A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter VI
He could not have been much over thirty, perhaps just thirty—he said little but never took his eyes off the object of his interest. He spoke well enough, with an occasional lapse into Russian, which was very piquant. He swept aside all other aspirants with his steady and centred gaze. He ignored the rest of the company so completely as to rob him of rudeness. If one is ignorant of the very presence of his fellow beings, at most he can only be called “strange.”
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading “He could not have been much over thirty, perhaps just thirty—he said little but never took his eyes off the object of his interest.”
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading “He could not have been much over thirty, perhaps just thirty—he said little but never took his eyes off the object of his interest.”
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “He could not have been much over thirty, perhaps just thirty—he said little but never took his eyes off the object of his interest.”
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “If one is ignorant of the very presence of his fellow beings, at most he can only be called “strange.””
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “He could not have been much over thirty, perhaps just thirty—he said little but never took his eyes off the object of his interest.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “He could not have been much over thirty, perhaps just thirty—he said little but never took his eyes off the object of his interest.”
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading “If one is ignorant of the very presence of his fellow beings, at most he can only be called “strange.””
above and across; more than
From this reading “He could not have been much over thirty, perhaps just thirty—he said little but never took his eyes off the object of his interest.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “He could not have been much over thirty, perhaps just thirty—he said little but never took his eyes off the object of his interest.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “He ignored the rest of the company so completely as to rob him of rudeness.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “He could not have been much over thirty, perhaps just thirty—he said little but never took his eyes off the object of his interest.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “He spoke well enough, with an occasional lapse into Russian, which was very piquant.”
Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He swept aside all other aspirants with his steady and centred gaze.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He spoke well enough, with an occasional lapse into Russian, which was very piquant.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He swept aside all other aspirants with his steady and centred gaze.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He ignored the rest of the company so completely as to rob him of rudeness.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He swept aside all other aspirants with his steady and centred gaze.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He swept aside all other aspirants with his steady and centred gaze.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading If one is ignorant of the very presence of his fellow beings, at most he can only be called “strange.”
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading If one is ignorant of the very presence of his fellow beings, at most he can only be called “strange.”
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He could not have been much over thirty, perhaps just thirty—he said little but never took his eyes off the object of his interest.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If one is ignorant of the very presence of his fellow beings, at most he can only be called “strange.”
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He could not have been much over thirty, perhaps just thirty—he said little but never took his eyes off the object of his interest.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If one is ignorant of the very presence of his fellow beings, at most he can only be called “strange.”
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading If one is ignorant of the very presence of his fellow beings, at most he can only be called “strange.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He swept aside all other aspirants with his steady and centred gaze.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He ignored the rest of the company so completely as to rob him of rudeness.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He ignored the rest of the company so completely as to rob him of rudeness.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He could not have been much over thirty, perhaps just thirty—he said little but never took his eyes off the object of his interest.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He spoke well enough, with an occasional lapse into Russian, which was very piquant.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could not have been much over thirty, perhaps just thirty—he said little but never took his eyes off the object of his interest.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If one is ignorant of the very presence of his fellow beings, at most he can only be called “strange.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He swept aside all other aspirants with his steady and centred gaze.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading He could not have been much over thirty, perhaps just thirty—he said little but never took his eyes off the object of his interest.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He could not have been much over thirty, perhaps just thirty—he said little but never took his eyes off the object of his interest.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He ignored the rest of the company so completely as to rob him of rudeness.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He could not have been much over thirty, perhaps just thirty—he said little but never took his eyes off the object of his interest.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If one is ignorant of the very presence of his fellow beings, at most he can only be called “strange.”
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading If one is ignorant of the very presence of his fellow beings, at most he can only be called “strange.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He ignored the rest of the company so completely as to rob him of rudeness.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could not have been much over thirty, perhaps just thirty—he said little but never took his eyes off the object of his interest.
moving to the inside of something
From this reading He spoke well enough, with an occasional lapse into Russian, which was very piquant.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading If one is ignorant of the very presence of his fellow beings, at most he can only be called “strange.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could not have been much over thirty, perhaps just thirty—he said little but never took his eyes off the object of his interest.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He spoke well enough, with an occasional lapse into Russian, which was very piquant.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He could not have been much over thirty, perhaps just thirty—he said little but never took his eyes off the object of his interest.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If one is ignorant of the very presence of his fellow beings, at most he can only be called “strange.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could not have been much over thirty, perhaps just thirty—he said little but never took his eyes off the object of his interest.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He could not have been much over thirty, perhaps just thirty—he said little but never took his eyes off the object of his interest.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He could not have been much over thirty, perhaps just thirty—he said little but never took his eyes off the object of his interest.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could not have been much over thirty, perhaps just thirty—he said little but never took his eyes off the object of his interest.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He spoke well enough, with an occasional lapse into Russian, which was very piquant.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He could not have been much over thirty, perhaps just thirty—he said little but never took his eyes off the object of his interest.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could not have been much over thirty, perhaps just thirty—he said little but never took his eyes off the object of his interest.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading If one is ignorant of the very presence of his fellow beings, at most he can only be called “strange.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If one is ignorant of the very presence of his fellow beings, at most he can only be called “strange.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He swept aside all other aspirants with his steady and centred gaze.
above and across; more than
From this reading He could not have been much over thirty, perhaps just thirty—he said little but never took his eyes off the object of his interest.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could not have been much over thirty, perhaps just thirty—he said little but never took his eyes off the object of his interest.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He spoke well enough, with an occasional lapse into Russian, which was very piquant.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If one is ignorant of the very presence of his fellow beings, at most he can only be called “strange.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He ignored the rest of the company so completely as to rob him of rudeness.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He ignored the rest of the company so completely as to rob him of rudeness.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He ignored the rest of the company so completely as to rob him of rudeness.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He spoke well enough, with an occasional lapse into Russian, which was very piquant.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could not have been much over thirty, perhaps just thirty—he said little but never took his eyes off the object of his interest.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading He ignored the rest of the company so completely as to rob him of rudeness.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He spoke well enough, with an occasional lapse into Russian, which was very piquant.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He swept aside all other aspirants with his steady and centred gaze.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If one is ignorant of the very presence of his fellow beings, at most he can only be called “strange.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He swept aside all other aspirants with his steady and centred gaze.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He could not have been much over thirty, perhaps just thirty—he said little but never took his eyes off the object of his interest.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could not have been much over thirty, perhaps just thirty—he said little but never took his eyes off the object of his interest.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He ignored the rest of the company so completely as to rob him of rudeness.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He could not have been much over thirty, perhaps just thirty—he said little but never took his eyes off the object of his interest.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He spoke well enough, with an occasional lapse into Russian, which was very piquant.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He spoke well enough, with an occasional lapse into Russian, which was very piquant.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He spoke well enough, with an occasional lapse into Russian, which was very piquant.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He spoke well enough, with an occasional lapse into Russian, which was very piquant.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He spoke well enough, with an occasional lapse into Russian, which was very piquant.
