Chapter CCCXXXVII
In the midst of this prostration, a hand was laid on his shoulder, and a low voice said to him: “Half shares.” Some person in that gloom? Nothing so closely resembles a dream as despair. Jean Valjean thought that he was dreaming.
Les Misérables
Chapter CCCXXXVII
English subtitles · tap any word to listen
1 / 5
In
the
midst
of
this
prostration,
a
hand
was
laid
on
his
shoulder,
and
a
low
voice
said
to
him:
“Half
shares.”
Some
person
in
that
gloom?
Nothing
so
closely
resembles
a
dream
as
despair.
Jean
Valjean
thought
that
he
was
dreaming.
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Line 1
In
the
midst
of
this
prostration,
a
hand
was
laid
on
his
shoulder,
and
a
low
voice
said
to
him:
Line 2
“Half
shares.”
Line 3
Some
person
in
that
gloom?
Line 4
Nothing
so
closely
resembles
a
dream
as
despair.
Line 5
Jean
Valjean
thought
that
he
was
dreaming.
Learner Dictionary
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
Dream
noun
US /driːm/
A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.
From this reading “Nothing so closely resembles a dream as despair.”
Half
noun
US /half/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading ““Half shares.””
Hand
noun
US /hand/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “In the midst of this prostration, a hand was laid on his shoulder, and a low voice said to him:”
Nothing
pronoun
US /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading “Nothing so closely resembles a dream as despair.”
Thought
noun
US /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Jean Valjean thought that he was dreaming.”
All words in this reading · 37
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 In the midst of this prostration, a hand was laid on his shoulder, and a low voice said to him:
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading In the midst of this prostration, a hand was laid on his shoulder, and a low voice said to him:
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Nothing so closely resembles a dream as despair.
closely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nothing so closely resembles a dream as despair.
despair
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nothing so closely resembles a dream as despair.
dreamnounUS /driːm/
A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.
From this reading Nothing so closely resembles a dream as despair.
dreaming
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Jean Valjean thought that he was dreaming.
gloom
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Some person in that gloom?
HalfnounUS /half/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Half shares.”
hand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the midst of this prostration, a hand was laid on his shoulder, and a low voice said to him:
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Jean Valjean thought that he was dreaming.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading In the midst of this prostration, a hand was laid on his shoulder, and a low voice said to him:
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading In the midst of this prostration, a hand was laid on his shoulder, and a low voice said to him:
InprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the midst of this prostration, a hand was laid on his shoulder, and a low voice said to him:
Jean
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Jean Valjean thought that he was dreaming.
laid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the midst of this prostration, a hand was laid on his shoulder, and a low voice said to him:
low
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the midst of this prostration, a hand was laid on his shoulder, and a low voice said to him:
midst
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the midst of this prostration, a hand was laid on his shoulder, and a low voice said to him:
NothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading Nothing so closely resembles a dream as despair.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading In the midst of this prostration, a hand was laid on his shoulder, and a low voice said to him:
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading In the midst of this prostration, a hand was laid on his shoulder, and a low voice said to him:
person
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Some person in that gloom?
prostration
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the midst of this prostration, a hand was laid on his shoulder, and a low voice said to him:
resembles
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nothing so closely resembles a dream as despair.
said
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the midst of this prostration, a hand was laid on his shoulder, and a low voice said to him:
shares
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Half shares.”
shoulder
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the midst of this prostration, a hand was laid on his shoulder, and a low voice said to him:
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Nothing so closely resembles a dream as despair.
Some
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Some person in that gloom?
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Some person in that gloom?
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading In the midst of this prostration, a hand was laid on his shoulder, and a low voice said to him:
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading In the midst of this prostration, a hand was laid on his shoulder, and a low voice said to him:
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Jean Valjean thought that he was dreaming.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading In the midst of this prostration, a hand was laid on his shoulder, and a low voice said to him:
Valjean
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Jean Valjean thought that he was dreaming.
voice
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the midst of this prostration, a hand was laid on his shoulder, and a low voice said to him:
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading In the midst of this prostration, a hand was laid on his shoulder, and a low voice said to him: