A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XVII
“NOBODY MUST KNOW!” Preston’s servant, an ex-soldier who had served under him in France, returned to the houseboat, but neither Preston nor Yootha had arrived. The man looked about him, puzzled. Then, concluding that his master must have been detained by friends on his way back, he began to attend to his work. But when an hour had passed, and still Preston did not return, he went outside and scanned the river with his master’s field-glasses.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading “The man looked about him, puzzled.”
the past participle of “be”
From this reading “Then, concluding that his master must have been detained by friends on his way back, he began to attend to his work.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Then, concluding that his master must have been detained by friends on his way back, he began to attend to his work.”
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “Then, concluding that his master must have been detained by friends on his way back, he began to attend to his work.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading ““NOBODY MUST KNOW!””
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “The man looked about him, puzzled.”
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading ““NOBODY MUST KNOW!””
not one and not the other of two
From this reading “Preston’s servant, an ex-soldier who had served under him in France, returned to the houseboat, but neither Preston nor Yootha had arrived.”
no person; not anyone
From this reading ““NOBODY MUST KNOW!””
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “But when an hour had passed, and still Preston did not return, he went outside and scanned the river with his master’s field-glasses.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “But when an hour had passed, and still Preston did not return, he went outside and scanned the river with his master’s field-glasses.”
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “Preston’s servant, an ex-soldier who had served under him in France, returned to the houseboat, but neither Preston nor Yootha had arrived.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “But when an hour had passed, and still Preston did not return, he went outside and scanned the river with his master’s field-glasses.”
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading “Preston’s servant, an ex-soldier who had served under him in France, returned to the houseboat, but neither Preston nor Yootha had arrived.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “But when an hour had passed, and still Preston did not return, he went outside and scanned the river with his master’s field-glasses.”
Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The man looked about him, puzzled.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Preston’s servant, an ex-soldier who had served under him in France, returned to the houseboat, but neither Preston nor Yootha had arrived.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading But when an hour had passed, and still Preston did not return, he went outside and scanned the river with his master’s field-glasses.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Preston’s servant, an ex-soldier who had served under him in France, returned to the houseboat, but neither Preston nor Yootha had arrived.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then, concluding that his master must have been detained by friends on his way back, he began to attend to his work.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then, concluding that his master must have been detained by friends on his way back, he began to attend to his work.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Then, concluding that his master must have been detained by friends on his way back, he began to attend to his work.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Then, concluding that his master must have been detained by friends on his way back, he began to attend to his work.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Preston’s servant, an ex-soldier who had served under him in France, returned to the houseboat, but neither Preston nor Yootha had arrived.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Then, concluding that his master must have been detained by friends on his way back, he began to attend to his work.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then, concluding that his master must have been detained by friends on his way back, he began to attend to his work.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then, concluding that his master must have been detained by friends on his way back, he began to attend to his work.
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading But when an hour had passed, and still Preston did not return, he went outside and scanned the river with his master’s field-glasses.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Preston’s servant, an ex-soldier who had served under him in France, returned to the houseboat, but neither Preston nor Yootha had arrived.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But when an hour had passed, and still Preston did not return, he went outside and scanned the river with his master’s field-glasses.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Preston’s servant, an ex-soldier who had served under him in France, returned to the houseboat, but neither Preston nor Yootha had arrived.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then, concluding that his master must have been detained by friends on his way back, he began to attend to his work.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Preston’s servant, an ex-soldier who had served under him in France, returned to the houseboat, but neither Preston nor Yootha had arrived.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Then, concluding that his master must have been detained by friends on his way back, he began to attend to his work.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Then, concluding that his master must have been detained by friends on his way back, he began to attend to his work.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Preston’s servant, an ex-soldier who had served under him in France, returned to the houseboat, but neither Preston nor Yootha had arrived.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Then, concluding that his master must have been detained by friends on his way back, he began to attend to his work.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But when an hour had passed, and still Preston did not return, he went outside and scanned the river with his master’s field-glasses.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Preston’s servant, an ex-soldier who had served under him in France, returned to the houseboat, but neither Preston nor Yootha had arrived.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Preston’s servant, an ex-soldier who had served under him in France, returned to the houseboat, but neither Preston nor Yootha had arrived.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “NOBODY MUST KNOW!”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The man looked about him, puzzled.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The man looked about him, puzzled.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then, concluding that his master must have been detained by friends on his way back, he began to attend to his work.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But when an hour had passed, and still Preston did not return, he went outside and scanned the river with his master’s field-glasses.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading “NOBODY MUST KNOW!”
not one and not the other of two
From this reading Preston’s servant, an ex-soldier who had served under him in France, returned to the houseboat, but neither Preston nor Yootha had arrived.
no person; not anyone
From this reading “NOBODY MUST KNOW!”
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading Preston’s servant, an ex-soldier who had served under him in France, returned to the houseboat, but neither Preston nor Yootha had arrived.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But when an hour had passed, and still Preston did not return, he went outside and scanned the river with his master’s field-glasses.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Then, concluding that his master must have been detained by friends on his way back, he began to attend to his work.
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading But when an hour had passed, and still Preston did not return, he went outside and scanned the river with his master’s field-glasses.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But when an hour had passed, and still Preston did not return, he went outside and scanned the river with his master’s field-glasses.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Preston’s servant, an ex-soldier who had served under him in France, returned to the houseboat, but neither Preston nor Yootha had arrived.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Preston’s servant, an ex-soldier who had served under him in France, returned to the houseboat, but neither Preston nor Yootha had arrived.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The man looked about him, puzzled.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But when an hour had passed, and still Preston did not return, he went outside and scanned the river with his master’s field-glasses.
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Preston’s servant, an ex-soldier who had served under him in France, returned to the houseboat, but neither Preston nor Yootha had arrived.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But when an hour had passed, and still Preston did not return, he went outside and scanned the river with his master’s field-glasses.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But when an hour had passed, and still Preston did not return, he went outside and scanned the river with his master’s field-glasses.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Preston’s servant, an ex-soldier who had served under him in France, returned to the houseboat, but neither Preston nor Yootha had arrived.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Preston’s servant, an ex-soldier who had served under him in France, returned to the houseboat, but neither Preston nor Yootha had arrived.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But when an hour had passed, and still Preston did not return, he went outside and scanned the river with his master’s field-glasses.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Then, concluding that his master must have been detained by friends on his way back, he began to attend to his work.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Preston’s servant, an ex-soldier who had served under him in France, returned to the houseboat, but neither Preston nor Yootha had arrived.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then, concluding that his master must have been detained by friends on his way back, he began to attend to his work.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Preston’s servant, an ex-soldier who had served under him in France, returned to the houseboat, but neither Preston nor Yootha had arrived.
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading Preston’s servant, an ex-soldier who had served under him in France, returned to the houseboat, but neither Preston nor Yootha had arrived.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then, concluding that his master must have been detained by friends on his way back, he began to attend to his work.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But when an hour had passed, and still Preston did not return, he went outside and scanned the river with his master’s field-glasses.
at the time that
From this reading But when an hour had passed, and still Preston did not return, he went outside and scanned the river with his master’s field-glasses.
which person or people
From this reading Preston’s servant, an ex-soldier who had served under him in France, returned to the houseboat, but neither Preston nor Yootha had arrived.
in the company of; together with
From this reading But when an hour had passed, and still Preston did not return, he went outside and scanned the river with his master’s field-glasses.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then, concluding that his master must have been detained by friends on his way back, he began to attend to his work.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Preston’s servant, an ex-soldier who had served under him in France, returned to the houseboat, but neither Preston nor Yootha had arrived.
