A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter II
THE FAMILY TREE I seem always to have lived a life apart from the obvious one, seeing the strange contrasts, the incongruities, the dramatic moments, though always these things were unexpressed. Those about me had no inkling of what was passing in my mind. Perhaps it is so with all children. One can only know one’s self, and that so vaguely. I was born near the foot of a drumlin.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading “Those about me had no inkling of what was passing in my mind.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “I was born near the foot of a drumlin.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “I was born near the foot of a drumlin.”
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “THE FAMILY TREE I seem always to have lived a life apart from the obvious one, seeing the strange contrasts, the incongruities, the dramatic moments, though always these things were unexpressed.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “One can only know one’s self, and that so vaguely.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “THE FAMILY TREE I seem always to have lived a life apart from the obvious one, seeing the strange contrasts, the incongruities, the dramatic moments, though always these things were unexpressed.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Those about me had no inkling of what was passing in my mind.”
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading “THE FAMILY TREE I seem always to have lived a life apart from the obvious one, seeing the strange contrasts, the incongruities, the dramatic moments, though always these things were unexpressed.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Perhaps it is so with all children.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “THE FAMILY TREE I seem always to have lived a life apart from the obvious one, seeing the strange contrasts, the incongruities, the dramatic moments, though always these things were unexpressed.”
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading “THE FAMILY TREE I seem always to have lived a life apart from the obvious one, seeing the strange contrasts, the incongruities, the dramatic moments, though always these things were unexpressed.”
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading “Those about me had no inkling of what was passing in my mind.”
in spite of the fact that
From this reading “THE FAMILY TREE I seem always to have lived a life apart from the obvious one, seeing the strange contrasts, the incongruities, the dramatic moments, though always these things were unexpressed.”
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 THE FAMILY TREE I seem always to have lived a life apart from the obvious one, seeing the strange contrasts, the incongruities, the dramatic moments, though always these things were unexpressed.
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Those about me had no inkling of what was passing in my mind.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Perhaps it is so with all children.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FAMILY TREE I seem always to have lived a life apart from the obvious one, seeing the strange contrasts, the incongruities, the dramatic moments, though always these things were unexpressed.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading One can only know one’s self, and that so vaguely.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FAMILY TREE I seem always to have lived a life apart from the obvious one, seeing the strange contrasts, the incongruities, the dramatic moments, though always these things were unexpressed.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I was born near the foot of a drumlin.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading One can only know one’s self, and that so vaguely.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Perhaps it is so with all children.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FAMILY TREE I seem always to have lived a life apart from the obvious one, seeing the strange contrasts, the incongruities, the dramatic moments, though always these things were unexpressed.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FAMILY TREE I seem always to have lived a life apart from the obvious one, seeing the strange contrasts, the incongruities, the dramatic moments, though always these things were unexpressed.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was born near the foot of a drumlin.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FAMILY TREE I seem always to have lived a life apart from the obvious one, seeing the strange contrasts, the incongruities, the dramatic moments, though always these things were unexpressed.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I was born near the foot of a drumlin.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading THE FAMILY TREE I seem always to have lived a life apart from the obvious one, seeing the strange contrasts, the incongruities, the dramatic moments, though always these things were unexpressed.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Those about me had no inkling of what was passing in my mind.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading THE FAMILY TREE I seem always to have lived a life apart from the obvious one, seeing the strange contrasts, the incongruities, the dramatic moments, though always these things were unexpressed.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading THE FAMILY TREE I seem always to have lived a life apart from the obvious one, seeing the strange contrasts, the incongruities, the dramatic moments, though always these things were unexpressed.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Those about me had no inkling of what was passing in my mind.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FAMILY TREE I seem always to have lived a life apart from the obvious one, seeing the strange contrasts, the incongruities, the dramatic moments, though always these things were unexpressed.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Those about me had no inkling of what was passing in my mind.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Perhaps it is so with all children.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Perhaps it is so with all children.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading One can only know one’s self, and that so vaguely.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading THE FAMILY TREE I seem always to have lived a life apart from the obvious one, seeing the strange contrasts, the incongruities, the dramatic moments, though always these things were unexpressed.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FAMILY TREE I seem always to have lived a life apart from the obvious one, seeing the strange contrasts, the incongruities, the dramatic moments, though always these things were unexpressed.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Those about me had no inkling of what was passing in my mind.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Those about me had no inkling of what was passing in my mind.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FAMILY TREE I seem always to have lived a life apart from the obvious one, seeing the strange contrasts, the incongruities, the dramatic moments, though always these things were unexpressed.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Those about me had no inkling of what was passing in my mind.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was born near the foot of a drumlin.
not any; not one
From this reading Those about me had no inkling of what was passing in my mind.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FAMILY TREE I seem always to have lived a life apart from the obvious one, seeing the strange contrasts, the incongruities, the dramatic moments, though always these things were unexpressed.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Those about me had no inkling of what was passing in my mind.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading THE FAMILY TREE I seem always to have lived a life apart from the obvious one, seeing the strange contrasts, the incongruities, the dramatic moments, though always these things were unexpressed.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One can only know one’s self, and that so vaguely.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One can only know one’s self, and that so vaguely.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Those about me had no inkling of what was passing in my mind.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Perhaps it is so with all children.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FAMILY TREE I seem always to have lived a life apart from the obvious one, seeing the strange contrasts, the incongruities, the dramatic moments, though always these things were unexpressed.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FAMILY TREE I seem always to have lived a life apart from the obvious one, seeing the strange contrasts, the incongruities, the dramatic moments, though always these things were unexpressed.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One can only know one’s self, and that so vaguely.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Perhaps it is so with all children.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FAMILY TREE I seem always to have lived a life apart from the obvious one, seeing the strange contrasts, the incongruities, the dramatic moments, though always these things were unexpressed.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading One can only know one’s self, and that so vaguely.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE FAMILY TREE I seem always to have lived a life apart from the obvious one, seeing the strange contrasts, the incongruities, the dramatic moments, though always these things were unexpressed.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading THE FAMILY TREE I seem always to have lived a life apart from the obvious one, seeing the strange contrasts, the incongruities, the dramatic moments, though always these things were unexpressed.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FAMILY TREE I seem always to have lived a life apart from the obvious one, seeing the strange contrasts, the incongruities, the dramatic moments, though always these things were unexpressed.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading Those about me had no inkling of what was passing in my mind.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading THE FAMILY TREE I seem always to have lived a life apart from the obvious one, seeing the strange contrasts, the incongruities, the dramatic moments, though always these things were unexpressed.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE FAMILY TREE I seem always to have lived a life apart from the obvious one, seeing the strange contrasts, the incongruities, the dramatic moments, though always these things were unexpressed.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FAMILY TREE I seem always to have lived a life apart from the obvious one, seeing the strange contrasts, the incongruities, the dramatic moments, though always these things were unexpressed.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FAMILY TREE I seem always to have lived a life apart from the obvious one, seeing the strange contrasts, the incongruities, the dramatic moments, though always these things were unexpressed.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One can only know one’s self, and that so vaguely.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Those about me had no inkling of what was passing in my mind.
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading THE FAMILY TREE I seem always to have lived a life apart from the obvious one, seeing the strange contrasts, the incongruities, the dramatic moments, though always these things were unexpressed.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Those about me had no inkling of what was passing in my mind.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Perhaps it is so with all children.
