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A Love Episode
A Love Episode

Chapter XX

Cover illustration for A Love Episode
Context Illustration Reading 1/47 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Jeanne, with her eyes fixed on the door, remained plunged in grief over her mother’s sudden departure.
She gazed around her; the room was empty and silent; but she could still hear the waning sounds of hurrying footsteps and rustling skirts, and last the slamming of the outer door.
Then nothing stirred, and she was alone.
All alone, all alone.
Over the bed hung her mother’s dressing-gown, flung there at random, the skirt bulging out and a sleeve lying across the bolster, so that the garment looked like some person who had fallen down overwhelmed with grief, and sobbing in misery.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

A Love Episode

Chapter XX

Reading 1/47 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Jeanne, with her eyes fixed on the door, remained plunged in grief over her mother’s sudden departure.
Line 2
She gazed around her; the room was empty and silent; but she could still hear the waning sounds of hurrying footsteps and rustling skirts, and last the slamming of the outer door.
Line 3
Then nothing stirred, and she was alone.
Line 4
All alone, all alone.
Line 5
Over the bed hung her mother’s dressing-gown, flung there at random, the skirt bulging out and a sleeve lying across the bolster, so that the garment looked like some person who had fallen down overwhelmed with grief, and sobbing in misery.

Learner Dictionary

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.

Across preposition US /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading “Over the bed hung her mother’s dressing-gown, flung there at random, the skirt bulging out and a sleeve lying across the bolster, so that the garment looked like some person who had fallen down overwhelmed with grief, and sobbing in misery.”

Alone noun US /alone/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Then nothing stirred, and she was alone.”

Around preposition US /ərˈaʊnd/

surrounding, or on every side of, something

From this reading “She gazed around her; the room was empty and silent; but she could still hear the waning sounds of hurrying footsteps and rustling skirts, and last the slamming of the outer door.”

Could modal verb US /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading “She gazed around her; the room was empty and silent; but she could still hear the waning sounds of hurrying footsteps and rustling skirts, and last the slamming of the outer door.”

Hear noun US /hear/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “She gazed around her; the room was empty and silent; but she could still hear the waning sounds of hurrying footsteps and rustling skirts, and last the slamming of the outer door.”

Last noun US /last/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “She gazed around her; the room was empty and silent; but she could still hear the waning sounds of hurrying footsteps and rustling skirts, and last the slamming of the outer door.”

Looked noun US /looked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Over the bed hung her mother’s dressing-gown, flung there at random, the skirt bulging out and a sleeve lying across the bolster, so that the garment looked like some person who had fallen down overwhelmed with grief, and sobbing in misery.”

Nothing pronoun US /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading “Then nothing stirred, and she was alone.”

Over preposition US /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading “Jeanne, with her eyes fixed on the door, remained plunged in grief over her mother’s sudden departure.”

Remained noun US /ˈremained/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading “Jeanne, with her eyes fixed on the door, remained plunged in grief over her mother’s sudden departure.”

Still noun US /still/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “She gazed around her; the room was empty and silent; but she could still hear the waning sounds of hurrying footsteps and rustling skirts, and last the slamming of the outer door.”

Sudden noun US /sudden/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Jeanne, with her eyes fixed on the door, remained plunged in grief over her mother’s sudden departure.”

All words in this reading · 72

Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading Over the bed hung her mother’s dressing-gown, flung there at random, the skirt bulging out and a sleeve lying across the bolster, so that the garment looked like some person who had fallen down overwhelmed with grief, and sobbing in misery.

acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading Over the bed hung her mother’s dressing-gown, flung there at random, the skirt bulging out and a sleeve lying across the bolster, so that the garment looked like some person who had fallen down overwhelmed with grief, and sobbing in misery.

All

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading All alone, all alone.

alonenounUS /alone/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Then nothing stirred, and she was alone.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading She gazed around her; the room was empty and silent; but she could still hear the waning sounds of hurrying footsteps and rustling skirts, and last the slamming of the outer door.

aroundprepositionUS /ərˈaʊnd/

surrounding, or on every side of, something

From this reading She gazed around her; the room was empty and silent; but she could still hear the waning sounds of hurrying footsteps and rustling skirts, and last the slamming of the outer door.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Over the bed hung her mother’s dressing-gown, flung there at random, the skirt bulging out and a sleeve lying across the bolster, so that the garment looked like some person who had fallen down overwhelmed with grief, and sobbing in misery.

bed

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Over the bed hung her mother’s dressing-gown, flung there at random, the skirt bulging out and a sleeve lying across the bolster, so that the garment looked like some person who had fallen down overwhelmed with grief, and sobbing in misery.

bolster

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Over the bed hung her mother’s dressing-gown, flung there at random, the skirt bulging out and a sleeve lying across the bolster, so that the garment looked like some person who had fallen down overwhelmed with grief, and sobbing in misery.

bulging

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Over the bed hung her mother’s dressing-gown, flung there at random, the skirt bulging out and a sleeve lying across the bolster, so that the garment looked like some person who had fallen down overwhelmed with grief, and sobbing in misery.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading She gazed around her; the room was empty and silent; but she could still hear the waning sounds of hurrying footsteps and rustling skirts, and last the slamming of the outer door.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading She gazed around her; the room was empty and silent; but she could still hear the waning sounds of hurrying footsteps and rustling skirts, and last the slamming of the outer door.

departure

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Jeanne, with her eyes fixed on the door, remained plunged in grief over her mother’s sudden departure.

door

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Jeanne, with her eyes fixed on the door, remained plunged in grief over her mother’s sudden departure.

down

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Over the bed hung her mother’s dressing-gown, flung there at random, the skirt bulging out and a sleeve lying across the bolster, so that the garment looked like some person who had fallen down overwhelmed with grief, and sobbing in misery.

dressing-gown

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Over the bed hung her mother’s dressing-gown, flung there at random, the skirt bulging out and a sleeve lying across the bolster, so that the garment looked like some person who had fallen down overwhelmed with grief, and sobbing in misery.

empty

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading She gazed around her; the room was empty and silent; but she could still hear the waning sounds of hurrying footsteps and rustling skirts, and last the slamming of the outer door.

eyes

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Jeanne, with her eyes fixed on the door, remained plunged in grief over her mother’s sudden departure.

fallen

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Over the bed hung her mother’s dressing-gown, flung there at random, the skirt bulging out and a sleeve lying across the bolster, so that the garment looked like some person who had fallen down overwhelmed with grief, and sobbing in misery.

fixed

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Jeanne, with her eyes fixed on the door, remained plunged in grief over her mother’s sudden departure.

flung

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Over the bed hung her mother’s dressing-gown, flung there at random, the skirt bulging out and a sleeve lying across the bolster, so that the garment looked like some person who had fallen down overwhelmed with grief, and sobbing in misery.

footsteps

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading She gazed around her; the room was empty and silent; but she could still hear the waning sounds of hurrying footsteps and rustling skirts, and last the slamming of the outer door.

garment

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Over the bed hung her mother’s dressing-gown, flung there at random, the skirt bulging out and a sleeve lying across the bolster, so that the garment looked like some person who had fallen down overwhelmed with grief, and sobbing in misery.

gazed

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading She gazed around her; the room was empty and silent; but she could still hear the waning sounds of hurrying footsteps and rustling skirts, and last the slamming of the outer door.

grief

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Jeanne, with her eyes fixed on the door, remained plunged in grief over her mother’s sudden departure.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading Over the bed hung her mother’s dressing-gown, flung there at random, the skirt bulging out and a sleeve lying across the bolster, so that the garment looked like some person who had fallen down overwhelmed with grief, and sobbing in misery.

hearnounUS /hear/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading She gazed around her; the room was empty and silent; but she could still hear the waning sounds of hurrying footsteps and rustling skirts, and last the slamming of the outer door.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading Jeanne, with her eyes fixed on the door, remained plunged in grief over her mother’s sudden departure.

hung

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Over the bed hung her mother’s dressing-gown, flung there at random, the skirt bulging out and a sleeve lying across the bolster, so that the garment looked like some person who had fallen down overwhelmed with grief, and sobbing in misery.

hurrying

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading She gazed around her; the room was empty and silent; but she could still hear the waning sounds of hurrying footsteps and rustling skirts, and last the slamming of the outer door.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading Jeanne, with her eyes fixed on the door, remained plunged in grief over her mother’s sudden departure.

Jeanne

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Jeanne, with her eyes fixed on the door, remained plunged in grief over her mother’s sudden departure.

lastnounUS /last/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading She gazed around her; the room was empty and silent; but she could still hear the waning sounds of hurrying footsteps and rustling skirts, and last the slamming of the outer door.

like

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Over the bed hung her mother’s dressing-gown, flung there at random, the skirt bulging out and a sleeve lying across the bolster, so that the garment looked like some person who had fallen down overwhelmed with grief, and sobbing in misery.

lookednounUS /looked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Over the bed hung her mother’s dressing-gown, flung there at random, the skirt bulging out and a sleeve lying across the bolster, so that the garment looked like some person who had fallen down overwhelmed with grief, and sobbing in misery.

lying

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Over the bed hung her mother’s dressing-gown, flung there at random, the skirt bulging out and a sleeve lying across the bolster, so that the garment looked like some person who had fallen down overwhelmed with grief, and sobbing in misery.

misery

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Over the bed hung her mother’s dressing-gown, flung there at random, the skirt bulging out and a sleeve lying across the bolster, so that the garment looked like some person who had fallen down overwhelmed with grief, and sobbing in misery.

mother's

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Jeanne, with her eyes fixed on the door, remained plunged in grief over her mother’s sudden departure.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading Then nothing stirred, and she was alone.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading She gazed around her; the room was empty and silent; but she could still hear the waning sounds of hurrying footsteps and rustling skirts, and last the slamming of the outer door.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Jeanne, with her eyes fixed on the door, remained plunged in grief over her mother’s sudden departure.

out

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Over the bed hung her mother’s dressing-gown, flung there at random, the skirt bulging out and a sleeve lying across the bolster, so that the garment looked like some person who had fallen down overwhelmed with grief, and sobbing in misery.

outer

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading She gazed around her; the room was empty and silent; but she could still hear the waning sounds of hurrying footsteps and rustling skirts, and last the slamming of the outer door.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading Jeanne, with her eyes fixed on the door, remained plunged in grief over her mother’s sudden departure.

overwhelmed

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Over the bed hung her mother’s dressing-gown, flung there at random, the skirt bulging out and a sleeve lying across the bolster, so that the garment looked like some person who had fallen down overwhelmed with grief, and sobbing in misery.

person

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Over the bed hung her mother’s dressing-gown, flung there at random, the skirt bulging out and a sleeve lying across the bolster, so that the garment looked like some person who had fallen down overwhelmed with grief, and sobbing in misery.

plunged

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Jeanne, with her eyes fixed on the door, remained plunged in grief over her mother’s sudden departure.

random

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Over the bed hung her mother’s dressing-gown, flung there at random, the skirt bulging out and a sleeve lying across the bolster, so that the garment looked like some person who had fallen down overwhelmed with grief, and sobbing in misery.

remainednounUS /ˈremained/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading Jeanne, with her eyes fixed on the door, remained plunged in grief over her mother’s sudden departure.

room

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading She gazed around her; the room was empty and silent; but she could still hear the waning sounds of hurrying footsteps and rustling skirts, and last the slamming of the outer door.

rustling

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading She gazed around her; the room was empty and silent; but she could still hear the waning sounds of hurrying footsteps and rustling skirts, and last the slamming of the outer door.

ShepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading She gazed around her; the room was empty and silent; but she could still hear the waning sounds of hurrying footsteps and rustling skirts, and last the slamming of the outer door.

silent

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading She gazed around her; the room was empty and silent; but she could still hear the waning sounds of hurrying footsteps and rustling skirts, and last the slamming of the outer door.

skirt

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Over the bed hung her mother’s dressing-gown, flung there at random, the skirt bulging out and a sleeve lying across the bolster, so that the garment looked like some person who had fallen down overwhelmed with grief, and sobbing in misery.

skirts

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading She gazed around her; the room was empty and silent; but she could still hear the waning sounds of hurrying footsteps and rustling skirts, and last the slamming of the outer door.

slamming

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading She gazed around her; the room was empty and silent; but she could still hear the waning sounds of hurrying footsteps and rustling skirts, and last the slamming of the outer door.

sleeve

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Over the bed hung her mother’s dressing-gown, flung there at random, the skirt bulging out and a sleeve lying across the bolster, so that the garment looked like some person who had fallen down overwhelmed with grief, and sobbing in misery.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Over the bed hung her mother’s dressing-gown, flung there at random, the skirt bulging out and a sleeve lying across the bolster, so that the garment looked like some person who had fallen down overwhelmed with grief, and sobbing in misery.

sobbing

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Over the bed hung her mother’s dressing-gown, flung there at random, the skirt bulging out and a sleeve lying across the bolster, so that the garment looked like some person who had fallen down overwhelmed with grief, and sobbing in misery.

some

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Over the bed hung her mother’s dressing-gown, flung there at random, the skirt bulging out and a sleeve lying across the bolster, so that the garment looked like some person who had fallen down overwhelmed with grief, and sobbing in misery.

sounds

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading She gazed around her; the room was empty and silent; but she could still hear the waning sounds of hurrying footsteps and rustling skirts, and last the slamming of the outer door.

stillnounUS /still/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading She gazed around her; the room was empty and silent; but she could still hear the waning sounds of hurrying footsteps and rustling skirts, and last the slamming of the outer door.

stirred

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Then nothing stirred, and she was alone.

suddennounUS /sudden/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Jeanne, with her eyes fixed on the door, remained plunged in grief over her mother’s sudden departure.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Over the bed hung her mother’s dressing-gown, flung there at random, the skirt bulging out and a sleeve lying across the bolster, so that the garment looked like some person who had fallen down overwhelmed with grief, and sobbing in misery.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading Jeanne, with her eyes fixed on the door, remained plunged in grief over her mother’s sudden departure.

Then

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Then nothing stirred, and she was alone.

there

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Over the bed hung her mother’s dressing-gown, flung there at random, the skirt bulging out and a sleeve lying across the bolster, so that the garment looked like some person who had fallen down overwhelmed with grief, and sobbing in misery.

waning

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading She gazed around her; the room was empty and silent; but she could still hear the waning sounds of hurrying footsteps and rustling skirts, and last the slamming of the outer door.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading She gazed around her; the room was empty and silent; but she could still hear the waning sounds of hurrying footsteps and rustling skirts, and last the slamming of the outer door.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Over the bed hung her mother’s dressing-gown, flung there at random, the skirt bulging out and a sleeve lying across the bolster, so that the garment looked like some person who had fallen down overwhelmed with grief, and sobbing in misery.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Jeanne, with her eyes fixed on the door, remained plunged in grief over her mother’s sudden departure.