A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXXI
OPERATION The news came as a distinct shock to him. He had not even entertained the possibility of undergoing an operation. Years ago he had had his adenoids removed, and the memory was by no means pleasant. All along he had told himself he would recover in time--that was all he wanted. To have an operation was, he thought, to run another and unnecessary risk.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading “All along he had told himself he would recover in time--that was all he wanted.”
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “To have an operation was, he thought, to run another and unnecessary risk.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “He had not even entertained the possibility of undergoing an operation.”
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “To have an operation was, he thought, to run another and unnecessary risk.”
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading “All along he had told himself he would recover in time--that was all he wanted.”
The faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information and knowledge.
From this reading “Years ago he had had his adenoids removed, and the memory was by no means pleasant.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Years ago he had had his adenoids removed, and the memory was by no means pleasant.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “To have an operation was, he thought, to run another and unnecessary risk.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “All along he had told himself he would recover in time--that was all he wanted.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “All along he had told himself he would recover in time--that was all he wanted.”
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading “All along he had told himself he would recover in time--that was all he wanted.”
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 OPERATION The news came as a distinct shock to him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Years ago he had had his adenoids removed, and the memory was by no means pleasant.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Years ago he had had his adenoids removed, and the memory was by no means pleasant.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All along he had told himself he would recover in time--that was all he wanted.
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading All along he had told himself he would recover in time--that was all he wanted.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He had not even entertained the possibility of undergoing an operation.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Years ago he had had his adenoids removed, and the memory was by no means pleasant.
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading To have an operation was, he thought, to run another and unnecessary risk.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading OPERATION The news came as a distinct shock to him.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Years ago he had had his adenoids removed, and the memory was by no means pleasant.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading OPERATION The news came as a distinct shock to him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading OPERATION The news came as a distinct shock to him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had not even entertained the possibility of undergoing an operation.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He had not even entertained the possibility of undergoing an operation.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had not even entertained the possibility of undergoing an operation.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading To have an operation was, he thought, to run another and unnecessary risk.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had not even entertained the possibility of undergoing an operation.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading OPERATION The news came as a distinct shock to him.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading All along he had told himself he would recover in time--that was all he wanted.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Years ago he had had his adenoids removed, and the memory was by no means pleasant.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading All along he had told himself he would recover in time--that was all he wanted.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Years ago he had had his adenoids removed, and the memory was by no means pleasant.
The faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information and knowledge.
From this reading Years ago he had had his adenoids removed, and the memory was by no means pleasant.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading OPERATION The news came as a distinct shock to him.
not any; not one
From this reading Years ago he had had his adenoids removed, and the memory was by no means pleasant.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He had not even entertained the possibility of undergoing an operation.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He had not even entertained the possibility of undergoing an operation.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading OPERATION The news came as a distinct shock to him.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Years ago he had had his adenoids removed, and the memory was by no means pleasant.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had not even entertained the possibility of undergoing an operation.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All along he had told himself he would recover in time--that was all he wanted.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Years ago he had had his adenoids removed, and the memory was by no means pleasant.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To have an operation was, he thought, to run another and unnecessary risk.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To have an operation was, he thought, to run another and unnecessary risk.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading OPERATION The news came as a distinct shock to him.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading All along he had told himself he would recover in time--that was all he wanted.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading OPERATION The news came as a distinct shock to him.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading To have an operation was, he thought, to run another and unnecessary risk.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading All along he had told himself he would recover in time--that was all he wanted.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading OPERATION The news came as a distinct shock to him.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading All along he had told himself he would recover in time--that was all he wanted.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had not even entertained the possibility of undergoing an operation.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To have an operation was, he thought, to run another and unnecessary risk.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All along he had told himself he would recover in time--that was all he wanted.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Years ago he had had his adenoids removed, and the memory was by no means pleasant.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading All along he had told himself he would recover in time--that was all he wanted.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Years ago he had had his adenoids removed, and the memory was by no means pleasant.
