Old Behrman was a painter who lived on the ground floor beneath them.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter II
Old Behrman was a painter who lived on the ground floor beneath them. He was past sixty and had a Michael Angelo’s Moses beard curling down from the head of a satyr along the body of an imp. Behrman was a failure in art. Forty years he had wielded the brush without getting near enough to touch the hem of his Mistress’s robe. He had been always about to paint a masterpiece, but had never yet begun it.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
an artist's greatest or most accomplished work
From this reading “He had been always about to paint a masterpiece, but had never yet begun it.”
a woodland creature from Greek mythology
From this reading “He was past sixty and had a Michael Angelo’s Moses beard curling down from the head of a satyr along the body of an imp.”
held and used a tool with skill
From this reading “Forty years he had wielded the brush without getting near enough to touch the hem of his Mistress’s robe.”
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 Old Behrman was a painter who lived on the ground floor beneath them.
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading He had been always about to paint a masterpiece, but had never yet begun it.
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading He was past sixty and had a Michael Angelo’s Moses beard curling down from the head of a satyr along the body of an imp.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had been always about to paint a masterpiece, but had never yet begun it.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He was past sixty and had a Michael Angelo’s Moses beard curling down from the head of a satyr along the body of an imp.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He was past sixty and had a Michael Angelo’s Moses beard curling down from the head of a satyr along the body of an imp.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was past sixty and had a Michael Angelo’s Moses beard curling down from the head of a satyr along the body of an imp.
an old form of “are”, used with “thou”
From this reading Behrman was a failure in art.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was past sixty and had a Michael Angelo’s Moses beard curling down from the head of a satyr along the body of an imp.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He had been always about to paint a masterpiece, but had never yet begun it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had been always about to paint a masterpiece, but had never yet begun it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Old Behrman was a painter who lived on the ground floor beneath them.
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading Old Behrman was a painter who lived on the ground floor beneath them.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He was past sixty and had a Michael Angelo’s Moses beard curling down from the head of a satyr along the body of an imp.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Forty years he had wielded the brush without getting near enough to touch the hem of his Mistress’s robe.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He had been always about to paint a masterpiece, but had never yet begun it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was past sixty and had a Michael Angelo’s Moses beard curling down from the head of a satyr along the body of an imp.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was past sixty and had a Michael Angelo’s Moses beard curling down from the head of a satyr along the body of an imp.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Forty years he had wielded the brush without getting near enough to touch the hem of his Mistress’s robe.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behrman was a failure in art.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Old Behrman was a painter who lived on the ground floor beneath them.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Forty years he had wielded the brush without getting near enough to touch the hem of his Mistress’s robe.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He was past sixty and had a Michael Angelo’s Moses beard curling down from the head of a satyr along the body of an imp.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Forty years he had wielded the brush without getting near enough to touch the hem of his Mistress’s robe.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Old Behrman was a painter who lived on the ground floor beneath them.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He was past sixty and had a Michael Angelo’s Moses beard curling down from the head of a satyr along the body of an imp.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was past sixty and had a Michael Angelo’s Moses beard curling down from the head of a satyr along the body of an imp.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was past sixty and had a Michael Angelo’s Moses beard curling down from the head of a satyr along the body of an imp.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Forty years he had wielded the brush without getting near enough to touch the hem of his Mistress’s robe.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Forty years he had wielded the brush without getting near enough to touch the hem of his Mistress’s robe.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was past sixty and had a Michael Angelo’s Moses beard curling down from the head of a satyr along the body of an imp.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Behrman was a failure in art.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He had been always about to paint a masterpiece, but had never yet begun it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Old Behrman was a painter who lived on the ground floor beneath them.
an artist's greatest or most accomplished work
From this reading He had been always about to paint a masterpiece, but had never yet begun it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was past sixty and had a Michael Angelo’s Moses beard curling down from the head of a satyr along the body of an imp.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Forty years he had wielded the brush without getting near enough to touch the hem of his Mistress’s robe.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was past sixty and had a Michael Angelo’s Moses beard curling down from the head of a satyr along the body of an imp.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Forty years he had wielded the brush without getting near enough to touch the hem of his Mistress’s robe.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He had been always about to paint a masterpiece, but had never yet begun it.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He was past sixty and had a Michael Angelo’s Moses beard curling down from the head of a satyr along the body of an imp.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Old Behrman was a painter who lived on the ground floor beneath them.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Old Behrman was a painter who lived on the ground floor beneath them.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had been always about to paint a masterpiece, but had never yet begun it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Old Behrman was a painter who lived on the ground floor beneath them.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was past sixty and had a Michael Angelo’s Moses beard curling down from the head of a satyr along the body of an imp.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Forty years he had wielded the brush without getting near enough to touch the hem of his Mistress’s robe.
a woodland creature from Greek mythology
From this reading He was past sixty and had a Michael Angelo’s Moses beard curling down from the head of a satyr along the body of an imp.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was past sixty and had a Michael Angelo’s Moses beard curling down from the head of a satyr along the body of an imp.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Old Behrman was a painter who lived on the ground floor beneath them.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Old Behrman was a painter who lived on the ground floor beneath them.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Forty years he had wielded the brush without getting near enough to touch the hem of his Mistress’s robe.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Forty years he had wielded the brush without getting near enough to touch the hem of his Mistress’s robe.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Old Behrman was a painter who lived on the ground floor beneath them.
which person or people
From this reading Old Behrman was a painter who lived on the ground floor beneath them.
held and used a tool with skill
From this reading Forty years he had wielded the brush without getting near enough to touch the hem of his Mistress’s robe.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading Forty years he had wielded the brush without getting near enough to touch the hem of his Mistress’s robe.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Forty years he had wielded the brush without getting near enough to touch the hem of his Mistress’s robe.
but in spite of that
From this reading He had been always about to paint a masterpiece, but had never yet begun it.
What is the central focus and narrative progression in 'Act 02: Old Behrman's Masterpiece in the Cold Rain'?
How does the narrator establish the atmosphere and intellectual tone in this section?
What pedagogical insight can an advanced English scholar derive from this passage?
