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An Unknown Lover
An Unknown Lover

Chapter XII

Cover illustration for An Unknown Lover
Context Illustration Reading 1/79 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
This morning the great heat was not conducive to conversation.
Katrine held a book on her lap, and from time to time flicked over pages, but she was too languid even to read; from time to time her eyes met Bedford's and they smiled a wordless greeting.
The morning was not half over, but already her eyelids drooped heavily; she shut the book, and composed herself to sleep.
Suddenly, startlingly, the torpid silence was rent in twain.
A woman's voice rose in a shriek--high, frenzied, appalled.
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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.

An Unknown Lover

Chapter XII

Reading 1/79 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
This morning the great heat was not conducive to conversation.
Line 2
Katrine held a book on her lap, and from time to time flicked over pages, but she was too languid even to read; from time to time her eyes met Bedford's and they smiled a wordless greeting.
Line 3
The morning was not half over, but already her eyelids drooped heavily; she shut the book, and composed herself to sleep.
Line 4
Suddenly, startlingly, the torpid silence was rent in twain.
Line 5
A woman's voice rose in a shriek--high, frenzied, appalled.

Learner Dictionary

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

Already noun US /already/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The morning was not half over, but already her eyelids drooped heavily; she shut the book, and composed herself to sleep.”

Even noun US /even/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Katrine held a book on her lap, and from time to time flicked over pages, but she was too languid even to read; from time to time her eyes met Bedford's and they smiled a wordless greeting.”

Great noun US /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “This morning the great heat was not conducive to conversation.”

Half noun US /half/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The morning was not half over, but already her eyelids drooped heavily; she shut the book, and composed herself to sleep.”

Herself pronoun US /hərˈself/

used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object

From this reading “The morning was not half over, but already her eyelids drooped heavily; she shut the book, and composed herself to sleep.”

Morning noun US /morning/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “This morning the great heat was not conducive to conversation.”

Over preposition US /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading “Katrine held a book on her lap, and from time to time flicked over pages, but she was too languid even to read; from time to time her eyes met Bedford's and they smiled a wordless greeting.”

Silence noun US /ˈsaɪ.ləns/

Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.

From this reading “Suddenly, startlingly, the torpid silence was rent in twain.”

Suddenly noun US /ˈsuddenly/

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

From this reading “Suddenly, startlingly, the torpid silence was rent in twain.”

Time noun US /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Katrine held a book on her lap, and from time to time flicked over pages, but she was too languid even to read; from time to time her eyes met Bedford's and they smiled a wordless greeting.”

All words in this reading · 59

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 Katrine held a book on her lap, and from time to time flicked over pages, but she was too languid even to read; from time to time her eyes met Bedford's and they smiled a wordless greeting.

alreadynounUS /already/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The morning was not half over, but already her eyelids drooped heavily; she shut the book, and composed herself to sleep.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Katrine held a book on her lap, and from time to time flicked over pages, but she was too languid even to read; from time to time her eyes met Bedford's and they smiled a wordless greeting.

appalled

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

From this reading A woman's voice rose in a shriek--high, frenzied, appalled.

Bedford's

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

From this reading Katrine held a book on her lap, and from time to time flicked over pages, but she was too languid even to read; from time to time her eyes met Bedford's and they smiled a wordless greeting.

book

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

From this reading Katrine held a book on her lap, and from time to time flicked over pages, but she was too languid even to read; from time to time her eyes met Bedford's and they smiled a wordless greeting.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Katrine held a book on her lap, and from time to time flicked over pages, but she was too languid even to read; from time to time her eyes met Bedford's and they smiled a wordless greeting.

composed

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

From this reading The morning was not half over, but already her eyelids drooped heavily; she shut the book, and composed herself to sleep.

conducive

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

From this reading This morning the great heat was not conducive to conversation.

conversation

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

From this reading This morning the great heat was not conducive to conversation.

drooped

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

From this reading The morning was not half over, but already her eyelids drooped heavily; she shut the book, and composed herself to sleep.

evennounUS /even/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Katrine held a book on her lap, and from time to time flicked over pages, but she was too languid even to read; from time to time her eyes met Bedford's and they smiled a wordless greeting.

eyelids

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

From this reading The morning was not half over, but already her eyelids drooped heavily; she shut the book, and composed herself to sleep.

eyes

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

From this reading Katrine held a book on her lap, and from time to time flicked over pages, but she was too languid even to read; from time to time her eyes met Bedford's and they smiled a wordless greeting.

flicked

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

From this reading Katrine held a book on her lap, and from time to time flicked over pages, but she was too languid even to read; from time to time her eyes met Bedford's and they smiled a wordless greeting.

frenzied

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

From this reading A woman's voice rose in a shriek--high, frenzied, appalled.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Katrine held a book on her lap, and from time to time flicked over pages, but she was too languid even to read; from time to time her eyes met Bedford's and they smiled a wordless greeting.

greatnounUS /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading This morning the great heat was not conducive to conversation.

greeting

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

From this reading Katrine held a book on her lap, and from time to time flicked over pages, but she was too languid even to read; from time to time her eyes met Bedford's and they smiled a wordless greeting.

halfnounUS /half/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The morning was not half over, but already her eyelids drooped heavily; she shut the book, and composed herself to sleep.

heat

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

From this reading This morning the great heat was not conducive to conversation.

heavily

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

From this reading The morning was not half over, but already her eyelids drooped heavily; she shut the book, and composed herself to sleep.

held

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

From this reading Katrine held a book on her lap, and from time to time flicked over pages, but she was too languid even to read; from time to time her eyes met Bedford's and they smiled a wordless greeting.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading Katrine held a book on her lap, and from time to time flicked over pages, but she was too languid even to read; from time to time her eyes met Bedford's and they smiled a wordless greeting.

herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/

used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object

From this reading The morning was not half over, but already her eyelids drooped heavily; she shut the book, and composed herself to sleep.

high

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

From this reading A woman's voice rose in a shriek--high, frenzied, appalled.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Suddenly, startlingly, the torpid silence was rent in twain.

Katrine

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

From this reading Katrine held a book on her lap, and from time to time flicked over pages, but she was too languid even to read; from time to time her eyes met Bedford's and they smiled a wordless greeting.

languid

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

From this reading Katrine held a book on her lap, and from time to time flicked over pages, but she was too languid even to read; from time to time her eyes met Bedford's and they smiled a wordless greeting.

lap

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

From this reading Katrine held a book on her lap, and from time to time flicked over pages, but she was too languid even to read; from time to time her eyes met Bedford's and they smiled a wordless greeting.

met

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

From this reading Katrine held a book on her lap, and from time to time flicked over pages, but she was too languid even to read; from time to time her eyes met Bedford's and they smiled a wordless greeting.

morningnounUS /morning/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading This morning the great heat was not conducive to conversation.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading This morning the great heat was not conducive to conversation.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Katrine held a book on her lap, and from time to time flicked over pages, but she was too languid even to read; from time to time her eyes met Bedford's and they smiled a wordless greeting.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading Katrine held a book on her lap, and from time to time flicked over pages, but she was too languid even to read; from time to time her eyes met Bedford's and they smiled a wordless greeting.

pages

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

From this reading Katrine held a book on her lap, and from time to time flicked over pages, but she was too languid even to read; from time to time her eyes met Bedford's and they smiled a wordless greeting.

read

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

From this reading Katrine held a book on her lap, and from time to time flicked over pages, but she was too languid even to read; from time to time her eyes met Bedford's and they smiled a wordless greeting.

rent

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

From this reading Suddenly, startlingly, the torpid silence was rent in twain.

rose

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

From this reading A woman's voice rose in a shriek--high, frenzied, appalled.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading Katrine held a book on her lap, and from time to time flicked over pages, but she was too languid even to read; from time to time her eyes met Bedford's and they smiled a wordless greeting.

shriek

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

From this reading A woman's voice rose in a shriek--high, frenzied, appalled.

shut

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

From this reading The morning was not half over, but already her eyelids drooped heavily; she shut the book, and composed herself to sleep.

silencenounUS /ˈsaɪ.ləns/

Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.

From this reading Suddenly, startlingly, the torpid silence was rent in twain.

sleep

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

From this reading The morning was not half over, but already her eyelids drooped heavily; she shut the book, and composed herself to sleep.

smiled

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

From this reading Katrine held a book on her lap, and from time to time flicked over pages, but she was too languid even to read; from time to time her eyes met Bedford's and they smiled a wordless greeting.

startlingly

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

From this reading Suddenly, startlingly, the torpid silence was rent in twain.

SuddenlynounUS /ˈsuddenly/

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

From this reading Suddenly, startlingly, the torpid silence was rent in twain.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading This morning the great heat was not conducive to conversation.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Katrine held a book on her lap, and from time to time flicked over pages, but she was too languid even to read; from time to time her eyes met Bedford's and they smiled a wordless greeting.

ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading This morning the great heat was not conducive to conversation.

timenounUS /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Katrine held a book on her lap, and from time to time flicked over pages, but she was too languid even to read; from time to time her eyes met Bedford's and they smiled a wordless greeting.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading This morning the great heat was not conducive to conversation.

too

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

From this reading Katrine held a book on her lap, and from time to time flicked over pages, but she was too languid even to read; from time to time her eyes met Bedford's and they smiled a wordless greeting.

torpid

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

From this reading Suddenly, startlingly, the torpid silence was rent in twain.

twain

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

From this reading Suddenly, startlingly, the torpid silence was rent in twain.

voice

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

From this reading A woman's voice rose in a shriek--high, frenzied, appalled.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading This morning the great heat was not conducive to conversation.

woman's

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

From this reading A woman's voice rose in a shriek--high, frenzied, appalled.

wordless

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

From this reading Katrine held a book on her lap, and from time to time flicked over pages, but she was too languid even to read; from time to time her eyes met Bedford's and they smiled a wordless greeting.