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A Modern Instance
A Modern Instance

Chapter XVI

Cover illustration for A Modern Instance
Context Illustration Reading 1/83 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
“Better not, till I come.”
Bartley knew that this was Ricker's way of accepting, and he said nothing, but he answered his next question with easy joviality.
“How are you making it with old Witherby?”
“Oh, hand over hand!
Witherby and I were formed for each other.
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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 Modern Instance

Chapter XVI

Reading 1/83 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
“Better not, till I come.”
Line 2
Bartley knew that this was Ricker's way of accepting, and he said nothing, but he answered his next question with easy joviality.
Line 3
“How are you making it with old Witherby?”
Line 4
“Oh, hand over hand!
Line 5
Witherby and I were formed for each other.

Learner Dictionary

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

Answered noun US /ˈanswered/

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

From this reading “Bartley knew that this was Ricker's way of accepting, and he said nothing, but he answered his next question with easy joviality.”

Come noun US /come/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading ““Better not, till I come.””

Hand noun US /hand/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading ““Oh, hand over hand!”

Next noun US /next/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Bartley knew that this was Ricker's way of accepting, and he said nothing, but he answered his next question with easy joviality.”

Nothing pronoun US /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading “Bartley knew that this was Ricker's way of accepting, and he said nothing, but he answered his next question with easy joviality.”

Over preposition US /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading ““Oh, hand over hand!”

Question noun US /ˈquestion/

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

From this reading “Bartley knew that this was Ricker's way of accepting, and he said nothing, but he answered his next question with easy joviality.”

Till preposition US /tɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading ““Better not, till I come.””

All words in this reading · 41

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

accepting

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

From this reading Bartley knew that this was Ricker's way of accepting, and he said nothing, but he answered his next question with easy joviality.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Bartley knew that this was Ricker's way of accepting, and he said nothing, but he answered his next question with easy joviality.

answerednounUS /ˈanswered/

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

From this reading Bartley knew that this was Ricker's way of accepting, and he said nothing, but he answered his next question with easy joviality.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading “How are you making it with old Witherby?”

Bartley

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

From this reading Bartley knew that this was Ricker's way of accepting, and he said nothing, but he answered his next question with easy joviality.

Better

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

From this reading “Better not, till I come.”

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Bartley knew that this was Ricker's way of accepting, and he said nothing, but he answered his next question with easy joviality.

comenounUS /come/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Better not, till I come.”

eachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/

every one of two or more people or things, taken separately

From this reading Witherby and I were formed for each other.

easy

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

From this reading Bartley knew that this was Ricker's way of accepting, and he said nothing, but he answered his next question with easy joviality.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Witherby and I were formed for each other.

formed

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

From this reading Witherby and I were formed for each other.

hand

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

From this reading “Oh, hand over hand!

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Bartley knew that this was Ricker's way of accepting, and he said nothing, but he answered his next question with easy joviality.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading Bartley knew that this was Ricker's way of accepting, and he said nothing, but he answered his next question with easy joviality.

How

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

From this reading “How are you making it with old Witherby?”

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading “Better not, till I come.”

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading “How are you making it with old Witherby?”

joviality

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

From this reading Bartley knew that this was Ricker's way of accepting, and he said nothing, but he answered his next question with easy joviality.

knew

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

From this reading Bartley knew that this was Ricker's way of accepting, and he said nothing, but he answered his next question with easy joviality.

making

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

From this reading “How are you making it with old Witherby?”

nextnounUS /next/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Bartley knew that this was Ricker's way of accepting, and he said nothing, but he answered his next question with easy joviality.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading “Better not, till I come.”

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading Bartley knew that this was Ricker's way of accepting, and he said nothing, but he answered his next question with easy joviality.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Bartley knew that this was Ricker's way of accepting, and he said nothing, but he answered his next question with easy joviality.

Oh

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

From this reading “Oh, hand over hand!

old

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

From this reading “How are you making it with old Witherby?”

other

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

From this reading Witherby and I were formed for each other.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading “Oh, hand over hand!

questionnounUS /ˈquestion/

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

From this reading Bartley knew that this was Ricker's way of accepting, and he said nothing, but he answered his next question with easy joviality.

Ricker's

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

From this reading Bartley knew that this was Ricker's way of accepting, and he said nothing, but he answered his next question with easy joviality.

said

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

From this reading Bartley knew that this was Ricker's way of accepting, and he said nothing, but he answered his next question with easy joviality.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Bartley knew that this was Ricker's way of accepting, and he said nothing, but he answered his next question with easy joviality.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading Bartley knew that this was Ricker's way of accepting, and he said nothing, but he answered his next question with easy joviality.

tillprepositionUS /tɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading “Better not, till I come.”

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Bartley knew that this was Ricker's way of accepting, and he said nothing, but he answered his next question with easy joviality.

way

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

From this reading Bartley knew that this was Ricker's way of accepting, and he said nothing, but he answered his next question with easy joviality.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading Witherby and I were formed for each other.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Bartley knew that this was Ricker's way of accepting, and he said nothing, but he answered his next question with easy joviality.

Witherby

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

From this reading “How are you making it with old Witherby?”

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “How are you making it with old Witherby?”