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Charles Dickens: A critical study
Charles Dickens: A critical study

Chapter VI

Cover illustration for Charles Dickens: A critical study
Context Illustration Reading 1/57 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
DICKENS AND AMERICA The essential of Dickens’s character was the conjunction of common sense with uncommon sensibility.
The two things are not, indeed, in such an antithesis as is commonly imagined.
Great English literary authorities, such as Jane Austen and Mr. Chamberlain, have put the word “sense” and the word “sensibility” in a kind of opposition to each other.
But not only are they not opposite words: they are actually the same word.
They both mean receptiveness or approachability by the facts outside us.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Charles Dickens: A critical study

Chapter VI

Reading 1/57 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
DICKENS AND AMERICA The essential of Dickens’s character was the conjunction of common sense with uncommon sensibility.
Line 2
The two things are not, indeed, in such an antithesis as is commonly imagined.
Line 3
Great English literary authorities, such as Jane Austen and Mr. Chamberlain, have put the word “sense” and the word “sensibility” in a kind of opposition to each other.
Line 4
But not only are they not opposite words: they are actually the same word.
Line 5
They both mean receptiveness or approachability by the facts outside us.

Learner Dictionary

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

Great noun US /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Great English literary authorities, such as Jane Austen and Mr. Chamberlain, have put the word “sense” and the word “sensibility” in a kind of opposition to each other.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “Great English literary authorities, such as Jane Austen and Mr. Chamberlain, have put the word “sense” and the word “sensibility” in a kind of opposition to each other.”

Outside noun US /ˈoutside/

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

From this reading “They both mean receptiveness or approachability by the facts outside us.”

Same noun US /same/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “But not only are they not opposite words: they are actually the same word.”

All words in this reading · 61

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 Great English literary authorities, such as Jane Austen and Mr. Chamberlain, have put the word “sense” and the word “sensibility” in a kind of opposition to each other.

actually

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

From this reading But not only are they not opposite words: they are actually the same word.

AMERICA

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

From this reading DICKENS AND AMERICA The essential of Dickens’s character was the conjunction of common sense with uncommon sensibility.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading The two things are not, indeed, in such an antithesis as is commonly imagined.

ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading DICKENS AND AMERICA The essential of Dickens’s character was the conjunction of common sense with uncommon sensibility.

antithesis

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

From this reading The two things are not, indeed, in such an antithesis as is commonly imagined.

approachability

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

From this reading They both mean receptiveness or approachability by the facts outside us.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading The two things are not, indeed, in such an antithesis as is commonly imagined.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading The two things are not, indeed, in such an antithesis as is commonly imagined.

Austen

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

From this reading Great English literary authorities, such as Jane Austen and Mr. Chamberlain, have put the word “sense” and the word “sensibility” in a kind of opposition to each other.

authorities

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

From this reading Great English literary authorities, such as Jane Austen and Mr. Chamberlain, have put the word “sense” and the word “sensibility” in a kind of opposition to each other.

bothdeterminerUS /boʊθ/

the two together, not just one

From this reading They both mean receptiveness or approachability by the facts outside us.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But not only are they not opposite words: they are actually the same word.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading They both mean receptiveness or approachability by the facts outside us.

Chamberlain

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

From this reading Great English literary authorities, such as Jane Austen and Mr. Chamberlain, have put the word “sense” and the word “sensibility” in a kind of opposition to each other.

character

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

From this reading DICKENS AND AMERICA The essential of Dickens’s character was the conjunction of common sense with uncommon sensibility.

common

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

From this reading DICKENS AND AMERICA The essential of Dickens’s character was the conjunction of common sense with uncommon sensibility.

commonly

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

From this reading The two things are not, indeed, in such an antithesis as is commonly imagined.

conjunction

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

From this reading DICKENS AND AMERICA The essential of Dickens’s character was the conjunction of common sense with uncommon sensibility.

DICKENS

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

From this reading DICKENS AND AMERICA The essential of Dickens’s character was the conjunction of common sense with uncommon sensibility.

Dickens's

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

From this reading DICKENS AND AMERICA The essential of Dickens’s character was the conjunction of common sense with uncommon sensibility.

eachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/

every one of two or more people or things, taken separately

From this reading Great English literary authorities, such as Jane Austen and Mr. Chamberlain, have put the word “sense” and the word “sensibility” in a kind of opposition to each other.

English

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

From this reading Great English literary authorities, such as Jane Austen and Mr. Chamberlain, have put the word “sense” and the word “sensibility” in a kind of opposition to each other.

essential

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

From this reading DICKENS AND AMERICA The essential of Dickens’s character was the conjunction of common sense with uncommon sensibility.

facts

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

From this reading They both mean receptiveness or approachability by the facts outside us.

GreatnounUS /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Great English literary authorities, such as Jane Austen and Mr. Chamberlain, have put the word “sense” and the word “sensibility” in a kind of opposition to each other.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Great English literary authorities, such as Jane Austen and Mr. Chamberlain, have put the word “sense” and the word “sensibility” in a kind of opposition to each other.

imagined

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

From this reading The two things are not, indeed, in such an antithesis as is commonly imagined.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The two things are not, indeed, in such an antithesis as is commonly imagined.

indeed

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

From this reading The two things are not, indeed, in such an antithesis as is commonly imagined.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading The two things are not, indeed, in such an antithesis as is commonly imagined.

Jane

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

From this reading Great English literary authorities, such as Jane Austen and Mr. Chamberlain, have put the word “sense” and the word “sensibility” in a kind of opposition to each other.

kind

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

From this reading Great English literary authorities, such as Jane Austen and Mr. Chamberlain, have put the word “sense” and the word “sensibility” in a kind of opposition to each other.

literary

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

From this reading Great English literary authorities, such as Jane Austen and Mr. Chamberlain, have put the word “sense” and the word “sensibility” in a kind of opposition to each other.

mean

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

From this reading They both mean receptiveness or approachability by the facts outside us.

Mr

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

From this reading Great English literary authorities, such as Jane Austen and Mr. Chamberlain, have put the word “sense” and the word “sensibility” in a kind of opposition to each other.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading The two things are not, indeed, in such an antithesis as is commonly imagined.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading DICKENS AND AMERICA The essential of Dickens’s character was the conjunction of common sense with uncommon sensibility.

only

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

From this reading But not only are they not opposite words: they are actually the same word.

opposite

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

From this reading But not only are they not opposite words: they are actually the same word.

opposition

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

From this reading Great English literary authorities, such as Jane Austen and Mr. Chamberlain, have put the word “sense” and the word “sensibility” in a kind of opposition to each other.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading They both mean receptiveness or approachability by the facts outside us.

other

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

From this reading Great English literary authorities, such as Jane Austen and Mr. Chamberlain, have put the word “sense” and the word “sensibility” in a kind of opposition to each other.

outsidenounUS /ˈoutside/

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

From this reading They both mean receptiveness or approachability by the facts outside us.

put

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

From this reading Great English literary authorities, such as Jane Austen and Mr. Chamberlain, have put the word “sense” and the word “sensibility” in a kind of opposition to each other.

receptiveness

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

From this reading They both mean receptiveness or approachability by the facts outside us.

samenounUS /same/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading But not only are they not opposite words: they are actually the same word.

sense

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

From this reading DICKENS AND AMERICA The essential of Dickens’s character was the conjunction of common sense with uncommon sensibility.

sensibility

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

From this reading DICKENS AND AMERICA The essential of Dickens’s character was the conjunction of common sense with uncommon sensibility.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading The two things are not, indeed, in such an antithesis as is commonly imagined.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading DICKENS AND AMERICA The essential of Dickens’s character was the conjunction of common sense with uncommon sensibility.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading But not only are they not opposite words: they are actually the same word.

things

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

From this reading The two things are not, indeed, in such an antithesis as is commonly imagined.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Great English literary authorities, such as Jane Austen and Mr. Chamberlain, have put the word “sense” and the word “sensibility” in a kind of opposition to each other.

two

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

From this reading The two things are not, indeed, in such an antithesis as is commonly imagined.

uncommon

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

From this reading DICKENS AND AMERICA The essential of Dickens’s character was the conjunction of common sense with uncommon sensibility.

uspronounUS /ʌs/

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading They both mean receptiveness or approachability by the facts outside us.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading DICKENS AND AMERICA The essential of Dickens’s character was the conjunction of common sense with uncommon sensibility.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading DICKENS AND AMERICA The essential of Dickens’s character was the conjunction of common sense with uncommon sensibility.

word

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

From this reading Great English literary authorities, such as Jane Austen and Mr. Chamberlain, have put the word “sense” and the word “sensibility” in a kind of opposition to each other.

words

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

From this reading But not only are they not opposite words: they are actually the same word.