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Auld Licht Idylls
Auld Licht Idylls

Chapter VII

Cover illustration for Auld Licht Idylls
Context Illustration Reading 1/17 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
CREE QUEERY AND MYSY DROLLY The children used to fling stones at Grinder Queery because he loved his mother.
I never heard the Grinder's real name.
He and his mother were Queery and Drolly, contemptuously so called, and they answered to these names.
I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.
By and by there came a time when the barrow and the weaver seemed both palsy-stricken, and Cree, gasping for breath, would stop in the middle of a brae, unable to push his load over a stone.
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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.

Auld Licht Idylls

Chapter VII

Reading 1/17 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
CREE QUEERY AND MYSY DROLLY The children used to fling stones at Grinder Queery because he loved his mother.
Line 2
I never heard the Grinder's real name.
Line 3
He and his mother were Queery and Drolly, contemptuously so called, and they answered to these names.
Line 4
I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.
Line 5
By and by there came a time when the barrow and the weaver seemed both palsy-stricken, and Cree, gasping for breath, would stop in the middle of a brae, unable to push his load over a stone.

Learner Dictionary

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

Answered noun US /ˈanswered/

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

From this reading “He and his mother were Queery and Drolly, contemptuously so called, and they answered to these names.”

Because conjunction US /bɪˈkɔːz/

for the reason that

From this reading “CREE QUEERY AND MYSY DROLLY The children used to fling stones at Grinder Queery because he loved his mother.”

Behind preposition US /bɪˈhaɪnd/

at or toward the back of something

From this reading “I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.”

Forward noun US /forward/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.”

Grasp noun US /ɡræsp/

a firm hold in a specific situation in this story

From this reading “I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.”

Life noun US /life/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.”

Name noun US /name/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “I never heard the Grinder's real name.”

Never noun US /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “I never heard the Grinder's real name.”

Over preposition US /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading “By and by there came a time when the barrow and the weaver seemed both palsy-stricken, and Cree, gasping for breath, would stop in the middle of a brae, unable to push his load over a stone.”

Remember verb US /rɪˈmɛm.bər/

To recall to mind.

From this reading “I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.”

Seemed noun US /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “By and by there came a time when the barrow and the weaver seemed both palsy-stricken, and Cree, gasping for breath, would stop in the middle of a brae, unable to push his load over a stone.”

Shaking noun US /ˈshaking/

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

From this reading “I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.”

These determiner US /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading “He and his mother were Queery and Drolly, contemptuously so called, and they answered to these names.”

Time noun US /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “By and by there came a time when the barrow and the weaver seemed both palsy-stricken, and Cree, gasping for breath, would stop in the middle of a brae, unable to push his load over a stone.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

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

From this reading “By and by there came a time when the barrow and the weaver seemed both palsy-stricken, and Cree, gasping for breath, would stop in the middle of a brae, unable to push his load over a stone.”

Yarn noun US /jɑrn/

an informal story or conversation

From this reading “I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.”

All words in this reading · 95

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 I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.

ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading CREE QUEERY AND MYSY DROLLY The children used to fling stones at Grinder Queery because he loved his mother.

answerednounUS /ˈanswered/

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

From this reading He and his mother were Queery and Drolly, contemptuously so called, and they answered to these names.

arms

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

From this reading I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.

assisting

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

From this reading I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading CREE QUEERY AND MYSY DROLLY The children used to fling stones at Grinder Queery because he loved his mother.

barrow

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

From this reading I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.

battered

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

From this reading I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.

bear

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

From this reading I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.

becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/

for the reason that

From this reading CREE QUEERY AND MYSY DROLLY The children used to fling stones at Grinder Queery because he loved his mother.

behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/

at or toward the back of something

From this reading I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.

bent

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

From this reading I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.

best

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

From this reading I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.

bothdeterminerUS /boʊθ/

the two together, not just one

From this reading By and by there came a time when the barrow and the weaver seemed both palsy-stricken, and Cree, gasping for breath, would stop in the middle of a brae, unable to push his load over a stone.

brae

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

From this reading By and by there came a time when the barrow and the weaver seemed both palsy-stricken, and Cree, gasping for breath, would stop in the middle of a brae, unable to push his load over a stone.

breath

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

From this reading By and by there came a time when the barrow and the weaver seemed both palsy-stricken, and Cree, gasping for breath, would stop in the middle of a brae, unable to push his load over a stone.

ByprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading By and by there came a time when the barrow and the weaver seemed both palsy-stricken, and Cree, gasping for breath, would stop in the middle of a brae, unable to push his load over a stone.

called

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

From this reading He and his mother were Queery and Drolly, contemptuously so called, and they answered to these names.

came

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

From this reading By and by there came a time when the barrow and the weaver seemed both palsy-stricken, and Cree, gasping for breath, would stop in the middle of a brae, unable to push his load over a stone.

children

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

From this reading CREE QUEERY AND MYSY DROLLY The children used to fling stones at Grinder Queery because he loved his mother.

contemptuously

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

From this reading He and his mother were Queery and Drolly, contemptuously so called, and they answered to these names.

CREE

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

From this reading CREE QUEERY AND MYSY DROLLY The children used to fling stones at Grinder Queery because he loved his mother.

downhill

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

From this reading I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.

DROLLY

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

From this reading CREE QUEERY AND MYSY DROLLY The children used to fling stones at Grinder Queery because he loved his mother.

fastened

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

From this reading I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.

fling

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

From this reading CREE QUEERY AND MYSY DROLLY The children used to fling stones at Grinder Queery because he loved his mother.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading By and by there came a time when the barrow and the weaver seemed both palsy-stricken, and Cree, gasping for breath, would stop in the middle of a brae, unable to push his load over a stone.

forwardnounUS /forward/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.

gasping

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

From this reading By and by there came a time when the barrow and the weaver seemed both palsy-stricken, and Cree, gasping for breath, would stop in the middle of a brae, unable to push his load over a stone.

graspnounUS /ɡræsp/

a firm hold in a specific situation in this story

From this reading I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.

Grinder

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

From this reading CREE QUEERY AND MYSY DROLLY The children used to fling stones at Grinder Queery because he loved his mother.

Grinder's

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

From this reading I never heard the Grinder's real name.

hanging

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

From this reading I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading CREE QUEERY AND MYSY DROLLY The children used to fling stones at Grinder Queery because he loved his mother.

heard

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

From this reading I never heard the Grinder's real name.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading CREE QUEERY AND MYSY DROLLY The children used to fling stones at Grinder Queery because he loved his mother.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I never heard the Grinder's real name.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading By and by there came a time when the barrow and the weaver seemed both palsy-stricken, and Cree, gasping for breath, would stop in the middle of a brae, unable to push his load over a stone.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.

lifenounUS /life/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.

limp

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

From this reading I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.

load

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

From this reading By and by there came a time when the barrow and the weaver seemed both palsy-stricken, and Cree, gasping for breath, would stop in the middle of a brae, unable to push his load over a stone.

loved

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

From this reading CREE QUEERY AND MYSY DROLLY The children used to fling stones at Grinder Queery because he loved his mother.

middle

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

From this reading By and by there came a time when the barrow and the weaver seemed both palsy-stricken, and Cree, gasping for breath, would stop in the middle of a brae, unable to push his load over a stone.

mother

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

From this reading CREE QUEERY AND MYSY DROLLY The children used to fling stones at Grinder Queery because he loved his mother.

MYSY

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

From this reading CREE QUEERY AND MYSY DROLLY The children used to fling stones at Grinder Queery because he loved his mother.

namenounUS /name/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading I never heard the Grinder's real name.

names

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

From this reading He and his mother were Queery and Drolly, contemptuously so called, and they answered to these names.

neck

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

From this reading I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.

nevernounUS /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading I never heard the Grinder's real name.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.

old

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

From this reading I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading By and by there came a time when the barrow and the weaver seemed both palsy-stricken, and Cree, gasping for breath, would stop in the middle of a brae, unable to push his load over a stone.

palsy-stricken

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

From this reading By and by there came a time when the barrow and the weaver seemed both palsy-stricken, and Cree, gasping for breath, would stop in the middle of a brae, unable to push his load over a stone.

push

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

From this reading By and by there came a time when the barrow and the weaver seemed both palsy-stricken, and Cree, gasping for breath, would stop in the middle of a brae, unable to push his load over a stone.

QUEERY

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

From this reading CREE QUEERY AND MYSY DROLLY The children used to fling stones at Grinder Queery because he loved his mother.

ready

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

From this reading I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.

real

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

From this reading I never heard the Grinder's real name.

rememberverbUS /rɪˈmɛm.bər/

To recall to mind.

From this reading I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.

rope

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

From this reading I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.

round

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

From this reading I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.

seemednounUS /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading By and by there came a time when the barrow and the weaver seemed both palsy-stricken, and Cree, gasping for breath, would stop in the middle of a brae, unable to push his load over a stone.

shafts

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

From this reading I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.

shakingnounUS /ˈshaking/

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

From this reading I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.

slowly

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

From this reading I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading He and his mother were Queery and Drolly, contemptuously so called, and they answered to these names.

stone

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

From this reading By and by there came a time when the barrow and the weaver seemed both palsy-stricken, and Cree, gasping for breath, would stop in the middle of a brae, unable to push his load over a stone.

stones

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

From this reading CREE QUEERY AND MYSY DROLLY The children used to fling stones at Grinder Queery because he loved his mother.

stop

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

From this reading By and by there came a time when the barrow and the weaver seemed both palsy-stricken, and Cree, gasping for breath, would stop in the middle of a brae, unable to push his load over a stone.

strangling

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

From this reading I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.

suspended

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

From this reading I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading CREE QUEERY AND MYSY DROLLY The children used to fling stones at Grinder Queery because he loved his mother.

there

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

From this reading By and by there came a time when the barrow and the weaver seemed both palsy-stricken, and Cree, gasping for breath, would stop in the middle of a brae, unable to push his load over a stone.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading He and his mother were Queery and Drolly, contemptuously so called, and they answered to these names.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading He and his mother were Queery and Drolly, contemptuously so called, and they answered to these names.

timenounUS /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading By and by there came a time when the barrow and the weaver seemed both palsy-stricken, and Cree, gasping for breath, would stop in the middle of a brae, unable to push his load over a stone.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading CREE QUEERY AND MYSY DROLLY The children used to fling stones at Grinder Queery because he loved his mother.

totter

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

From this reading I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.

unable

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

From this reading By and by there came a time when the barrow and the weaver seemed both palsy-stricken, and Cree, gasping for breath, would stop in the middle of a brae, unable to push his load over a stone.

uphill

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

From this reading I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.

used

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

From this reading CREE QUEERY AND MYSY DROLLY The children used to fling stones at Grinder Queery because he loved his mother.

walked

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

From this reading I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.

weaver

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

From this reading I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading He and his mother were Queery and Drolly, contemptuously so called, and they answered to these names.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading By and by there came a time when the barrow and the weaver seemed both palsy-stricken, and Cree, gasping for breath, would stop in the middle of a brae, unable to push his load over a stone.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading By and by there came a time when the barrow and the weaver seemed both palsy-stricken, and Cree, gasping for breath, would stop in the middle of a brae, unable to push his load over a stone.

yarnnounUS /jɑrn/

an informal story or conversation

From this reading I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.

yoke

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

From this reading I remember Cree best as a battered old weaver, who bent forward as he walked, with his arms hanging limp as if ready to grasp the shafts of the barrow behind which it was his life to totter uphill and downhill, a rope of yarn suspended round his shaking neck, and fastened to the shafts, assisting him to bear the yoke and slowly strangling him.