move those layers around now I’m going to grab my move tool because let’s say we want to move this image layer higher on the canvas so we can come over here to the toolbar to select our move tool from here or you can use the keyboard shortcut which is the letter M and then you can click and drag up unfortunately it’s moving the wrong layer so let’s undo that with Commander Control Plus plus the letter z now the reason why it moved that landscape layer was because I have that one selected if I click on this layer it will activate or select this image layer and then you can go ahead and move it up but let’s say you have this layer selected and then in your tool options you have pick a layer or guide selected this time when I click on the image layer it’s going to move this layer even though the landscape layer is selected and if I undo that and come over here and click on the background layer it will then move that layer so if it’s not moving the layer you want to move make sure you have the correct options selected in the tool options here now let’s say for whatever reason this Horizon in this image layer is crooked and you want to straighten it out you can use the rotate tool to do that by coming over here and clicking on this icon and it’s probably not going to be this one that’s visible it’s probably going to be this one by default if you’re starting off with for the first time so right click here scroll down and select rotate from here or use the keyboard shortcut which is shift plus r if you select from here you then have to click on the layer that you want to activate now because I had this landscape layer selected it’s going to rotate that one so I’m going to escape out of there by hitting my Escape key I’m going to select my image layer and then I can click on it and then click and rotate the image as needed or if you use shift plus r it’s going to automatically activate the rotate tool so you can click on the canvas and rotate from here you can use this slider up here you can also type any number if you want something precise or even more precise you can use these little arrows right here to adjust them in smaller increments clicking rotate will then rotate that image for you I’m going to undo that with Commander control plus the letter z now let’s say we want to fill this image to fit inside of this entire canvas we can use the scale tool to do that so again same area same group of tools we can select the scale tool from here now we can click and drag to the left or right or up and down to resize the only problem is it’s not in proportion right now so we’re going to hit our Escape key to get out of there I’m I’m going to hit shift plus s to autoactivate the tool and then in this little window up here we need to activate this option here to keep everything in proportion and then you can grab a corner a side or drag from inside the image layer here to resize it as needed or you can even type in a specific number if you know you need 1,00 pixels wide it will then automatically adjust the height for you once you’re happy click the scale button here here and it will resize your image all right so that’s it for those three tools the next set of tools that you’re going to learn about in the next tutorial are the ones that you’re going to be using the most often when editing your images in and it’s all about making Selections in to Target your edits exactly where you want them so if you’re ready for that let’s do it one of the most important skill sets that you can learn in or any editing software for that matter is learning how to make selections to precisely control where you place your edits on your image so in this tutorial we’re going to do a quick overview of the six most used selection tools that you’re going to be using in and then later in the class we’ll go into these tools in a little bit more detail so you can get the most out of them so we’re going to jump back into here and we’re going to select our section one folder again and this time we have five images for this tutorial and just like before we’re going to click and drag over the interface and then they will open up one at a time into new individual documents and you can navigate to each image by clicking on the tabs again if this isn’t working for you go to file open and open the images one at a time and it will open up in new tabs right here so the first selection tool we’re going to use is the fuzzy select tool which can be found on your toolbar right here and you can also select it with the keyboard shortcut which is the letter U now this selection tool is very similar to the magic wand tool in Photoshop and the key to using this particular selection tool is adjusting the threshold so here’s how it works so when you click on your canvas it’s going to give a reference color based on the color of the pixel you clicked on then will use that reference color to find similar colors next to it once it reaches the maximum threshold that you set in the tool options will no longer select any more colors once it’s reached that threshold so in essence the higher the threshold the more of your image that will be selected so let’s see this in action so right now I’m going to set my threshold here to 39.2 once I click on it that’s going to be the reference point and then it’s going to make a selection based on that threshold or that range of colors now we didn’t select the entire sky so I need to click again but before I do that I’m going to hold down my shift key because the shift key is going to allow you to add to the selection and once I click down here it’s going to well add to the selection and I need to continue doing this until I get the entire Sky selected and it’s going to take several clicks at this threshold in order to select the sky now if you’re in a rush and you set the threshold higher and you click on your Sky well it’s going to select not just the sky but parts of the foreground as well because you’ve clicked a higher threshold or a larger range of colors now another quick tip that I like to use is using the draw mask option so if you turn this on you can then click and drag down and you’ll see this pink overlay that will show you the part of the image that is going to be selected now if you go too far it will start selecting the foreground as well so I need to back away until that disappears and then shift click and drag down to continue selecting the sky and this time and two click I was able to select the sky how cool was that I love it all right let’s go ahead and deselect with Commander control shift plus a all right let’s go to our next image which is this one right here and what we want to select this time is all the red petals and this time we are going to use the select by color tool which is grouped together with fuzzy select and it’s right here so shift plus o will activate this tool tool now it works very similar to The Fuzzy select tool in that you need to set the threshold to increase or decrease your selection but it works very differently when it comes to targeting your color so this time instead of picking colors in a range next to the Target area is going to select colors throughout the image so let me show you what this is going to look like with the fuzzy select tool first so I’m going to click and drag down and it’s picking only the colors from these two petals because these colors are next to each other I’m going to deselect and I’m going to select my select by color and this time I’m going to click and drag down and it’s going to begin selecting all the petals this time how cool is that so which tool you use is dependent on what it is you need to select again it’s not perfect I need to make some adjustments but it’s much faster than the fuzzy select tool at least for this particular image I’m going to go ahead and deselect and we’re going to go to the next image for this image we’re going to make a selection of the turtle and I’m going to show you two different tools to do this and then you can decide which one you like better the first one I’m going to show you is called the path tool which is similar to the pen tool in Photoshop and it’s not my favorite selection tool but I want to go ahead and show it to you in case you’ve already used the pen tool in Photoshop and you like it let me show you how to use it in so you’re going to grab the path tool by clicking the letter B which is the keyboard shortcut and then you can also grab it from the toolbar right here I’m going to go ahead and zoom in just a little bit more so I can see the edge a little bit better and then to use it you’re going to click to add an anchor point and then click and drag out the path and then when you pull away from that Anchor Point you’re going to get these little handles and then you can adjust where that path is being applied the only problem is when you have the handles like this and you come over here and click it’s not always going to give you a straight line it looks like it did a pretty good job that time so let me see what happens when I pull it out a lot more this time just to show you what’s going to happen if we want a straight line let’s say from here to here and I click here I get a curve instead so I’m going to undo that with Commander Control Plus the letter z now to fix that we need to take this handle and bring it back inside to get rid of it now when I click here I’ll get a straight line so basically you’re going to click and drag out a path as you go around the turtle’s Edge and bring the handle in as needed to make sure that you’re getting that straight line when you continue going around now this could take forever I’m not going to sit here and select this entire Turtle that’s pretty much how you use it what you have to do though is you have to go back to the original Anchor Point here hold down your command or control key and then click on that Anchor Point to close out that path so you can then fill it in or add a stroke or if you hit your enter or return key it will then add that selection for you around that path all right let’s go ahead and deselect with Commander control shift plus a and then we’re going to get rid of the pass tool by selecting our next tool which I believe is 10 times easier than the pass tool and that is the scissors select tool which is similar to the magnetic lasso tool in Photoshop so we can grab that via this grouping right here if we right click we’ll find the scissors select and the keyboard shortcut is the letter I now instead of clicking and creating the path by pulling out handles is going to do this for us automatically by automatically applying the path between the two points so I’m going to click here to start with our first Anchor Point I’m going to come down here and click and boom has automatically applied a path for us and we can just go along without worrying about pulling out those handles to adjust the angle of the curve or the path to get the selection that we need now it’s not perfect right now so I’m going to show you real quick I’m going to go around this corner here and show you what happens when it goes outside of the line like it did there at the bottom and how to fix it but again this is I believe much faster than the pass tool so right here it is outside of that Edge right there so I’m going to click on this line and move it into position and it’s going to add another Anchor Point and it’s going to AIX that path exactly where I want it now just like before we need to come up here and close out the path this time we don’t need to hold down our Command or control key we just click on the first Anchor Point and it automatically creates that path or I should say closes it and then with enter or return you can apply your selection let’s go ahead and deselect with Commander control shift plus a all right this is our next image and the tool that we’re going to use now is known as the quick mask mode which again is available in Photoshop now it’s not available through the toolbar here so you need to either use the keyboard shortcut which is shift plus Q or come down here to the bottom left of the interface here and click on this icon to turn it on now that it’s on we have a red overlay and this represents what is selected in this case nothing is selected so anything in red is not selected now to add to our selection we’re going to grab our paintbrush tool with the letter P or you can grab it from the toolbar right here now I’m going to increase the brush size here a little bit larger maybe a little bit more and then I’m going to paint over actually I need to switch to White to the foreground here and then when I paint over the horse here it will remove that overlay and that lets you know that part of the image is being selected or is part of the selection so once you go through and you adjust your selection this way you can turn off the quick mask mode by using the keyboard shortcut again or clicking on this icon and then it shows you the selection that was created with that selection tool now I like to use this particular selection tool in conjunction with the first two fuzzy select and the select by color even some of the other selection tools that you’re going to learn about as well and that way I can quickly narrow down my selection to exactly where it was because you may remember in this image here it was selecting parts of the image outside of those petals and you can use the quick mask mode to quickly remove it from the selection all right we’re going to deselect again and I have one more selection tool that I want to share with you and this one is called the foreground selection tool which is in the same group as before which is right here foreground select we don’t have a keybo or shortcut for that so you have to grab it from the toolbar now the way this works is you’re going to make an initial outline of the area of where the subject is or the foreground is and then you’re going to get an overlay like we did previously with quick mask mode and then you’re going to fine-tune your selection that way so I’m just going to make a quick outline around our Cardinal here it doesn’t have to be perfect because again we’re going to narrow down that selection process by helping figure out where the foreground or where the subject is in this case Okay so once you go back to the beginning you’re going to notice this little yellow circle once you see that release your mouse button and then hit your enter or return key to get your blue overlay so we have a lighter blue and a darker blue so the lighter blue is the foreground and the darker blue is the background now in the tool options you want to make sure you have draw foreground selected if not it’s going to do the opposite of what you want so to fix or to refine our selection you’re going to use a brush tool which is automatically activated for you you’re just going to need to go in and adjust the stroke width to increase the brush size so I’m going to go maybe a little bit lower here and what we’re going to do is we’re going to paint on the subject to tell okay these are the colors the textures the brightness levels that we want to Target because this is the subject this is the forr so we’re going to go ahead and paint around the inside this time and I’m not going to select that Branch because I don’t want that as part of the background or I should say the foreground and we’re going to see if selects that or not if it does we can then use our quick mask mode to remove it from the selection so I’m going to go ahead and fill this in I want to make sure that this part down here is selected as well the tail of the Cardinal I’m going to go with the lower brush and then I’m going to make a selection here again it doesn’t have to be perfect we just want to get enough of those colors and that texture to reference or give a reference point for selecting the forr all right so once you paint on there you’ll notice that that light blue overlay has disappeared so this is the foreground or we’re telling this is the foreground and it’s going to refine that even further once we click on select it’s going to do its magic it’s going to take a minute depending on the size of the file and the speed of your computer and then it’s going to finally hopefully sooner rather than later make a selection and you can see it didn’t make a selection of the tree branch here and it kind of missed these colors or this part of the bird as well so we can go in with our quick mask mode now and this time with our paintbrush tool we are going to paint with white again to add that to the selection now if we go too far and let’s say we add in the branch if you paint with black that will remove that part from the selection so we can go ahead and deactivate and then our selection process is updated all right so that was a quick overview of the selection Tools in kimp there’s still a lot more to learn and we’re going to cover more in upcoming tutorials once we get into the projects you’re going to learn more about these tools to get the most out of them but before we go on to the next section there’s another set of tools that you need to know about for editing your imag in and that is tonal adjustments and color adjustments so we’re going to cover those tools in the next tutorial so if you’re ready for that let’s do it all right I’m now going to share some editing tools color and tonal adjustments in particular for editing your JPEG files in and I don’t use these tools all that often unless I need to make adjustments after I’ve done my edits in the raw file itself because I’m going to make my tonal and color adjustments with the raw file when I bring the image in as a JPEG file now if you’re shooting with JPEG files you’re going to use these tools more often so I’m going to quickly give you an overview of how they work and where they are and then what I recommend doing is using your own images to practice using these tools so you can see how they work because if you’re just going to use the one image that I’m going to show you throughout this tutorial it’s not really going to give you an indication of how these tools work so it’s best to use your own images to learn how these tools work I’m just going to give you a rough overview of what’s going on in each tool and how to use them so I’m going to use this turtle image here and let’s go ahead and zoom all the way in and the color and tonal adjustment tools are up here under the colors menu here so we’re going to concentrate on these tools right here again we’re only going to be using 20% of the tools 80% of the time so there’s tons more Tools in here that we haven’t even covered yet but you’re most likely not going to use them when you’re editing images in again so we’re going to start off with color balance which will allow you to remove color cast or to add a color cast depending on your Creative Vision you can also Target your shadows midtones and highlights to pinpoint where that edit is going to go so if I want to add red in the shadows I can do that with the cyan red slider here and then add cyan if I want to do that so if I want to add colors into the highlights or remove that color cast I can do so by targeting the highlights and midtones Etc all right let’s go to the next one which is pretty important which is the color temperature or the white balance as you know it in Lightroom or adobe camera raw so with the color temperature window here you’re going to type in the original temperature or the Kelvin number that you used or the Kelvin temperature that you used when you captured the image and then you’re going to apply your intended temperature that you wanted for that white balance so if you shot it at 7,000 then you’re going to type that in here and if you prefer 5400 then you’ll go ahead and adjust this now again for me I prefer shooting in raw and nine out of 10 photographers that I know a lot of my students they prefer shooting in raw as well and that’s based on a poll that I did in our private Facebook group and 90% of them said they prefer raw over JPEG and it’s much easier to change the white balance in Raw versus JPEG and that’s why I bring it up because you’re not necessarily going to get great results by changing the white balance from a large range so let’s say you did 8,000 for the Kelvin originally and you actually meant 4,000 well the skin tones especially with portraits the skin tones are not going to be that good it’s going to look unnatural so just keep that in mind when you’re adjusting your white balance next we have Hue and chroma never ever use this one I don’t anyways uh you can adjust your colors here you can adjust the chroma and then the brightness levels here instead what I like to use is the Hue saturation option here and then I can Target or you can Target your individual color channels to remove color cast or to change the colors or the saturation or even the brightness levels of those individual color channels this is the one that I use 99% of the time if I need to make adjustments once the file is inside of as a JPEG file all right next we have saturation which adjusts the saturation slightly differently than the previous option I just showed you again I never use this one this is something you’re going to have to play with to see if you like the results from this saturation option versus the other one next we have exposure which is pretty self-explanatory you’re going to increase or decrease increase the exposure this way you can also change the black level or the Black Point with this slider here now a lot of these windows you’re going to notice down here a blending option so you can come in here and choose a blending mode to adjust how that edit is going to be applied to the image not something that I use but it’s there so go ahead and play around with that to see if you can get something that you like for your particular style next we have shadows and highlights so we can Target the shadows and the highlights to make them brighter or darker here’s the highlights common to be honest I’ve never used this I’m not even sure what it’s used for so play around with that looks like it’s making adjustments to the white point and increasing the radius of that white point and then compressing it to be wider or shorter based on the amount or the intensity for that particular edit again I don’t use these at all I only use the Shadow and highlight adjustments in the raw editor or if I want to Target the highlights and the Shadows I use the curves tool like we talked about previously I’m going to adjust my highlights this way versus using those highlight and Shadow sliders because again this gives you more control and then we have I think the last one is brightness and contrast again pretty self-explanatory brighter or darker more or less contrast but again I prefer the curves tool over this option so we’ve already talked about levels and curves and we’re going to use the curves tool more later on in the course and I’ll give you some more tips for using that tool all right so congratulations on finishing the quick start guide you now know how to do some basic edits in later in this class you’ll learn some more Advanced Techniques and pro tips for editing in and in the next section we’re going to dive into layers in regards to how they work in gim because they work a little bit differently than they do in Photoshop the concept is the same but I want to give you all the information you need to know about layers in and how to maximize your use of layers and so if you’re ready to learn more about layers and let’s do it so when it comes to layers and you don’t have all the same features and tools as you do in Photoshop however there are four main types of layers and ways to customize them that can help you achieve your Creative Vision and gam so in this tutorial you’re going to discover all of that more but first let’s define what a layer is so we’re all on the same page so in your analog world a layer is nothing more than a canvas or an image and you can add layers to the initial layer like a sheet of paper that you draw on or maybe you want to add another photo to it and that’s another layer that you can use to alter your artwork now the same is true in your digital world you either start off with a blank canvas or a layer that doesn’t have any pixels but if you open an image here let’s go ahead and open up an image that first layer consist of pixels that make up your image and just like in your analog world you can create new layers to alter how your image looks so I can add a new layer I can fill it in and then I can blend it in with the layer below so that’s how layers work so let’s go ahead and review the four types of layers and the four ways to customize them all right to follow along navigate to your section two folder and open up this file called four layer types now the first thing I’d like to do is to turn off the layer boundary which is this blue and black dashed line right here and you’re going to learn more about the layer boundary in an upcoming tutorial let’s go ahead and hide that by going up to view and clicking on show layer boundary all right so the first type of layer is the background layer and it’s a little bit different compared to the background layer in Photoshop now before I show you what it is let’s go ahead and expand this first layer right here go ahead and click on this plus icon to expand the contents inside of it and then what I want you to do is I want you to navigate to the background layer here you can go ahead and click right here and then come over here to the left and click right about in this area right here to reveal the contents of that layer so this I icon will show or hide the contents of layer so if you click here again it will hide that content all right so the background layer is the layer that is created when you create a new document or when you open an image for the first time so if I come up here and create a new document that background layer is right here so the contents are blank there’s nothing in there have a blank slate to start with but when you open an image for the first time the thumbnail preview is going to consist of or show you a preview of what that image looks like even though it doesn’t say background layer this is the background layer for this file and I don’t recommend applying your edits to the background layer instead you should duplicate your background layer and apply your edits to that so you can work non-destructively and we’ll talk more about that as you progress through this class now the reason why I bring this up is because it is a little bit different versus the background layers in Photoshop and that’s because in Photoshop the background layers are automatically locked you can’t move them you can’t apply any edits to them but in you can so if I grab my paintbrush tool here I can paint on the background layer now if you want to have the function of background layers in Photoshop you can come up here and click right here to lock the pixels so now I can’t paint on it but I can grab my move tool and move it now you can lock that action as well by clicking on the icon next to that and then you won’t be able to move it so now it’s a true background layer similar to what we have in Photoshop all right let’s go back to our layers here and what we’re going to do next is look at grouped layers so let’s go ahead and turn on this layer right here to reveal the contents and go ahead and click here to expand it so a grouped layer is a layer that well groups other layers together and when you first open this file only two grouped layers were visible so if I Collapse this group layer this is a group layer and this is a group layer and then inside we have a layer here and then this is considered a grouped layer because there’s more layers inside of it same with our grouped layer here we have individual layers inside so that’s a grouped layer all right let’s go ahead and collapse that and go ahead and turn on the pixel layer here and this is the third type of layer in and a pixel layer basically is a layer that consists of pixels so anytime you paint on your layer or you add an image to the layer that is considered a pixel layer then the fourth type of layer is a text layer now if you take a look at the preview right here it looks like there’s some information there but we can’t see it on our canvas why is that well that’s because the contents of the pixel layer here is above this layer which hides it so if you want to see that go ahead and turn this layer off which will turn everything off or just come inside of here and turn off the image pixel layer to reveal the text layer so this is a text layer now I know it’s a text layer let’s go ahead and expand this here because we have this little icon right here as part of the preview so if we come over here to our toolbar you’re going to see that same a letter and if you click on it you will then activate the text tool and then you can click here to update that text with new content or to change the color if that’s something that you want to do or to change the font type the size and more now if you try and do that with this text layer down here where it says text layer or any one of these for that matter if you try and click on there you will not be able to update that text and that’s because it’s been converted from a text layer to a pixel layer and then if you take a look at the individual layers you’re going to notice that the preview is different than the text layer up here so that’s how to distinguish between a text layer and a pixel layer all right let’s take a look at the four different ways that you can customize your individual layers let’s go ahead and close this group up and let’s go ahead and turn it off to reveal the grouped layer below it and let’s go ahead and expand this so the first type of way to customize your layer is through a layer Style so a layer style could be a stroke or a drop shadow or something else so if we go ahead and turn this layer on we have the image without any type of layer effects but if you turn on the layer below you would then see a drop shadow has been added so that’s a layer effect so layer effects can be applied either through filters or through selections and then adjusting that selection with a stroke through a selection or through a path right here the next type of way to customize your layer is with a layer mask I’m going to go ahead and turn this image layer off here and then inside I’m going to reveal this layer here and then just above that you can see the layer preview shows a black and white version of this layer below it and then next to that we have this rectangle with some black paint on it and this is the layer mask so the layer mask is used to show or hide individual pixels of that layer so if you turn this on you would then see some color coming through that black and white image and that’s because it’s blending with the layer Below based on the black that’s been painted on the white rectangle here so the rectangle takes the shape of the pixels in the layer and then when you paint with white white you will add the edit and then black will remove the edit so that’s why certain areas here are in color because that area has been painted with black on the layer mask to reveal the layer below it all right let’s go ahead and hide these two layers here and collapse the layer masks and then go ahead and turn on the blending modes layer and expand the content here and then inside you’re going to see that black and white image again again as well as a solid color of orange so once you turn that layer on it will hide the image layer below it because it’s a solid color and it’s above it now what you can do is you can use your blending modes to blend this layer in with the layer below so let’s go ahead and try that by going up to mode and selecting soft light and now you have a sepia tone versus a true black and white image and that’s another way to customize your layers through all these different blending modes that you have in there’s actually more blending modes in than what we have in Photoshop so go ahead and go through all of these play around with them and you will see the different ways that you can blend one layer with another layer all right I’m going to go ahead and collapse that actually let’s turn off these two layers here and turn on the opacity layer now OPAC capacity is going to allow you to customize the layer by reducing the transparency of the layer if you click on the blending modes icon here you’re going to notice that the opacity is down around 37% if you increase this all the way to 100 it’s no longer transparent and it’s much brighter than it was before but as you drop the opacity it becomes more transparent harder to see and then the layer below it will then begin showing through because it’s no longer solid so in this tutorial I’d like to share some tips about using layers in and some layer attributes to help you organize them so let’s jump back into here and let’s go ahead and open any image since it’s only for reference all right so in the previous tutorial I mentioned a couple things you can do to lock the layer to prevent you from accidentally moving it it or altering the layer Itself by adjusting or altering the pixels of that layer so to prevent your image layer from being moved you can add this move lock and then you won’t be able to move that layer and then this one here will lock the pixels so you can’t accidentally alter those pixels and then this last lock option here is to lock the alpha channel so the alpha channel is the transparency of layer so if you have transparency in that layer let’s say a logo then you can lock that transparency from being altered now in addition to locking with these three options you can also lock two layers together or link them together so if you come down here and click on this icon that will duplicate the layer then if you click to the right of this I icon it will add a link icon and then you will need to add another layer to link to now when you grab your move tool and move that layer it’s going to move both layers at the same time if you only have one linked then it’s not really linking to anything so you’re only going to move that one layer that has that link icon or without it actually and you can actually link two or multiple layers together if that’s something you need to do for your particular project that you’re working on all right so let’s quickly review some of these options down here at the bottom of the layers panel so you have an idea of the things that you can do with these attributes and then we’re going to cover some of these in more detail later in the class so this first option here pretty self-explanatory it’s going to delete a layer and of course this will duplicate this little clown icon will allow you to add a layer mask and there’s multiple types to choose from and we’ll go into great detail about these in the Pro editing section so we’re going to go ahead and cancel out that for now and then this icon here will allow you to merge the layer that is selected with the layers below it or at least the ones that are visible if they’re not visible then you won’t be able to merge them together so once I click here it’s going to merge those two layers together now if you want to change the stacking order of your layers you can click and drag down or up or you can use these little arrows right here now this option here will create a grouped layer for you but currently it doesn’t have anything inside of it so to add a layer or layers into it you’re going to click and drag that layer over the image preview here until you see those dotted lines once you see that release your mouse and it will automatically be added and you can see it’s added because it’s indented compared to the top layer here and then the layer group will inherit the image preview of the layer that is at the top to add another layer you’re going to click and drag up until you see that horizontal line you can do it either at the top of that layer or below it and then you can add another layer inside of here as well to remove the layers you’re going to click and drag down and then it’s going to remove it and if I close this you’ll see that this layer is no longer in this grouped layer here now to create a new layer you’re going to click right here and you have some different attributes inside of here that you can apply while creating your new layer so you can give it a name here you can add a color tag based on how you want to organize your layers maybe a specific color will be applied to all layer masks and then maybe another color for grouped layers so on and so forth and if you want to apply a blending mode at the time of creation you can do that from here these options are more advanced I never really Ed myself you can apply an opacity setting for that layer as well you can set the size and the position with these options here and then this option down here you’ll probably use more often because you’re either going to want to fill in that new layer with transparency or a solid color whether it’s your foreground or background color swatch that you had set up prior to activating the new layer window now you also have some options over here to make that layer visible or hidden it’s visible by default and then you can set it up to be linked locked with these three options here as well and then once you click okay it will create that new layer accordingly now if you want to change the color tab or make other attribute changes you can right click on the layer and select your color tag from here and make some other changes to that layer from here as well and then there’s other options down here and we’ll cover some of these later on as you progress through the class all right so the last thing we’re going to cover real quick is the layer boundary what is it and what’s its purpose so I have my new layer selected and on the outside here you’re going to see the yellow and black dashed line that’s the layer boundary now if you select a layer group it’s going to change to blue and black so that’s just an easy way to determine whether or not you have a group layer selected or an individual layer now the purpose of the layer boundary is to show the size of the layer and to confine your edits or altering of the pixels of that layer within the layer boundary because you can’t paint on the outside of this layer because the size of this layer is right here so everything you do is confined to that layer boundary inside of it now if you crop your canvas and you didn’t crop the pixels or delete those pixels permanently then the layer boundary is going to show outside of that canvas and that’s your cue that you have additional pixels outside of that layer or outside of that canvas I should say and then you can readjust the layer accordingly if you need to recompose the image now sometimes I find the layer boundary to be a little distracting so I like to turn that off and we did that previously by going up to view and clicking on show layer boundary now every time I click on a new layer it will not show that layer boundary if you want to reshow it just come back up here and click on show layer boundary all right so one type of layer we haven’t covered yet is adjustment layers and if you have experience with Photoshop then you probably know what they are if not that’s okay because you’re going to learn all about them in the next tutorial next up is discovering what an adjustment layer is where they are in and how to use them so if you’re ready let’s do it all right so an adjustment layer is a type of layer but it’s a very special type of layer an adjustment layer is used to contain a specific type of editing tool we take our editing tool and we put it inside of a layer for example when you edit an image you can access a tool to I don’t know let’s say make the image brighter that tool when selected is available in an individual window or it’s separated from all the other tools however we can turn that editing tool into a layer that resides inside of the layers panel with all your other layers which is how it got its name adjustment layer all right so the advantage of an adjustment layer versus having that editing tool outside and separate is that it gives you more control and flexibility over that editing tool I have some good news and I have some bad news the bad news is does not have this type of a layer an adjustment layer built into it like Photoshop but the good news is I have a workaround that will allow you to mimic adjustment layers in so that you have that flexibility of using the editing tools for your Creative Vision all right so let’s go ahead and dive right back into and learn why we want to use adjustment layers and how we can use them in G so just for demonstration purposes we’re going to increase the exposure of this image so let’s go up to Colors levels and then we’re going to adjust the levels midpoint or the midtone section by clicking on this little triangle here and moving it to to the left so the image is now Overexposed it’s not a type of edit that I would recommend but again just for demonstration purposes let’s go ahead and click okay now we’re going to go ahead and save this edit by going up to file select export as we’re going to keep the same file name and click export it’s going to ask do you want to replace the original file in this case we do so click replace go ahead and click export on this next window let’s go ahead and close this file go ahead and select discard changes and then we’re going to go back up to file open up that same image as before and let’s say we do this tomorrow next week next year after we edit the image we save it we close it we come back we realize we over edited the image and it’s Overexposed now what well you could go back up to Colors levels and try and adjust it but the only problem is you’re going to begin degrading the quality of the image and it’s not going to be the same as the original so what you have done is you’ve done what is known as destructive editing you’ve applied an edit directly to the pixels and you alter them in a way that you cannot get them back because you saved over the original file unless you have a duplicate of that particular file or a backup of that file you’ve essentially ruined the image forever you’re out of luck all right so now let’s
take a look at how we should be editing our images so go ahead and close out that file we’re going to go back to file and open and we’re going to open up image 02 which is the same image now what we’re going to do is we’re going to duplicate this layer by coming down here and clicking on this duplicate layer icon okay let’s go ahead and double click right here so we can rename this layer and let’s just call it exposure edit now we’re going to go back up to colors and select levels again and again we’re going to adjust the exposure to make it over exposed so go ahead and do that click okay and now this layer is different from this layer so we have our original and our edited layer so in essence this edited layer is our adjustment layer so let’s see how this works we’re going to go up to file select save as and now is going to amend the file type xcf to the file name so that we can save the layers and keep everything intact go ahead and click save close that file go back in and reopen the O2 xcf file we have both layers still intact we have our adjustment layer and now we realize that the image is Overexposed and we over edited the image so we can come up to our opacity slider up here and then we can click and drag it to the left to tone it down and then it will blend in with the layer below it so we still have the flexibility and control of re-editing our image because we can adjust the opacity but if at some point we decide we’re not getting the results we want we can either turn this layer off or we can come down here and delete the layer and then start our editing over with the original layer so we’ve in essence worked what is known as non-destructively so we can use an adjustment layer in this manner to work non-destructively to give us the flexibility and control to edit our images again in the future now I will admit if you have ever used adjustment layers in Photoshop it’s not 100% exactly the same but this is the best workaround at this point in time and I will add that the developers at are in the process of of updating to include adjustment layers that are going to be much more robust and professional and more like the Photoshop option in a future release however we do not have a specific timeline for when that will happen until then this is the best workaround all right congratulations on completing this section on layers in the next section you’re going to discover how to edit your raw files with gamp if you’re ready for that let’s do it so I have some good news and some bad news the bad news is just like with Photoshop you cannot edit raw files directly in the App instead there’s a raw editor that works in conjunction with and it’s called Dart table for those of you new to Dart table it’s a free alternative for editing your raw files that is similar to Lightroom and Adobe camera raw and just like with Lightroom you can manage your images by sorting with label stars and keywords Plus it works seamlessly with gamp and did I mention it’s free all right so installing Dart table is super easy to do and to download it you’re going to go to dart.org click on install right here and choose your operating system to download it and then you can install it just like any other app that’s it you now have Dart table installed so let’s go ahead and jump into Dart table and take a look at what it has to offer so once you have Dart table open you’re going to be in the light table View and you can do a few different things in here one is importing your images from your hard drive or from your camera you can also organize your images by adding tags and keywords you can add color labels you can also rate those images with the star system down here and then next to light table we have a dark room module and next to that we have other so other is going to include additional modules that are similar to Lightroom so we have a map module which is to list your images on a map based on geographic location and then you have a print module slideshow and if you want to tether your camera to your computer you can do that with this tethering option and then when you create an image Dart table will automatically import that image into light table for you so dark room is where all the magic happens for your editing but before you can get in there you need to select at least one image and when you hover over this you’re going to see that keyboard shortcut for getting into dark room is the letter d and light table is the letter L all right let’s go into dark room so like I said this is where all the magic happens when you want to edit your images and if you’re transitioning from Lightroom to dark table you’re going to notice there’s a lot more tools and features versus Lightroom so you have a lot more ways to edit your images based on your Creative Vision now before we get into that let’s take a look at this left panel over here we have a couple of options here that makes editing your images much easier so to kind of streamline your workflow you can use snapshots to take different versions of your edit and save them for future use and we also have a history panel here which is pretty cool because it’s going to record every edit that you apply to your image and if you decide that you don’t like the direction that the edit is going in you can go back in time by coming in here and selecting one of these editing options and then everything above it will be removed from your image that way you can restart your edit from here versus restarting from scratch now over here on the right side we have our editing tools and they’re divided up into different categories now there’s around 50 to 60 maybe 70 different editing tools that you have available for editing your images now just like with you’re probably going to use 20% of these tools 80% of the time and we’re going to cover those later in the course I’m also going to show you right now how to customize each one of these panels to only include the editing tools that you’ll want to use because personally I probably use only around 20 of the 60 or so tools available for editing so I don’t like to have the Clutter of all these different editing tools that I’m not going to use so I’m going to show you that in just a second so the first category right here or the first tab is the quick access panel which is going to list the tools that you’re probably going to use the most often so local contrast exposure lens correction the noise white balance and a couple others as well now the next module here is going to list all the editing tools that you’ve used for the image that is currently visible so as you continue adding more edits and using new tools they will be listed here all right so the next mod module is the technical editing tools so this is going to list things like the output color profile a base curve the cropping tool and much more now you may notice that there’s a lot of editing Tools in here that were included in the quick access panel like exposure and I believe white balances in here as well so we can actually hide those so that they’re not visible and taking up more room again I’ll show you that in just a second first let’s take a look at the next category which is color grading so you have your split toning you have color contrast color correction shadows and highlights levels tone curve and much more and then the final module is the effects panel so you can add things like vignetting grain you can convert it to monochrome and there’s a lot of other cool options in here as well now like I mentioned I like to have each of these panels set up with only the tools that I prefer to use so that my panels are not as clustered as they are right now so if you click on this hamburger icon right here you’re going to see all the different default workflow options available so they even have one for beginner display referred scene referred those are some pretty Advanced types of Concepts here so we’re going to keep this kind of simple and just look at some of the basic editing tools that you may want to use and you editing workflow so my workflow here is going to list only the editing tools that I selected so once I click on that you’re going to notice there’s a lot less tools than there was before so I’m going to go back to default here and then back inside because I want to show you how to create your own workflow or your own workspace what you’re going to do is click on manage presets you’re going to duplicate the default option that has the majority of the editing tools so once you do that you’re going to give it a new name just going to call it new for now and then from here you can go ahead and begin removing any editing tools that you don’t want to use now if you’re just starting out as an editor you’re probably not going to know which ones that you’re going to want to use or not use so you may want to just stick with the default option for now now if you made a mistake and removed something that you didn’t want to remove you can click on the plus icon here and then you can scroll through and find the module that you want to add back in So once I close out of this and go back again you will then see my new workflow right here now as far as editing your images it works like any other raw editor once you select the tool that you want to use you just adjust the slider to the left or right and then it’s going to update the preview over here on the left side where your image is of course and I just want to point out that you’re not actually editing the raw file instead you’re editing a preview so this right here is just a preview of that raw file so what it’s going to do is it’s going to take these edit settings and save it as a separate file next to your raw file so it’s not going to affect the raw file at all it’s non-destructive and you can go back into that image tomorrow week from now a month from now and continue making adjustments without ruining the original raw file now in addition to customizing your individual editing modules here you can also hide these individual panels so there’s one on each side if we come over here and click on this Arrow it will hide that panel clicking again will reshow it you can also hide all the panels at the same time by pressing the Tab Key and then clicking again to reshow it now there’s additional keyboard shortcuts for customizing your interface and for using Dart table in general and we’re not going to go over all those keyword shortcuts so to see the list of keyword shortcuts available in dark table just hold down the letter H to show all of those keyboard shortcuts if we scroll down there’s a lot more all right once you release H it will go back to the original interface here all right so a couple more things I want to share with you real quick and that is adjusting the size of the panels so if we come to the inside of the panels here we’re going to get this little icon right here and then you can drag it to the left or to the right to resize the width of the panel and then for the thumbnail previews down here come up to the top right here and then drag up or down to resize those thumbnail previews all right it’s now time to get your images into Dart table so you can start organizing and editing your images so if you’re ready for that let’s do it you’re now going to learn everything you need to know to import your images into Dart table and what I would like you to do is import all the images in the section 3 folder so you can use those images throughout the rest of this class and of course you can import your own images once you’re done with this tutorial as well so let’s dive into dark table here and get started so like I mentioned before importing of your photos has to be done in the light table module so make sure you have that view active and then in the top left here you’re going to find the import panel and clicking on it will expand the panel showing the options for importing so right now in the latest version of Dart table which is currently 3.8 there are two default options add to library and copy and import and since I have my Nikon d500 connected to my computer I have a a third option and when I click on Mount camera it provides an option to import from the media card or to use tethered shooting so let’s go over each of these and then you can decide which one you prefer now since we’re here let’s go ahead and look at the tethered option first to activate this feature you’re going to click on the tethered shoot button and a new interface will open now when I capture an image it will auto inut Port into dark table and let’s see how that works I’m going to go ahead and take a random photo here of my studio and let’s see how long it takes to import so depending on the speed of your computer and your camera’s media card will determine how long it takes for that image to import and that took a few seconds to do let’s go back to the light table option here all right so if you already have your files saved to your hard drive you can then use add to library to import those images you can even import directly from your media card when it’s attached now unlike when you have your camera attach it’s not going to list the media card from here instead you have to go into add to library and then locate your media card and find the images that way now it’s not going to show up automatically in the folder section or even in places now I already have have mine added into places which you can see right here Nikon d500 and in order to add your media card so it locates it again in the future you’re going to click on the plus icon here and then you’re going to navigate to that media card click open and then it’s going to add it in places then when you click on the name here Nikon d500 in my case is going to show all the folders inside of that media card now when I click on Nikon d500 from here no images show up so what I have to do now is I have to dig into the folders to find the images so it might take a couple of minutes to actually find them it’s actually in here but a quicker way to overcome that is to select the top folder and select recursive directory and then dark table will look through all the folders to find all the images and by default all images are selected for import now I don’t know about you but the file numbers here have no meaning to me so I have no idea what this particular image is all about I don’t know what I took could it be a tree could be a person water I have no idea so what I like to do is I like to turn on the thumbnail preview so I can actually see which images are being imported because I may not want to import all of them I may just want to select a select few so if we click right here on this little I icon it’s going to show those thumbnails and you can click it again to hide it so it’s going to take a minute to show all those thumbnail previews depending on how many images that you have now what I can do is I can go in and select individual photos so if I click on this top photo only that photo is selected if I want to select this one as well I’m G to hold down my command or control key and click that then I can scroll through and continue clicking as long as I have command or control selected now if I want to select multiple images within two other images I can select one and then hold down my shift key and click on the top image here and then it’s going to select all those images in between now it’s only going to import those images that are selected versus what we had originally so nine images out of 139 are now selected and that’s it so now all you have to do is click on add to library and they will automatically be imported into D table for you all right so let’s go ahead and close out of that and let’s take a look at copy and import actually let’s go back because I want to show you one more thing here in add to library and that is if you go to the places again and click on home this is going to list all the folders on your operating system this way you can select your folder of images that are already installed on your your computer so in this case I can go to desktop and select this folder and it’s then going to show all the images inside of here so that’s how you would import your images if they’re already on your hard drive all right so copy and import is pretty much the same process however this option allows you to rename your files during import so this would be helpful when importing directly from your media card or when you haven’t renamed the files on your hard drive but you’re going to end up with duplicate files since you’re copying and importing at the same time so my recommendation if your files are already on your computer is to rename them before importing and you should be able to do that with the operating system that you have Windows Mac Linux whatever the case may be just do a Google search on how to rename your files before importing but if you decide you want to use this option you can rename your files from the option below the list of your files here by clicking on naming rules to set up how they’re renamed now the naming pattern consists of three parts a base part for defining the parent folder a session part defining a subdirectory and then a file name part defining the file name structure for each imported image and the file naming structure I’ll admit it looks a little confusing so in the next article that’s going to follow this tutorial you’re going to find a link that will provide a list of predefined variables that you can use in each part so by default your images are going to be imported into the system pictures folder on your operating system and it’s going to go inside of a subdirectory or I should say a subfolder called Dark table if you’d like to import your images into a different directory you can do so by clicking on this folder icon and then choose your preferred folder now under that we have our subdirectory naming pattern and a default subfolder naming system will be applied and your images will go into this subfolder so you can either change the subfolder naming to something you prefer or if you don’t want your images in another subfolder you’re going to delete all this information right here you can also keep the original file name when you turn this option on right here versus the file naming pattern underneath it now for the renaming of your files you’re going to use this option down here and we have a default setting that will add the year the month and the day which will be today’s date and then the file extension now for my system I’ve set up a sequence variable that is going to add a sequential number so 01 02 03 Etc to my file name now I need to mention something about this year month and day here and in the subdirectory this date is going to be based on today’s date not the day you took the photo so if you want to override the date and apply the date that you took the photos you’re going to need to apply that in the override today’s date so these images here were taken on looks like February 12th and today’s date is I believe February 16th so if I want to override that I’m just going to do something random here so we’re going to put our year first followed by the month and then the day that the photo was taken now this is going to override this information down here and then it’s going to put the sequential number in here next to it with an underscore and then the file extension and that’s it you’re now ready to import the images okay so one more thing you should know before importing is the parameters you can set during import so from here you can include or exclude certain metadata from these options the one thing I like to include on all images that I import is copyright information so all of these are pretty self-explanatory so go ahead and go through these and you are now ready to import your images so do that and like I mentioned import all the images from your section three folder so you can follow along with the rest of the tutorials it’s now time to learn how to edit your images in Dart table with a real world project that you can submit after you’ve completed your edit so let’s jump back into Dart table and get started all right so here’s the image we’re going to be working on and this is included in your section 3 folder and here’s the final edit that I created how cool is that I love it all right so let me show you how I achieved this edit and I need to go into the history panel and click right here to clear the history to remove all those edits all right so the first thing that I like to do before I edit an image is look at the histogram which we can see up here and you can see that it’s severely underexposed which is pretty interesting since I shot this with an exposure or a shutter speed of 30 seconds so I didn’t nail the exposure in camera and now we need to fix it and we’re going to use the exposure module to brighten it up so I’m going to go ahead and increase the exposure by sliding this to the right and as you can see the histogram begins moving to the right to fill in that Gap and if I go to around two stops brighter we can see that the histogram is beginning to be clipped right here on the right side so I might be losing some detail with that clipping and to verify if I am or not I’m going to go ahead and use my clipping indicators which are located down here actually it’s this icon right here so once you click on that you’ll see this red or blue or both overlays on your image indicating that the detail and that part of the tonal range is being clipped so the red overlay here in the sky is an overexposure indicator so I’m losing detail in the sky so I increased the exposure too much now there’s also a blue over lay and it’s kind of hard to see so I’m going to go ahead and use my scroll wheel on my mouse to scroll in and you can see little specks of blue in the tree stops and I’m okay with that I’m not going to try and correct that because it’s not going to really help this image that much because we’re not going to see the detail in there anyway especially when I’m done editing and darkening up that part of the image so what I do want to do though is I want to lower the exposure value until these red overlays these little dots here disappear so I’m just going to go ahead and grab my slider and move it to the left until they’re all gone so right about there so reading the histogram is an awesome way for figuring out where to start your editing it’s going to tell you if your image is over or underexposed and what parts of the tone range need to be fixed so in this case the highlights and the whites needed to be fixed in order to correct the exposure so once you fix the exposure you then have to determine what’s next well for me that would be the white balance because I see that the image is very blue and I think it’s too blue for my taste so again I didn’t get the correct white balance in camera so let’s go ahead and fix that so if we navigate to the quick access panel you’re going to find the white balance setting options here at the bottom and these settings are the ones that were applied during capture of this image so I should have increased the Kelvin temperature before I took the photo but since I didn’t do that I’m going to go ahead and drag this to the right and I think I want to place it right around 12,000 for the Kelvin and I also want to increase the red tint a little bit as well to add a little bit of red and reduce the green now when it comes to white balance for an image like this it’s more of a personal preference there’s also if you take a look down here some white balance settings down here that will help you set the white balance to remove color tense so if you click on your eyedropper tool here what you want to do is you want to click on an area in your image that should be either pure white or pure black or pure gray and then when you click on it it samples those colors in there and it removes the colors so that part of the image is pure white pure black or pure gray so a neutral gray and that removes the color cast which in effect is white balancing your image all right so the next thing I want to do is I want to adjust the contrast that’s a little flat right now so I’m going to go ahead and grab my tone curve here because that is my preferred method for adding contrast and what I’m going to do is create what is known as an scurve so we should have a histogram behind this linear line right here and inside of this grid and that’s going to represent the tonal ranges of your image which will match the histogram you have up here so as soon as I click on this line you’ll see the histogram show up so this side is the blacks and the shadows and then we have our midtones or the exposures in the middle and then we have our highlights and whites on the end so that’s the same with your histogram so what I want to do is I want to increase the brightness of the highlights and darken the Shadows so I’m going to click and drag up here to brighten up the highlights but you may have noticed that I’m overexposing the sky now so what I need to do now is decide if I’m okay with losing detail here or if I should lower the setting here back to where it was or reduce it some which is going to still show some overexposure and then just darken up the Shadows instead and I think I’m okay with making this part of the image Overexposed for two reasons one it’s not that important of an element of the image there’s no detail there anyways that I can really see there’s no texture or anything like that and we’re going to end up darkening up the sky later on with another tool tool which is going to compensate and reduce the overexposure here so these are things that you have to think about and consider as your editing what other tools do you plan on using and can you fix it with a different type of edit or should you reduce the adjustment now that you made with that specific tool so increasing the highlights or making the highlights brighter and making the Shadows darker adds contrast and we can see that when we turn off the tone curve module or any module by clicking on this icon here to turn it off and this is a great way to see the before and after and as you can see it’s really flat here and now we have some more contrast all right so let’s go ahead and close this off and what I want to do next is I want to remove this tree branch that is peeking in over here on the side and I’m going to use my scroll wheel here to zoom in so I can see it a little bit better and then I can click and drag to navigate around the image a little bit more if needed or you can actually do that up here in this navigational panel right here so to get rid of this I’m going to use our retouching tool which is in the effects group and what I’m going to use is the circle shape tool we also have an oval a path and a brush but for this particular type of edit I prefer using the circle shape so with your scroll wheel you can increase or decrease the size of that shape and and what I want to do is make it just a little bit larger than the element that I’m going to be retouching so once I click here dark room is going to add another Circle which is used to sample another part of the image to be used to cover up or retouch the area that needs to be well retouched now sometimes Dart table is not going to give you a good point of reference and it may overlap with the original area that needs to be retouched so what you can do is you can click on this Circle here and move it into another position to create a better point of sampling the other thing I want to do before I move on is I want to turn off these two circles to review that area that’s being retouched now if you take a closer look you can kind of see some blurriness in the shape of that Circle right here so we need to blend that in a little bit better so let’s go ahead and turn these back on and I’m going to go ahead and increase the Feathering of this particular Circle and we can do that by holding down our shift key so make sure you’re in between these two lines here and then use the scroll wheel on your mouse to increase it and then it’s going to smooth out and feather that a little bit better than it was before now the other thing I’m noticing now that we’re zoomed in is all this digital noise and I want to get rid of that now typically when I shoot at ISO 400 I don’t have this much digital noise but because I had a 30-second exposure that tends to increase the amount of digital noise no and because my image was extremely underexposed when I fixed it it added additional noise so what I always recommend doing is trying to nail your exposure in camera at least as close as possible and you’ll end up with a higher quality image and you won’t have to do these extra editing steps like reducing noise all right so I’m going to go ahead and come up here to the search module and type in noise to find our D noise tool and we have four options so which one should we use well this first one is for Astro photography or designed for that type of Photography surface blur is going to apply an edgeware surface blur to den noise or smooth out the textures and I’ve never really used this one so I don’t know that much about this one now we do have D noise profiled which is more of a common type of D noise filter or tool that you’ll see in other software like Lightroom or adobe camera and then we have RW noise which is a more complex Advanced type of denoise filter so again which one of these are you going to use well it depends on your image and the type of noise that you have so for this camera my Nikon Z6 I found that the raw noise works best for this particular camera but I also have a Nikon d500 where I found that this option the profile option works better for images for that particular camera so you have to experiment based on the camera that you have and the type of noise that is introduced so I’m going to go ahead and use raw the noise and once I turn this on it’s going to automatically remove all the noise how cool is that I love it the only problem though is by default the smoothing effect to remove the noise is intense and you’ll end up losing a lot of texture and detail with the default settings so that’s where this extra linear line here and this grid and other options here give you more control over how much noise is reduced or removed and how much texture or detail is lost so I don’t want it to be this smooth because it looks fake it looks plastic especially when applying this tool on portraits the skin looks really unnatural with these default settings so what I want to do is I want to introduce a little bit of noise back by clicking right here and dragging it down toward wordss noisy next I want to increase the texture and the detail and I have two options either coarse or fine so fine will be smoother and coarse will be more intense and you’re going to see more of that texture come back so let’s go ahead and click and drag this one down and this node or Anchor Point I’m going to bring down as well and yes we have more digital noise but it’s not as bad as it was before plus we’ve brought back some of that texture in there now granted this was a 30-second exposure so we’re not going to have a lot of of detail anyway because of the effects of the water being smoothed out during the process of the long exposure I just wanted to bring back a little bit more texture so it wasn’t too smooth all right so the next step is to darken the sky the water and add a little color tint to the image as well because I think the colors right now are a little boring and I want to add a little bit more color pop to it as well maybe a little color boost with some contrast as well so what I want to do is I want to click on this icon here to bring back all the editing modules so the tool for this job is going to be the graduated density tool at least for this image and this is the tool that I like for this particular effect that we’re going to create so once you click on your graduated density module here you’re going to see this horizontal line on your image and this is the halfway point of the image right now and we also have two triangles on either end which you can click on and then rotate the line according to the direction of the adjustment because what it’s going to do is it’s going to apply the adjustments from the top down to this line so 100% of the edit will be applied up here at the top and it will gradually decrease to zero once it reaches this line and then of course anything below that line will not receive that edit so I want to apply this to the entire sky so I’m going to go ahead and click and drag this down to the horizon and then in my graduated density module here I’m going to increase the density and by default it’s already increased it by one stop so if I turn this off we can see that the sky is darker and the sky is no longer Overexposed in this area so I’m going to go ahead and increase this to around two stops or two EV so right about there looks pretty good and then I’m going to use my Hue slider here to change the color but nothing happens and that’s because you need to increase the saturation first to add some color to it because right now without any saturation it’s not going to render any colors in that area or render any effect so I’m going to go ahead and click and drag this over to the right to right about there should be good and actually that’s not the color I want I want it to be more Bluer to purple so I’m going to go ahead and increase the Hue slider here to the right so right around there looks pretty good all right so I want to do the same thing with the water now but I want to use different settings and that’s why I didn’t drop this all the way down to the bottom so to create another density adjustment we need to create a new instance for this module so we’re going to click right here and select new instance to get another graduated density filter effect so again this line this new line is applied in the middle of the image and it’s starting from the top down and we want to reverse that so I can either click and drag and rotate it that way or we can use the rotation tool which I’m going to use and let’s drag it all the way to the right here to 180° all right so I want this to start at the Horizon again so I’m going to go ahead and click and drag this back down to here and now the edits are being applied from down here all the way up to this line so I think one stop looks pretty good and as you can see the blue overlay is much more more brighter or intense than it was before and that’s because I’m clipping more of the blacks and the shadows and losing detail in that part of the image but I’m okay with that for this particular image because it is a night or blue hour Sunset type of photo and it’s more of a silhouette of the tree stumps and I’m not really interested in keeping all the detail all right so I’m going to go ahead and increase the saturation again to about where we were before and let’s increase the to the right again to I don’t know what do you think I don’t want to go as purple as before I want it to be a little bit Bluer so maybe right about there I think that looks pretty good now the other thing that you may have noticed once we darkened up the sky is the remnants of dust spots and they’re much more visible now than they were before we darkened the sky so I’m going to go ahead and zoom in right here and we can go ahead and navigate over here to the left and we can see a spot right here and there’s a couple of other spots here as well so to fix these we’re going to use the retouching tool again with the circle shape and I’m going to go ahead and click right here actually I think maybe I need to make my brush size a little bit smaller and then once I click here dark table will do its magic and it will magically disappear and don’t forget you can go ahead and move these circles around to adjust it if it’s not giving you the sample point that you need to completely remove it and once you have all of those removed there’s one other thing that we need to fix as well and what I’m noticing in the sky is some color banding so the color banding resulted from some of the other adjustments that we’ve already done and to fix that color banding let’s do a search for the dithering tool and this should help eliminate or minimize this color banding so once you turn this on Dart table would do its magic again and boom the color banding is gone how cool is that all right now that you’ve learned some tips for editing in Dart table you can complete this project on your own to reinforce what you’ve learned and then you need to know how to get your images out of Dart table so you can share them with the world and you’ll discover how to do that in the next tutorial so if you’re ready for that let’s do it now that you’ve learned some basics for editing your images in Dart table it’s now time to learn how to get your images out of it so you can share your images with the world so let’s jump back into Dart table to find out how to export our images all right in Dart table here make sure you’re in the light table view select an image or images that you want to export and click on export and you have a ton of options to choose from before you export your images we’re going to go over each one of these items so you know what they do and which ones you should select but keep in mind some of these are very Advanced options and are beyond the scope of this tutorial because entire books have been written about them and we can’t cover everything in this tutorial but once you’re done with this video you will know how to export your images and which options I recommend using so the first thing you need to do is tell Dart table where to export the file so click on this icon here and choose the destination under that we have an item here called create create unique file name which is going to append a number at the end of that file name if you click here you also have overwrite which will overwrite the original file and you also have skip which will skip renaming the file but if the original file is in that same folder location it will overwrite it so I don’t recommend either one of these it’s nice to have a number appended to the file name so that you can keep them together if you decide to put them in the same folder and then under that we have to set the format or the file type of the image when exported by default we have jpeg selected if you click on it you get this menu here with additional file formats if none of these look familiar to you then you won’t need to use them in fact I would think 99% of the time jpeg will be sufficient for most of your projects especially esally if you’re posting online jpeg is sufficient even when I do print enlargements I still use JPEG 8bit and I find my prints are perfect with that file format next you need to set the quality of that JPEG file so you can set this between 0 to 100 100 is the highest quality and I set mine to 80 for the quality it just means a smaller file and it may not be as good as 100 but I can’t see the difference unless I’m pixel peeping in other words I’m zooming in real close and putting that print enlargement right up against my face I’m not going to see the difference when it’s hanging on the wall or sitting on my desk all right so under that we have an option to set the size of the file on export by default it’s going to set the size to be the same as your raw file if you want want to change it you can adjust the width and the height accordingly you can set it in pixels centimet or inches or by scale so if you want to create an 8×1 12 print you would type in 8 for the width 12 for the height and then the DPI or what is known as dots per inch so that’s the resolution here 8×2 by 300 if you’re going to be using the images for online use then you would use pixels so now that same 8×10 print is now 2400 by 3600 pixels per inch the other thing you can do is you can leave the width or the height set to zero and then you can adjust the width or the height accordingly to whatever you need let’s say 800 pixels wide and then dark table will adjust the height automatically to keep your image in proportion and this is useful when you’re sending images to a social media site that requires a specific width all right so this next option allow upscaling I recommend using when you set the size of the dimensions to be larger than the original raw file and what this option is going to do when you set it to yes is it’s going to improve the quality of of the image because you’re making it larger than the original and often times images will become Jagged or pixelated due to the extra pixels that have to be created when making it larger since they were not there originally so long story short use upscaling when the dimensions are larger than your original the next option highquality resampling is another way to improve the quality quality of your images because it’s going to process that image or the export in a different order in order to create a higher quality image but the downside is it’s going to take a lot longer when you have this set to yes versus to no but if a highquality file is of importance to you I would recommend using this option here the next option is grade out for JPEG file formats and it’s not until you select something that can store masks like an xcf file which is a file format will you be able to store masks with that file under that we have the color profile that you want to export to if you’re only putting images online srgb is the way to go I even use this sometimes for prints if I’m sending to my home printer I will choose one of these other options that closely relates to the color profile of my printer so again like I mentioned before color profiles are something you’re going to need to spend a little bit more time learning about but for now for 99% of your images srgb should be sufficient until you have some understanding of these other ones and know when to use them and when not to use them the next option here in intent is another Advanced type of setting that you’re going to need to learn more about and what this does is dark table is going to render your images that have outof gamut colors based on the option that you have selected here so if you don’t know what a color gamut is that’s something else you need to learn about if you want to take advantage of this option here and have higher quality images on export the next option called style is like presets and it will allow you to apply specific edits that you saved and you can apply those on export it’s something that I usually do during the editing process and that’s something I do on export but you do have that option to apply them during the export process now if you decide to use a style on export you can choose to have that style appended to or overwrite the history stack of that image I would recommend appending it but not overwriting it because you may want to go back at a certain point and take a look at those different editing steps you took for a particular image so the last decision to make is right inside of here if you click right here you get a new window called edit metadata exportation so from here you can tell D table what metadata you would like applied or included in the image and these are all the default settings and you may or may not want to turn these off one you may want to consider turning off is Geo tags let’s say you’re taking some pictures at home and your camera or your smartphone is adding Geo information well with that information somebody can find out where you look live if you’re posting these online so if you don’t want people to know where you live go ahead and uncheck geot tags and maybe you don’t want tags either maybe you’re using the names of your kids or your spouse or other family members and you don’t want to include the names because you want to give them some privacy you might want to turn off the tags option as well and then once you save that it’s going to be sticky so the next time you export those same settings will still be there all right now that you spend all this time going through and setting this up you may want to save this as a preset so you don’t have to come back and do this every single time now that being said this is sticky information in other words when you come back tomorrow next week whatever these settings are still going to be there but maybe you’re exporting images to Facebook one day and then the next day you want to export images for Instagram and the file sign or the dimensions of that file are different for both platforms well you can come up here and click right here and click on store new preset and give this preset a name you can call it Facebook and then you can select that preset from here and then those export options that you set for Facebook will repopulate according to that preset now the moment you’ve been waiting for you can click on export and D table will begin exporting your image all right so we’re going to start off with the levels tool and I want to give you a couple quick tips on using it and both Dart table and even though we’ve used it before or talked about it before I want to give you some additional tips on using it so let’s jump into Dart table here and we’re going to take a look at this image right here and hopefully you’ve already imported all these images from the section 3 folder if not go ahead and do that because we’re going to be using a lot of these images in this section and the next section so go ahead and grab that image and let’s go into dark room now at first glance you can tell that the image is very flat or lack contrast and the histogram confirms that so I like to start off by reviewing my histogram to determine what part of the tonal range needs to be fixed and you can see in this histogram that there’s no detail in the blacks and very little in the shadows and there’s no detail in the whites or the highlights either so those are two things we need to fix we need to fix the whites highlights blacks and shadows and we can do that by starting off with adjusting the white and black point so the purest White and the purest black point of the image now in most cases in most images you want a full tonal range if it was available at the time of capture so this is a I would say a low contrast image at least a dynamic range is low contrast so that’s why this person that whoever photographed this it wasn’t me ended up with a low contrast image now they could have increased their exposure settings to make the image brighter to fill in these gaps so you want to try and do that as much as possible in camera if you can’t then you can come into dark room and use your levels tool to adjust the white and black point so we can do that by by going to the color grading grouping here and accessing the levels tool now once you begin adjusting one of these sliders here it will then show the histogram so this is the white point over here on the right black is over here and what I’d like to do is I like to adjust everything to the edges of the histogram so I’m going to take the Black Point right there because that’s where the histogram begins and then the white point over here to the left so just like that we’ve increased the dynamic range of the image and we’ve added contrast in the process so it’s not as flat as it was before now the one thing you want to be careful of is not placing these markers on the inside of the histogram like this because you’re going to start losing detail so everything on the right side of this marker now is gone all that detail is gone and we can confirm that with our clipping indicator right here so once I turn that on we got a big red overlay so all those pixels have been deleted and then in some points of the forground here you see some blue overlay so that’s pure black so we’ve lost detail in that part of the image so we can adjust that by moving this to the left to try and bring back some of that detail in the foreground now a lot of it you’re not really going to see but I think the sky is important so I’m going to go ahead and move this back to the right and then that over delay begins to disappear as I bring detail back into those parts of the image so it’s not necessary to go right to the edge sometimes you may need to keep a little bit of a gap just to ensure you’re not clipping any detail you don’t want to always fill the Gap completely again this is all dependent on each individual image and your Creative Vision for a particular edit now real quick before we jump into I have some tips about the clipping indicator here because right now you’re probably getting different results than I am and that’s because I’ve set up the settings for my clipping indicator versus using the default settings and if you hover over this you’re going to see a little tool tip it says toggle clipping indication right click for option so go ahead and right click and you can see my clipping preview mode is luminance only so I like to set my to luminance only versus full gamut which is the default because I want to see what part of the image the brightness levels are being clipped so the whites or the blacks or the black points and the white points so that’s what I recommend using the clipping indicator for is for the tonal adjustments so I would set that to luminance only and then you can change the color scheme to something else if red and blue isn’t for you and then you have different thresholds so my numbers here are probably different from yours because I’ve adjusted these and when you hover over the lower threshold here this is going to give you a popup window for the black points and it’s going to give you some ideas to what settings you should use based on your output so if you’re using an 8bit srgb it’s going to clip the blacks at- 12.69 EV 8 Bits Adobe RGB is -99 18 so on and so forth and then you can see if you’re going to do a glossy print it’s minus 8 now which setting you use is dependent on your output but also based on your individual image because if you’re shooting Nikon Canon Sony or whatever the case may be it might be slightly different from One camera to another as well especially when it comes to the upper threshold because it’s not going to really give you any information about the output because Pure White isn’t really going to be printed on paper but black is a solid color ink that is usually used during the printing process not so much white so the upper threshold here you’re going to have to experiment with based on your own images and I find right around 90 95% works the majority of the time so if I take this upper threshold and move it to the left and lower the threshold Dart table is now saying that that part of the sky is Overexposed even though though we can visually see that it’s not okay so now that I have it turned off I can still see color in there so it’s not really being clipped and that’s why you want to be careful with your settings here so I’m going to set this back to around 90% And I think that works pretty good for this image all right so let’s go ahead and click right here to reset those parameters and then go ahead and go into light table and Export it as a 8bit g apeg file 80 for the quality and then go ahead and open it up in kimp so I’ve already done that and we’re going to take a look here at the levels tool in now so I’m going to go up to colors and let’s select levels and we basically have the same information the histogram is showing that detail is missing on both sides we have a gap and we can fill that Gap in with our markers here on either side now we have a little teeny tiny line right here so that’s why I’m stopping right here and I think with this white point now along the edge I think that’s too bright so I’m going to go ahead and bring this back just a little bit and then you have your before and after in game so pretty much the same results but what I want to show you here is a couple other things that we haven’t talked about yet and I would use the levels tool when I’m using or editing I should say a JPEG file 99% of the time I’m editing raw files because that’s that’s what I shoot but if a client gives me a JPEG file this is how I would set up the White and The Black Point so if you’re not shooting a raw and you’re shooting jpeg instead then you’re going to use your levels tool to set your white and black points now if your histogram is really flat and it doesn’t have these really tall Peaks like this you may want to change from the linear histogram to a logarithmic histogram so just click right here and it’s going to change the height of that histogram 9 times out of 10 I use this but once in a while I may need to use this histogram to see those Peaks and valleys a little bit better to help me edit my image another thing that I would do with the levels tool instead of using the exposure slider here or this exposure tool you can adjust your exposure from here by adjusting the midtone so now I can make it darker or brighter by adjusting this midpoint versus going back into the exposure tool here and doing it from here all right so that’s it for the levels tool next up is the curves tool all right we’re now going to take a closer look at the curv tool to see how we can use it in place of multiple tools so we’re going to jump back into Dart table here with the same image as before to see what kind of results we can get with the tone curve so again in color grading just below levels we have our tone curve so it’s a little harder to determine where the weight and black points are but they are in the corners here on this linear line This is the Black Point this is the white point now as far as moving the white point to the edge of the histogram well to fill in this Gap we need to move this to the left and now that aligns with the histogram right here I think that’s a little bit too bright so I’m going to go ahead and bring this back a little bit and then for the black point we can drag that to the edge of the histogram right here let’s go ahead and turn our indicator back on if you don’t have it on and again we’re losing detail in the bushes but we’re not really going to see that detail in there anyway because that detail or that those elements I should say are pretty small all right so we now have our white and black point set our histogram is now showing a larger tonal range and we have pretty much the same result as before but now I can add contrast with the tone curve by applying an S curves so I’m going to go ahead and drag the blacks and the Shadows down and take the whites and the highlights and drag those up and now we have more contrast than we did before and you’re going to adjust this based on your Creative Vision I love it I like that right there you may think it’s too much or maybe not enough that’s entirely up to you I just recommend not overdoing it and start clipping too much detail so I’m happy with these settings right here because I’m not really losing any detail other than these small bushes in the foreground now I can take it even a step further and adjust the exposure by dragging in the middle here where the midtones are and then dragging that up to brighten up or darken the image so you can make that type of decision based on what you prefer so maybe a little bit brighter is better for this particular image I’m not sure what do you think so I think that looks pretty good let’s go ahead and take a look at another image and see how we would apply the tone curve in the same manner with what you’ve learned so far so the first thing we do is that’s right we take a look at the histogram and we can see that there’s no gap on the left side so the blacks and the Shadows are pretty good even though the indicator is saying we are losing detail in that part of the image that’s okay again these parts of the image are not that important but as we make adjustments to the right side which are the whites and the highlights it will brighten up the shadows and bring back some of that detail so let’s go ahead and do that I’m going to grab my white Point here and drag it to the left now if I go all the way to the edge I think that’s too bright it’s a little hot plus I’m losing a little detail in the sky here so I’m going to go ahead and move this back to the right until I find a setting that I think looks good so I think right about there and now we’re losing less detail in these parts of the image where that blue overlay is compared to the image straight out of camera so it’s brightening up that part of the Tona range which is what we want so we’re losing less detail but I may want to do an S curve which is going to lose more detail on that side but again I’m okay with that but I’m going to brighten up the highlights as well because I want to add some contrast to this image and I may drag this up a little bit more and now we definitely have more contrast than we did before so it’s brighter and sharper and has more contrast so the contrast adds a little bit sharpness to it as well because it’s defining the edges a little bit better based on the contrast between the tree and the sky and again what do you want to do do you want to increase the brightness level or darken it up in the midtones so how do you want to change the exposure or do you want to change the exposure if not just double click here and it’s going to reset everything but if I use Commander Control Plus the letter Z it’s going to take me back because maybe I just want to get rid of just one Anchor Point and not reset it completely and you can do that by right-clicking on that Anchor Point to reset it all right back in and let’s take a look at curves from here so colors curves and pretty much the same thing as before so it all depends on if you’re working with a JPEG file or a raw file I would definitely recommend raw over jped because it’s going to retain more information more detail than a JPEG file you can kind of see that this image now is starting to get pixelated because it is a lower quality image as a JPEG file compared to the raw file so go ahead and play around with both your JPEG and RAW file to see this for yourself and go ahead and practice with the tone curve as well all right so that’s it for the tone curve in the next tutorial I have another type of editing technique that can help you elevate your photographic editing skills and it’s called Dodge and burn so let’s check that out another important editing technique to help you fulfill your Creative Vision is known as Dodge and burn we used to use this technique back in the day when we processed our own film and printed it in a dark room so what exactly are Dodge and burn well you would Dodge a specific area of the print to make it brighter and you would burn if you wanted to make another part darker so Dodge and burn are simply controlling how bright or dark different areas of your image are and you can apply this technique in your digital world inside of with the Dodge and burn tool so let’s dive in and check out how to use this tool but before we get into let’s first look at this image that we’re going to be working on in Dart table and that’s because I have a couple of tips for editing in Dart table that is related to a little bit to dodging and burning so one of the things you may notice when you import your images into Dart table for the first time is they may not look like they did on the back of your camera at the time you captured the image some of them might be close to what you saw but some may look completely different they may look too bright or too dark compared with what you captured or saw at the time of capture and that’s because D table is applying default edits to all your images once they’re imported and if you take a look over here here at the history panel you can see all the edits that are being applied during import so if I click on original this may be closer to what you saw at the time of capture maybe or it may be something like this so which one you want to start your editing from is dependent on your Creative Vision and where you want to start your editing because you can come all the way back here and pick one of these points to start your editing now you may end up with something similar to this as you begin applying your own edits when you adjust the tonal range you apply or adjust the whites and black points you add some contrast you may end up with something similar to this maybe not this dark but something similar so you have to choose a starting point in their history panel here if you’re not getting something close to what you want at the time of capture now for this particular image I believe the photographer adjusted his exposure to the left or in other words He adjusted the exposure to get more detail out of the highlights which is going to end up creating darker midtones and Shadow so something closer to this but then dark table is adjusting for that compensation that the photographer did manually and it’s trying to fix it for that photographer so I would come back to this point if this was what I wanted at the time of capture and then I would do my dodging and burning to make the shadows and mid tones brighter and the highlights darker so we’re going to start from this point right here so make sure you grab this image and you should have imported this image already from the section 3 folder if not go ahead and do that and we’re going to go ahead and do a couple quick edits here and we’ll take a closer look at dodging and burning and once we export and open this image so the thing I want to do for this particular image from this point is I want to brighten up the Shadows so that is dodging and you can do that with the Shadow and highlights tool I’m going to type in Shadow here to get the shadow and highlights now once you turn this on you’re going to notice a huge difference in the image boom that looks 10 times better than it did before we’ve done some basic dodging and burning or I should say Dart table has done done some basic default dodging and burning for us by making adjustments to the shadows and highlights for us automatically so these are the default settings and it adds more contrast more detail more depth in the image by adjusting the highlights and the shadows in this manner now you can make adjustments to this now based on your Creative Vision you can make the Shadows brighter or darker if you want I think I may want to make them just a little bit brighter and then I want to make the highlights a little bit darker so here’s the before again and the after so that’s the basic premise of dodging and burning making parts of the image brighter and other parts darker to add that depth to bring detail back and much more now the other thing I want to do before we open this up in is I want to do a basic lens correction because if you take a look in the corners here you can see a yet it’s very dark and I’m not sure if that’s due to the lens hood or if it’s a lens Distortion so type in lens here and turn on lens correction from here and it’s going to remove most of that vignetting and you’re also going to notice that the image is stretching out and that’s due to the lens Distortion for this particular lens which creates what is known as a
barrel Distortion so it kind of has a bulge effect in the middle here and then lens correction is going to stretch out that image to remove that Distortion as well as minimize the vignetting now it’s not completely gone so what you have to do is you need to come in and crop the image tighter to get rid of it but the problem with that for this particular image is you’re going to start cutting into the rocks and the boulders here on the edges and the composition is going to change so if you know what particular lens you’re shooting with creates this type of vignetting or if it’s going to happen because you have a lens hood on then you may want to create a little bit more space on the edges here of any elements that may be close to the edge that way you don’t have to worry about cropping out too much of those elements or at all and changing the composition completely or you can come in with a clone and heel tool in to remove this vignetting now the other thing you may have noticed when we applied this lens correction is the image is flatter has less contrast and it’s overall much brighter than it was before that lens correction was applied so what we need to do in that case then if that happens is go back to shadows and highlights and make adjustments from here to get it back to where we wanted it originally so I’m going to bring the highlights and the Shadows down just a little bit and then we can do some more fine tuning dodging and burning in so go ahead and Export your edit and open it up in so I’ve already done that so I’m going to go ahead and hop over to here and let me show you the final edit I did for this particular image for the dodging and burning so here’s the exported file and my Dodge and burn so you can definitely see there’s more depth in the image now with that dodging and burning so I’ve highlighted the highlights and darkened up the Shadows a little bit and vice versa which creates more depth and you can also see more detail in the Rocks here in the foreground now I did make a mistake on my particular edit here and I did that because it’s a common mistake that I see photographers do when they’re posting their images online whatever social media platform you use Facebook Instagram Pinterest Etc it’s a very common mistake that I think we need to try and avoid to give the impression that the image is edited or over edited and that is known as the halo effect and this can occur when you’re doing your dodging and burning and you’re going outside of the line so I don’t know about you but when I was a kid I had a hard time coloring inside of the lines of a coloring book and the same thing applies when we’re dodging and burning and if you take a closer look at the boulders here you can see a little halo effect you can see it more so down here and that’s because I didn’t keep my brush inside of the area where I was trying to apply that edit and it was being applied outside of the line and it creates that Halo so if I turn this back on and back off you can definitely see the halo effect that is occurring along the edges of the rocks and it’s not a very good edit so let’s try and avoid this type of stake when dodging and burning now you may also notice that I got rid of the vignetting here so I’m going to show you how I did that real quick and then we’ll do some dodging and burning so I’m going to grab my clone tool with the letter c and then we’re going to Target an area in the Sky by holding down our Command or control key clicking right here and then you can paint over that area to get rid of that vignetting so I’m going to do another one down here I’m going to go with a larger brush now for this area down here want to go just a little bit larger than the vignette so command or control click here to set the Target and then just paint in that area okay so now that you know how to remove the vignette let’s go ahead and grab our Dodge and burn tool which is in this group right here so if you see this little hand that’s the smudge tool right click and you have your Dodge and burn tool right here keyboard shortcut is shift plus d now we have a brush tool automatically apply lied once we select that tool and then we have to tell which one we want to work with Dodge or burn so if you take a look inside your tool options here and scroll down you’re going to see a type Dodge and burn so you can select whether you want to brighten or darken parts of the image where you apply that brush then you can Target a tonal range whether it’s the Shadows midtones or highlights the other thing we have down here is exposure which will will apply that particular edit at 100% so think of the exposure like a percentage so 100 it’s applying that edit full force 100% down here it’s only going to apply it at 11% so it’s going to allow you to build up your edit at a slower pace so you’re not applying it all at once and it helps blend in that particular edit with the surrounding area where it’s not being applied so it Blends in a lot smoother and it looks more realistic and you’re not going to really notice that you’re applying an edit at a lower exposure rating versus applying it all at once so let me show you what I mean so I’m going to go ahead and Dodge this part of the bowler and this one down here I’m going to go ahead and go with a larger brush maybe a little bit more and 100% so you can see it’s not really blending in with the tonal range of the rest of the area of that rock or that bowler and same thing down here so 100% is too much I’m going to go ahead and undo that and then if we drop this down to around 10 to 15% it’s going to allow you to slowly build up so I haven’t released my mouse button yet but once I do it’s going to apply another let’s see 13.8% and then if I click multiple times it’s going to add that brush effect more and more and more the more I apply it and this allows you to slowly build up that edit so it Blends in a lot better than it does at 100 now I’m going to bring this back up a little higher to around 52 and I’m going to show you you can see my little outline of my brush there it’s going on the outside of that Boulder and now I’ve created that halo effect around the bottom of that Boulder so be aware of that when you’re applying your Dodge and burn tools so for this particular image I would Dodge my Boulders with the midtone range and or the Shadows so I can Target some of these darker areas in the boulders as well so that’s basically what I did for my particular edit my exposure is too high again so I’m going to go ahead and drop that down is I switched between shadows and midtones and I slowly applied different exposure settings and applied that brush exactly where I wanted it based on the ton range so I can continue going in here into the shadows and building up or bringing out that detail in that area now for the highlights same thing you’re going to grab your Dodge or burn tool depending on what you want to do I think for the highlights for this image should be darker so I’m going to go ahead and grab my highlights range here and then increase my brush size and I’m going to go ahead and dark up the sky slowly this way and of course just like before we want to make sure we’re not applying that Halo along the edge of the trees and the sky so you can continue applying this and adding additional adjustments until you get the sky the way you want it and that’s how I ended up with this how cool is that I love it all right so I’ll leave it up to you to complete this particular edit on your own now that you know how to use the Dodge and burn tool so you can complete the project that follows and then you can post your image and make sure you’re not adding that halo effect which is going to be a dead giveaway and one of the first things I’m going to look for when you submit your image all right it’s time to revisit an editing tool that you’ll be using often when you need to make a selection of your foreground or a subject in particular and the tool of choice for that is the foreground select tool so in this tutorial I’m going to share some tips on how to get the most out of it so let’s go ahead and jump back into and we’re going to open up this image which is O2 in the section 4 folder and let’s go ahead and get started so the foreground selection tool like I mentioned previously is a tool that will allow you to make a selection of your foreground which you can then separate from the background so once you make that selection the creative options you have are limited based on your Creative Vision for example I’ve gone ahead and I’ve isolated our main subject from the background and I converted the background to black and white another option is to remove the background and replace it with something else how cool is that I love it so these are just two examples and you’re only limited by your imagination so let’s go ahead and isolate our bird from the background and review some ways to improve how the tool works so you can get exactly what you want to be selected now before I forget let’s go ahead and duplicate our image layer here so we can work non destructively now before we start the selection process let’s review the tool options that can help improve the selection of your foreground and let’s go ahead and grab our foreground select tool from this group right click and select from here now one of the most important ones is the feather edges right here which is turned off by default so this will feather the edges of your selection that way it creates a smoother transition or separation of the foreground and background now for my images I’ll set this to around 5 to 10 it all depends on the image and the higher the quality and resolution the higher I set this so if you’re not getting the results you want try adjusting the amount of the feather and for this image I believe five will work out for us just fine so below the that we have draw modes so the draw modes determine your intended selection so in this case we are selecting the bird and its perch so the foreground so we’re going to select draw foreground but if you wanted to you could select or Target the background instead with draw background so if you ever find yourself trying to select a subject and it’s not working as it had in the past make sure you have draw foreground selected okay so we have stroke width which is actually the brush size and I’m not sure why they called it a stroke but if you want a larger brush size you can do that from here all right so under that we have preview mode and we can choose either color or gray scale and I’m not sure what grayscale does because for me it doesn’t really show anything except a solid gray and black overlay so let’s stick with color for now all right so next we have our engine so the engine is what drives the foreground select Tool It’s actually an algorithm that you can use to change how the tool function so the engine types are matting Global and matting 11 now each will produce different results depending on whether you’re on a Linux machine windows or a Mac personally I prefer to use l for my photos so you’ll have to experiment to see what works best for your images now depending on which engine you use you’ll have some different options to choose from to refine how it works so for Le we have levels and active levels and then for Global we have iterations so for these I will typically just use the default options and then I will refine my final selection with the quick mask mode if needed and that seems to work best and fastest for my workflow again play around with the options to see the results you get from each and then you can decide what works best for your workflow all right so let’s go ahead and isolate our foreground by making our initial outline like we did previously in a different tutorial and again it doesn’t have to be perfect because this is just the initial selection process and we’re going to go all the way around back until we see this yellow circle then you can hit enter or return to get into the next step step so what I like to do is I like to make an outline of the inside of my subject with a fairly small brush not too small but small enough so I can get most of the subject selected so I’m going to go ahead and create an outline like so to begin the process of telling gamp these are the colors the textures the contrast that I want you to Target because this is part of the foreground so once I get my initial outline done I will then go in with a smaller and larger brush to fill in the other areas now the one thing I want to point out is the color of my brush stroke is probably different from yours and that’s because is using the foreground color swatch and the color that you have set in there and it doesn’t really matter what color you use because it’s just being used to Target specific areas of the image so knows what’s the foreground and what is the background all right so I’m not going to make this perfect you know how to do it now so the next step is to hit enter or return and that’s going to update the overlays to give you a better idea of where the foreground is at this point so now you can go in and refine your selection if needed by brushing on and off according to what you need to update for the selection process or you can do what I do and that is use the quick mask mode after it’s made the initial selection so you can do that by hitting enter or return and then will do its final analyzation and give you your selection and boom there’s your selection all right so what we’re going to do now is we’re going to delete the background but first we need to invert the selection since the bird in our foreground here is selected so let’s go up to select and click on invert here’s the keyboard shortcut command or control plus the letter I now that the background is selected we can delete it with our backspace key or our delete key the only problem is we’re left with a solid color based on the color in our background color swatch here and that’s not what we want we want transparency so let’s undo that with Commander Control Plus the letter Z what we want to do like we’ve talked about previously in a different tutorial is we want to add transparency to that layer by right clicking and selecting add Alpha Chana so an alpha Chana adds that transparency now when you delete you’re left with transparency how cool is that I love it now there’s one problem this is not the way I recommend removing your backgrounds there’s a better non-destructive way to do this so what I would like you to do is to keep everything in place as it is right now and go into the next tutorial where we’re going to learn the proper way of removing the background and I’m going to give you some Pro tips on the tool that we’re going to use to do this so if you’re ready for that let’s do it so we’re going to continue where we left off in the last tutorial and what we want to do is work non-destructively so we deleted those pixels in the previous tutorial and that can be permanent depending on how you save your file and whether or not you duplicated the original image layer either way you still want work non-destructively as much as possible so what we want to do instead of deleting is we want to temporarily hide those pixels that way if you made a mistake in the initial selection process you can bring back or show some of those pixels or hide other pixels if needed that way it’s not permanent it’s temporary and you can do that with a layer mask so a layer mask will show or hide individual pixels based on how you set up that layer mask ask so let me show you how to do that in gamp all right so we’re back where we started and I need to bring those pixels back and because I haven’t saved and closed this file yet I can do that by undoing my last command so command or Control Plus the letter Z brings back those pixels now we need to make sure we have the right part of the image selected in this case the foreground and I know the background is currently selected because if you take a look at the outer edge of the canvas here we see these little white and black dashed lines and it looks like they’re moving and that’s known as dancing ants or that’s what they’re referred to sometimes and that lets you know what part of the image is selected if you see these dancing ants on the outside that lets you know the outside of the image or the background I should say is selected so we need to invert that with Commander Control Plus the letter I and then those dancing ants disappear and that lets you know that the foreground is now selected so let’s come down here to the bottom of the layers panel and click on this icon to add a layer mask and there’s a lot of options to choose from but when you’re working with a selection you want to make sure you use selection as part of the layer mask or the type of layer mask once you click add boom your background is gone how cool is that but what’s even better is those pixels are not gone permanently they’re just hidden so if you take a look at at the image layer here you can see the preview of the image and all the pixels are visible here but next to that is the layer mask anything in black is hidden anything in white is visible so now if you made a mistake let’s say for whatever reason you decide you don’t want to include or show this thing that he’s sitting on free stump or whatever it is well you can paint with black to hide those pixels so so let’s go ahead and do that but first let’s deselect by going up to select and selecting none and the keyboard shortcut for that is shift plus command or control plus a all right so we need to set up our foreground and background color swatches so go ahead and select white and black by clicking here and selecting them from there or click on these little icons right here so that’ll give me black and that’ll give you white there as well now you can come over here and switch between the two by clicking on these double arrows but what I like to do is use my keyboard shortcut which is the letter X so I can be working on my image adjusting the layer mask as needed and then if I want to switch to the other I just press X to add or to change the color swatch okay so I need black so I’m going to set black to the foreground color swatch and then I can paint over this tree stump and it begins hiding those pixels pretty cool if you ask me now let’s say you did the opposite you made a mistake you actually wanted this part of the stump included press X paint with white and it’s going to make those pixels visible how cool is that I love it so a layer mask will give you more precision and control over the final area being targeted with your edit to sharpen or not to sharpen your images that is the question then how much sharpening should you apply so you don’t over sharpen well in this tutorial you’re going to learn some Pro tips for sharpening your images let’s dive back into Dart table here and we’re going to look at some Raw photos and we’re going to determine whether or not we should sharpen them and then how to sharpen them in Dart table then we’ll jump into and learn how to sharpen our images in there so we’re going to take a look at this image first I’m going to scroll in with the scroll button on my mouse and I don’t know about you but I think this image is sharp enough what do you think yes technically you can sharpen this image even more but I think it will degrade the image not improve it now this next image down here on the left is much softer than the other one so I think this particular image can benefit from some sharpening now if you want to zoom in a little bit more you can click right here to select a different percentage so you can definitely see how much softer it is versus the other image so I would definitely sharpen up this image now how much sharpening I apply is depending on the intended use for that particular file if I’m going to post an image online then I will sharpen it more than if I were to do a photographic print but even then I’m going to sharpen my photographic prints more or less depending on the size of the image for example if I have a small 5×7 print on my desk I’m going to sharpen that more than I would say for one of these 40 by3 canvas Gallery wraps that I have up here on my wall behind me because I’m not going to be viewing these images behind me really close like I am my desk photo so I don’t need to spend as much time sharpening it and making sure I’m not oversharpening things like the skin so if you want to sharpen your images in D table just go to the search module here type in sharpen and you’ll get this traditional style type of sharpening tool now I only sharpen my images when I’ve completed my editing so if you’re going to bring your images into I would edit after you do all your edits in and then sharpen from there but if you do all your edits in D table you can go ahead and increase the amount of sharpening and the radius will enhance that sharpening a little bit more and then threshold will narrow down the sharpening in the different tonal ranges from all the tonal ranges down to the midtones and the blacks and the shadows and it will Target the highlights less which is where the skin tones are usually residing within your tonal range if I zoom in here it’s probably a lot sharper now than it was before so let’s take a look at the before and the after so I think that might be a little bit too much so I might bring that threshold down just a little bit just to tone it down some so it’s not as sharp as it was before but what I would prefer doing is targeting my sharpening with a layer mask and gamp so either way I would probably export this particular file and then sharpen in instead so let’s go ahead and do that let’s jump into here and we’re going to take a look at this image and this one here both are in your section five folder so let’s go ahead and zoom in on this image and you can definitely see it’s not as sharp as it could be and again I think that’s because of some motion blur at the time of capture so let’s go ahead and work non-destructively by duplicating this layer and let’s take a look at the first option for sharpening which is under filters enhance and then it’s right here sharpen unsharp mask now this is an old school traditional classic type of sharpening that we’ve had in Photoshop forever so if we go ahead and click on that you can then increase the amount of sharpening from here and then the radius of course will refine the edges a little bit more more than just the amount by itself and if you go too far you’re going to end up with this grunge look so if you’re into that or if that’s what you want that’s one way to get it now for this particular image it’s not looking so good so I wouldn’t use that much so if you bring your threshold in again you can Target that to reduce the amount of color fringing and the amount of the sharpening along the edges so it’s not as intense I’m not really liking this particular sharpening tool for this image the one that I prefer is also under enhance here and it’s called High Pass now the first thing you’re going to notice is the image is converted to grayscale and that’s because it’s easier to see the sharpening along the edges of the detail more so in a grayscale versus a color image but if you want to see the color image as you’re adjusting the amount of sharpening you can do that by going into your blending options here and selecting overlay now as you increase the contrast level here which is targeting the edges of the detail from light to dark you will see that it’s beginning to sharpen up the image but again it’s oversharpening the skin and the pores and the blemishes and everything are being enhanced and I think that’s degrading this portrait image overall so I would probably bring the contrast level down to around two or so for this particular image maybe a little bit more and what I would do next then is I would use a layer mask on this layer in white and then I would paint with black along the skin here to remove that sharpening from the skin so I think that’s looking much better now the eyes are sharper the eyebrows are sharper and the hair is a little bit sharper and so is some of the clothing so you can adjust this to your own liking but again you have to determine how much sharpening you want to apply based on its intended use now for landscape photos you can get away with sharpening a little bit more because you don’t have the skin to deal with so for this particular image I would use the high pass as well and I can increase that contrast to maybe right around two or so now for this particular image actually I’m going to go down lower because it’s not as soft as the previous image so if I put overlay here you can see that we’re already getting a pretty good amount of Sharpening at 1 and 1/2 versus 2 and 1/2 with the previous image because the previous image like I mentioned had some motion blur in it so the before and after so I think that is much improved it’s not as soft the details are popping and there’s more sharpening and contrast from the foreground to the background and I think this overall makes the image much better for this project you’re going to learn how to replace a sky with another one and three as keys for doing it right so let’s open up image 01 from your section 5 folder and the first thing we want to do is duplicate this layer here so we can work non-destructively let’s go ahead and turn this background layer off and then let’s make a selection of our sky so we’re going to use our fuzzy select tool and I’m going to set my threshold to right around 25 and I’m going to use draw mask to assist in the selection process so I’m going to click drag down and try and get as much to the sky as possible without the foreground let’s go ahead and back away now with the shift key I can click and drag down and continue making my selection now I’m starting to get a little bit of that foreground again but we’re going to use our quick mask mode to refine our selection I just want to make sure all of the guy here is selected that looks pretty good now we’re going to grab our Zoom tool with the letter Z and click and drag in let’s go into our quick mask mode with shift Plus plus Q let’s grab our paintbrush tool with the letter P and we want to paint with black so we can remove from the selection so I’m going to go ahead and paint in this area and continue removing from the selection okay shift plus Q again to get out of it I need to do a little bit more refining here so I think that should be pretty good now command or control shift Plus J to zoom all the way back out all right now that we have our Sky selected let’s go ahead and apply a layer mask to hide those pixels so we’re going to come down here click here we’re going to make sure we have selection selected and we’re going to click add and unfortunately the wrong part of the image has been hidden so let’s undo that with Commander Control Plus the letter Z let’s go back inside of here invert mask from here we’ll do just that and boom this guy is gone how cool is that all right we’re now going to review the three key Essentials for replacing Skies to make them look realistic and that is the direction of light color of light and creating an atmospheric condition so let’s review those with some images so the first thing we want to do is make sure that the direction of light matches our original image or the original sky so in this image you can tell that the light is coming from over here on the left away from or outside of the camera angle of view and we know that because we have some Shadows here coming from this mountain range so it’s coming from over here so we want to make sure that the light and the set of clouds or the sky that we’re going to use matches otherwise it’s going to look off it’s not going to look right the other thing is the color of light so in the original sky here it’s a light blue but if you take a look at the light or the color of light right in this area here you can see it’s much warmer so this tells me that this was taken later in the day close to Sunset so I would like to find a sky that was taken at the same time as this image now unless you’re taking the images yourself you’re not going to really know the time of day that an image was taken unless you can get the original raw file that will have the metadata the time for that particular image so when it was created now let’s look at some images to see why this is important so this image here I took this set of clouds or captured it in the middle of the day so you can kind of tell that the lighting in the color is different so it’s not really going to match the original this image here you can definitely see the direction of the light it’s directly behind the cloud so again it’s not going to match the direction of the light here now as far as the time of day this one was later in the day I believe that the sun was pretty much below the Horizon when I took this so the colors are much more vibrant more saturated warmer more orange we have some purples some blues so again it’s not matching so we want to try and find a set of clouds or a sky that matches as closely as possible so I have this set of clouds here we have the sun over here on the right side it’s near the Horizon but it’s not completely down it’s a little bit warmer than the sky here but we have some warmth in the colors on the mountain range right here so I think this set of clouds would work well for this image other than the direction of the light but that’s not a problem because we can flip the canvas so that the light is over on this side so this particular image is not included in this class and that’s because I want you to find your own Sky your own set of clouds and try and find something that matches the time of day the color of light the direction of light to add this layer to this image over here we’re going to click and drag over the tab and then I can release over top now the one thing I want to do is undo that with Commander Control Plus the letter Z and I also want to deselect so I’m going to go up to select and click on none now another way to add a layer is to grab your file from your systems operating folder or the folder system and click and drag over your canvas and then it will be added as a new layer now if that’s not working for you you can go up to file open as layers and then it will open up that image as a new layer so I’m going to go ahead and click and drag this below my layer mask here so I can see that Sky now I believe this set of clouds is much larger than the file that I have open right now the mountain range that I’m working on so I need to scale that smaller so I’m going to grab my scale tool I’m going to click and drag down and try and get it to fit within that canvas if I click on this little square here I can reposition it and it looks like it’s pretty large so I’m going to take a look here and I I believe I resized the original image here from 5,000 pixels wide I believe is what you have and I scaled it down to 2500 so I’m going to go ahead and type in 2500 for the width to rescale or resize this image to fit within the canvas I’m going to make it just a little bit larger and I’m going to place it right there Then enter or return to rescale it now I have my light over here or the direction of the light is coming from over here so let’s go ahead and flip it now by going up to layer transform and selecting flip horizontally all right our light Direction now matches the original so I’m going to go ahead and grab my move tool with the letter M because I want to go ahead and move these clouds up a little bit higher so maybe something like that all right so the third key is the atmospheric condition what is that well you’ll notice in a lot of landscape photos that the sky at the top is darker than the sky at the Horizon it’s going to be much brighter or there’s going to be some transition from darker to lighter and we can see that in this original image here if I turn off my clouds here you can see it’s darker up here but it’s brighter down here that’s the atmospheric condition so we’re going to recreate that with a lay layer mask and a gradient so the first thing we need to do is create a new layer so I’m going to grab my background layer here I’m going to click right here to create a new layer you want to make sure you fill it in with white click okay and that’s going to add the layer above and below the clouds here so make sure this layer is below the clouds if it’s not just click and drag it into position all right let’s grab our set of clouds now and let’s add a layer mask and we’re going to select white because White shows the pixels black hides and you need to make sure you turn off invert mask otherwise it will invert the white to black all right let’s click add and now we’re going to grab our gradient tool which you can grab from the bucket fill tool group right here we’re going to right click select gradient or press the letter G now in the tool options you want to make sure that you click right here and select foreground to background and you want to make sure you have linear set to the shape and we want to paint with white to black so we’re going to start up here and drag down so it’s going to apply white up here and slowly switch to Black so there will be Grays in between and that will reduce the transparency or begin to hide the pixels accordingly so I’m going to click here drag down and that will then create that transition from dark to light I’m going to go ahead and grab this right here and drag it up higher to create a smoother transition from light to dark okay so once you have it set the way you want I’m going to actually bring this back down I’m going to click enter or return and you have your atmospheric condition how cool is that I love it all right it’s now your turn to apply your new knowledge and complete this project on your own back in the days if you underexposed it it would create a faded look today you can recreate this mat effect in and I’m going to share two different methods for creating it so the main characteristic of the mat effect is it appears to be faded or muted and it’s easy to replicate by reducing the amount of contrast in particular the blacks and the shadows and adjusting the Black Point and the two tools you can use to recreate the matter effect effect are either the levels or the curves tools we’re going to take a look at levels first so let’s jump in here and this is the image we’re going to use now even though we’re going to be doing this edit in we first need to fix the tonal range of this image so we need to fill in the Gap a little bit here not too much because I think for this particular image if we adjust it all the way to the right it’s going to start blowing out the highlights and ruining or degrading the skin so we’re not going to do too much I’m going to increase the midtones shadows and highlights by adjusting the center of of our curve here up and then I’m going to grab the shadows and the blacks here and brighten those up maybe just a little bit of a bump on the highlights as well so that’s pretty much it for the tonal adjustments for this particular image so once you do that go ahead and Export this file and open it up in all right so let’s go up to colors and select levels and the way we create the mat effect is by reducing or clipping detail in the blacks and the Shadows so we’re going to take our Black Point here and move it to the right and the image gets darker so that is now pure black in all this area of the image so we’ve taken all this detail and reduced it to a solid black color Now to create the Matt effect we’re going to take our output levels here and we’re going to take this marker and move it to the right and the further it goes to the right as you can see it’s going to get brighter it’s going to add Shades of Gray or a shade of gray I should say in place of that solid black so let’s go ahead and do that I’m going to go ahead and move it to the right and there’s the mat effect unfortunately I’m not a big fan of this particular method I know it’s a popular one on YouTube and other creators use this particular method but it’s not my favorite so let me show you the method that I prefer for creating a matte effect so let’s go ahead and cancel out of this now we’re going to go up to colors and select curve curves so I’m going to add an anchor point right here so I can restrict my adjustments to this part of the tonal range which is the blacks and the Shadows there might be a little bit of midtones in there as well but I’m targeting the two main areas in that range that I need now this is the Black Point like I’ve mentioned before so we’re going to grab this and drag it up and it’s going to begin reducing the contrast in that part of the Tona range from blacks to Shadows how cool is that I love it now this particular method I believe works much better and gives us that true classic traditional matte effect plus you can apply this particular technique on images that are much brighter versus this one whereas the other method will only work with images that has a lot of dark in it but if you do have a Brighter Image you can then darken It Up by changing the shadows in the blacks to be darker and to increase the Black Point here so if you wanted to you can click and drag down here to make those blacks or those dark Grays even deeper than they were before so you can adjust this based on your Creative Vision all right so go ahead and keep this image open for the next tutorial since we’re going to be applying an old school retro effect to it now if you can’t do that next tutorial right away go ahead and save this file so you can get to it when you’re ready to start that next tutorial all right so in the last tutorial you learned how to create a matte effect and now we’re going to enhance that image with a retro effect with some dust textures and more and here’s what the final edit is going to look like how cool is that I love it so if you’re ready let’s do it so the first thing we’re going to do is work non-destructively by duplicating this layer let’s rename this D saturate and that’s because we’re going to reduce the saturation of the image which I like to use when I create my retro vintage type of effects so we’re going to go up to colors and select Hue saturation and I’m going to drop the saturation down usually for vintage retro photos I like to do around minus 50 to minus 80 but I think for this image because we reduced the overall contrast we don’t need to reduce the saturation as much so I’m going to go right around 10 for this project all right so we have some resources that you can add to this image to create the final retro effect which are these files right here 5 through 7even so go to your section five folder locate them click and drag them to the canvas again if this doesn’t work for you go up to file and select open as layers to add the layers now we need to rotate and resize these layers to fill the entire canvas so let’s start with this first layer here these are the scratches so we’re going to go ahead and go up to layer transform and select rotate to well rotate it then we’re going to grab our scale tool with shift plus s and then I’m just going to click on the corners here or on the inside Corners here and resize and stretch that out to go outside of that canvas go ahead and click scale all right I’m going to go ahead and turn that layer off and let’s do the same thing for this layer and one more so we need to rotate this one as well so back to transform and rotate Perfect all right let’s work on this layer here I’m going to go ahead and double click and rename this dust and I think I want to drop the opacity down to around 50 to 60 now we have white dust but dust really isn’t white so what we can do is we can convert this white color to Black by going up to let’s go to colors and select invert and now well can’t see it now let’s go ahead and zoom in here well we can see it a little bit but if you can’t see it go ahead and increase your opacity to show those specks of dust a little bit better okay I’m going to go ahead and zoom all the way back out and I think I want to increase that opacity just a little bit more I want it to be visible when I’m zoomed all the way out so right there looks pretty good all right now that I’m looking at this black dust I’m not sure if I want black dust what do you think white or black and again I guess this really depends on your Creative Vision because the dust particles on a print enlargement are going to occur in two different ways one it can occur during the printing process so back in the old days when we did our own printing in a dark room if there was dust on the paper or the film it would tend to be white on the final print but when you lay your print out or hang it on the wall and you don’t have glass on it dust and dirt builds up and then that dust and dirt is gray or black and not white so I guess I’ll leave that entirely up to you based on your Creative Vision I think I’m going to go ahead and just leave it like it is for now also don’t forget we can also use a layer mask if you need to remove some of that dust where you don’t want it for example I probably don’t want it on her tooth right here so I’m going to go ahead and add a white layer mask and then with our paintbrush tool here we can go ahead and whoops I did the opacity I want to make this smaller we can go ahead and paint with black to remove the dust as needed so I like that better so command or control shift plus J to zoom all the way out all right let’s go ahead and grab our texture layer here let’s go ahead and rename it texture and let’s go ahead and turn it on now we need to blend this in with the layers below so we’re going to go up to mode here and let’s go with soft light I think I like this effect you may want to try one of the other blending modes to see if you can find something else that you like or maybe you just want to use soft light again I’ll lead that up to you all right we now have our scratches here so let’s go ahead and rename that and add that in there and we also need to change the blending mode for this as well and for this one let’s go with screen all right that’s a little bit too intense for me so I’m going to drop that opacity down and just kind of blend it in a little bit more so maybe right around 40 to 50 I think I’m liking that right there and I think this big scratch on her lip right here is kind of distracting so I’m going to go ahead and get rid of that one with a white layer mask and let’s go ahead and get rid of that there we go I like that better all right so the next step is aging the image just a little bit so when you leave your images out in the open and they’re exposed to light the chemicals used will tend to change and degrade that print over time and not only will they fade which we already did in the previous tutorial but they will also begin to change colors because those chemicals are reacting with the light and they tend to shift colors from left to right or orange to blue or whatever the case may be so let’s go ahead and create a new layer by clicking right here and let’s call it color color fade and then for fill width make sure you have transparency and click okay all right grab your brush tool with the letter P and for the foreground color I’m going to choose this orange color right here so if you want to use the same color just type in this hexadecimal number right here click okay and then we need a really really large brush because I want to cover about a third of the image with this color so I’m going to come over here and drag it to the right right around 1,300 or so maybe a little larger and what I want to do is I want to drop the opacity of the brush because I don’t want a solid color and I’m just going to click here and there just to add the color randomly in different places want to go a little lower on that opacity and then just go ahead and add it to the new layer now don’t worry about what it looks like now because we’re going to blend that in in just a second so what we’re going to do now is we’re going to change to a different color I want to choose a contrasting color so let’s go inside here and I believe I used this color on my final edit may want to go a little darker with that so here’s the hexadecimal that I’m going to use go ahead and click okay and then just in a different spot go ahead and add that blue color randomly and make sure it’s not filling in a solid color you just want to bring in a little bit of that blue tint into the image like so if you wanted to you could overlap the colors a little bit as well just to mix it up a little bit more all right so that’s not looking too good right now so let’s go ahead and blend this layer in by changing the blend mode to soft light so we have just a touch of a color shift in it and if you need to add more you go ahead and continue painting across the image to add more color if that’s something you want to do I think I want to add some more orange here actually I think I did too much now so I’m going to go ahead and drop that opacity down of that layer just a little bit to right around 80 to 90 so there’s the before and the after all right so the next thing we need to do is we need to add some grain because a retro image wouldn’t be complete without any so let’s go ahead and create a new layer let’s call it grain and let’s go to our foreground color swatch here and let’s choose a mid gray color actually need to go back now and we need to fill with the foreground color and the reason why we’re filling it in with the color is because the filter that we’re going to use requires some color in order to add the Grain and the color gray the mid gray is a good starting point so let’s go ahead ahead and click okay all right let’s go up to filters down to noise and let’s select HSV noise all right so we’re going to increase the value to add more grain and of course the higher you go the more you will add so I’m going to go pretty high here so maybe right around one or so and depending on the speed of your computer will determine how fast it generates the grain for you now I do want to get rid of the saturation in the grain so I’m going to drop the saturation down to zero and if I want to change the randomness of the grain I can adjust the dulling so I’m going to go ahead and change that to around three all right so we don’t have to wait for this to complete generating so let’s go ahead and click okay and now we’re going to go up to our mode here and change the blend mode to softlight and boom we have our grain all right real quick let’s take a look at at the before and after and here’s a quick tip on how to do that quickly and easily we’re going to scroll all the way down to our first image layer here we’re going to hold down our shift key and then we’re going to click right here on this little I icon and there’s the before and the after how cool is that I love it when photographing a scene that has a large dynamic range chances are your camera will not be capable of capturing all the brightness levels this means you’ll end up with either the highlight lights Overexposed or the Shadows underexposed or possibly both the solution is to take multiple images at different exposures and for this project I’ve included two images with two different exposures one that captures all the detail and the highlights and another that captures the detail in the shadows then you’re going to learn how to merge those two images in to create an HDR image which is known as a high dynamic range so let’s open up this image file here which is 02 and it’s located in your section five folder and let’s learn how to create an HDR image so this file consists of those two layers that I mentioned so the first image I captured to retain the detail in all the highlights and then the second image I adjusted the exposure to get all the details in the shadows which caused the highlights to be Overexposed so the goal is to blend the two layers together to have a new layer that shows all the detail in the shadows and highlights and here is the final edit that I completed for this project and how cool is that I love it so you can definitely see more detail in the shadows and the highlights so the secret to blending and merging these layers together to create an HDR is through the use of a special type of layer mask so let’s add a layer mask by coming down here and clicking here and you want to select grayscale copy of layer and what that’s going to do is it’s going to convert your color image into grayscale and it’s going to apply it on a layer mask the result is the Highlight layer has been blended with the shadow layer below but why did I put the layer mask on the highlights and not vice versa well let’s do that and see the difference so I’m going to go ahead and right click here and disable this layer mask I’m going to go ahead and move that layer below shadows and then I’m going to go ahead and apply that layer mask to this layer and they are Blended together again but they look different this time the Shadows are really dark compared to what we had before so I’m going to go ahead and undo this and get back to where we were originally and notice now how the Shadows are brighter and the highlights are also brighter as well so this is a better starting point for the next phase of of creating your HDR image so the next step is to do some dodging and burning to fix the black Shadows highlights and whites of the tonal range and we’re going to start the process by duplicating the Shadows layer so go ahead and click here and then go ahead and double click on the name to rename it to let’s do exposure adjustment and for this layer we’re going to make it darker to tone down the highlights and darken up the Shadows a little bit so let’s use our curse tool to make that adjustment so let’s go up to colors and select curves from here and let’s go ahead and pull this down and make everything just a little bit darker so right about there looks good okay so we’re now going to bring back some details from the layer below because maybe it’s a little bit too dark and you want to bring back some of that detail so the highlights to me are better than what they were before but maybe the Shadows especially in this area I think it’s a little bit too dark so we’re going to apply a layer mask to bring back some of that detail so let’s go ahead and click here and let’s apply a white layer mask let’s grab our paintbrush tool with the letter P make sure you have black selected for the foreground color swatch here and then go ahead and paint into the areas where you want to bring back some of that detail so I’m going to do this area here maybe over here as well and maybe a little bit up here so wherever you think you lost too much detail with that curves adjustment maybe over here a little bit as well actually I’m going to undo that with Commander Control Plus the letter Z because I do not want to brighten up this area as much so I’m going to drop the opacity which is similar to painting with gray versus pure black and that’s just going to make a small adjustment and it’s not going to make it as bright with opacity set to 100 so if you take a look at the layer mask here you can see a little bit of gray here instead of pure black like we have over here so I’m going to go ahead and put the opacity back to 100 so I don’t forget to do that later on all right so what we’re going to do now is a more traditional type of dodging and burning with our Dodge and burn tool so let’s go ahead and grab that with shift plus d now before we apply this tool let’s go ahead and grab our top layer here we’re going to right click on it and select new from visible and that’s going to merge all the visible layers into a new layer so we can work non-destructively and apply our dodging and burning to this layer so let’s go ahead and Target our highlights first I want to go ahead darken those up so I’m going to select burn and I’m going to Target midtones and the exposure I’m going to set to right around 35 now what I want to do is I want to slowly gradually build up the detail s in this area and darken this area so I’m going to add multiple Strokes at a time not one big stroke at a time but multiple strokes and that will bring out the detail slowly and it will build depth as well which is much better versus just one or two big Strokes at a time so you can apply this to all the areas that need to be a little bit darker and then you can go ahead and work on your shadows and brighten them up if needed so I’m going to go ahead and switch over to my Dodge tool now and I’m going to Target the midtones again and I’m going to go ahead and brighten up this area that’s a little bit too much so I’m going to go ahead and undo that with Commander Control Plus the letter Z so let’s try the Shadows this time and I think that’s too much still so I think I just need to adjust my exposure down to right around 10 to 12 let’s try that I think that’s a little bit too much still I think we did a pretty good job on brightening up those shadows in the previous step that we did but I just want them a little bit brighter just going to add a little bit more depth and over here I think I’ll go ahead and brighten this up as well and you can adjust the dodging and burning of your image to your liking whatever your Creative Vision is and whatever you think looks good to you that’s what you’re going to do so I think it took me about 20 minutes to complete this particular edit here so you’re going to spend some time on this yourself now to practice what you’ve learned but there’s one more thing I want to do before we finish up and that’s something that we need to talk about when it comes to HDR images that we haven’t touched yet and that is the ghosting effect so we’ve talked about ghosting in a previous tutorial but when it comes to HDR you will create the ghosting not from the dodging and burning but because the two are multiple images the details in the scene do not line up completely or exactly I should say so if you have a tree it might be off a little bit compared to the previous image that you took so what happens is when you’re taking multiple exposures and you’re handholding it you’re going to take a photo of the first image at one exposure right and then you need to change that exposure to something else to capture the details in a different part of the ton range the problem is as you’re doing that you’re not going to line up exactly where you were before so to avoid that you can use a tripod but even then if the wind is blowing and moving those leaves and the branches and stuff they’re going to be in a different position when you take that second photo anyways so another thing you can do if your camera has the feature available is to use Auto exposure bracketing and that will automatically change the exposure for you after you take your first photo and if you shoot in continuous shooting mode you can take two photos rapidly one right after the other and that’s going to eliminate the elements in your scene from being out of position now if there is some movement or they are out of position that is going to create the ghosting effect because it’s not lined up and it looks like a ghosting effect around those different elements or the edges of the subjects in your image so one way we can counteract that in is to sharpen up the image so let’s go ahead and do that you learn how to do that in a previous tutorial but let me show you what I would do for this particular image and what I like to do is I like to go ahead and zoom in a little bit so I can see how much ghosting I have it’s not that bad it’s off a little bit and that causes not just the ghosting which we really can’t see in this image but the image isn’t as sharp as it could be because those details don’t line up perfectly from one image to another so I’m going to go ahead and duplicate this layer now and I’m going to call it sharpen so I can apply that sharpening to this layer we’re going to go up to filters enhance and select high pass and then we just need to increase or decrease the contrast based on how much we need to sharpen the image or to minimize that ghosting as much as possible now it’s kind of hard to see because we have a Grays scale here and not the full color so I may go a little bit higher than I actually need and I’m going to go ahead and apply that we’re going to apply our blending mode of overlay and let’s take a look at the before and after so it’s definitely sharper than it was before so those details look like they’re aligning a little bit more than they were before and if you oversharpened your image that’s okay just come into your opacity here and lower it down to tone down that sharpening how cool is that I love it so one of the most difficult things to make a selection of is hair however once you learn the techniques in this tutorial you’ll be able to cut out hair like a pro so here’s the image you’re going to be working on and the final edit how cool is that so if you want to follow along and complete this project this image can be found in your resources folder now if you want to practice fixing the tonal range of the image we have the original raw f to that you imported previously and if I turn off my adjustment here you’ll notice it’s much darker and the histogram has a gap in the whites and the highlights and this was the tone curve adjustments that I applied to fix the image so if you want to do that go ahead and practice making that adjustment export it and open in or just use the image that I provided all right so the first step in cutting out the hair we need to create a new layer and it has to be a solid color so we’re going to go ahead and grab a dark color any color will work out just fine go ahead and name that layer color and then fill with the foreground color and the reason why we’re using this layer will become apparent later in the tutorial let’s go ahead and move that layer below the image layer now let’s grab our image layer and duplicate it and now let’s go ahead and desaturate the image by by going up two colors desaturate desaturate and okay so the next step is key to cutting out her hair what we need to do is we need to convert the Shades of Gray down to as few as possible and the goal is is to make that background as pure white as possible so we’re going to use our levels tool to do that let’s start with our white point and dragging it to the left and now we have a pure white background the only problem is we’re losing a a lot of the detail in the hair and the Stray hairs and when I bring this back you’ll notice some of those stray hairs come back so I’m going to place the white point right around 150 and I’m getting that number right here now to bring back and Define that hair a little bit we can grab our black point and bring it to the right but again if we go too far then that white background is no longer white so we have to find a happy medium between the two so I’m going to bring this back to right around 20 to 25 maybe a little less so I think closer to 20 is good and then we can darken it up a little bit more if we wanted to with the midtones here and I think I’m going to go ahead and do that so again need to find that happy medium between Pure White and retaining as much detail as possible so that looks pretty good I’m going to go ahead and click okay so our next step is removing the background and we’re going to do that with a layer mask now before we apply a layer mask we’re going to copy all the pixels of the layer so let’s go up to edit and select copy visible let’s grab our color image layer now cuz we’re going to apply that layer mask on this one so let’s go ahead and add a white one now we’re going to go back up to edit and select paste and that’s going to create what is known as a floating selection so we need to Anchor this layer with the one below and then it’s going to paste those pixels inside of the layer mask so come down here and click C on this little anchor icon and now you can see those Shades of Gray in the layer mask let’s go ahead and turn off this color layer and our black and white layer up here and now our model is transparent the only problem is I want the background to be transparent not the model so let’s go ahead and invert the layer mask by going up to colors and selecting invert all right we can now see our model a lot better than before the background is gone the only problem is our model is too transparent and that’s where our color layer comes into play for us to help us redefine where our model should be or to see our model again so with our layer mask selected we’re going to grab our paintbrush tool with the letter P I’m going to start off with a fairly large brush here so I can cover as much of the image as possible and we’re going to paint with white to add our back so now I just need to go around the image to reveal all the pixels or our subject again so that she’s not green or transparent if that layer is off so I’m going to go ahead and do this real quickly don’t want to spend a lot of time on this now that you know how to do it but I have one more thing I want to share with you before we wrap up this tutorial so the one thing you may have noticed is her hair has a little bit of a glow to it at least along the Stray hairs here and we’re going to go ahead and fix that let me go ahead and finish up her shoulder here all right that’s looking pretty good now of course I would come in with the smaller brush and get in along these edges here to refine that a little bit so we can see her a little bit better and now let’s go ahead and get rid of that glow in the hair by going up to colors and selecting levels grab your midpoint and drag it to the right and that will minimize that glow and again you don’t want to go too far otherwise you’re going to start losing too much detail in the hair and in case you’re wondering the green or any color of your choice is just really to be used to help you see where you need to make adjustments for example I can see I have some green in her hair up here and when the layer is turned off it’s really hard to tell if you’ve ever wished you wore a different color garment for a photo shoot then this tutorial is for for you you’re about to learn how to change colors from one to another and you’ll discover three different ways to do it so you can find the exact color you need so here’s the original image we’re going to be working with and here’s a different color how cool is that now check this out here’s a different color as well pretty cool all right so let me show you how I did this and just like with the other tutorials this image is in your resources folder if you want to practice fixing the tonal adjustments the Raw file should be imported into dark table already and here’s the tone curve adjustment I made for this image all right so let me show you how to change the colors the most difficult part of this process is making a selection of the target garment that you want to change the color of now for this particular image it’s extra difficult because the Garment is the same color as the background and if we try and use select by color well that’s going to select the background and if we try the fuzzy select tool that’s not going to work because the colors are right next to each
other so again it’s going to bleed into that area and it’s going to take a long time with that particular selection tool so the tool of choice for this would be either the quick mask mode or the foreground select tool so I think I’m going to go ahead and go with the foreground select tool here and I’m going to go ahead and make my initial outline here to start the selection process okay I’m going to go ahead and start targeting the colors the contrast the details and the textures so knows exactly what is the foreground all right now that we have our selection we can refine that with our quick Mass mode so shift plus q p for your paintbrush and then I’m just going to paint with white and black to add and remove from the ction all right I’m going to go ahead and zoom out now that I have my selection it’s not perfect but I can always refine it with the layer mask later on so the first thing we’re going to do is duplicate this layer and the first method for changing a color is pretty simple we’re going to go up to colors and select Hue saturation and then you can adjust the color with the Hue slider here you can make it brighter or darker with lightness and adjust the saturation now this is not my favorite method for changing the color let’s try another method for this next step we’re going to try creating a new layer let’s make sure it’s filled with transparency and then we’re going to choose our color here and you can choose any color you want I’m going to go ahead and go with this dark orange color and then fill it in with your bucket fill tool go ahead and click inside of the selection and that will add the color to that layer all right so that’s not really working out too well so let’s go ahead and blend that in with the layer below let’s go up to mode and select HSV q and boom we now have well it’s not really Orange it’s more tan so what you can do if you’re not getting the color that you want go back into the blending modes here and try one of these other values let’s try color all right so that’s more orange than tan and that’s another way to change the colors of your garments and let me share with you one more I’m going to go ahead and put this layer back to normal so let’s go ahead and turn this layer off and grab our duplicate layer and then we’re going to go up to Colors colorize and boom you have a new color so this light blue color is the default color for this particular tool just click right here to choose another color or you can use your eyedropper tool here to select the color from within in the photo how cool is that I love it now the other thing you can do here is you can apply a blending mode from here if you want to do that to see if you can get the color that you want or you can also adjust the Hue saturation and lightness from here like we did in the first step I don’t know about you but I’ve always thought it would be cool to change the color of my eyes blue or maybe green hm well I’m not a big fan of contact so I’m stuck dreaming and instead we’ll have to settle for changing the color of my eyes and so here’s the image you’ll be working with and she has brown eyes and now they’re green so let me show you how we did this so one of the keys to changing the color of the eyes is ensuring that the eyes themselves are not too dark otherwise the color the new color will not transfer to that solid black color if they’re too dark so we have the original raw file here and I had to brighten up the image and the shadows and the blacks to brighten up those eyes but we need to go a little bit further in and Target those eyes and make them even brighter so let’s go ahead and duplicate our layer here and then we’re going to make a selection of her eyes and I think for this image and this project we’re going to go ahead and use the quick mask mode and we’re going to brush on the edits where we want them let’s go a little larger on the brush size here and then you’re going to paint with white to add to the selection all right shift plus Q again to get out of it and it looks like we have a pretty good selection let’s go ahead and add a layer mask here make sure you have selection selected and click add and we’re going to make sure we have our image layer selected let’s go ahead head and deselect while we’re at it and let’s go ahead and brighten up those eyes so let’s go up to colors and let’s use our curves tool to make them brighter and I’m going to add a little bit of contrast here by darkening up the blacks and the shadows and we’re going to brighten up those whites a little bit maybe we need to adjust the white point and the black point so whatever you think looks good I just want to add a little bit of contrast and make sure that they’re brighter than they were before let’s take a look at the before and the after there we go so that’s what I wanted so let’s go ahead and click okay and I need to zoom out now just a little bit all right now the next thing we need to do is duplicate this layer again make sure the preview thumbnail is selected not the layer mask and what we’re going to do is we’re going to go up to colors and select colorize and boom we have a new color now I didn’t do a really good job on my selection here so I can go back with the layer mask and adjust that as needed and let’s go ahead and click here to choose a new color maybe you want a darker blue lighter blue entirely up to you I think green might be pretty good for this particular image I’m not sure what do you think so maybe a little bit darker on this one so right there looks pretty good and of course you can make your adjustments from the Hue saturation and lightness Sliders just like we did in the previous tutorial I’m going to go ahead and go with that and click okay all right so couple more things I want to do I want to clean up this eye right here with my layer mask and my brush I’m going to go ahead and paint with black to remove this green from the whites of her eye it shouldn’t be out there let’s go ahead and clean this up and if you hold down your space bar you’ll get your hand tool and then you can navigate to the other eye and you can adjust this eye now all right let’s go ahead and zoom out a little bit one more thing I want to do is I want to tone down the green a little bit it’s a little too intense so I could either drop the opacity change the blending mode or both that’s entirely up to you and the blending modes I like to use are either darken I don’t think overlay or soft light work too well so when you have a brown eye I think darken only works pretty good let’s check out the before there’s the normal and command or control+ Z to go back actually that’s not going to work so I’m going to go in here and select darken only and I’m going to increase that opacity again beautiful now if you wanted to you can go up to Colors actually make sure your image layer here is selected go up to Colors Hue saturation and adjust the color of your eyes from here how cool is that so maybe you wanted blue and not green there you go kind of an aqua green now and here’s the before and the after all right so our next photo editing Challenge and project is trying to fix an Overexposed image and you may remember this image from the HDR tutorial where we merged two different exposures to get detail in the shadows and highlights this time we’re going to see if we can fix an Overexposed image when you don’t have multiple IM to create an HDR and you’re also going to discover the challenges that you’re going to face when you overexpose an image now for this particular image I captured both a raw file and jpeg at the same time in camera and the results are very different straight out of the camera so this image here is in your resources folder and of course this is the jpeg file since it’s already in so let’s go ahead and take a look at the raw file now in D table wow that’s a huge difference wouldn’t you agree so more detail in the shadows and highlights compared to the jpeg file but it’s still Overexposed now check this out we’re going to go into Lightroom here to review this raw file there to see what it looks like in Lightroom so it looks completely different it looks more Overexposed compared to Dart table and it looks more like the jpeg file actually and this is more of what I saw at the time of capture with the LCD view on the back of the camera so if you’re transitioning from Lightroom to dark table you’re not going to be presented with this instead you’re going to have this preview of the file why is that why do they look different well you may remember from a previous tutorial how I mentioned Dart table applies some basic edits after you import which you can see here in the history panel even if I go all the way back to the original it still looks different than what we saw in Lightroom and that’s because D table and Lightroom are rendering the raw file based on how they were programmed Dart table is showing more of the detail that was captured Lightroom on the other hand is showing the raw unfiltered rendition of the file so seeing the detail in dark table from the start is nice to have especially for those that haven’t mastered reading the histogram yet now I know that detail is in Lightroom as well because the histogram tells us it’s there based on the bars being displayed in each of the different tonal ranges and if I adjust the highlights all the way down and I dropped the exposure down as well it’s closer to what we start with in Dart table all right now that we got that out of the way let’s go ahead and jump back into and figure out how to fix this underexposed jpeg file and then we’ll edit the raw file in Dart table and then we’ll compare the two with each other all right so for this particular image the jpeg I went ahead and did the edit and here’s my final edit and it’s much improved over the other but I think it still has some problems because the image was severely Overexposed so I’m going to share with you the different steps that I took to get this final image I’m not going to do the complete edit because what I want you to do is to take the knowledge that you’re getting and apply it to the image yourself because that’s the best way to learn how to do something is applying your knowledge all right let’s go ahead and get started by duplicating this layer so we can work non-destructively and we’re going to go up to colors and select curves because what I want to do first is I want to darken up the overall image in particular the highlights I want to try and darken up the highlights and the whites as much as possible so I can bring back some detail or at least show some detail in that area it’s going to affect the blacks and the shadows as well and we’re going to lose detail in some parts of the image that’s fine we’re going to fix that in the next step so I’m going to go ahead and darken this up I may want to drag the highlights and the whites here and try and darken it up from here all right so I think already we’ve done a pretty good job in restoring the details in this image let’s go ahead and add a white layer mask now so we can bring back the detail in the shadows so we’re going to grab our paintbrush tool with the letter P and let’s go ahead and drop the opacity down to around 50 or so and I’m going to start over on this side and I’m going to go ahead and begin bringing back that detail in the shadows so maybe this area here as well and I may need to go back and make adjustments to this later on we’ll see though so what I want to do now is I want to increase the opacity just a little bit and I don’t want to use the same opacity brush in all the areas otherwise it’s going to be really flat and then we’re going to end up doing more work later on trying to bring back some contrast in the different levels I’m going to go a little bit higher again for this Cliff that might be too high I’m going to undo that with Commander Control Plus the letter Z actually I need to go the other way I’m going to go 25% here and I want to keep this side a little bit darker because it’s on this side of the cliff here and it’s not really getting any direct sunlight like this side here so this side I may want to go a little bit brighter and over here if I want to bring back a little detail in here I can go ahead and use a higher opacity setting here to try and bring back some detail in there let’s go all the way to 100% and we’re going to have to do some dodging and burning I think to get the detail back in there all right so you can continue working on your shadows as needed until you’re happy with your final results so I think that looks pretty good for now and now we need to do some dodging and burning so let’s go ahead and right click and select new from visible so we can merge all those layers into one and then we’ll do our Dodge and burning here so let’s grab our Dodge and burn tool with shift plus d and what I want to do first is I want to burn in the highlights so I’m going to start off with the midtones I think and the exposure right around 30 to 35 and I’m going to go ahead and try and darken up these highlights in this area here so I may need to go a little bit higher on the exposure or just continue building up with multiple Strokes I’m going to go ahead and do that so overall we are starting to bring out some detail but I think we’re starting to introduce some additional problems and that is I think this area is becoming oversaturated based on the amount of burning we have to do let’s go ahead and apply some adjustments to the highlights now maybe that’ll tone it down a little bit it looks like it is now in this area here you can see that the results are not that good so I’m going to go ahead and undo that with Commander Control Plus the letter z a couple times until I can get back into this point and then I’ll go ahead and apply some edits in this area here as well and that’s pretty much it so that’s how I achieved this particular edit with some dodging and burning and the curves adjustment overall it’s not bad if you hold down your shift key and click here you will see the before and then the after now personally I’m not really happy with this particular image because it is too Overexposed and you can kind of tell that there’s something wrong with it you may not know what it is exactly when you first look at it but with a trained eye you can definitely see that something is off with this particular image it’s kind of flat in the highlights we could probably go in and make some adjustments to the shadows as well and try and bring back some contrast in that part of the image but overall I think there’s a problem with it and it’s due to the image being Overexposed and this is why I always recommend trying to nail your exposure as close to perfect as possible in camera and shooting in raw because you’re going to notice when we edit the raw file you can get back that detail because what your camera is doing when it converts it to jpeg is it’s taking the detail and information and it’s throwing some of that information out to compress it into a JPEG file so you’re going to lose that detail and you won’t be able to get it back like you can with a raw file now let’s jump into dark table and take a look at how I would edit this image as a raw file now I wouldn’t want to start at the original point I may want to go up a little bit higher to maybe number eight I think number nine makes it too dark in the shadows so these steps right here I’m okay with now I’m going to go ahead and begin making additional adjustments to try and bring back the detail in the highlights so for this particular image if we take a look at the histogram it’s showing that we have detail from the blacks to the whites but it’s still Overexposed and you can see this little line right here it’s kind of being clipped on the right side see that blue line there so that’s letting you know that there’s detail being clipped in the whites so we need to try and fix that and what I want to use is the shadows and highlights so let’s go ahead and grab that and once we turn this on there will be a huge difference boom all right so it did kind of fix the Shadows a little bit and we have more detail in here and some other areas but I think the overall image now is flat so we need to add a little bit of contrast but first I want to try and fix the highlights a little bit more above the default setting here of minus 50 so I’m going to go ahead and drag this to the left to see if I can bring back some detail and definitely if you take a look at this sky here you can definitely see that some detail is coming back into there and in this Cliff area right here if I put this back down to around 50 you’re going to notice that the highlights in here are getting darker the only problem is we’re getting this halo effect around the trees and that doesn’t look good so I’m going to bring the highlights back down until that begins blending in together a little bit better or the transition from dark to light is a little bit less visible it’s more transparent so right around minus 60 to 65 I think would work pretty good for that we’re also going to make an adjustment to the white Point here to the left and that too is going to fix some of those highlights so there’s the before and the after so I think this does a much better job than the dodging and burning in although when I’m done editing in D table I will then bring that file into D table to do some additional dodging and burning if I think it can benefit from that all right so the next thing I would do for this particular image is a tone curve to add some contrast so we’re going to do a little bit of an S curve here and we’re going to try and retain as much detail as possible in the shadows and the highlights so I think the more I bring this down I’m still seeing detail so I’m going to continue going until I’m not seeing any detail in that in this area in particular so if I turn on my masking indicator or my clipping indicator I should say that will definitely help us out so I’m can go ahead and pull this down and I’m starting to lose a little detail in here so I’m going to go ahead and stop right there now if we take a look at these little red overlays that’s where all the highlights are being blown out now we do have another indicator to show whether or not parts of the image are Overexposed and it’s the one right to the left so this is an overexposure indicator and this is going to be more precise than the clipping indicator at least when it comes to overexposure so once you click on on that you’re going to see this red overlay here and it’s basically telling you the solid red here is completely Overexposed slightly and then less Overexposed now these areas in here the Reds it looks pretty solid to me so all of that is being blown out or it’s Overexposed so that’s a good starting point as well before you start editing your image you may want to turn this on to see where the trouble spots are all right so far it’s not too bad but there’s some detail missing in this area here and over here that we’re not going to be able to bring back at least not with the editing tools we’ve used so far what we could do to bring back this detail in here is to use the Clone tool in to copy the detail from one area into another which is going to be tedious and hard to try and match the coloring and the lighting to make it look natural and realistic but before we do anything like that we still have a couple more things we need to do to fix this image in particular the contrast levels are pretty low in the trees the water the rocks and the color as well is kind of flat so let’s go ahead and work on the color first and I’m going to turn on this panel right here Velva which is going to boost the color saturation in the image and the default settings here are pretty minimal so let’s go ahead and increase the strength to kind of tune that up a little bit and then let’s take a look at the the before and after so I think that’s much improved we’re starting to get that halo effect again in the sky here so we’ll probably have to go back and make some adjustments to the black and white points the tone curve and possibly the shadows and the highlights in order to fix that halo effect so if we go back to this tab here it’s going to show you all the edits that you’ve applied so far so it will make it easy to go back and make adjustments to any of the tools that you’ve already used and I need to bring back this highlight down back to aroundus 50 to fix that halo effect all right so the next thing I want to do is try and work on the contrast so I’m going to go into my levels panel here and I’m going to adjust the Black Point which is going to clip some data in the shadows which I’m okay with because I really don’t need to see the detail in this area so I think that’s much improved versus what we had before I think I want to adjust the white balance now so I’m going to go into the quick access panel here and at the bottom we have our white balance so I’m going to go ahead and increase the temperature here to make it warmer than what it currently is right now so there’s the before and the after actually I need to bring this down I think that’s too much now so right about there looks pretty good all right so I think we’ve done just about everything we can do in Dart table so I’m going to go ahead and Export this file and open it up in gamp so here’s the raw file here I’m just going to add it to the jpeg layers here so we can compare the two at this point so we haven’t done any dodging and burning yet on this file that we just imported but I just want to do a quick comparison between the jpeg file and the raw file so we have much more color saturation in the jpeg file but I think that’s too much it’s over saturated in my opinion at least that’s what I think you may think differently but I’m liking the detail in the raw file better now if you want to spend the time on fixing some of these Overexposed areas you can grab your clone tool here with the letter c it’s a little bit too large and remember you have to hold down your command or control key to give a reference point to copy from and then you can go ahead and copy this in and you can see that it’s not really blending in all that well so what you’re going to need to do is go back with your healing brush to try and blend that in with the area that you’re fixing right now so if I grab my healing brush I can then paint over this area actually I need to do a reference point for this as well so command or control click and then just gently paint over the edges here to try and get that to blend in a little bit better so that would be one way of getting some of that detail back now as far as dodging and burning again you can do that if you think you can improve the image by trying to bring back some detail in the Highlight or darkening up the Shadows or bringing out more detail on the Shadows whatever it is you want to do so I’m going to go ahead and increase my brush size here and try and do a couple brush Strokes here in the highlights to see if this will improve it and I think it does and this time unlike with the jpeg file we’re not getting that oversaturation as much as we did before so we may want to go into in midtones next to try and darken that up a little bit more and overall I’m starting to like this edit better than the jpeg file so I’ll leave that up to you to decide which one you like but now it’s time for you to go ahead and practice on the JPEG and RAW file to complete this project next up learning how to whiten teeth so here’s the original image and the final edit how cool is that all right to follow along and to complete this project go ahead and go to your section five folder and open up the teeth JPEG file the first thing we’re going to do is duplicate this layer so we can work non-destructively now we need to make a selection of the teeth so we can Target our edit directly to the teeth so you can use any selection tool that you want to use I’m going to go ahead and use the foreground select tool and since we’ve gone over this tool several times I’m going to go ahead and speed up this part of the video so you don’t have to sit here and watch me redo this again all right if needed go into Quick mask mode and go ahead and fine-tune your selection by painting with white and black to add and remove as needed all right let’s go ahead and add a selection layer mask grab the image preview thumbnail by clicking on it then go up to Colors UE saturation and drop the saturation I wouldn’t go too far otherwise it’s going to look unnatural so you want to leave a little bit of color in there so maybe right around -45 to -50 whatever you think looks good I’m going to go right about there click okay go ahead and deselect and there’s the before and the after to add or not to add a vignette that is the question so in this tutorial I’m going to show you how to add a vignette in Dart table and then how to create a custom vignette in this case a heartshaped vignette how cool is that I love it so let’s dive into darkart table and apply a vignette to this image first so this raw file is in your section three folder and it should be imported already if you’ve been following along since the beginning now before we add our vignette I’d like to do some minor adjustments to the tonal range it’s a little dark so I’m going to grab my highlights and my Shadows here and I’m going to go ahead and turn that on and yep I think I like that we have more detail in the shadows now and that’s what I want I want to bring the highlights down just a little bit just to bring back some details in the highlights and darken them up a little bit all right let’s go ahead and grab our tone curve next and I want to apply a small S curve so I’m going to brighten up these highlights a little bit more than the blacks and I think I want to go ahead and increase the midtones as well to make those a little brighter all right so that’s looking pretty good I’m going to go ahead and grab my vignette tool now and we’re going to add an old school traditional style type of vignette once you click on this the tool will be activated and you will get these two circles on your image so you can either make adjustments from these two circles here or from the sliders over here or both so if I click on this little teeny tiny Circle right here and drag in I can reshape that vignette I can also resize it from up here as well so go ahead and adjust that to your own personal preference and then this Outer Circle is where the Feathering Begins for that vignette so if we click and drag in you can now see that vignette inside of the corners here that might be a little bit too far I’m going to bring that out and then of course the brightness will make that vignette darker or brighter saturation will reduce the color saturation or increase it depending on what you want to do and then horizontal and vertical Center will allow you to move that vignette into a different position because your subject May not be directly in the center and then shape will change the shape from an oval or a circle to more of a diamond shape all right so what I want you to do now is go ahead and turn this vignetting tool off and go ahead and close it because we’re going to learn how to add some vignettes and now and sometimes is a better tool for adding vignettes compared to Dart table because we can do more in versus Dart table so go ahead and Export that file open it up in and then we’re going to grab our image layer here and let’s go ahead and duplicate it so we can apply the vignette non-destructively and to add a vignette in you’re going to go up to filters light and Shadow and select vignette from here now just like with dart table we have pretty much the same tools and adjustments here on the image as well as we did in dark table we have a third oval here that will resize and then this outer one will increase or decrease the width or the height depending on which one you adjust and then we have this dash line which represents the Feathering of that vignette so it’s much softer now than it was before if I bring this in it will be more of a harder Edge and of course you can do all these adjustments in the sliders here and then the other thing you can do is you can change the shape of the vignette from Circle to a square there’s a diamond there’s also horizontal and vertical so all depending on your Creative Vision but if you want to add a custom shape like this heart shape here what you’re going to do is let me go ahead and delete these so we can start over is you’re going to navigate to your section five folder you’re going to find this heart PNG file you’re going to click and drag it in or if that doesn’t work BAS on your operating system you’re going to go up to file and select open as layers to open it up as a new layer now before we can create a vignette out of this we need to increase the layer boundary because it’s smaller than the current canvas and if we try and create that vignette right now it’s going to be confined to the inside of this layer boundary so let’s go up to layer and select layer to image size and that will increase the layer boundary to match the canvas size now let’s make a selection of our heart and we can do that real quick by right clicking on the heart layer here and selecting Alpha to selection and that creates the selection now we need to invert the selection so that we can then fill it in with a color of our choice so let’s go up to select and click on invert let’s go ahead and turn this layer off and let’s create a new layer called vignette and let’s fill it with transparency and now we’re going to go ahead and grab our foreground color swatch here and choose a color so choose anything you want click okay grab your bucket fill tool with shift plus b and fill in that selection let’s go ahead and deselect and then the final step is to blur the edges and the layer Itself by going up to filters blur gazan blur and then adjust the X and Y size to whatever you want so I’m going to go pretty high here so right around 60 to 70 click okay and then drop your opacity down to blend it in a little bit more how cool is that I love it all right congratulations on completing the 10 projects in this section in the next section you’re going to learn how to do three more projects that are a little bit more advanced so we’re going to do some compositing which simply means you’re going to take multiple images bring them together in one document and then merge them blend them and do some other stuff to create a new image or a new piece of artwork so if you’re ready for that let’s do it for this next project we’re going to create what is known as a double exposure and you’re going to take two main images and combine them together to create what looks like one image so here’s the main image that we’re going to be working with and then we’re going to add some trees and then some birds now once we’re done with this particular project we will have something that looks like this how cool is that I love it now I did do a couple different versions of this concept so here’s another version and another one here with some different trees and a mountain in the background here that I shaped to his head I think this is Yos so you could do something like that or another set of trees here and I converted it to black and white because I do like black and white myself so what I recommend you do once you finish this project is take what you learned and apply this new knowledge to your favorite animal and add whatever elements you want because it doesn’t have to be trees it could be clouds or it could be a city citycape if you want to do a jux toos of the city and the industry or something industrial with nature you could do something like that and I would love to see your final composition your final artwork so if you want to share that go ahead and place that in the Q&A section for everybody to see or if you’re part of our private Facebook group go ahead and post it in there as well I would love to see it all right so let’s go ahead and get started by opening up the resource file that is in your section six folder and it is called elephant now I placed all these image layers in there for you so we could go ahead and skip that part since you already know how to do that in fact everything we’re going to do for this particular project you’ve already done before in other projects so although you’re not really going to learn any new tools you’re going to learn how to apply them differently than what you have before which is going to help hopefully inspire you to create your own artwork so let’s go ahead and start off by cropping this canvas here to a square so let’s go up to image and select canvas size and let’s go ahead and do 1,800 for the width and let’s make sure our elephant here is in the center go ahead and resize actually what I want to do is I want to make this elephant larger so let’s grab our scale tool with shift plus f s and let’s go ahead and enlarge let’s see if we drop the opacity that will make it easier to see the size of the elephant compared to the Cannabis and I like that so I’m going to go ahead and scale that down and place that opacity back so the hardest part of this particular project is making a selection so we’re going to have to select the sky here and then possibly make a selection of the sky of these birds here as well to remove the sky in both of them before we do that let’s go ahead and duplicate this layer and I’m going to rename this Sky removal and I’m going to use my fuzzy select tool here to make a selection of the sky so I have my threshold right around 30 and let’s go ahead and make a selection I’m going to hold down my shift key to add this part as well and let’s add our selection layer mask actually I think we need to invert that yes we do so let’s go ahead and deselect Commander control shift plus a what we’re going to do is we’re going to go up to colors and select invert and that will invert the colors of our layer mask all right I’m going to go ahead and zoom in over here because it looks like I missed a little area over here so I’m going to grab my paintbrush tool and paint with white to add that back all right let’s add a little bit of contrast the overall image is a little flat I’m going to duplicate this layer I’m going to right click on the layer mask and select apply layer mask now we can turn this one off and let’s call this curves since we’re going to add an S curve let’s go up to Colors curves and let’s go ahead and create a small S curve I’m going to bring the blacks and the Shadows down a little bit and for the highlights and the whites I’m going to bring those up a little bit more than the blacks so I can accentuate the brightness levels a little bit more to add more contrast that way all right so the next thing I want to do is I want to do some classic dodging and burning because I find that the grassy area here is too bright so let’s go ahead and darken that up let’s start by duplicating this layer and calling this dodge and burn let’s grab our Dodge and burn tool and then as far as the options we have burn midtones and I’m going to do exposure right around 30 actually I might go a little bit higher because what I want to do is I want to try and get this done as quickly as possible I don’t want to spend a lot of time making this perfect because I think you have better things to do like practicing this on your own when I did this edit here I think it took me about an hour to do because I was being really picky and spending a lot of time on perfecting it and I’m not going to do that for this image here you already know how to do all this stuff so let’s go ahead and do this real quick now when you begin applying this you’re going to be adjusting the elephant as well his feet legs belly his trunk and what we need to do is we need to remove that once we’re done with our dodging and burning so let me show you how we’re going to do that actually probably already know how to do that because we’ve done that 100 times already and that’s by adding a layer mask to remove the edit from the elephant so let’s go ahead and do that let’s add a white layer mask and then with your paintbrush tool and black you can begin removing that edit where it shouldn’t be so we don’t want on the elephant so let’s go ahead and remove that as needed I’m going to go ahead and do this real quick and we’ll go on to the next step all right so it’s not perfect but I think you get the idea let’s go ahead and move on to the next step which is let’s go ahead and add a new background layer to fill in our sky so let’s go ahead and click on the elephant layer here we’re going to click here to create a new layer let’s call it background and I filled it in with white I don’t want white so let’s go ahead and choose our color from this tree layer here so we’re going to click on our foreground color swatch here grab your eyedropper tool right here and click on the sky to choose a light gray okay that’s the color I want to fill in for that background so let’s make sure that background layer is still selected and with your bucket fill tool go ahead and fill it in and you can kind of see what it’s doing it’s starting to blend the sky in from this tree image together which is what we want all right let’s work on our tree now which is scaling and then blending in to cover up part of the elephant so let’s go ahead and grab our move tool and we’re going to move this up just a little bit now it’s kind of hard to see where we want to place it so let’s drop our opacity that’ll make it a little bit easier to decipher where to place it and I think I want it right about there I’m going to grab my scale tool now with shift plus s and I’m going to drag from the top right down so I can keep that right side in position and then I’m going to continue adjusting until I want this tree along this area here let’s go ahead and move this up just a little bit so maybe right about there maybe a little bit tighter I think right there all right perfect let’s go ahead and put that opacity back up and then add a white layer mask all right so this layer boundary right here is really bugging me let’s go ahead and go up to view and click on show layer boundary now here’s another little neat trick if you never want to see that layer boundary ever again right click go to edit and select preferences then let’s see I think it’s down here somewhere I think it’s under image Windows click right here on appearance and click right here that will turn off Show layer of boundary and the next project you work on you will not see them all right let’s go ahead and grab our paintbrush tool here and we’re going to paint with black to remove the trees but first actually I forgot a step let’s go back and click on the image layer go up to mode and select darken only and that will help blend it in all right back to the layer mask and then begin removing with black now what I would recommend doing is possibly using a lower opacity to help blend that in at a slower rate so you can fine-tune your edit so it’s not completely gone along the edges otherwise it’s going to have a hard Edge and you also want to work with a soft edged brush I have 50 right now you may want to go down lower to around 22 25 something like that up to 50 at the most and that’s going to give you a softer edged brush which will help blend everything together all right again I’m not going to spend a lot of time on getting this perfect actually I’m doing that thing again where my OCD is kicking in I’m trying to do it perfect but let’s go ahead and stop right there before I go too far I’m going to set my opacity back up here and my hardness back to 50 by clicking right here all right we’re now going to get rid of the elephant’s head and hump right here and over here as well so let’s do this let’s go ahead and turn this layer off we’re going to let’s see let’s go down here and turn off the background as well we’re going to right click and select new from visible all right we can turn this one back on but what I want to do is make sure these two are turned off and then the trees can go back on all right so guess what we’re going to do now that’s right we’re going to add another layer mask so let’s go ahead and do that and then with our paintbrush tool we’re going to paint where that elephant shouldn’t be visible to make him disappear how cool is that I love it let’s go ahead and rename this disappearing elephant and of course this would be trees and now we’re going to add some birds now we already have a set of birds from this tree layer here so I’m not sure if I want to add more small birds or not I’ll leave that up to you we’re going to go ahead and work on this image later here so what we’re going to do is convert this to black and white first and then we’re going to apply a technique that we learned in a previous project so let’s go ahead and grab this image layer here we’re going to go up to Colors Hue saturation and let’s drop the saturation down not all the way I just want to leave a little bit of color so something like that so let’s go with that and then let’s go up to Colors levels and try and brighten up that that sky as much as possible without losing any detail from the birds I don’t want to go too far like that so I’m going to go maybe right around 200 for the white point I’m going to darken up those birds just a little bit I’m not too worried about this part of the image because I want to get rid of all these birds anyways so I’m concentrating more on this area here so maybe a little bit brighter on the white point so right about there all right so let’s say you go in and add a white layer mask again and then you try and brush in between all the birds here and it’s not working well what you can do is you can make a selection even though you added a layer mask what you have to do though is make sure your image layer is selected and then grab your fuzzy select tool and make a selection of the sky like so and then go back to your layer mask make sure your background color is filled to Black and then go up to to edit cut and that will remove the sky based on that selection all right let’s go ahead and deselect with Commander control shift plus a what I’m going to do now is paint with black to remove all these birds that I don’t want so let’s go ahead and remove all of these this guy up here and I think I may want to move these birds into a different position I think I got rid of a bird there that I didn’t want to get rid of so I’m going to go ahead and res start so if you’re going to try and do this all on one stroke and then if you have to undo it well you’re going to have to redo everything so I like to stop release my mouse button and then continue editing that way I don’t have to go all the way back to the beginning if I have to undo something because I made a mistake let’s get this bird here and let’s get these guys over here all right let’s go ahead and grab our move tool I’m going to place this on move the active layer because it’s going to be kind of hard to select a bird otherwise it’s going to select whatever you click on other than a bird so let’s go ahead and click and move this up I’m going to move it over to the right I think right about there should be good now I need to undo that because we need to make sure we have our image layer preview selected and not the layer mask because the layer mask is going to move with the image layer at the same time now I think I need to grab my scale tool here and make this a little bit smaller and let’s go ahead and reposition this right about there okay and now we need to go back in with our paintbrush tool and remove this side of the image make sure your layer mask is selected and adjust as needed all right so the last thing we need to do is some color grading because we have three different images that were shot under three different types of light or different colors of light so each one of these were shot at a different time of a day and I want to blend it in together to finish off the entire image so that it has the same color tone all right long story short we’re going to create a new layer let’s call it color grading and I don’t want black let’s go into our foreground color swatch here and this is the color that I want to use so if you want to use the same color here is the hexadecimal number right here go ahead and type that in right there click okay and then fill in your foreground now let’s blend that in with all the layers below with let’s see let’s go with Luma luminance dark and only and well that doesn’t look too good does it so let’s go ahead and drop the opacity down to help blend it in so somewhere around 50 to 55 and there you go that’s the Double Exposure project go ahead and complete this project on your own and pick out your own elements to create your own artwork for this next compositing project we’re going to take this image here and transform it from day to night and add a magical glow how cool is that all right so let’s go ahead and get started by opening up this image from your section six folder and let’s go ahead and start off by duplicating this layer and calling it KN because that’s the first thing we’re going to do is transform it from day tonight and we’re going to do that by going up to colors and selecting color eyes now for this I’m going to add a light blue color so I’m going to use this color right here and here’s the hexadecimal number if you want to use the same color go ahead and type that in and let’s go ahead and grab this layer next and duplicate again and let’s move it above the other layer what we’re going to do now is separate our deer from the background with our foreground selection tool which is what I used originally for this project when I was putting this together and then I used the quick mask mode to fine-tune my selection now you’ve seen me do this several times throughout the class and you’ve already practiced a few times as well so there’s no need for me to go through how to use this particular tool again since you already know how to use it so I’m going to save you and me sometime by cheating a little bit I’m going to grab my layer mask here that I’ve already done and I’m going to add it to this document so go ahead and duplicate that layer and make your selection and then apply a layer mask based on a selection once you have that you should end up with this now we’re going to take this layer and we’re going to duplicate that one and right click on it and apply the layer mask now the background has been removed so what we need to do now is we need to match the color of the light in the background with the foreground because he’s being lit with daylight it’s a different color than the nighttime light so let’s go back up to Colors colorize and apply that same blue color all right let’s duplicate this layer and let’s call it antlers and we’re going to make a selection of the antlers and remove everything else so let’s grab our free select tool which is right here or you can grab it with the keyboard shortcut which is the letter F and I’m just going to draw around the antlers like so and let’s go around this ear right here so it’s not included and then go ahead and finish off by going back to where you started we need to invert our selection and then hit your delete key or your backspace key and that should leave you with just the antlers all right so we’re going to start working on our glow of the antlers so let’s go ahead and put this first set of antlers inside of a layer group and we’re also going to change the color from Blue to a yellowish orange-ish color I’m going to do that by going up to colors Hue saturation and I’m going to drop the Hue all the way down to minus 180 let’s go ahead and grab our Zoom tool here and zoom in because I forgot to do this little piece in the center this is a little bit of a gap between the antlers and it shouldn’t be glowing yellow it should include the background or at least show the background through it so I’m going to grab my Eraser tool which is right here the keyboard shortcut is shift plus e and let’s just go ahead and erase this because we’re not going to need this B later anyways otherwise I would use a layer Mask doesn’t have to be perfect because we are going to do some blurring of the antlers to create the glow so don’t worry about making it perfect all right I’m going to go ahead and zoom out and I’m going to duplicate this set of antlers and I’m going to call this glow one because we’re going to do this a couple more times and let’s go up to filters blur gazan blur and I’m going to set the blur amount to to I don’t know what do you think I think I’m going to go pretty high here around 80 to 90 so maybe let’s go in the middle 85 all right I’m going to go ahead and duplicate this layer now and let’s call this glow to let’s go up to filters and repeat that gajian blur I also want to change the blending mode to dodge and that’s too intense now so I’m going to drop the opacity down to around 30 or so so maybe right about there and let’s go ahead and grab our original antlers again duplicate it and move it all the way up to the top and let’s blur it again but not as much as before I think this time right around 5 to 10 so I’m going to go with six now there’s one thing that’s bugging me I think the background should be darker than the foreground so let’s go back to our night layer here and let’s recolor eyesee that with a darker blue so let’s see let’s try this one or even darker I think I like the darker one because the deer stands out a little bit better now so I’m going to go ahead and go with that and I think we need to do one more thing with the antlers here I think I want to bring the glow to opacity up a little bit and then I’m going to grab my layer group and drop the opacity of this one down to kind of tone down everything just a little bit so right about there looks pretty good all right let’s go ahead and collapse this layer group so the next step is applying this glow color on on the deer itself since it should be reflecting off of his body so we’re going to Target the highlights of the deer and we’re going to apply the edit more towards the top or where the antlers are closer to his body so down here it’s going to be less of a glow or less of that color so to do that we’re going to grab this layer here we’re going to duplicate it I’m going to rename this glow highlights let’s go ahead and colorize the deer with that color that we used previously this light orange color and then we’re going to add a black layer mask to remove it and then we can paint on with our brush where we want it and I’m using a low opacity of around 15 to 20 so I can gradually build up the edit where I want it and kind of create a smooth transition from one part to another and that’s going to create some depth as well so I’m going to go pretty heavy up here on the top and near the antlers because that’s where the antlers are closest to is this part of the body so it should be brighter over here compared to other parts of his body and again I’m just targeting the different highlights on his body which makes it a little easier to kind of Target where to place everything so I’m going to go really dark in here with lots of strokes and I’m going to go with a larger brush now so I can begin Feathering this color down a little bit there we go so now you can see it’s starting to feather in we probably really shouldn’t have any down there maybe a little bit on this part of his leg here because it’s kind of protruding out a little bit it might get a little bit more light than other parts of his body and maybe a little bit on his legs over here but not as much and then just go ahead and continue Feathering this in until you’re happy with the final results I’m going to go ahead and go with a smaller brush now to get his eyes here a little bit more because it’s really close to the antlers and I think this should be pretty bright in this area and of course if you add too much you can always paint with black to remove it and tone it down if needed now the other thing you can do if you want to speed this up and make this a little bit darker is you can come down here and duplicate this layer and I think that’s a little bit too much now so I’m going to go ahead and drop the opacity down just to add a little bit more than what we had previous viously so there’s the original and then the extra so you can do more or less depending on your personal preference let’s go back to the antlers here I’m going to duplicate this layer and I’m going to turn this layer off and then I’m going to right click on the ant layers and select merge layer group because what I want to do is I want to tone this down it’s not exactly the same color that I had previously so I don’t remember all the exact steps I did so your rendition and your final edit may be different than mine because you may choose different colors throughout the process and I didn’t write down the exact colors that I used here but I do want to tone this down because I find it’s a little bit too saturated and I’m going to go up to Colors saturation actually let’s go to Hue saturation because I prefer that tool over the other one and I’m going to go ahead and drop this down a little bit so right around -40 to -50 yeah that’s too much I like that much better all right so the last step is to add some Stars to our Glu so navigate to the section six folder and drag that over to create a new layer and again you can go up to file open as layers if that doesn’t work for you now with the move tool I’m going to go ahead and move this up so it covers up those antlers Al together so I think right there will be good I’m going to go ahead and apply a black layer mask and then I can begin painting in the Stars exactly where I want them and make sure you have white selected to paint that on you can add as many or as few stars as you want I’ll leave that up to you now there’s one more thing we need to do we need to tone this down just a little bit because it’s a little bit too bright I think so I’m going to go ahead and grab my black now and paint with that with a lower opacity and I’m going to begin painting in some Different Strokes here to tone this down a little bit so we’re left with just a few Stars not too many and I don’t want that big white glow in some of these areas here and this will help tone that down now depending on the colors you chose if you have a really dark background you may want to change the blending mode to either screen darken only multiply or something else to help blend those colors in also depending on the Stars you chose if you’re choosing something else you may need to choose a different blending mode to help that blend in with the background the other thing you can do is you can go to your levels tool here to adjust actually we need to go back and select the image layer here and then adjust the White and the black points to try and darken it up that way so we can brighten up these Stars by going to the left here that’s a little bit too far and then you can darken it up some more this way and that might help blend it in a little bit more as well but now I’m starting to see an outline here and that’s why you may want to go in and choose a blending mode to try and get that to blend in a little bit better so here’s the original and the final edit all right so the final composite project consists of a couple of new challenges Reflections and drop Shadows so when you’re done with this project you’ll have created the world’s tallest draft so let me show you what we’re going to create here is the original image that you’re going to work with and when you’re done you’re going to add a couple of photos and boom this is the final artwork how cool is that I love it so let’s go ahead and get started by opening up this image which is in your section six folder and let’s go ahead and grab the other two files here the clouds and the giraffe and go ahead and add that as well and let’s go ahead and turn these layers off for now all right so we have a lot of steps to cover and we’re going to start off with the foreground by making a selection of the sky and when I did this project initially I used the fuzzy select tool so go ahead and use whatever selection tool you want to use to make a selection of the sky and go ahead and get that done all right with the quick mask mode here I’m going to go ahead and refine my selection if needed looks like I did a pretty good job I need to clean up a little bit here so I’m going to go ahead and do that next the other thing I want to do now real quick if you’re wondering how I’m navigating around if you hold your space bar key you’ll get the hand tool and then you can move around the canvas as needed now the one thing I want to do is I want to adjust this peak right here because we’re going to make this canvas taller and when we do we’ll end up with a flat top for this mountain peak and that’s not what I want so I’m going to go ahead and come in here and adjust it by creating a slope like that all right so once you have your selection go ahead and invert it and apply a layer mask via the selection option and boom the sky is gone all right let’s increase our canvas size Now by going up to image canvas size and for the height we’re going to type in 3500 and once you click your tab key make sure you adjust your position of your image to the bottom of the new canvas all right I’m going to go ahead and zoom all the way out with command or control shift plus J and now we have room for our cloud and our giraffe so let’s work on our clouds next let’s turn that layer on and let’s go ahead and move it behind the foreground now right now the image layer is way too large if I zoom all the way out here let’s see if I go up to view show layer boundary so this is the size of that layer right now and I want it to be closer to what we have for our canvas so I’m going to go ahead and resize that by going up to layer and selecting scale layer so I’m just going to do a little bit wider than the canvas right now so I don’t have to worry about getting it perfectly aligned along the the edge of the canvas there so I’m going to go ahead and do that and move it up with my move tool all right I’m going to go ahead and get rid of that layer boundary again because it’s kind of annoying all right so two things we have to do with the clouds now is we need to create a reflection in the water since we have a new set of clouds and we need to create our atmospheric condition that we learned how to do in a previous tutorial so let’s go ahead and do the reflection first we’re going to duplicate this and call it clouds reflection and it should be above the foreground since we need it in the water so let’s go ahead and go up to layer transform and select flip vertically and then with your move tool you can go ahead and move this down into position so I think I’m going to go right about here now let’s go ahead and grab our new mode which is going to be overlay all right so that looks like it’s in the water now that looks pretty good good we just need to clean up now because we have this part of the sky overlapping the mountain and it shouldn’t be so we’re going to grab a white layer mask and then with a black paintbrush we can go ahead and remove that part of the sky I also want to clean it up on the steps here I don’t necessarily want to remove it completely because the steps look like they are white so what I’m going to do is I’m going going to drop my opacity as soon as I get it off the legs here of our subject I’m going to go a little bit smaller here so I can get in nice and tight clean all of this up and I need to fix this again all right I’m going to go with a lower opacity brush this time so I can paint with gray and remove some of that from the steps all right next is the atmospheric condition this is optional it’s something that I like to do but it’s entirely up to you so if you don’t remember how to do this let’s go ahead and do that real quick I’m going to go ahead and create a new layer called atmospheric condition background I’m going to fill it with transparency and then I want to fill it with white let’s grab our bucket fill tool and fill in that layer and we’re going to move it all the way to the bottom let’s grab our Cloud’s layer here and let’s apply a white layer mask now with our bucket fil tool we can go ahead and apply that condition so I’m going to set my foreground color to Black and my background color to white so make sure it’s pure white and pure black I’m going to click right here and drag down looks like it’s reversed so I need to either adjust the line here or in the tool options I can click on this little icon right here to reverse it I’m going to go ahead and bring this down below this peak right here and I’m going to drag this down just a little bit more perfect okay enter or return to apply that and you can now see there’s some gray right here that is removing that part of the sky and letting the background show through which is the white which creates that atmospheric condition and yes you probably already know that since you learned about it previously all right so the clouds are done let’s go ahead and work on our giraffe now let’s go ahead and resize him let’s go to layer scale layer and same thing I’m going to do 1620 for the width and we have 2446 so click scale we just want to make sure that we have the correct layer selected I still have my cloud so I’m going to go back to giraffe here and layer scale layer and 1620 2439 click scale all right let’s go ahead and move him up into position here let’s go ahead and drop the opacity so we can see where he is in relation to the rest of the image and I want him to look the other way so I’m going to go up to layer transform and select flip horizontally and that’s the direction I want him to look in and I think I have the position exactly where I want it all right so I did a pretty good job there let’s go ahead and put that opacity all the way back up because now we need to get rid of the sky a lot easier this time since it’s a solid blue so I’m going to go ahead and make my selection here and apply my layer mask this time I’m going to click invert mask and select selection and that will invert the selection so we don’t have to go up to colors and invert it up there now we need to place this layer below the foreground so that is’s behind the mountain now and I’m going to let you do some fine tuning of your mask here so you can get rid of all this blue and white along his man right here and then you’re going to go in with a teeny tiny brush in between his hairs here where the light is shining through I’m not going to do that because it’s going to take a few minutes all you have to do is grab your paintbrush tool and paint with black to begin removing it now what I did originally is I did lower the opacity and I did multiple Strokes along the m to get rid of that to try and keep as many of those hairs as possible without losing the overall shape sh of the main so you’re going to have to spend a little bit more time on that to get it just right now it looks like I have a little boo boo or Bobo or whatever right here and I think that is the foreground so I’m going to go ahead and grab that and get rid of that all right I’m going to go ahead and zoom all the way out and now we need to work on a few different things we need to add a reflection in the water because he’s behind the mountains now and he’s kind of peeking over the mountains so his reflection should be there plus a drop
shadow on this side of the mountain then we need to create some depth by reducing the contrast in the image because the further away a subject is from you the less contrast it will have in most cases anyways now for this particular image it’s a little bit harder because the lighting is pretty harsh we have some strong sunlight coming from over here and then if you take a look at the mountain here we have a strong hard Edge Shadow here and then we have the same thing on the Dr as well so we don’t want to reduce the contrast too much but enough to where it looks like he’s further away from us than he currently appears so a lot of things to do let’s start off with the reflection first so let’s grab our giraffe layer here we’re going to duplicate it right click and select apply layer mask let’s go up to layer transform and flip vertically and then with your move tool you’re going to go ahead and move them down into position we also need to get that layer above the foreground since he’s going to be on top of the water now now all this blue is the sky but you don’t really have to worry about that too much because we’re going to get rid of that with a layer mask in just a second I’m just going to go ahead and position them where I think he should be now he’s directly behind the mountain and he’s kind of peeking over so how far down you go depends on where you think he is in relation to the mountain if you take a look at this peak right here that reflection is all the way down here so I think it should be in that same general area so I’m going to go right there let’s go ahead and apply a white layer mask and clean up the sky actually I need to go back because I had invert turned on I’m going to go ahead and turn that off and redo it and now we’re going to get rid of the sky along the edges and the bottom here with your paintbrush tool all right let’s change the blending mode to Overlay to help that blend in and let’s go ahead and drop the opacity down as well and that’s going to definitely help blend it in some more now the one thing I want to do here is zoom in because I don’t think this part of the draft should be on the steps at all so I’m going to go ahead and paint that out all right so the next thing we need to do is we need to blend in this reflection a little bit more so it matches the water what do I mean by that well if you take a closer look at the water you can see there’s some ripples happening in the water so there’s some motion in the water we need to apply that motion to the giraffe reflection as well so it better matches what’s going on with the water itself so to do that we’re first going to duplicate the layer and then we’re going to apply the layer mask and let’s turn this layer off because we don’t need both of them and then we’re going to go up to filters blur motion blur or linear motion blur and we’re going to match the angle of the ripples to match the angle of the water so right now it’s left to right or right to left which is what we have for the angle right now if you’re working on another project and you need to change the angle there’s a little arrow right here just click and drag it to match the angle of the waves and then you just need to adjust the length to match the intensity of those ripples so anywhere from 10 to 15 or 18 for this particular image I think would work I think I used 18 originally so I’m going to go with right around 18 so that’s a little bit too much so I’m going to come down just a little and go with that now we have another problem if we take a look over here the giraffe is now outside of the water so we don’t need this part of the giraffe on the mountain but we are going to use that for the drop shadow but first I want to clean up this part of the giraffe layer so it’s not outside of the mountain range so we’re going to go back to a white layer mask and clean it up once again all right let’s go ahead and duplicate this layer we’re going to go ahead and turn this layer off just for a moment because what we need to do with this layer mask now is get rid of this part of the layer or the reflection part of it on the layer mask so cleaning up once again and then we’ll be left with just what we need for the drop shadow okay let’s go ahead and app apply that layer mask I’m going to call this drop shadow and let’s call this one reflection let’s go ahead and turn that back on before we forget and I’m just going to scroll up here so I can take a look at my drop shadow we do need to make some adjustments to it make sure you have the drop shadow layer selected and let’s go ahead and darken up that layer I’m going to go up to colors and I’m going to go with levels I’m going to bring the Black Point all the way over to the right here and that’s going to darken it up and then we need to blur it out a little bit so that the edges are softer and it will definitely soften up the rest of it so it looks more like a drop shadow so we’re going to go up to filters blur gazi and blur and then increase this to around 10 to 20 or whatever you think looks good now as we’re doing this as we’re increasing the amount of the blur it’s starting to go on the outside of the mountain range here so we need to go back in and clean that up once again with another white layer mask now I would spend a little bit more time on this than I am right now so you’re going to need to spend a little bit more time to fine-tune everything so it looks really good I’m kind of making a mess here trying to go through this as quickly as possible so we’re not here all day and you’re going to notice that the blue in my main here and I also have a blue outline here and under his chin and his mouth that’s actually going to show go up in the reflection which you can see right here which is another reason why you want to clean up before you start doing all these extra layers so you’re not spending more time fixing this up after the fact all right we now have our drop shadow and now we need to work on the perception that the giraffe is farther from us than what it currently appears to be and we also need to make an adjustment to the mountain range as well because I want those to look like they’re further away as well so let’s go ahead and start with the foreground let’s grab our foreground layer here and duplicate it let’s go ahead and apply the layer mask and now we’re going to apply the effect by going up to colors and selecting levels so to create this effect that the mountains are further from us we’re going to reduce the contrast or in this case reduce the amount of tonal ranges from 0 to 255 to 35 to 40 to 255 so if we adjust the output levels this will decrease the tonal ranges in the image and you will notice that the image becomes brighter or has less contrast the further to the right you go that’s too much so I’m going to go maybe right around 25 to 30 I think I’ll go with 30 and then we’re going to go ahead and apply a white layer mask again so we can add back the contrast in this part of the image with our gradient tool which is going to give that illusion that there is more distance or more depth in the actual image than there really is so with your gradient tool make sure you have pure black set to the forground and pure white for the background otherwise you’re going to have some transparency in other parts of the image I think we’ve talked about that before so I’m going to go ahead and click and drag down here and you’ll notice that this part of the image is getting darker I’m going to go ahead and move this line up to shorten that distance so it’s more on the mountain area or the mountain ranges here and less so on the water I’m going to go ahead and click enter or return to apply that gradient now we need to do the same thing to our giraffe so let’s grab the giraffe layer duplicate it right click and apply the layer mask and then the same steps as before so back to Colors levels and I’m going to adjust this too I think it matches the mountain range and you can see already it’s starting to give the illusion that that giraffe is actually further away than it is if the level is at zero so I think I’m going to increase this to right around 27 to 28 I think that matches the mountain range pretty good if you want the draft to be further away from the mountains then you’re going to apply this level further to the right the only problem is I think if he’s back that far you’re not going to see the reflection as much because most of his body and his head here are going to be cut off from the mountain pass and then you would have to move your reflection here up higher so that it’s not covering as much as it is right now so I’m going to go ahead and bring this down to around 27 to 28 and that creates that part of the illusion now the other thing I want to do is I want to do some white balance adjustments on the draft because if you zoom in you’ll notice that this side of the giraff is pretty blue especially in his eyes and his ears right here and we have a Setting Sun and it’s very warm compared to what we see on this side now this side will be more blue or less yellow because it is further away from the Sun just like in the mountain ranges here this is more blue now I do have some problems with some ghosting from the sky in a previous layer right here so again that’s why you have to spend a little bit more time getting things right from the beginning so you’re not going back and making Corrections like I am right now or will have to but anyways let’s go ahead and do our white balance adjustment on our giraffe here by warming him up so we’re going to go up to colors and selecting color temperature and then we’re going to adjust the intended temperature to the right and that will make the giraffe much warmer than he is right now so you can definitely see a huge Improvement by adjusting that to to around 8,800 so you can go more or less depending on your personal preference all right so there’s one more thing I want to do to the white balance or the color of the image or the giraffe I should say and that is to tone down these blue colors here and we’re going to do that by duplicating this layer and then we’re going to go into Hue and saturation and drop the saturation down to remove that then we’re going to go ahead and apply a black layer mask and then paint in those areas to apply that previous edit all right so we only have two more steps left and next I want to create the illusion that the giraffe is inside of the clouds not in front of them let’s go ahead and create a new layer group and place all our giraffe layers inside of it let’s go ahead and duplicate that grouped layer and turn off the original right click and select merge layer group now do you have any idea how we can create the illusion that he’s in the clouds well if you said a layer mask you are correct let’s go ahead and add a white layer mask and then we’re going to paint with black to begin revealing the clouds but you want to make sure that you have your opacity set pretty low under 50 or so and then a fairly large brush to cover more area and then the hardness I would do under 50 so the default is 50 I’m going to go with 25 which is going to create a softer edged brush which will help blend everything together much better and then you can begin clicking and dragging out to create the illusion that the clouds are coming through how cool is that I love it may want a little bit up here on top as well and maybe around his ear all right so the last thing we need to do is we need match the color of light between the three images each of the images were captured at a different time of day and possibly a different season which means the color of light is different for each of them so to create some color Harmony we’re going to create a new layer and fill it in with a color I’m going to call this color grading I’m going to fill it with transparency and then I’m going to choose the color that I want to be dominant throughout the entire image and what I want is this orange pink color right here so I’m going to grab my ey dropper tool and I’m going to go ahead and try and find a color that I like actually I like that so here is the heximal number that I’m going to use go ahead and grab your bucket fill tool and fill it in and all right let’s go ahead and blend it in not quite done yet let’s try overlay nope that’s not going to work soft light actually soft light or overlay I think would work what we need to do is tone it down by dropping the opacity so just like that we now have that color throughout the entire image and the colors are now in Harmony from one image to the other
Affiliate Disclosure: This blog may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you click on the link and make a purchase. This comes at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers. Your support helps keep this blog running and allows me to continue providing you with quality content. Thank you for your support!
