A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
Wilfred Pell stole down-stairs carrying his shoes. With infinite care he turned the handle of the front door, his heart in his mouth. When one pressed down a catch in the lock, it permitted the outside handle to turn; and one could come in again. He sat down in the vestibule to put on his shoes. There was also an outer door, closed when the family went to bed.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “When one pressed down a catch in the lock, it permitted the outside handle to turn; and one could come in again.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “When one pressed down a catch in the lock, it permitted the outside handle to turn; and one could come in again.”
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading “When one pressed down a catch in the lock, it permitted the outside handle to turn; and one could come in again.”
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading “When one pressed down a catch in the lock, it permitted the outside handle to turn; and one could come in again.”
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “When one pressed down a catch in the lock, it permitted the outside handle to turn; and one could come in again.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “There was also an outer door, closed when the family went to bed.”
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 When one pressed down a catch in the lock, it permitted the outside handle to turn; and one could come in again.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading When one pressed down a catch in the lock, it permitted the outside handle to turn; and one could come in again.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was also an outer door, closed when the family went to bed.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading There was also an outer door, closed when the family went to bed.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading When one pressed down a catch in the lock, it permitted the outside handle to turn; and one could come in again.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was also an outer door, closed when the family went to bed.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With infinite care he turned the handle of the front door, his heart in his mouth.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Wilfred Pell stole down-stairs carrying his shoes.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When one pressed down a catch in the lock, it permitted the outside handle to turn; and one could come in again.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was also an outer door, closed when the family went to bed.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading When one pressed down a catch in the lock, it permitted the outside handle to turn; and one could come in again.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading When one pressed down a catch in the lock, it permitted the outside handle to turn; and one could come in again.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With infinite care he turned the handle of the front door, his heart in his mouth.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When one pressed down a catch in the lock, it permitted the outside handle to turn; and one could come in again.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Wilfred Pell stole down-stairs carrying his shoes.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was also an outer door, closed when the family went to bed.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With infinite care he turned the handle of the front door, his heart in his mouth.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With infinite care he turned the handle of the front door, his heart in his mouth.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading With infinite care he turned the handle of the front door, his heart in his mouth.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With infinite care he turned the handle of the front door, his heart in his mouth.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Wilfred Pell stole down-stairs carrying his shoes.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading With infinite care he turned the handle of the front door, his heart in his mouth.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With infinite care he turned the handle of the front door, his heart in his mouth.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading When one pressed down a catch in the lock, it permitted the outside handle to turn; and one could come in again.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When one pressed down a catch in the lock, it permitted the outside handle to turn; and one could come in again.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With infinite care he turned the handle of the front door, his heart in his mouth.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading With infinite care he turned the handle of the front door, his heart in his mouth.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He sat down in the vestibule to put on his shoes.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading When one pressed down a catch in the lock, it permitted the outside handle to turn; and one could come in again.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was also an outer door, closed when the family went to bed.
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading When one pressed down a catch in the lock, it permitted the outside handle to turn; and one could come in again.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Wilfred Pell stole down-stairs carrying his shoes.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When one pressed down a catch in the lock, it permitted the outside handle to turn; and one could come in again.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When one pressed down a catch in the lock, it permitted the outside handle to turn; and one could come in again.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He sat down in the vestibule to put on his shoes.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He sat down in the vestibule to put on his shoes.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Wilfred Pell stole down-stairs carrying his shoes.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Wilfred Pell stole down-stairs carrying his shoes.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading With infinite care he turned the handle of the front door, his heart in his mouth.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was also an outer door, closed when the family went to bed.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading When one pressed down a catch in the lock, it permitted the outside handle to turn; and one could come in again.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When one pressed down a catch in the lock, it permitted the outside handle to turn; and one could come in again.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With infinite care he turned the handle of the front door, his heart in his mouth.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He sat down in the vestibule to put on his shoes.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was also an outer door, closed when the family went to bed.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There was also an outer door, closed when the family went to bed.
at the time that
From this reading When one pressed down a catch in the lock, it permitted the outside handle to turn; and one could come in again.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Wilfred Pell stole down-stairs carrying his shoes.
in the company of; together with
From this reading With infinite care he turned the handle of the front door, his heart in his mouth.
