A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XVI
THE SQUIRE’S STORY. “SO you want to know the story of that summer fifteen years ago, do you? I, I have never spoken of that time to any living creature since, but, as you are to be my little son, perhaps you ought to know the story of those who went before you.” The Squire spoke in slow, measured tones. He looked straight before him into the fire, and his voice had a dreamy, far-away sound, as the voice of one who is lost in the depths of his own thoughts and memories.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading “I, I have never spoken of that time to any living creature since, but, as you are to be my little son, perhaps you ought to know the story of those who went before you.””
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “I, I have never spoken of that time to any living creature since, but, as you are to be my little son, perhaps you ought to know the story of those who went before you.””
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “I, I have never spoken of that time to any living creature since, but, as you are to be my little son, perhaps you ought to know the story of those who went before you.””
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading ““SO you want to know the story of that summer fifteen years ago, do you?”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “I, I have never spoken of that time to any living creature since, but, as you are to be my little son, perhaps you ought to know the story of those who went before you.””
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “He looked straight before him into the fire, and his voice had a dreamy, far-away sound, as the voice of one who is lost in the depths of his own thoughts and memories.”
Recollections of past events.
From this reading “He looked straight before him into the fire, and his voice had a dreamy, far-away sound, as the voice of one who is lost in the depths of his own thoughts and memories.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “I, I have never spoken of that time to any living creature since, but, as you are to be my little son, perhaps you ought to know the story of those who went before you.””
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading “He looked straight before him into the fire, and his voice had a dreamy, far-away sound, as the voice of one who is lost in the depths of his own thoughts and memories.”
used with “to” to say what is right or advisable
From this reading “I, I have never spoken of that time to any living creature since, but, as you are to be my little son, perhaps you ought to know the story of those who went before you.””
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “I, I have never spoken of that time to any living creature since, but, as you are to be my little son, perhaps you ought to know the story of those who went before you.””
from a time in the past until now
From this reading “I, I have never spoken of that time to any living creature since, but, as you are to be my little son, perhaps you ought to know the story of those who went before you.””
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading “I, I have never spoken of that time to any living creature since, but, as you are to be my little son, perhaps you ought to know the story of those who went before you.””
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “I, I have never spoken of that time to any living creature since, but, as you are to be my little son, perhaps you ought to know the story of those who went before you.””
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “I, I have never spoken of that time to any living creature since, but, as you are to be my little son, perhaps you ought to know the story of those who went before you.””
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 He looked straight before him into the fire, and his voice had a dreamy, far-away sound, as the voice of one who is lost in the depths of his own thoughts and memories.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “SO you want to know the story of that summer fifteen years ago, do you?
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He looked straight before him into the fire, and his voice had a dreamy, far-away sound, as the voice of one who is lost in the depths of his own thoughts and memories.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I, I have never spoken of that time to any living creature since, but, as you are to be my little son, perhaps you ought to know the story of those who went before you.”
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading I, I have never spoken of that time to any living creature since, but, as you are to be my little son, perhaps you ought to know the story of those who went before you.”
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading I, I have never spoken of that time to any living creature since, but, as you are to be my little son, perhaps you ought to know the story of those who went before you.”
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading I, I have never spoken of that time to any living creature since, but, as you are to be my little son, perhaps you ought to know the story of those who went before you.”
earlier than; in front of
From this reading I, I have never spoken of that time to any living creature since, but, as you are to be my little son, perhaps you ought to know the story of those who went before you.”
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading I, I have never spoken of that time to any living creature since, but, as you are to be my little son, perhaps you ought to know the story of those who went before you.”
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading I, I have never spoken of that time to any living creature since, but, as you are to be my little son, perhaps you ought to know the story of those who went before you.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He looked straight before him into the fire, and his voice had a dreamy, far-away sound, as the voice of one who is lost in the depths of his own thoughts and memories.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading “SO you want to know the story of that summer fifteen years ago, do you?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He looked straight before him into the fire, and his voice had a dreamy, far-away sound, as the voice of one who is lost in the depths of his own thoughts and memories.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He looked straight before him into the fire, and his voice had a dreamy, far-away sound, as the voice of one who is lost in the depths of his own thoughts and memories.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “SO you want to know the story of that summer fifteen years ago, do you?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He looked straight before him into the fire, and his voice had a dreamy, far-away sound, as the voice of one who is lost in the depths of his own thoughts and memories.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He looked straight before him into the fire, and his voice had a dreamy, far-away sound, as the voice of one who is lost in the depths of his own thoughts and memories.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading I, I have never spoken of that time to any living creature since, but, as you are to be my little son, perhaps you ought to know the story of those who went before you.”
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He looked straight before him into the fire, and his voice had a dreamy, far-away sound, as the voice of one who is lost in the depths of his own thoughts and memories.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He looked straight before him into the fire, and his voice had a dreamy, far-away sound, as the voice of one who is lost in the depths of his own thoughts and memories.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He looked straight before him into the fire, and his voice had a dreamy, far-away sound, as the voice of one who is lost in the depths of his own thoughts and memories.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I, I have never spoken of that time to any living creature since, but, as you are to be my little son, perhaps you ought to know the story of those who went before you.”
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The Squire spoke in slow, measured tones.
moving to the inside of something
From this reading He looked straight before him into the fire, and his voice had a dreamy, far-away sound, as the voice of one who is lost in the depths of his own thoughts and memories.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He looked straight before him into the fire, and his voice had a dreamy, far-away sound, as the voice of one who is lost in the depths of his own thoughts and memories.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “SO you want to know the story of that summer fifteen years ago, do you?
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I, I have never spoken of that time to any living creature since, but, as you are to be my little son, perhaps you ought to know the story of those who went before you.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I, I have never spoken of that time to any living creature since, but, as you are to be my little son, perhaps you ought to know the story of those who went before you.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He looked straight before him into the fire, and his voice had a dreamy, far-away sound, as the voice of one who is lost in the depths of his own thoughts and memories.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He looked straight before him into the fire, and his voice had a dreamy, far-away sound, as the voice of one who is lost in the depths of his own thoughts and memories.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Squire spoke in slow, measured tones.
Recollections of past events.
From this reading He looked straight before him into the fire, and his voice had a dreamy, far-away sound, as the voice of one who is lost in the depths of his own thoughts and memories.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading I, I have never spoken of that time to any living creature since, but, as you are to be my little son, perhaps you ought to know the story of those who went before you.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I, I have never spoken of that time to any living creature since, but, as you are to be my little son, perhaps you ought to know the story of those who went before you.”
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “SO you want to know the story of that summer fifteen years ago, do you?
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading He looked straight before him into the fire, and his voice had a dreamy, far-away sound, as the voice of one who is lost in the depths of his own thoughts and memories.
used with “to” to say what is right or advisable
From this reading I, I have never spoken of that time to any living creature since, but, as you are to be my little son, perhaps you ought to know the story of those who went before you.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He looked straight before him into the fire, and his voice had a dreamy, far-away sound, as the voice of one who is lost in the depths of his own thoughts and memories.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I, I have never spoken of that time to any living creature since, but, as you are to be my little son, perhaps you ought to know the story of those who went before you.”
from a time in the past until now
From this reading I, I have never spoken of that time to any living creature since, but, as you are to be my little son, perhaps you ought to know the story of those who went before you.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Squire spoke in slow, measured tones.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading “SO you want to know the story of that summer fifteen years ago, do you?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I, I have never spoken of that time to any living creature since, but, as you are to be my little son, perhaps you ought to know the story of those who went before you.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He looked straight before him into the fire, and his voice had a dreamy, far-away sound, as the voice of one who is lost in the depths of his own thoughts and memories.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Squire spoke in slow, measured tones.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I, I have never spoken of that time to any living creature since, but, as you are to be my little son, perhaps you ought to know the story of those who went before you.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Squire spoke in slow, measured tones.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE SQUIRE’S STORY.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE SQUIRE’S STORY.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He looked straight before him into the fire, and his voice had a dreamy, far-away sound, as the voice of one who is lost in the depths of his own thoughts and memories.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “SO you want to know the story of that summer fifteen years ago, do you?
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “SO you want to know the story of that summer fifteen years ago, do you?
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE SQUIRE’S STORY.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading I, I have never spoken of that time to any living creature since, but, as you are to be my little son, perhaps you ought to know the story of those who went before you.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He looked straight before him into the fire, and his voice had a dreamy, far-away sound, as the voice of one who is lost in the depths of his own thoughts and memories.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I, I have never spoken of that time to any living creature since, but, as you are to be my little son, perhaps you ought to know the story of those who went before you.”
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “SO you want to know the story of that summer fifteen years ago, do you?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Squire spoke in slow, measured tones.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He looked straight before him into the fire, and his voice had a dreamy, far-away sound, as the voice of one who is lost in the depths of his own thoughts and memories.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “SO you want to know the story of that summer fifteen years ago, do you?
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I, I have never spoken of that time to any living creature since, but, as you are to be my little son, perhaps you ought to know the story of those who went before you.”
which person or people
From this reading I, I have never spoken of that time to any living creature since, but, as you are to be my little son, perhaps you ought to know the story of those who went before you.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “SO you want to know the story of that summer fifteen years ago, do you?
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “SO you want to know the story of that summer fifteen years ago, do you?
