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All Things Considered
All Things Considered

Chapter VI

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Context Illustration Reading 1/89 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Naturally, an outsider feels inclined to ask why Eatanswill should be either one or the other.
As a matter of fact, I fear Eatanswill was every town in the country.
It is surely clear that when Dickens described the Eatanswill election he did not mean it as a satire on Sudbury or a satire on Ipswich; he meant it as a satire on England.
The Eatanswill election is not a joke against Eatanswill; it is a joke against elections.
If the satire is merely local, it practically loses its point; just as the “Circumlocution Office” would lose its point if it were not supposed to be a true sketch of all Government offices; just as the Lord Chancellor in “Bleak House” would lose his point if he were not supposed to be symbolic and representative of all Lord Chancellors.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
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A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

All Things Considered

Chapter VI

Reading 1/89 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Naturally, an outsider feels inclined to ask why Eatanswill should be either one or the other.
Line 2
As a matter of fact, I fear Eatanswill was every town in the country.
Line 3
It is surely clear that when Dickens described the Eatanswill election he did not mean it as a satire on Sudbury or a satire on Ipswich; he meant it as a satire on England.
Line 4
The Eatanswill election is not a joke against Eatanswill; it is a joke against elections.
Line 5
If the satire is merely local, it practically loses its point; just as the “Circumlocution Office” would lose its point if it were not supposed to be a true sketch of all Government offices; just as the Lord Chancellor in “Bleak House” would lose his point if he were not supposed to be symbolic and representative of all Lord Chancellors.

Learner Dictionary

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

Against preposition US /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading “The Eatanswill election is not a joke against Eatanswill; it is a joke against elections.”

Either determiner US /ˈiːðər/

one or the other of two

From this reading “Naturally, an outsider feels inclined to ask why Eatanswill should be either one or the other.”

Every determiner US /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading “As a matter of fact, I fear Eatanswill was every town in the country.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “Naturally, an outsider feels inclined to ask why Eatanswill should be either one or the other.”

Outsider noun US /ˌaʊtˈsaɪ.dər/

A person who does not belong to a particular group or community; a stranger.

From this reading “Naturally, an outsider feels inclined to ask why Eatanswill should be either one or the other.”

Point noun US /pɔɪnt/

the main matter or purpose being discussed

From this reading “If the satire is merely local, it practically loses its point; just as the “Circumlocution Office” would lose its point if it were not supposed to be a true sketch of all Government offices; just as the Lord Chancellor in “Bleak House” would lose his point if he were not supposed to be symbolic and representative of all Lord Chancellors.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading “If the satire is merely local, it practically loses its point; just as the “Circumlocution Office” would lose its point if it were not supposed to be a true sketch of all Government offices; just as the Lord Chancellor in “Bleak House” would lose his point if he were not supposed to be symbolic and representative of all Lord Chancellors.”

All words in this reading · 78

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 As a matter of fact, I fear Eatanswill was every town in the country.

againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading The Eatanswill election is not a joke against Eatanswill; it is a joke against elections.

all

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

From this reading If the satire is merely local, it practically loses its point; just as the “Circumlocution Office” would lose its point if it were not supposed to be a true sketch of all Government offices; just as the Lord Chancellor in “Bleak House” would lose his point if he were not supposed to be symbolic and representative of all Lord Chancellors.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading Naturally, an outsider feels inclined to ask why Eatanswill should be either one or the other.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading If the satire is merely local, it practically loses its point; just as the “Circumlocution Office” would lose its point if it were not supposed to be a true sketch of all Government offices; just as the Lord Chancellor in “Bleak House” would lose his point if he were not supposed to be symbolic and representative of all Lord Chancellors.

AsconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading As a matter of fact, I fear Eatanswill was every town in the country.

ask

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

From this reading Naturally, an outsider feels inclined to ask why Eatanswill should be either one or the other.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading Naturally, an outsider feels inclined to ask why Eatanswill should be either one or the other.

Bleak

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

From this reading If the satire is merely local, it practically loses its point; just as the “Circumlocution Office” would lose its point if it were not supposed to be a true sketch of all Government offices; just as the Lord Chancellor in “Bleak House” would lose his point if he were not supposed to be symbolic and representative of all Lord Chancellors.

Chancellor

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

From this reading If the satire is merely local, it practically loses its point; just as the “Circumlocution Office” would lose its point if it were not supposed to be a true sketch of all Government offices; just as the Lord Chancellor in “Bleak House” would lose his point if he were not supposed to be symbolic and representative of all Lord Chancellors.

Chancellors

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

From this reading If the satire is merely local, it practically loses its point; just as the “Circumlocution Office” would lose its point if it were not supposed to be a true sketch of all Government offices; just as the Lord Chancellor in “Bleak House” would lose his point if he were not supposed to be symbolic and representative of all Lord Chancellors.

Circumlocution

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

From this reading If the satire is merely local, it practically loses its point; just as the “Circumlocution Office” would lose its point if it were not supposed to be a true sketch of all Government offices; just as the Lord Chancellor in “Bleak House” would lose his point if he were not supposed to be symbolic and representative of all Lord Chancellors.

clear

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

From this reading It is surely clear that when Dickens described the Eatanswill election he did not mean it as a satire on Sudbury or a satire on Ipswich; he meant it as a satire on England.

country

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

From this reading As a matter of fact, I fear Eatanswill was every town in the country.

described

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

From this reading It is surely clear that when Dickens described the Eatanswill election he did not mean it as a satire on Sudbury or a satire on Ipswich; he meant it as a satire on England.

Dickens

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

From this reading It is surely clear that when Dickens described the Eatanswill election he did not mean it as a satire on Sudbury or a satire on Ipswich; he meant it as a satire on England.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading It is surely clear that when Dickens described the Eatanswill election he did not mean it as a satire on Sudbury or a satire on Ipswich; he meant it as a satire on England.

Eatanswill

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

From this reading Naturally, an outsider feels inclined to ask why Eatanswill should be either one or the other.

eitherdeterminerUS /ˈiːðər/

one or the other of two

From this reading Naturally, an outsider feels inclined to ask why Eatanswill should be either one or the other.

election

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

From this reading It is surely clear that when Dickens described the Eatanswill election he did not mean it as a satire on Sudbury or a satire on Ipswich; he meant it as a satire on England.

elections

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

From this reading The Eatanswill election is not a joke against Eatanswill; it is a joke against elections.

England

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

From this reading It is surely clear that when Dickens described the Eatanswill election he did not mean it as a satire on Sudbury or a satire on Ipswich; he meant it as a satire on England.

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading As a matter of fact, I fear Eatanswill was every town in the country.

fact

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

From this reading As a matter of fact, I fear Eatanswill was every town in the country.

fear

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

From this reading As a matter of fact, I fear Eatanswill was every town in the country.

feels

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

From this reading Naturally, an outsider feels inclined to ask why Eatanswill should be either one or the other.

Government

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

From this reading If the satire is merely local, it practically loses its point; just as the “Circumlocution Office” would lose its point if it were not supposed to be a true sketch of all Government offices; just as the Lord Chancellor in “Bleak House” would lose his point if he were not supposed to be symbolic and representative of all Lord Chancellors.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading It is surely clear that when Dickens described the Eatanswill election he did not mean it as a satire on Sudbury or a satire on Ipswich; he meant it as a satire on England.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading If the satire is merely local, it practically loses its point; just as the “Circumlocution Office” would lose its point if it were not supposed to be a true sketch of all Government offices; just as the Lord Chancellor in “Bleak House” would lose his point if he were not supposed to be symbolic and representative of all Lord Chancellors.

House

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

From this reading If the satire is merely local, it practically loses its point; just as the “Circumlocution Office” would lose its point if it were not supposed to be a true sketch of all Government offices; just as the Lord Chancellor in “Bleak House” would lose his point if he were not supposed to be symbolic and representative of all Lord Chancellors.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading As a matter of fact, I fear Eatanswill was every town in the country.

IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading If the satire is merely local, it practically loses its point; just as the “Circumlocution Office” would lose its point if it were not supposed to be a true sketch of all Government offices; just as the Lord Chancellor in “Bleak House” would lose his point if he were not supposed to be symbolic and representative of all Lord Chancellors.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading As a matter of fact, I fear Eatanswill was every town in the country.

inclined

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

From this reading Naturally, an outsider feels inclined to ask why Eatanswill should be either one or the other.

Ipswich

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

From this reading It is surely clear that when Dickens described the Eatanswill election he did not mean it as a satire on Sudbury or a satire on Ipswich; he meant it as a satire on England.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading It is surely clear that when Dickens described the Eatanswill election he did not mean it as a satire on Sudbury or a satire on Ipswich; he meant it as a satire on England.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It is surely clear that when Dickens described the Eatanswill election he did not mean it as a satire on Sudbury or a satire on Ipswich; he meant it as a satire on England.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading If the satire is merely local, it practically loses its point; just as the “Circumlocution Office” would lose its point if it were not supposed to be a true sketch of all Government offices; just as the Lord Chancellor in “Bleak House” would lose his point if he were not supposed to be symbolic and representative of all Lord Chancellors.

joke

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

From this reading The Eatanswill election is not a joke against Eatanswill; it is a joke against elections.

just

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

From this reading If the satire is merely local, it practically loses its point; just as the “Circumlocution Office” would lose its point if it were not supposed to be a true sketch of all Government offices; just as the Lord Chancellor in “Bleak House” would lose his point if he were not supposed to be symbolic and representative of all Lord Chancellors.

local

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

From this reading If the satire is merely local, it practically loses its point; just as the “Circumlocution Office” would lose its point if it were not supposed to be a true sketch of all Government offices; just as the Lord Chancellor in “Bleak House” would lose his point if he were not supposed to be symbolic and representative of all Lord Chancellors.

Lord

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

From this reading If the satire is merely local, it practically loses its point; just as the “Circumlocution Office” would lose its point if it were not supposed to be a true sketch of all Government offices; just as the Lord Chancellor in “Bleak House” would lose his point if he were not supposed to be symbolic and representative of all Lord Chancellors.

lose

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

From this reading If the satire is merely local, it practically loses its point; just as the “Circumlocution Office” would lose its point if it were not supposed to be a true sketch of all Government offices; just as the Lord Chancellor in “Bleak House” would lose his point if he were not supposed to be symbolic and representative of all Lord Chancellors.

loses

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

From this reading If the satire is merely local, it practically loses its point; just as the “Circumlocution Office” would lose its point if it were not supposed to be a true sketch of all Government offices; just as the Lord Chancellor in “Bleak House” would lose his point if he were not supposed to be symbolic and representative of all Lord Chancellors.

matter

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

From this reading As a matter of fact, I fear Eatanswill was every town in the country.

mean

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

From this reading It is surely clear that when Dickens described the Eatanswill election he did not mean it as a satire on Sudbury or a satire on Ipswich; he meant it as a satire on England.

meant

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

From this reading It is surely clear that when Dickens described the Eatanswill election he did not mean it as a satire on Sudbury or a satire on Ipswich; he meant it as a satire on England.

merely

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

From this reading If the satire is merely local, it practically loses its point; just as the “Circumlocution Office” would lose its point if it were not supposed to be a true sketch of all Government offices; just as the Lord Chancellor in “Bleak House” would lose his point if he were not supposed to be symbolic and representative of all Lord Chancellors.

Naturally

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

From this reading Naturally, an outsider feels inclined to ask why Eatanswill should be either one or the other.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading It is surely clear that when Dickens described the Eatanswill election he did not mean it as a satire on Sudbury or a satire on Ipswich; he meant it as a satire on England.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading As a matter of fact, I fear Eatanswill was every town in the country.

Office

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

From this reading If the satire is merely local, it practically loses its point; just as the “Circumlocution Office” would lose its point if it were not supposed to be a true sketch of all Government offices; just as the Lord Chancellor in “Bleak House” would lose his point if he were not supposed to be symbolic and representative of all Lord Chancellors.

offices

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

From this reading If the satire is merely local, it practically loses its point; just as the “Circumlocution Office” would lose its point if it were not supposed to be a true sketch of all Government offices; just as the Lord Chancellor in “Bleak House” would lose his point if he were not supposed to be symbolic and representative of all Lord Chancellors.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading It is surely clear that when Dickens described the Eatanswill election he did not mean it as a satire on Sudbury or a satire on Ipswich; he meant it as a satire on England.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Naturally, an outsider feels inclined to ask why Eatanswill should be either one or the other.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Naturally, an outsider feels inclined to ask why Eatanswill should be either one or the other.

other

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

From this reading Naturally, an outsider feels inclined to ask why Eatanswill should be either one or the other.

outsidernounUS /ˌaʊtˈsaɪ.dər/

A person who does not belong to a particular group or community; a stranger.

From this reading Naturally, an outsider feels inclined to ask why Eatanswill should be either one or the other.

pointnounUS /pɔɪnt/

the main matter or purpose being discussed

From this reading If the satire is merely local, it practically loses its point; just as the “Circumlocution Office” would lose its point if it were not supposed to be a true sketch of all Government offices; just as the Lord Chancellor in “Bleak House” would lose his point if he were not supposed to be symbolic and representative of all Lord Chancellors.

practically

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

From this reading If the satire is merely local, it practically loses its point; just as the “Circumlocution Office” would lose its point if it were not supposed to be a true sketch of all Government offices; just as the Lord Chancellor in “Bleak House” would lose his point if he were not supposed to be symbolic and representative of all Lord Chancellors.

representative

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

From this reading If the satire is merely local, it practically loses its point; just as the “Circumlocution Office” would lose its point if it were not supposed to be a true sketch of all Government offices; just as the Lord Chancellor in “Bleak House” would lose his point if he were not supposed to be symbolic and representative of all Lord Chancellors.

satire

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

From this reading It is surely clear that when Dickens described the Eatanswill election he did not mean it as a satire on Sudbury or a satire on Ipswich; he meant it as a satire on England.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading Naturally, an outsider feels inclined to ask why Eatanswill should be either one or the other.

sketch

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

From this reading If the satire is merely local, it practically loses its point; just as the “Circumlocution Office” would lose its point if it were not supposed to be a true sketch of all Government offices; just as the Lord Chancellor in “Bleak House” would lose his point if he were not supposed to be symbolic and representative of all Lord Chancellors.

Sudbury

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

From this reading It is surely clear that when Dickens described the Eatanswill election he did not mean it as a satire on Sudbury or a satire on Ipswich; he meant it as a satire on England.

supposed

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

From this reading If the satire is merely local, it practically loses its point; just as the “Circumlocution Office” would lose its point if it were not supposed to be a true sketch of all Government offices; just as the Lord Chancellor in “Bleak House” would lose his point if he were not supposed to be symbolic and representative of all Lord Chancellors.

surely

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

From this reading It is surely clear that when Dickens described the Eatanswill election he did not mean it as a satire on Sudbury or a satire on Ipswich; he meant it as a satire on England.

symbolic

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

From this reading If the satire is merely local, it practically loses its point; just as the “Circumlocution Office” would lose its point if it were not supposed to be a true sketch of all Government offices; just as the Lord Chancellor in “Bleak House” would lose his point if he were not supposed to be symbolic and representative of all Lord Chancellors.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It is surely clear that when Dickens described the Eatanswill election he did not mean it as a satire on Sudbury or a satire on Ipswich; he meant it as a satire on England.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Naturally, an outsider feels inclined to ask why Eatanswill should be either one or the other.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading Naturally, an outsider feels inclined to ask why Eatanswill should be either one or the other.

town

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

From this reading As a matter of fact, I fear Eatanswill was every town in the country.

true

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

From this reading If the satire is merely local, it practically loses its point; just as the “Circumlocution Office” would lose its point if it were not supposed to be a true sketch of all Government offices; just as the Lord Chancellor in “Bleak House” would lose his point if he were not supposed to be symbolic and representative of all Lord Chancellors.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading As a matter of fact, I fear Eatanswill was every town in the country.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading If the satire is merely local, it practically loses its point; just as the “Circumlocution Office” would lose its point if it were not supposed to be a true sketch of all Government offices; just as the Lord Chancellor in “Bleak House” would lose his point if he were not supposed to be symbolic and representative of all Lord Chancellors.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading It is surely clear that when Dickens described the Eatanswill election he did not mean it as a satire on Sudbury or a satire on Ipswich; he meant it as a satire on England.

why

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

From this reading Naturally, an outsider feels inclined to ask why Eatanswill should be either one or the other.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading If the satire is merely local, it practically loses its point; just as the “Circumlocution Office” would lose its point if it were not supposed to be a true sketch of all Government offices; just as the Lord Chancellor in “Bleak House” would lose his point if he were not supposed to be symbolic and representative of all Lord Chancellors.