A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter VI
CLARE THE DEFENDER. This enemy was a trouble, more or less, to every decent person in the neighbourhood. It was well his mother was a widow, for where she was only powerless to restrain, the father would have encouraged. He was a big, idle, sneering, insolent lad--such that had there been two more of the sort, they would have made the village uninhabitable. It was all the peaceable vicar could do to keep his hands off him.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading “He was a big, idle, sneering, insolent lad--such that had there been two more of the sort, they would have made the village uninhabitable.”
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading “It was all the peaceable vicar could do to keep his hands off him.”
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading “This enemy was a trouble, more or less, to every decent person in the neighbourhood.”
members of a ship’s crew
From this reading “It was all the peaceable vicar could do to keep his hands off him.”
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “It was well his mother was a widow, for where she was only powerless to restrain, the father would have encouraged.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “It was well his mother was a widow, for where she was only powerless to restrain, the father would have encouraged.”
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading “It was well his mother was a widow, for where she was only powerless to restrain, the father would have encouraged.”
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 This enemy was a trouble, more or less, to every decent person in the neighbourhood.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was all the peaceable vicar could do to keep his hands off him.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He was a big, idle, sneering, insolent lad--such that had there been two more of the sort, they would have made the village uninhabitable.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a big, idle, sneering, insolent lad--such that had there been two more of the sort, they would have made the village uninhabitable.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading CLARE THE DEFENDER.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading It was all the peaceable vicar could do to keep his hands off him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This enemy was a trouble, more or less, to every decent person in the neighbourhood.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading CLARE THE DEFENDER.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading It was all the peaceable vicar could do to keep his hands off him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was well his mother was a widow, for where she was only powerless to restrain, the father would have encouraged.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This enemy was a trouble, more or less, to every decent person in the neighbourhood.
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading This enemy was a trouble, more or less, to every decent person in the neighbourhood.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was well his mother was a widow, for where she was only powerless to restrain, the father would have encouraged.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It was well his mother was a widow, for where she was only powerless to restrain, the father would have encouraged.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He was a big, idle, sneering, insolent lad--such that had there been two more of the sort, they would have made the village uninhabitable.
members of a ship’s crew
From this reading It was all the peaceable vicar could do to keep his hands off him.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading It was well his mother was a widow, for where she was only powerless to restrain, the father would have encouraged.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was a big, idle, sneering, insolent lad--such that had there been two more of the sort, they would have made the village uninhabitable.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It was all the peaceable vicar could do to keep his hands off him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading It was well his mother was a widow, for where she was only powerless to restrain, the father would have encouraged.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a big, idle, sneering, insolent lad--such that had there been two more of the sort, they would have made the village uninhabitable.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading This enemy was a trouble, more or less, to every decent person in the neighbourhood.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a big, idle, sneering, insolent lad--such that had there been two more of the sort, they would have made the village uninhabitable.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was well his mother was a widow, for where she was only powerless to restrain, the father would have encouraged.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was all the peaceable vicar could do to keep his hands off him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a big, idle, sneering, insolent lad--such that had there been two more of the sort, they would have made the village uninhabitable.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This enemy was a trouble, more or less, to every decent person in the neighbourhood.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a big, idle, sneering, insolent lad--such that had there been two more of the sort, they would have made the village uninhabitable.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This enemy was a trouble, more or less, to every decent person in the neighbourhood.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was well his mother was a widow, for where she was only powerless to restrain, the father would have encouraged.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This enemy was a trouble, more or less, to every decent person in the neighbourhood.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He was a big, idle, sneering, insolent lad--such that had there been two more of the sort, they would have made the village uninhabitable.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was all the peaceable vicar could do to keep his hands off him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was well his mother was a widow, for where she was only powerless to restrain, the father would have encouraged.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading This enemy was a trouble, more or less, to every decent person in the neighbourhood.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was all the peaceable vicar could do to keep his hands off him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This enemy was a trouble, more or less, to every decent person in the neighbourhood.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was well his mother was a widow, for where she was only powerless to restrain, the father would have encouraged.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was well his mother was a widow, for where she was only powerless to restrain, the father would have encouraged.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was well his mother was a widow, for where she was only powerless to restrain, the father would have encouraged.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a big, idle, sneering, insolent lad--such that had there been two more of the sort, they would have made the village uninhabitable.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a big, idle, sneering, insolent lad--such that had there been two more of the sort, they would have made the village uninhabitable.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading He was a big, idle, sneering, insolent lad--such that had there been two more of the sort, they would have made the village uninhabitable.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He was a big, idle, sneering, insolent lad--such that had there been two more of the sort, they would have made the village uninhabitable.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading CLARE THE DEFENDER.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a big, idle, sneering, insolent lad--such that had there been two more of the sort, they would have made the village uninhabitable.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was a big, idle, sneering, insolent lad--such that had there been two more of the sort, they would have made the village uninhabitable.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This enemy was a trouble, more or less, to every decent person in the neighbourhood.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading This enemy was a trouble, more or less, to every decent person in the neighbourhood.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This enemy was a trouble, more or less, to every decent person in the neighbourhood.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a big, idle, sneering, insolent lad--such that had there been two more of the sort, they would have made the village uninhabitable.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a big, idle, sneering, insolent lad--such that had there been two more of the sort, they would have made the village uninhabitable.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was all the peaceable vicar could do to keep his hands off him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a big, idle, sneering, insolent lad--such that had there been two more of the sort, they would have made the village uninhabitable.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading This enemy was a trouble, more or less, to every decent person in the neighbourhood.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was well his mother was a widow, for where she was only powerless to restrain, the father would have encouraged.
in or at the place that
From this reading It was well his mother was a widow, for where she was only powerless to restrain, the father would have encouraged.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was well his mother was a widow, for where she was only powerless to restrain, the father would have encouraged.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading It was well his mother was a widow, for where she was only powerless to restrain, the father would have encouraged.
