A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter X
Mary nodded her head gently and said to herself, 'Perhaps I can understand already, better than my grandfather thinks. Have I not twice already in my young years been brought nigh to death? Even now death seemeth to me often not far away.' 'Wouldst thou then fear to die, Grandfather?' she added aloud. 'No more than a bird would fear to leave its cage and fly, were once the door but open,' the old man answered.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “'Wouldst thou then fear to die, Grandfather?' she added aloud.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Mary nodded her head gently and said to herself, 'Perhaps I can understand already, better than my grandfather thinks.”
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “'No more than a bird would fear to leave its cage and fly, were once the door but open,' the old man answered.”
the past participle of “be”
From this reading “Have I not twice already in my young years been brought nigh to death?”
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “Have I not twice already in my young years been brought nigh to death?”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Even now death seemeth to me often not far away.'”
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “Have I not twice already in my young years been brought nigh to death?”
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading “Mary nodded her head gently and said to herself, 'Perhaps I can understand already, better than my grandfather thinks.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Mary nodded her head gently and said to herself, 'Perhaps I can understand already, better than my grandfather thinks.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “'No more than a bird would fear to leave its cage and fly, were once the door but open,' the old man answered.”
To move from a closed position.
From this reading “'No more than a bird would fear to leave its cage and fly, were once the door but open,' the old man answered.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Mary nodded her head gently and said to herself, 'Perhaps I can understand already, better than my grandfather thinks.”
an old word for “you”, as the subject, speaking to one person
From this reading “'Wouldst thou then fear to die, Grandfather?' she added aloud.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Mary nodded her head gently and said to herself, 'Perhaps I can understand already, better than my grandfather thinks.”
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading “'No more than a bird would fear to leave its cage and fly, were once the door but open,' the old man answered.”
an old form of “would”, used with “thou”
From this reading “'Wouldst thou then fear to die, Grandfather?' she added aloud.”
Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading 'No more than a bird would fear to leave its cage and fly, were once the door but open,' the old man answered.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading 'Wouldst thou then fear to die, Grandfather?' she added aloud.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'Wouldst thou then fear to die, Grandfather?' she added aloud.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Mary nodded her head gently and said to herself, 'Perhaps I can understand already, better than my grandfather thinks.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Mary nodded her head gently and said to herself, 'Perhaps I can understand already, better than my grandfather thinks.
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading 'No more than a bird would fear to leave its cage and fly, were once the door but open,' the old man answered.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Even now death seemeth to me often not far away.'
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Have I not twice already in my young years been brought nigh to death?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mary nodded her head gently and said to herself, 'Perhaps I can understand already, better than my grandfather thinks.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'No more than a bird would fear to leave its cage and fly, were once the door but open,' the old man answered.
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Have I not twice already in my young years been brought nigh to death?
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading 'No more than a bird would fear to leave its cage and fly, were once the door but open,' the old man answered.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'No more than a bird would fear to leave its cage and fly, were once the door but open,' the old man answered.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading Mary nodded her head gently and said to herself, 'Perhaps I can understand already, better than my grandfather thinks.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Have I not twice already in my young years been brought nigh to death?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'Wouldst thou then fear to die, Grandfather?' she added aloud.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'No more than a bird would fear to leave its cage and fly, were once the door but open,' the old man answered.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Even now death seemeth to me often not far away.'
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Even now death seemeth to me often not far away.'
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'Wouldst thou then fear to die, Grandfather?' she added aloud.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'No more than a bird would fear to leave its cage and fly, were once the door but open,' the old man answered.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mary nodded her head gently and said to herself, 'Perhaps I can understand already, better than my grandfather thinks.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mary nodded her head gently and said to herself, 'Perhaps I can understand already, better than my grandfather thinks.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Have I not twice already in my young years been brought nigh to death?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mary nodded her head gently and said to herself, 'Perhaps I can understand already, better than my grandfather thinks.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Mary nodded her head gently and said to herself, 'Perhaps I can understand already, better than my grandfather thinks.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading Mary nodded her head gently and said to herself, 'Perhaps I can understand already, better than my grandfather thinks.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Mary nodded her head gently and said to herself, 'Perhaps I can understand already, better than my grandfather thinks.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Have I not twice already in my young years been brought nigh to death?
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading 'No more than a bird would fear to leave its cage and fly, were once the door but open,' the old man answered.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'No more than a bird would fear to leave its cage and fly, were once the door but open,' the old man answered.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'No more than a bird would fear to leave its cage and fly, were once the door but open,' the old man answered.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mary nodded her head gently and said to herself, 'Perhaps I can understand already, better than my grandfather thinks.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Even now death seemeth to me often not far away.'
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'No more than a bird would fear to leave its cage and fly, were once the door but open,' the old man answered.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Mary nodded her head gently and said to herself, 'Perhaps I can understand already, better than my grandfather thinks.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Have I not twice already in my young years been brought nigh to death?
not any; not one
From this reading 'No more than a bird would fear to leave its cage and fly, were once the door but open,' the old man answered.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Mary nodded her head gently and said to herself, 'Perhaps I can understand already, better than my grandfather thinks.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Have I not twice already in my young years been brought nigh to death?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Even now death seemeth to me often not far away.'
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Even now death seemeth to me often not far away.'
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'No more than a bird would fear to leave its cage and fly, were once the door but open,' the old man answered.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'No more than a bird would fear to leave its cage and fly, were once the door but open,' the old man answered.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading 'No more than a bird would fear to leave its cage and fly, were once the door but open,' the old man answered.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mary nodded her head gently and said to herself, 'Perhaps I can understand already, better than my grandfather thinks.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mary nodded her head gently and said to herself, 'Perhaps I can understand already, better than my grandfather thinks.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Even now death seemeth to me often not far away.'
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading 'Wouldst thou then fear to die, Grandfather?' she added aloud.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Mary nodded her head gently and said to herself, 'Perhaps I can understand already, better than my grandfather thinks.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading 'No more than a bird would fear to leave its cage and fly, were once the door but open,' the old man answered.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'Wouldst thou then fear to die, Grandfather?' she added aloud.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mary nodded her head gently and said to herself, 'Perhaps I can understand already, better than my grandfather thinks.
an old word for “you”, as the subject, speaking to one person
From this reading 'Wouldst thou then fear to die, Grandfather?' she added aloud.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Mary nodded her head gently and said to herself, 'Perhaps I can understand already, better than my grandfather thinks.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Have I not twice already in my young years been brought nigh to death?
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Mary nodded her head gently and said to herself, 'Perhaps I can understand already, better than my grandfather thinks.
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading 'No more than a bird would fear to leave its cage and fly, were once the door but open,' the old man answered.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading 'No more than a bird would fear to leave its cage and fly, were once the door but open,' the old man answered.
an old form of “would”, used with “thou”
From this reading 'Wouldst thou then fear to die, Grandfather?' she added aloud.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Have I not twice already in my young years been brought nigh to death?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Have I not twice already in my young years been brought nigh to death?
