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Carette of Sark
Carette of Sark

Chapter XXXIII

Cover illustration for Carette of Sark
Context Illustration Reading 1/24 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
HOW LOVE FOUGHT DEATH IN THE DARK I woke from a very sound sleep with a start, and lay with a creeping of the back and half asleep still, wondering what I had heard.
It was dark, with a blackness of darkness to be felt, and all was very still, which meant that the tide was out, so it was probably early morning.
But it seemed to me that a sound unusual to the place lingered in my ear, and I lay with straining senses.
It was not such a sound, it seemed to me, as Carette might have made in her sleep or in wakening, but something altogether foreign and discordant.
Whether, in my sudden wakening, I had made some sound, I do not know, but there had been heavy silence since.
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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.

Carette of Sark

Chapter XXXIII

Reading 1/24 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
HOW LOVE FOUGHT DEATH IN THE DARK I woke from a very sound sleep with a start, and lay with a creeping of the back and half asleep still, wondering what I had heard.
Line 2
It was dark, with a blackness of darkness to be felt, and all was very still, which meant that the tide was out, so it was probably early morning.
Line 3
But it seemed to me that a sound unusual to the place lingered in my ear, and I lay with straining senses.
Line 4
It was not such a sound, it seemed to me, as Carette might have made in her sleep or in wakening, but something altogether foreign and discordant.
Line 5
Whether, in my sudden wakening, I had made some sound, I do not know, but there had been heavy silence since.

Learner Dictionary

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

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “Whether, in my sudden wakening, I had made some sound, I do not know, but there had been heavy silence since.”

Half noun US /half/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “HOW LOVE FOUGHT DEATH IN THE DARK I woke from a very sound sleep with a start, and lay with a creeping of the back and half asleep still, wondering what I had heard.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “It was not such a sound, it seemed to me, as Carette might have made in her sleep or in wakening, but something altogether foreign and discordant.”

Know noun US /know/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Whether, in my sudden wakening, I had made some sound, I do not know, but there had been heavy silence since.”

Might modal verb US /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading “It was not such a sound, it seemed to me, as Carette might have made in her sleep or in wakening, but something altogether foreign and discordant.”

Morning noun US /morning/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It was dark, with a blackness of darkness to be felt, and all was very still, which meant that the tide was out, so it was probably early morning.”

Seemed noun US /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “But it seemed to me that a sound unusual to the place lingered in my ear, and I lay with straining senses.”

Senses plural noun US /ˈsɛnsɪz/

powers of perception and awareness

From this reading “But it seemed to me that a sound unusual to the place lingered in my ear, and I lay with straining senses.”

Silence noun US /ˈsaɪ.ləns/

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

From this reading “Whether, in my sudden wakening, I had made some sound, I do not know, but there had been heavy silence since.”

Since preposition US /sɪns/

from a time in the past until now

From this reading “Whether, in my sudden wakening, I had made some sound, I do not know, but there had been heavy silence since.”

Something pronoun US /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading “It was not such a sound, it seemed to me, as Carette might have made in her sleep or in wakening, but something altogether foreign and discordant.”

Start noun US /start/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “HOW LOVE FOUGHT DEATH IN THE DARK I woke from a very sound sleep with a start, and lay with a creeping of the back and half asleep still, wondering what I had heard.”

Still noun US /still/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “HOW LOVE FOUGHT DEATH IN THE DARK I woke from a very sound sleep with a start, and lay with a creeping of the back and half asleep still, wondering what I had heard.”

Sudden noun US /sudden/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Whether, in my sudden wakening, I had made some sound, I do not know, but there had been heavy silence since.”

Whether conjunction US /ˈweðər/

used to introduce two or more possibilities

From this reading “Whether, in my sudden wakening, I had made some sound, I do not know, but there had been heavy silence since.”

All words in this reading · 79

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 HOW LOVE FOUGHT DEATH IN THE DARK I woke from a very sound sleep with a start, and lay with a creeping of the back and half asleep still, wondering what I had heard.

all

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

From this reading It was dark, with a blackness of darkness to be felt, and all was very still, which meant that the tide was out, so it was probably early morning.

altogether

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

From this reading It was not such a sound, it seemed to me, as Carette might have made in her sleep or in wakening, but something altogether foreign and discordant.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading HOW LOVE FOUGHT DEATH IN THE DARK I woke from a very sound sleep with a start, and lay with a creeping of the back and half asleep still, wondering what I had heard.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading It was not such a sound, it seemed to me, as Carette might have made in her sleep or in wakening, but something altogether foreign and discordant.

asleep

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

From this reading HOW LOVE FOUGHT DEATH IN THE DARK I woke from a very sound sleep with a start, and lay with a creeping of the back and half asleep still, wondering what I had heard.

back

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

From this reading HOW LOVE FOUGHT DEATH IN THE DARK I woke from a very sound sleep with a start, and lay with a creeping of the back and half asleep still, wondering what I had heard.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading It was dark, with a blackness of darkness to be felt, and all was very still, which meant that the tide was out, so it was probably early morning.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Whether, in my sudden wakening, I had made some sound, I do not know, but there had been heavy silence since.

blackness

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

From this reading It was dark, with a blackness of darkness to be felt, and all was very still, which meant that the tide was out, so it was probably early morning.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But it seemed to me that a sound unusual to the place lingered in my ear, and I lay with straining senses.

Carette

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

From this reading It was not such a sound, it seemed to me, as Carette might have made in her sleep or in wakening, but something altogether foreign and discordant.

creeping

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

From this reading HOW LOVE FOUGHT DEATH IN THE DARK I woke from a very sound sleep with a start, and lay with a creeping of the back and half asleep still, wondering what I had heard.

DARK

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

From this reading HOW LOVE FOUGHT DEATH IN THE DARK I woke from a very sound sleep with a start, and lay with a creeping of the back and half asleep still, wondering what I had heard.

darkness

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

From this reading It was dark, with a blackness of darkness to be felt, and all was very still, which meant that the tide was out, so it was probably early morning.

DEATH

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

From this reading HOW LOVE FOUGHT DEATH IN THE DARK I woke from a very sound sleep with a start, and lay with a creeping of the back and half asleep still, wondering what I had heard.

discordant

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

From this reading It was not such a sound, it seemed to me, as Carette might have made in her sleep or in wakening, but something altogether foreign and discordant.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading Whether, in my sudden wakening, I had made some sound, I do not know, but there had been heavy silence since.

ear

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

From this reading But it seemed to me that a sound unusual to the place lingered in my ear, and I lay with straining senses.

early

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

From this reading It was dark, with a blackness of darkness to be felt, and all was very still, which meant that the tide was out, so it was probably early morning.

felt

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

From this reading It was dark, with a blackness of darkness to be felt, and all was very still, which meant that the tide was out, so it was probably early morning.

foreign

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

From this reading It was not such a sound, it seemed to me, as Carette might have made in her sleep or in wakening, but something altogether foreign and discordant.

FOUGHT

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

From this reading HOW LOVE FOUGHT DEATH IN THE DARK I woke from a very sound sleep with a start, and lay with a creeping of the back and half asleep still, wondering what I had heard.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading HOW LOVE FOUGHT DEATH IN THE DARK I woke from a very sound sleep with a start, and lay with a creeping of the back and half asleep still, wondering what I had heard.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading HOW LOVE FOUGHT DEATH IN THE DARK I woke from a very sound sleep with a start, and lay with a creeping of the back and half asleep still, wondering what I had heard.

halfnounUS /half/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading HOW LOVE FOUGHT DEATH IN THE DARK I woke from a very sound sleep with a start, and lay with a creeping of the back and half asleep still, wondering what I had heard.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading It was not such a sound, it seemed to me, as Carette might have made in her sleep or in wakening, but something altogether foreign and discordant.

heard

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

From this reading HOW LOVE FOUGHT DEATH IN THE DARK I woke from a very sound sleep with a start, and lay with a creeping of the back and half asleep still, wondering what I had heard.

heavy

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

From this reading Whether, in my sudden wakening, I had made some sound, I do not know, but there had been heavy silence since.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading It was not such a sound, it seemed to me, as Carette might have made in her sleep or in wakening, but something altogether foreign and discordant.

HOW

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

From this reading HOW LOVE FOUGHT DEATH IN THE DARK I woke from a very sound sleep with a start, and lay with a creeping of the back and half asleep still, wondering what I had heard.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading HOW LOVE FOUGHT DEATH IN THE DARK I woke from a very sound sleep with a start, and lay with a creeping of the back and half asleep still, wondering what I had heard.

INprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading HOW LOVE FOUGHT DEATH IN THE DARK I woke from a very sound sleep with a start, and lay with a creeping of the back and half asleep still, wondering what I had heard.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was dark, with a blackness of darkness to be felt, and all was very still, which meant that the tide was out, so it was probably early morning.

knownounUS /know/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Whether, in my sudden wakening, I had made some sound, I do not know, but there had been heavy silence since.

lay

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

From this reading HOW LOVE FOUGHT DEATH IN THE DARK I woke from a very sound sleep with a start, and lay with a creeping of the back and half asleep still, wondering what I had heard.

lingered

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

From this reading But it seemed to me that a sound unusual to the place lingered in my ear, and I lay with straining senses.

LOVE

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

From this reading HOW LOVE FOUGHT DEATH IN THE DARK I woke from a very sound sleep with a start, and lay with a creeping of the back and half asleep still, wondering what I had heard.

made

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

From this reading It was not such a sound, it seemed to me, as Carette might have made in her sleep or in wakening, but something altogether foreign and discordant.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading But it seemed to me that a sound unusual to the place lingered in my ear, and I lay with straining senses.

meant

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

From this reading It was dark, with a blackness of darkness to be felt, and all was very still, which meant that the tide was out, so it was probably early morning.

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading It was not such a sound, it seemed to me, as Carette might have made in her sleep or in wakening, but something altogether foreign and discordant.

morningnounUS /morning/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading It was dark, with a blackness of darkness to be felt, and all was very still, which meant that the tide was out, so it was probably early morning.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading But it seemed to me that a sound unusual to the place lingered in my ear, and I lay with straining senses.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading It was not such a sound, it seemed to me, as Carette might have made in her sleep or in wakening, but something altogether foreign and discordant.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading HOW LOVE FOUGHT DEATH IN THE DARK I woke from a very sound sleep with a start, and lay with a creeping of the back and half asleep still, wondering what I had heard.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading It was not such a sound, it seemed to me, as Carette might have made in her sleep or in wakening, but something altogether foreign and discordant.

out

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

From this reading It was dark, with a blackness of darkness to be felt, and all was very still, which meant that the tide was out, so it was probably early morning.

place

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

From this reading But it seemed to me that a sound unusual to the place lingered in my ear, and I lay with straining senses.

probably

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

From this reading It was dark, with a blackness of darkness to be felt, and all was very still, which meant that the tide was out, so it was probably early morning.

seemednounUS /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading But it seemed to me that a sound unusual to the place lingered in my ear, and I lay with straining senses.

sensesplural nounUS /ˈsɛnsɪz/

powers of perception and awareness

From this reading But it seemed to me that a sound unusual to the place lingered in my ear, and I lay with straining senses.

silencenounUS /ˈsaɪ.ləns/

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

From this reading Whether, in my sudden wakening, I had made some sound, I do not know, but there had been heavy silence since.

sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/

from a time in the past until now

From this reading Whether, in my sudden wakening, I had made some sound, I do not know, but there had been heavy silence since.

sleep

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

From this reading HOW LOVE FOUGHT DEATH IN THE DARK I woke from a very sound sleep with a start, and lay with a creeping of the back and half asleep still, wondering what I had heard.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading It was dark, with a blackness of darkness to be felt, and all was very still, which meant that the tide was out, so it was probably early morning.

some

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

From this reading Whether, in my sudden wakening, I had made some sound, I do not know, but there had been heavy silence since.

somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading It was not such a sound, it seemed to me, as Carette might have made in her sleep or in wakening, but something altogether foreign and discordant.

sound

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

From this reading HOW LOVE FOUGHT DEATH IN THE DARK I woke from a very sound sleep with a start, and lay with a creeping of the back and half asleep still, wondering what I had heard.

startnounUS /start/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading HOW LOVE FOUGHT DEATH IN THE DARK I woke from a very sound sleep with a start, and lay with a creeping of the back and half asleep still, wondering what I had heard.

stillnounUS /still/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading HOW LOVE FOUGHT DEATH IN THE DARK I woke from a very sound sleep with a start, and lay with a creeping of the back and half asleep still, wondering what I had heard.

straining

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

From this reading But it seemed to me that a sound unusual to the place lingered in my ear, and I lay with straining senses.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading It was not such a sound, it seemed to me, as Carette might have made in her sleep or in wakening, but something altogether foreign and discordant.

suddennounUS /sudden/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Whether, in my sudden wakening, I had made some sound, I do not know, but there had been heavy silence since.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It was dark, with a blackness of darkness to be felt, and all was very still, which meant that the tide was out, so it was probably early morning.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading HOW LOVE FOUGHT DEATH IN THE DARK I woke from a very sound sleep with a start, and lay with a creeping of the back and half asleep still, wondering what I had heard.

there

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

From this reading Whether, in my sudden wakening, I had made some sound, I do not know, but there had been heavy silence since.

tide

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

From this reading It was dark, with a blackness of darkness to be felt, and all was very still, which meant that the tide was out, so it was probably early morning.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It was dark, with a blackness of darkness to be felt, and all was very still, which meant that the tide was out, so it was probably early morning.

unusual

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

From this reading But it seemed to me that a sound unusual to the place lingered in my ear, and I lay with straining senses.

very

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

From this reading HOW LOVE FOUGHT DEATH IN THE DARK I woke from a very sound sleep with a start, and lay with a creeping of the back and half asleep still, wondering what I had heard.

wakening

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

From this reading It was not such a sound, it seemed to me, as Carette might have made in her sleep or in wakening, but something altogether foreign and discordant.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It was dark, with a blackness of darkness to be felt, and all was very still, which meant that the tide was out, so it was probably early morning.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading HOW LOVE FOUGHT DEATH IN THE DARK I woke from a very sound sleep with a start, and lay with a creeping of the back and half asleep still, wondering what I had heard.

WhetherconjunctionUS /ˈweðər/

used to introduce two or more possibilities

From this reading Whether, in my sudden wakening, I had made some sound, I do not know, but there had been heavy silence since.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading It was dark, with a blackness of darkness to be felt, and all was very still, which meant that the tide was out, so it was probably early morning.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading HOW LOVE FOUGHT DEATH IN THE DARK I woke from a very sound sleep with a start, and lay with a creeping of the back and half asleep still, wondering what I had heard.

woke

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

From this reading HOW LOVE FOUGHT DEATH IN THE DARK I woke from a very sound sleep with a start, and lay with a creeping of the back and half asleep still, wondering what I had heard.

wondering

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

From this reading HOW LOVE FOUGHT DEATH IN THE DARK I woke from a very sound sleep with a start, and lay with a creeping of the back and half asleep still, wondering what I had heard.