Chapter IV
SIR ROBERT CHILTERN. Gertrude, what you tell me may be true, but it happened many years ago. It is best forgotten! Mrs. Cheveley may have changed since then. No one should be entirely judged by their past.
An Ideal Husband
Chapter IV
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SIR
ROBERT
CHILTERN.
Gertrude,
what
you
tell
me
may
be
true,
but
it
happened
many
years
ago.
It
is
best
forgotten!
Mrs.
Cheveley
may
have
changed
since
then.
No
one
should
be
entirely
judged
by
their
past.
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Line 1
SIR
ROBERT
CHILTERN.
Line 2
Gertrude,
what
you
tell
me
may
be
true,
but
it
happened
many
years
ago.
Line 3
It
is
best
forgotten!
Line 4
Mrs.
Cheveley
may
have
changed
since
then.
Line 5
No
one
should
be
entirely
judged
by
their
past.
Learner Dictionary
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
Entirely
noun
US /ˈentirely/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “No one should be entirely judged by their past.”
Forgotten
adjective
US /fərˈɡɑːt.n̩/
Not remembered; lapsed from memory.
From this reading “It is best forgotten!”
Have
auxiliary verb
US /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “Mrs. Cheveley may have changed since then.”
May
modal verb
US /meɪ/
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading “Gertrude, what you tell me may be true, but it happened many years ago.”
One
pronoun
US /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading “No one should be entirely judged by their past.”
Since
preposition
US /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading “Mrs. Cheveley may have changed since then.”
Tell
noun
US /tell/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Gertrude, what you tell me may be true, but it happened many years ago.”
All words in this reading · 34
Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
ago
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gertrude, what you tell me may be true, but it happened many years ago.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Gertrude, what you tell me may be true, but it happened many years ago.
best
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is best forgotten!
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Gertrude, what you tell me may be true, but it happened many years ago.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading No one should be entirely judged by their past.
changed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Cheveley may have changed since then.
Cheveley
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From this reading Mrs. Cheveley may have changed since then.
CHILTERN
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From this reading SIR ROBERT CHILTERN.
entirelynounUS /ˈentirely/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading No one should be entirely judged by their past.
forgottenadjectiveUS /fərˈɡɑːt.n̩/
Not remembered; lapsed from memory.
From this reading It is best forgotten!
Gertrude
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gertrude, what you tell me may be true, but it happened many years ago.
happened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gertrude, what you tell me may be true, but it happened many years ago.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Mrs. Cheveley may have changed since then.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It is best forgotten!
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Gertrude, what you tell me may be true, but it happened many years ago.
judged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No one should be entirely judged by their past.
many
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gertrude, what you tell me may be true, but it happened many years ago.
maymodal verbUS /meɪ/
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading Gertrude, what you tell me may be true, but it happened many years ago.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Gertrude, what you tell me may be true, but it happened many years ago.
Mrs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Cheveley may have changed since then.
NodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading No one should be entirely judged by their past.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading No one should be entirely judged by their past.
past
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No one should be entirely judged by their past.
ROBERT
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading SIR ROBERT CHILTERN.
shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading No one should be entirely judged by their past.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading Mrs. Cheveley may have changed since then.
SIR
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading SIR ROBERT CHILTERN.
tellnounUS /tell/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Gertrude, what you tell me may be true, but it happened many years ago.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading No one should be entirely judged by their past.
then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Cheveley may have changed since then.
true
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gertrude, what you tell me may be true, but it happened many years ago.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Gertrude, what you tell me may be true, but it happened many years ago.
years
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gertrude, what you tell me may be true, but it happened many years ago.
youpronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Gertrude, what you tell me may be true, but it happened many years ago.