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The Ransom of Red Chief
The Ransom of Red Chief

Chapter XII

Chapter 12, section 1: Octavia Beaupree removed her hat and seated herself on a footstool near her aunt’s chair, clasping her hands about her knees. Her slim and flexible figure, clad in a modish mournin
Context Illustration Reading 1/86 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Octavia Beaupree removed her hat and seated herself on a footstool near her aunt’s chair, clasping her hands about her knees.
Her slim and flexible figure, clad in a modish mourning costume, accommodated itself easily and gracefully to the trying position.
Her bright and youthful face, with its pair of sparkling, life-enamoured eyes, tried to compose itself to the seriousness that the occasion seemed to demand.
“You good auntie, it isn’t a case of bonbons; it is abject, staring, unpicturesque poverty, with ready-made clothes, gasolined gloves, and probably one o’clock dinners all waiting with the traditional wolf at the door.
I’ve just come from my lawyer, auntie, and, ‘Please, ma’am, I ain’t got nothink ’t all.
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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.

The Ransom of Red Chief

Chapter XII

Reading 1/86 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Octavia Beaupree removed her hat and seated herself on a footstool near her aunt’s chair, clasping her hands about her knees.
Line 2
Her slim and flexible figure, clad in a modish mourning costume, accommodated itself easily and gracefully to the trying position.
Line 3
Her bright and youthful face, with its pair of sparkling, life-enamoured eyes, tried to compose itself to the seriousness that the occasion seemed to demand.
Line 4
“You good auntie, it isn’t a case of bonbons; it is abject, staring, unpicturesque poverty, with ready-made clothes, gasolined gloves, and probably one o’clock dinners all waiting with the traditional wolf at the door.
Line 5
I’ve just come from my lawyer, auntie, and, ‘Please, ma’am, I ain’t got nothink ’t all.

Learner Dictionary

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

About preposition US /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading “Octavia Beaupree removed her hat and seated herself on a footstool near her aunt’s chair, clasping her hands about her knees.”

Come noun US /come/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “I’ve just come from my lawyer, auntie, and, ‘Please, ma’am, I ain’t got nothink ’t all.”

Good noun US /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading ““You good auntie, it isn’t a case of bonbons; it is abject, staring, unpicturesque poverty, with ready-made clothes, gasolined gloves, and probably one o’clock dinners all waiting with the traditional wolf at the door.”

Hands plural noun US /hændz/

members of a ship’s crew

From this reading “Octavia Beaupree removed her hat and seated herself on a footstool near her aunt’s chair, clasping her hands about her knees.”

Herself pronoun US /hərˈself/

used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object

From this reading “Octavia Beaupree removed her hat and seated herself on a footstool near her aunt’s chair, clasping her hands about her knees.”

Itself pronoun US /ˌɪtˈself/

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading “Her slim and flexible figure, clad in a modish mourning costume, accommodated itself easily and gracefully to the trying position.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading ““You good auntie, it isn’t a case of bonbons; it is abject, staring, unpicturesque poverty, with ready-made clothes, gasolined gloves, and probably one o’clock dinners all waiting with the traditional wolf at the door.”

Seemed noun US /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Her bright and youthful face, with its pair of sparkling, life-enamoured eyes, tried to compose itself to the seriousness that the occasion seemed to demand.”

Waiting noun US /ˈwaiting/

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

From this reading ““You good auntie, it isn’t a case of bonbons; it is abject, staring, unpicturesque poverty, with ready-made clothes, gasolined gloves, and probably one o’clock dinners all waiting with the traditional wolf at the door.”

All words in this reading · 90

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 Octavia Beaupree removed her hat and seated herself on a footstool near her aunt’s chair, clasping her hands about her knees.

abject

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

From this reading “You good auntie, it isn’t a case of bonbons; it is abject, staring, unpicturesque poverty, with ready-made clothes, gasolined gloves, and probably one o’clock dinners all waiting with the traditional wolf at the door.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading Octavia Beaupree removed her hat and seated herself on a footstool near her aunt’s chair, clasping her hands about her knees.

accommodated

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

From this reading Her slim and flexible figure, clad in a modish mourning costume, accommodated itself easily and gracefully to the trying position.

ain't

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

From this reading I’ve just come from my lawyer, auntie, and, ‘Please, ma’am, I ain’t got nothink ’t all.

all

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

From this reading “You good auntie, it isn’t a case of bonbons; it is abject, staring, unpicturesque poverty, with ready-made clothes, gasolined gloves, and probably one o’clock dinners all waiting with the traditional wolf at the door.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Octavia Beaupree removed her hat and seated herself on a footstool near her aunt’s chair, clasping her hands about her knees.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading “You good auntie, it isn’t a case of bonbons; it is abject, staring, unpicturesque poverty, with ready-made clothes, gasolined gloves, and probably one o’clock dinners all waiting with the traditional wolf at the door.

aunt's

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

From this reading Octavia Beaupree removed her hat and seated herself on a footstool near her aunt’s chair, clasping her hands about her knees.

auntie

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

From this reading “You good auntie, it isn’t a case of bonbons; it is abject, staring, unpicturesque poverty, with ready-made clothes, gasolined gloves, and probably one o’clock dinners all waiting with the traditional wolf at the door.

Beaupree

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

From this reading Octavia Beaupree removed her hat and seated herself on a footstool near her aunt’s chair, clasping her hands about her knees.

bonbons

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

From this reading “You good auntie, it isn’t a case of bonbons; it is abject, staring, unpicturesque poverty, with ready-made clothes, gasolined gloves, and probably one o’clock dinners all waiting with the traditional wolf at the door.

bright

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

From this reading Her bright and youthful face, with its pair of sparkling, life-enamoured eyes, tried to compose itself to the seriousness that the occasion seemed to demand.

case

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

From this reading “You good auntie, it isn’t a case of bonbons; it is abject, staring, unpicturesque poverty, with ready-made clothes, gasolined gloves, and probably one o’clock dinners all waiting with the traditional wolf at the door.

chair

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

From this reading Octavia Beaupree removed her hat and seated herself on a footstool near her aunt’s chair, clasping her hands about her knees.

clad

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

From this reading Her slim and flexible figure, clad in a modish mourning costume, accommodated itself easily and gracefully to the trying position.

clasping

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

From this reading Octavia Beaupree removed her hat and seated herself on a footstool near her aunt’s chair, clasping her hands about her knees.

clothes

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

From this reading “You good auntie, it isn’t a case of bonbons; it is abject, staring, unpicturesque poverty, with ready-made clothes, gasolined gloves, and probably one o’clock dinners all waiting with the traditional wolf at the door.

comenounUS /come/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading I’ve just come from my lawyer, auntie, and, ‘Please, ma’am, I ain’t got nothink ’t all.

compose

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

From this reading Her bright and youthful face, with its pair of sparkling, life-enamoured eyes, tried to compose itself to the seriousness that the occasion seemed to demand.

costume

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

From this reading Her slim and flexible figure, clad in a modish mourning costume, accommodated itself easily and gracefully to the trying position.

demand

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

From this reading Her bright and youthful face, with its pair of sparkling, life-enamoured eyes, tried to compose itself to the seriousness that the occasion seemed to demand.

dinners

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

From this reading “You good auntie, it isn’t a case of bonbons; it is abject, staring, unpicturesque poverty, with ready-made clothes, gasolined gloves, and probably one o’clock dinners all waiting with the traditional wolf at the door.

door

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

From this reading “You good auntie, it isn’t a case of bonbons; it is abject, staring, unpicturesque poverty, with ready-made clothes, gasolined gloves, and probably one o’clock dinners all waiting with the traditional wolf at the door.

easily

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

From this reading Her slim and flexible figure, clad in a modish mourning costume, accommodated itself easily and gracefully to the trying position.

eyes

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

From this reading Her bright and youthful face, with its pair of sparkling, life-enamoured eyes, tried to compose itself to the seriousness that the occasion seemed to demand.

face

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

From this reading Her bright and youthful face, with its pair of sparkling, life-enamoured eyes, tried to compose itself to the seriousness that the occasion seemed to demand.

figure

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

From this reading Her slim and flexible figure, clad in a modish mourning costume, accommodated itself easily and gracefully to the trying position.

flexible

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

From this reading Her slim and flexible figure, clad in a modish mourning costume, accommodated itself easily and gracefully to the trying position.

footstool

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

From this reading Octavia Beaupree removed her hat and seated herself on a footstool near her aunt’s chair, clasping her hands about her knees.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading I’ve just come from my lawyer, auntie, and, ‘Please, ma’am, I ain’t got nothink ’t all.

gasolined

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

From this reading “You good auntie, it isn’t a case of bonbons; it is abject, staring, unpicturesque poverty, with ready-made clothes, gasolined gloves, and probably one o’clock dinners all waiting with the traditional wolf at the door.

gloves

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

From this reading “You good auntie, it isn’t a case of bonbons; it is abject, staring, unpicturesque poverty, with ready-made clothes, gasolined gloves, and probably one o’clock dinners all waiting with the traditional wolf at the door.

goodnounUS /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “You good auntie, it isn’t a case of bonbons; it is abject, staring, unpicturesque poverty, with ready-made clothes, gasolined gloves, and probably one o’clock dinners all waiting with the traditional wolf at the door.

got

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

From this reading I’ve just come from my lawyer, auntie, and, ‘Please, ma’am, I ain’t got nothink ’t all.

gracefully

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

From this reading Her slim and flexible figure, clad in a modish mourning costume, accommodated itself easily and gracefully to the trying position.

handsplural nounUS /hændz/

members of a ship’s crew

From this reading Octavia Beaupree removed her hat and seated herself on a footstool near her aunt’s chair, clasping her hands about her knees.

hat

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

From this reading Octavia Beaupree removed her hat and seated herself on a footstool near her aunt’s chair, clasping her hands about her knees.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading Octavia Beaupree removed her hat and seated herself on a footstool near her aunt’s chair, clasping her hands about her knees.

herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/

used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object

From this reading Octavia Beaupree removed her hat and seated herself on a footstool near her aunt’s chair, clasping her hands about her knees.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I’ve just come from my lawyer, auntie, and, ‘Please, ma’am, I ain’t got nothink ’t all.

I've

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

From this reading I’ve just come from my lawyer, auntie, and, ‘Please, ma’am, I ain’t got nothink ’t all.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Her slim and flexible figure, clad in a modish mourning costume, accommodated itself easily and gracefully to the trying position.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading “You good auntie, it isn’t a case of bonbons; it is abject, staring, unpicturesque poverty, with ready-made clothes, gasolined gloves, and probably one o’clock dinners all waiting with the traditional wolf at the door.

isn't

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

From this reading “You good auntie, it isn’t a case of bonbons; it is abject, staring, unpicturesque poverty, with ready-made clothes, gasolined gloves, and probably one o’clock dinners all waiting with the traditional wolf at the door.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading “You good auntie, it isn’t a case of bonbons; it is abject, staring, unpicturesque poverty, with ready-made clothes, gasolined gloves, and probably one o’clock dinners all waiting with the traditional wolf at the door.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Her bright and youthful face, with its pair of sparkling, life-enamoured eyes, tried to compose itself to the seriousness that the occasion seemed to demand.

itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading Her slim and flexible figure, clad in a modish mourning costume, accommodated itself easily and gracefully to the trying position.

just

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

From this reading I’ve just come from my lawyer, auntie, and, ‘Please, ma’am, I ain’t got nothink ’t all.

knees

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

From this reading Octavia Beaupree removed her hat and seated herself on a footstool near her aunt’s chair, clasping her hands about her knees.

lawyer

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

From this reading I’ve just come from my lawyer, auntie, and, ‘Please, ma’am, I ain’t got nothink ’t all.

life-enamoured

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

From this reading Her bright and youthful face, with its pair of sparkling, life-enamoured eyes, tried to compose itself to the seriousness that the occasion seemed to demand.

ma'am

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

From this reading I’ve just come from my lawyer, auntie, and, ‘Please, ma’am, I ain’t got nothink ’t all.

modish

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

From this reading Her slim and flexible figure, clad in a modish mourning costume, accommodated itself easily and gracefully to the trying position.

mourning

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

From this reading Her slim and flexible figure, clad in a modish mourning costume, accommodated itself easily and gracefully to the trying position.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading I’ve just come from my lawyer, auntie, and, ‘Please, ma’am, I ain’t got nothink ’t all.

near

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

From this reading Octavia Beaupree removed her hat and seated herself on a footstool near her aunt’s chair, clasping her hands about her knees.

nothink

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

From this reading I’ve just come from my lawyer, auntie, and, ‘Please, ma’am, I ain’t got nothink ’t all.

o'clock

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

From this reading “You good auntie, it isn’t a case of bonbons; it is abject, staring, unpicturesque poverty, with ready-made clothes, gasolined gloves, and probably one o’clock dinners all waiting with the traditional wolf at the door.

occasion

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

From this reading Her bright and youthful face, with its pair of sparkling, life-enamoured eyes, tried to compose itself to the seriousness that the occasion seemed to demand.

Octavia

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

From this reading Octavia Beaupree removed her hat and seated herself on a footstool near her aunt’s chair, clasping her hands about her knees.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Her bright and youthful face, with its pair of sparkling, life-enamoured eyes, tried to compose itself to the seriousness that the occasion seemed to demand.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Octavia Beaupree removed her hat and seated herself on a footstool near her aunt’s chair, clasping her hands about her knees.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “You good auntie, it isn’t a case of bonbons; it is abject, staring, unpicturesque poverty, with ready-made clothes, gasolined gloves, and probably one o’clock dinners all waiting with the traditional wolf at the door.

pair

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

From this reading Her bright and youthful face, with its pair of sparkling, life-enamoured eyes, tried to compose itself to the seriousness that the occasion seemed to demand.

Please

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

From this reading I’ve just come from my lawyer, auntie, and, ‘Please, ma’am, I ain’t got nothink ’t all.

position

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

From this reading Her slim and flexible figure, clad in a modish mourning costume, accommodated itself easily and gracefully to the trying position.

poverty

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

From this reading “You good auntie, it isn’t a case of bonbons; it is abject, staring, unpicturesque poverty, with ready-made clothes, gasolined gloves, and probably one o’clock dinners all waiting with the traditional wolf at the door.

probably

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

From this reading “You good auntie, it isn’t a case of bonbons; it is abject, staring, unpicturesque poverty, with ready-made clothes, gasolined gloves, and probably one o’clock dinners all waiting with the traditional wolf at the door.

ready-made

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

From this reading “You good auntie, it isn’t a case of bonbons; it is abject, staring, unpicturesque poverty, with ready-made clothes, gasolined gloves, and probably one o’clock dinners all waiting with the traditional wolf at the door.

removed

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

From this reading Octavia Beaupree removed her hat and seated herself on a footstool near her aunt’s chair, clasping her hands about her knees.

seated

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

From this reading Octavia Beaupree removed her hat and seated herself on a footstool near her aunt’s chair, clasping her hands about her knees.

seemednounUS /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Her bright and youthful face, with its pair of sparkling, life-enamoured eyes, tried to compose itself to the seriousness that the occasion seemed to demand.

seriousness

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

From this reading Her bright and youthful face, with its pair of sparkling, life-enamoured eyes, tried to compose itself to the seriousness that the occasion seemed to demand.

slim

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

From this reading Her slim and flexible figure, clad in a modish mourning costume, accommodated itself easily and gracefully to the trying position.

sparkling

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

From this reading Her bright and youthful face, with its pair of sparkling, life-enamoured eyes, tried to compose itself to the seriousness that the occasion seemed to demand.

staring

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

From this reading “You good auntie, it isn’t a case of bonbons; it is abject, staring, unpicturesque poverty, with ready-made clothes, gasolined gloves, and probably one o’clock dinners all waiting with the traditional wolf at the door.

t

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

From this reading I’ve just come from my lawyer, auntie, and, ‘Please, ma’am, I ain’t got nothink ’t all.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Her bright and youthful face, with its pair of sparkling, life-enamoured eyes, tried to compose itself to the seriousness that the occasion seemed to demand.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Her slim and flexible figure, clad in a modish mourning costume, accommodated itself easily and gracefully to the trying position.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Her slim and flexible figure, clad in a modish mourning costume, accommodated itself easily and gracefully to the trying position.

traditional

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

From this reading “You good auntie, it isn’t a case of bonbons; it is abject, staring, unpicturesque poverty, with ready-made clothes, gasolined gloves, and probably one o’clock dinners all waiting with the traditional wolf at the door.

tried

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

From this reading Her bright and youthful face, with its pair of sparkling, life-enamoured eyes, tried to compose itself to the seriousness that the occasion seemed to demand.

trying

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

From this reading Her slim and flexible figure, clad in a modish mourning costume, accommodated itself easily and gracefully to the trying position.

unpicturesque

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

From this reading “You good auntie, it isn’t a case of bonbons; it is abject, staring, unpicturesque poverty, with ready-made clothes, gasolined gloves, and probably one o’clock dinners all waiting with the traditional wolf at the door.

waiting

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

From this reading “You good auntie, it isn’t a case of bonbons; it is abject, staring, unpicturesque poverty, with ready-made clothes, gasolined gloves, and probably one o’clock dinners all waiting with the traditional wolf at the door.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Her bright and youthful face, with its pair of sparkling, life-enamoured eyes, tried to compose itself to the seriousness that the occasion seemed to demand.

wolf

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

From this reading “You good auntie, it isn’t a case of bonbons; it is abject, staring, unpicturesque poverty, with ready-made clothes, gasolined gloves, and probably one o’clock dinners all waiting with the traditional wolf at the door.

YoupronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “You good auntie, it isn’t a case of bonbons; it is abject, staring, unpicturesque poverty, with ready-made clothes, gasolined gloves, and probably one o’clock dinners all waiting with the traditional wolf at the door.

youthful

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

From this reading Her bright and youthful face, with its pair of sparkling, life-enamoured eyes, tried to compose itself to the seriousness that the occasion seemed to demand.