A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
The city was sacred, but not to its gods. Michaelson was a god--but far from sacred! Crouched in the ancient doorway like an animal peering out from his burrow, Mr. Michaelson saw the native. At first he was startled, thinking it might be someone else from the Earth settlement who had discovered the old city before him. Then he saw the glint of sun against the metallic skirt, and relaxed.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading “Then he saw the glint of sun against the metallic skirt, and relaxed.”
Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.
From this reading “Crouched in the ancient doorway like an animal peering out from his burrow, Mr. Michaelson saw the native.”
earlier than; in front of
From this reading “At first he was startled, thinking it might be someone else from the Earth settlement who had discovered the old city before him.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “At first he was startled, thinking it might be someone else from the Earth settlement who had discovered the old city before him.”
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading “At first he was startled, thinking it might be someone else from the Earth settlement who had discovered the old city before him.”
looking closely or carefully
From this reading “Crouched in the ancient doorway like an animal peering out from his burrow, Mr. Michaelson saw the native.”
a person, without saying who
From this reading “At first he was startled, thinking it might be someone else from the Earth settlement who had discovered the old city before him.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “At first he was startled, thinking it might be someone else from the Earth settlement who had discovered the old city before him.”
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 Michaelson was a god--but far from sacred!
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading Then he saw the glint of sun against the metallic skirt, and relaxed.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Crouched in the ancient doorway like an animal peering out from his burrow, Mr. Michaelson saw the native.
Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.
From this reading Crouched in the ancient doorway like an animal peering out from his burrow, Mr. Michaelson saw the native.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Then he saw the glint of sun against the metallic skirt, and relaxed.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Crouched in the ancient doorway like an animal peering out from his burrow, Mr. Michaelson saw the native.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At first he was startled, thinking it might be someone else from the Earth settlement who had discovered the old city before him.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading At first he was startled, thinking it might be someone else from the Earth settlement who had discovered the old city before him.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading At first he was startled, thinking it might be someone else from the Earth settlement who had discovered the old city before him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Crouched in the ancient doorway like an animal peering out from his burrow, Mr. Michaelson saw the native.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The city was sacred, but not to its gods.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The city was sacred, but not to its gods.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Crouched in the ancient doorway like an animal peering out from his burrow, Mr. Michaelson saw the native.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At first he was startled, thinking it might be someone else from the Earth settlement who had discovered the old city before him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Crouched in the ancient doorway like an animal peering out from his burrow, Mr. Michaelson saw the native.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At first he was startled, thinking it might be someone else from the Earth settlement who had discovered the old city before him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At first he was startled, thinking it might be someone else from the Earth settlement who had discovered the old city before him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Michaelson was a god--but far from sacred!
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading At first he was startled, thinking it might be someone else from the Earth settlement who had discovered the old city before him.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Michaelson was a god--but far from sacred!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then he saw the glint of sun against the metallic skirt, and relaxed.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Michaelson was a god--but far from sacred!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The city was sacred, but not to its gods.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading At first he was startled, thinking it might be someone else from the Earth settlement who had discovered the old city before him.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading At first he was startled, thinking it might be someone else from the Earth settlement who had discovered the old city before him.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading At first he was startled, thinking it might be someone else from the Earth settlement who had discovered the old city before him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Crouched in the ancient doorway like an animal peering out from his burrow, Mr. Michaelson saw the native.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Crouched in the ancient doorway like an animal peering out from his burrow, Mr. Michaelson saw the native.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading At first he was startled, thinking it might be someone else from the Earth settlement who had discovered the old city before him.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The city was sacred, but not to its gods.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Crouched in the ancient doorway like an animal peering out from his burrow, Mr. Michaelson saw the native.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then he saw the glint of sun against the metallic skirt, and relaxed.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Michaelson was a god--but far from sacred!
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading At first he was startled, thinking it might be someone else from the Earth settlement who had discovered the old city before him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Crouched in the ancient doorway like an animal peering out from his burrow, Mr. Michaelson saw the native.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Crouched in the ancient doorway like an animal peering out from his burrow, Mr. Michaelson saw the native.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The city was sacred, but not to its gods.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Then he saw the glint of sun against the metallic skirt, and relaxed.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At first he was startled, thinking it might be someone else from the Earth settlement who had discovered the old city before him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Crouched in the ancient doorway like an animal peering out from his burrow, Mr. Michaelson saw the native.
looking closely or carefully
From this reading Crouched in the ancient doorway like an animal peering out from his burrow, Mr. Michaelson saw the native.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then he saw the glint of sun against the metallic skirt, and relaxed.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The city was sacred, but not to its gods.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Crouched in the ancient doorway like an animal peering out from his burrow, Mr. Michaelson saw the native.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At first he was startled, thinking it might be someone else from the Earth settlement who had discovered the old city before him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then he saw the glint of sun against the metallic skirt, and relaxed.
a person, without saying who
From this reading At first he was startled, thinking it might be someone else from the Earth settlement who had discovered the old city before him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At first he was startled, thinking it might be someone else from the Earth settlement who had discovered the old city before him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then he saw the glint of sun against the metallic skirt, and relaxed.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The city was sacred, but not to its gods.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then he saw the glint of sun against the metallic skirt, and relaxed.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading At first he was startled, thinking it might be someone else from the Earth settlement who had discovered the old city before him.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The city was sacred, but not to its gods.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The city was sacred, but not to its gods.
which person or people
From this reading At first he was startled, thinking it might be someone else from the Earth settlement who had discovered the old city before him.
