A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XI
CHRISTMAS EVE Two things puzzled Billy. One was the letter from Aunt Florence, in which she hinted at the possibility of visiting Santa Claus on Christmas Day. Neither Billy's father nor Billy's mother knew what to think. Mid-winter was not the time to expect company in their part of the world. "It's some kind of a joke, I guess," was Billy's suggestion.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
to think that something will happen
From this reading “Mid-winter was not the time to expect company in their part of the world.”
not one and not the other of two
From this reading “Neither Billy's father nor Billy's mother knew what to think.”
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading “One was the letter from Aunt Florence, in which she hinted at the possibility of visiting Santa Claus on Christmas Day.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Mid-winter was not the time to expect company in their part of the world.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Neither Billy's father nor Billy's mother knew what to think.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Mid-winter was not the time to expect company in their part of the world.”
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 "It's some kind of a joke, I guess," was Billy's suggestion.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading One was the letter from Aunt Florence, in which she hinted at the possibility of visiting Santa Claus on Christmas Day.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One was the letter from Aunt Florence, in which she hinted at the possibility of visiting Santa Claus on Christmas Day.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading CHRISTMAS EVE Two things puzzled Billy.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Neither Billy's father nor Billy's mother knew what to think.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading CHRISTMAS EVE Two things puzzled Billy.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One was the letter from Aunt Florence, in which she hinted at the possibility of visiting Santa Claus on Christmas Day.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mid-winter was not the time to expect company in their part of the world.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One was the letter from Aunt Florence, in which she hinted at the possibility of visiting Santa Claus on Christmas Day.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading CHRISTMAS EVE Two things puzzled Billy.
to think that something will happen
From this reading Mid-winter was not the time to expect company in their part of the world.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Neither Billy's father nor Billy's mother knew what to think.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One was the letter from Aunt Florence, in which she hinted at the possibility of visiting Santa Claus on Christmas Day.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading One was the letter from Aunt Florence, in which she hinted at the possibility of visiting Santa Claus on Christmas Day.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "It's some kind of a joke, I guess," was Billy's suggestion.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One was the letter from Aunt Florence, in which she hinted at the possibility of visiting Santa Claus on Christmas Day.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "It's some kind of a joke, I guess," was Billy's suggestion.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading One was the letter from Aunt Florence, in which she hinted at the possibility of visiting Santa Claus on Christmas Day.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "It's some kind of a joke, I guess," was Billy's suggestion.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "It's some kind of a joke, I guess," was Billy's suggestion.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "It's some kind of a joke, I guess," was Billy's suggestion.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Neither Billy's father nor Billy's mother knew what to think.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One was the letter from Aunt Florence, in which she hinted at the possibility of visiting Santa Claus on Christmas Day.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mid-winter was not the time to expect company in their part of the world.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Neither Billy's father nor Billy's mother knew what to think.
not one and not the other of two
From this reading Neither Billy's father nor Billy's mother knew what to think.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading Neither Billy's father nor Billy's mother knew what to think.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Mid-winter was not the time to expect company in their part of the world.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading One was the letter from Aunt Florence, in which she hinted at the possibility of visiting Santa Claus on Christmas Day.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading One was the letter from Aunt Florence, in which she hinted at the possibility of visiting Santa Claus on Christmas Day.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One was the letter from Aunt Florence, in which she hinted at the possibility of visiting Santa Claus on Christmas Day.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Mid-winter was not the time to expect company in their part of the world.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One was the letter from Aunt Florence, in which she hinted at the possibility of visiting Santa Claus on Christmas Day.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading CHRISTMAS EVE Two things puzzled Billy.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One was the letter from Aunt Florence, in which she hinted at the possibility of visiting Santa Claus on Christmas Day.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading One was the letter from Aunt Florence, in which she hinted at the possibility of visiting Santa Claus on Christmas Day.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "It's some kind of a joke, I guess," was Billy's suggestion.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "It's some kind of a joke, I guess," was Billy's suggestion.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading One was the letter from Aunt Florence, in which she hinted at the possibility of visiting Santa Claus on Christmas Day.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Mid-winter was not the time to expect company in their part of the world.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading CHRISTMAS EVE Two things puzzled Billy.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Neither Billy's father nor Billy's mother knew what to think.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Mid-winter was not the time to expect company in their part of the world.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Neither Billy's father nor Billy's mother knew what to think.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading CHRISTMAS EVE Two things puzzled Billy.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One was the letter from Aunt Florence, in which she hinted at the possibility of visiting Santa Claus on Christmas Day.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading One was the letter from Aunt Florence, in which she hinted at the possibility of visiting Santa Claus on Christmas Day.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Neither Billy's father nor Billy's mother knew what to think.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading One was the letter from Aunt Florence, in which she hinted at the possibility of visiting Santa Claus on Christmas Day.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mid-winter was not the time to expect company in their part of the world.
