A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter V
One morning Tom was later than usual in getting home. I was writing a letter when he came in, and did not notice him, yet I was vaguely aware of his standing over me. When at last I looked up I gathered from his expression that something serious had happened, so mournful was his face, and yet so utterly ludicrous. "Say, Hugh, I'm in the deuce of a mess," he announced. "What's the matter?"
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 “When at last I looked up I gathered from his expression that something serious had happened, so mournful was his face, and yet so utterly ludicrous.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “When at last I looked up I gathered from his expression that something serious had happened, so mournful was his face, and yet so utterly ludicrous.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “One morning Tom was later than usual in getting home.”
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading “One morning Tom was later than usual in getting home.”
above and across; more than
From this reading “I was writing a letter when he came in, and did not notice him, yet I was vaguely aware of his standing over me.”
a thing, without saying which
From this reading “When at last I looked up I gathered from his expression that something serious had happened, so mournful was his face, and yet so utterly ludicrous.”
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “I was writing a letter when he came in, and did not notice him, yet I was vaguely aware of his standing over me.”
but in spite of that
From this reading “I was writing a letter when he came in, and did not notice him, yet I was vaguely aware of his standing over me.”
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 I was writing a letter when he came in, and did not notice him, yet I was vaguely aware of his standing over me.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I was writing a letter when he came in, and did not notice him, yet I was vaguely aware of his standing over me.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Say, Hugh, I'm in the deuce of a mess," he announced.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading When at last I looked up I gathered from his expression that something serious had happened, so mournful was his face, and yet so utterly ludicrous.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was writing a letter when he came in, and did not notice him, yet I was vaguely aware of his standing over me.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was writing a letter when he came in, and did not notice him, yet I was vaguely aware of his standing over me.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Say, Hugh, I'm in the deuce of a mess," he announced.
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading I was writing a letter when he came in, and did not notice him, yet I was vaguely aware of his standing over me.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When at last I looked up I gathered from his expression that something serious had happened, so mournful was his face, and yet so utterly ludicrous.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When at last I looked up I gathered from his expression that something serious had happened, so mournful was his face, and yet so utterly ludicrous.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading When at last I looked up I gathered from his expression that something serious had happened, so mournful was his face, and yet so utterly ludicrous.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When at last I looked up I gathered from his expression that something serious had happened, so mournful was his face, and yet so utterly ludicrous.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One morning Tom was later than usual in getting home.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading When at last I looked up I gathered from his expression that something serious had happened, so mournful was his face, and yet so utterly ludicrous.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When at last I looked up I gathered from his expression that something serious had happened, so mournful was his face, and yet so utterly ludicrous.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading I was writing a letter when he came in, and did not notice him, yet I was vaguely aware of his standing over me.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I was writing a letter when he came in, and did not notice him, yet I was vaguely aware of his standing over me.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading I was writing a letter when he came in, and did not notice him, yet I was vaguely aware of his standing over me.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One morning Tom was later than usual in getting home.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Say, Hugh, I'm in the deuce of a mess," he announced.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I was writing a letter when he came in, and did not notice him, yet I was vaguely aware of his standing over me.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Say, Hugh, I'm in the deuce of a mess," he announced.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading One morning Tom was later than usual in getting home.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading When at last I looked up I gathered from his expression that something serious had happened, so mournful was his face, and yet so utterly ludicrous.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One morning Tom was later than usual in getting home.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was writing a letter when he came in, and did not notice him, yet I was vaguely aware of his standing over me.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading When at last I looked up I gathered from his expression that something serious had happened, so mournful was his face, and yet so utterly ludicrous.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When at last I looked up I gathered from his expression that something serious had happened, so mournful was his face, and yet so utterly ludicrous.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "What's the matter?"
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I was writing a letter when he came in, and did not notice him, yet I was vaguely aware of his standing over me.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Say, Hugh, I'm in the deuce of a mess," he announced.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading One morning Tom was later than usual in getting home.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When at last I looked up I gathered from his expression that something serious had happened, so mournful was his face, and yet so utterly ludicrous.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading I was writing a letter when he came in, and did not notice him, yet I was vaguely aware of his standing over me.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was writing a letter when he came in, and did not notice him, yet I was vaguely aware of his standing over me.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I was writing a letter when he came in, and did not notice him, yet I was vaguely aware of his standing over me.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One morning Tom was later than usual in getting home.
above and across; more than
From this reading I was writing a letter when he came in, and did not notice him, yet I was vaguely aware of his standing over me.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Say, Hugh, I'm in the deuce of a mess," he announced.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When at last I looked up I gathered from his expression that something serious had happened, so mournful was his face, and yet so utterly ludicrous.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading When at last I looked up I gathered from his expression that something serious had happened, so mournful was his face, and yet so utterly ludicrous.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading When at last I looked up I gathered from his expression that something serious had happened, so mournful was his face, and yet so utterly ludicrous.
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading I was writing a letter when he came in, and did not notice him, yet I was vaguely aware of his standing over me.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading One morning Tom was later than usual in getting home.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading When at last I looked up I gathered from his expression that something serious had happened, so mournful was his face, and yet so utterly ludicrous.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "Say, Hugh, I'm in the deuce of a mess," he announced.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One morning Tom was later than usual in getting home.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When at last I looked up I gathered from his expression that something serious had happened, so mournful was his face, and yet so utterly ludicrous.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One morning Tom was later than usual in getting home.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When at last I looked up I gathered from his expression that something serious had happened, so mournful was his face, and yet so utterly ludicrous.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was writing a letter when he came in, and did not notice him, yet I was vaguely aware of his standing over me.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading One morning Tom was later than usual in getting home.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "What's the matter?"
at the time that
From this reading I was writing a letter when he came in, and did not notice him, yet I was vaguely aware of his standing over me.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was writing a letter when he came in, and did not notice him, yet I was vaguely aware of his standing over me.
but in spite of that
From this reading I was writing a letter when he came in, and did not notice him, yet I was vaguely aware of his standing over me.
