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Effie Ogilvie
Effie Ogilvie

Chapter XX

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Context Illustration Reading 1/37 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Mr. Moubray was in his study, in the gray of the winter’s afternoon.
It is never a very cheerful moment.
The fire was burning brightly, the room was warm and pleasant, with plenty of books, and many associations; but it was a pensive moment, too dark for reading, when there is nothing to do but to think.
And though a man who has begun to grow old, and who is solitary, may be very happy thinking, yet it is a pensive pleasure.
He was sitting very quietly, looking out at the shaft of red gold in the west where the sun had disappeared, and watching the light as it stole away, each moment a little less, a little less brilliant, till it sank altogether in the gray.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Effie Ogilvie

Chapter XX

Reading 1/37 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Mr. Moubray was in his study, in the gray of the winter’s afternoon.
Line 2
It is never a very cheerful moment.
Line 3
The fire was burning brightly, the room was warm and pleasant, with plenty of books, and many associations; but it was a pensive moment, too dark for reading, when there is nothing to do but to think.
Line 4
And though a man who has begun to grow old, and who is solitary, may be very happy thinking, yet it is a pensive pleasure.
Line 5
He was sitting very quietly, looking out at the shaft of red gold in the west where the sun had disappeared, and watching the light as it stole away, each moment a little less, a little less brilliant, till it sank altogether in the gray.

Learner Dictionary

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

Afternoon noun US /ˈafternoon/

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

From this reading “Mr. Moubray was in his study, in the gray of the winter’s afternoon.”

Books noun US /bʊks/

Bound written or printed works.

From this reading “The fire was burning brightly, the room was warm and pleasant, with plenty of books, and many associations; but it was a pensive moment, too dark for reading, when there is nothing to do but to think.”

Disappeared noun US /ˈdisappeared/

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

From this reading “He was sitting very quietly, looking out at the shaft of red gold in the west where the sun had disappeared, and watching the light as it stole away, each moment a little less, a little less brilliant, till it sank altogether in the gray.”

Has auxiliary verb US /hæz/

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

From this reading “And though a man who has begun to grow old, and who is solitary, may be very happy thinking, yet it is a pensive pleasure.”

Little noun US /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He was sitting very quietly, looking out at the shaft of red gold in the west where the sun had disappeared, and watching the light as it stole away, each moment a little less, a little less brilliant, till it sank altogether in the gray.”

May modal verb US /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading “And though a man who has begun to grow old, and who is solitary, may be very happy thinking, yet it is a pensive pleasure.”

Never noun US /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It is never a very cheerful moment.”

Nothing pronoun US /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading “The fire was burning brightly, the room was warm and pleasant, with plenty of books, and many associations; but it was a pensive moment, too dark for reading, when there is nothing to do but to think.”

Pleasant noun US /pleasant/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The fire was burning brightly, the room was warm and pleasant, with plenty of books, and many associations; but it was a pensive moment, too dark for reading, when there is nothing to do but to think.”

Think noun US /think/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The fire was burning brightly, the room was warm and pleasant, with plenty of books, and many associations; but it was a pensive moment, too dark for reading, when there is nothing to do but to think.”

Thinking noun US /thinking/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “And though a man who has begun to grow old, and who is solitary, may be very happy thinking, yet it is a pensive pleasure.”

Though conjunction US /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading “And though a man who has begun to grow old, and who is solitary, may be very happy thinking, yet it is a pensive pleasure.”

Till preposition US /tɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading “He was sitting very quietly, looking out at the shaft of red gold in the west where the sun had disappeared, and watching the light as it stole away, each moment a little less, a little less brilliant, till it sank altogether in the gray.”

Yet conjunction US /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading “And though a man who has begun to grow old, and who is solitary, may be very happy thinking, yet it is a pensive pleasure.”

All words in this reading · 82

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 It is never a very cheerful moment.

afternoonnounUS /ˈafternoon/

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

From this reading Mr. Moubray was in his study, in the gray of the winter’s afternoon.

altogether

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

From this reading He was sitting very quietly, looking out at the shaft of red gold in the west where the sun had disappeared, and watching the light as it stole away, each moment a little less, a little less brilliant, till it sank altogether in the gray.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The fire was burning brightly, the room was warm and pleasant, with plenty of books, and many associations; but it was a pensive moment, too dark for reading, when there is nothing to do but to think.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading He was sitting very quietly, looking out at the shaft of red gold in the west where the sun had disappeared, and watching the light as it stole away, each moment a little less, a little less brilliant, till it sank altogether in the gray.

associations

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

From this reading The fire was burning brightly, the room was warm and pleasant, with plenty of books, and many associations; but it was a pensive moment, too dark for reading, when there is nothing to do but to think.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading He was sitting very quietly, looking out at the shaft of red gold in the west where the sun had disappeared, and watching the light as it stole away, each moment a little less, a little less brilliant, till it sank altogether in the gray.

away

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

From this reading He was sitting very quietly, looking out at the shaft of red gold in the west where the sun had disappeared, and watching the light as it stole away, each moment a little less, a little less brilliant, till it sank altogether in the gray.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading And though a man who has begun to grow old, and who is solitary, may be very happy thinking, yet it is a pensive pleasure.

begun

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

From this reading And though a man who has begun to grow old, and who is solitary, may be very happy thinking, yet it is a pensive pleasure.

booksnounUS /bʊks/

Bound written or printed works.

From this reading The fire was burning brightly, the room was warm and pleasant, with plenty of books, and many associations; but it was a pensive moment, too dark for reading, when there is nothing to do but to think.

brightly

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

From this reading The fire was burning brightly, the room was warm and pleasant, with plenty of books, and many associations; but it was a pensive moment, too dark for reading, when there is nothing to do but to think.

brilliant

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

From this reading He was sitting very quietly, looking out at the shaft of red gold in the west where the sun had disappeared, and watching the light as it stole away, each moment a little less, a little less brilliant, till it sank altogether in the gray.

burning

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

From this reading The fire was burning brightly, the room was warm and pleasant, with plenty of books, and many associations; but it was a pensive moment, too dark for reading, when there is nothing to do but to think.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading The fire was burning brightly, the room was warm and pleasant, with plenty of books, and many associations; but it was a pensive moment, too dark for reading, when there is nothing to do but to think.

cheerful

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

From this reading It is never a very cheerful moment.

dark

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

From this reading The fire was burning brightly, the room was warm and pleasant, with plenty of books, and many associations; but it was a pensive moment, too dark for reading, when there is nothing to do but to think.

disappearednounUS /ˈdisappeared/

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

From this reading He was sitting very quietly, looking out at the shaft of red gold in the west where the sun had disappeared, and watching the light as it stole away, each moment a little less, a little less brilliant, till it sank altogether in the gray.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading The fire was burning brightly, the room was warm and pleasant, with plenty of books, and many associations; but it was a pensive moment, too dark for reading, when there is nothing to do but to think.

eachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/

every one of two or more people or things, taken separately

From this reading He was sitting very quietly, looking out at the shaft of red gold in the west where the sun had disappeared, and watching the light as it stole away, each moment a little less, a little less brilliant, till it sank altogether in the gray.

fire

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

From this reading The fire was burning brightly, the room was warm and pleasant, with plenty of books, and many associations; but it was a pensive moment, too dark for reading, when there is nothing to do but to think.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading The fire was burning brightly, the room was warm and pleasant, with plenty of books, and many associations; but it was a pensive moment, too dark for reading, when there is nothing to do but to think.

gold

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

From this reading He was sitting very quietly, looking out at the shaft of red gold in the west where the sun had disappeared, and watching the light as it stole away, each moment a little less, a little less brilliant, till it sank altogether in the gray.

gray

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

From this reading Mr. Moubray was in his study, in the gray of the winter’s afternoon.

grow

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

From this reading And though a man who has begun to grow old, and who is solitary, may be very happy thinking, yet it is a pensive pleasure.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading He was sitting very quietly, looking out at the shaft of red gold in the west where the sun had disappeared, and watching the light as it stole away, each moment a little less, a little less brilliant, till it sank altogether in the gray.

happy

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

From this reading And though a man who has begun to grow old, and who is solitary, may be very happy thinking, yet it is a pensive pleasure.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading And though a man who has begun to grow old, and who is solitary, may be very happy thinking, yet it is a pensive pleasure.

HepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading He was sitting very quietly, looking out at the shaft of red gold in the west where the sun had disappeared, and watching the light as it stole away, each moment a little less, a little less brilliant, till it sank altogether in the gray.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading Mr. Moubray was in his study, in the gray of the winter’s afternoon.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Mr. Moubray was in his study, in the gray of the winter’s afternoon.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading It is never a very cheerful moment.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It is never a very cheerful moment.

less

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

From this reading He was sitting very quietly, looking out at the shaft of red gold in the west where the sun had disappeared, and watching the light as it stole away, each moment a little less, a little less brilliant, till it sank altogether in the gray.

light

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

From this reading He was sitting very quietly, looking out at the shaft of red gold in the west where the sun had disappeared, and watching the light as it stole away, each moment a little less, a little less brilliant, till it sank altogether in the gray.

littlenounUS /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He was sitting very quietly, looking out at the shaft of red gold in the west where the sun had disappeared, and watching the light as it stole away, each moment a little less, a little less brilliant, till it sank altogether in the gray.

looking

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

From this reading He was sitting very quietly, looking out at the shaft of red gold in the west where the sun had disappeared, and watching the light as it stole away, each moment a little less, a little less brilliant, till it sank altogether in the gray.

man

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

From this reading And though a man who has begun to grow old, and who is solitary, may be very happy thinking, yet it is a pensive pleasure.

many

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

From this reading The fire was burning brightly, the room was warm and pleasant, with plenty of books, and many associations; but it was a pensive moment, too dark for reading, when there is nothing to do but to think.

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading And though a man who has begun to grow old, and who is solitary, may be very happy thinking, yet it is a pensive pleasure.

moment

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

From this reading It is never a very cheerful moment.

Moubray

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

From this reading Mr. Moubray was in his study, in the gray of the winter’s afternoon.

Mr

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

From this reading Mr. Moubray was in his study, in the gray of the winter’s afternoon.

nevernounUS /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading It is never a very cheerful moment.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading The fire was burning brightly, the room was warm and pleasant, with plenty of books, and many associations; but it was a pensive moment, too dark for reading, when there is nothing to do but to think.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Mr. Moubray was in his study, in the gray of the winter’s afternoon.

old

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

From this reading And though a man who has begun to grow old, and who is solitary, may be very happy thinking, yet it is a pensive pleasure.

out

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

From this reading He was sitting very quietly, looking out at the shaft of red gold in the west where the sun had disappeared, and watching the light as it stole away, each moment a little less, a little less brilliant, till it sank altogether in the gray.

pensive

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

From this reading The fire was burning brightly, the room was warm and pleasant, with plenty of books, and many associations; but it was a pensive moment, too dark for reading, when there is nothing to do but to think.

pleasantnounUS /pleasant/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The fire was burning brightly, the room was warm and pleasant, with plenty of books, and many associations; but it was a pensive moment, too dark for reading, when there is nothing to do but to think.

pleasure

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

From this reading And though a man who has begun to grow old, and who is solitary, may be very happy thinking, yet it is a pensive pleasure.

plenty

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

From this reading The fire was burning brightly, the room was warm and pleasant, with plenty of books, and many associations; but it was a pensive moment, too dark for reading, when there is nothing to do but to think.

quietly

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

From this reading He was sitting very quietly, looking out at the shaft of red gold in the west where the sun had disappeared, and watching the light as it stole away, each moment a little less, a little less brilliant, till it sank altogether in the gray.

reading

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

From this reading The fire was burning brightly, the room was warm and pleasant, with plenty of books, and many associations; but it was a pensive moment, too dark for reading, when there is nothing to do but to think.

red

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

From this reading He was sitting very quietly, looking out at the shaft of red gold in the west where the sun had disappeared, and watching the light as it stole away, each moment a little less, a little less brilliant, till it sank altogether in the gray.

room

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

From this reading The fire was burning brightly, the room was warm and pleasant, with plenty of books, and many associations; but it was a pensive moment, too dark for reading, when there is nothing to do but to think.

sank

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

From this reading He was sitting very quietly, looking out at the shaft of red gold in the west where the sun had disappeared, and watching the light as it stole away, each moment a little less, a little less brilliant, till it sank altogether in the gray.

shaft

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

From this reading He was sitting very quietly, looking out at the shaft of red gold in the west where the sun had disappeared, and watching the light as it stole away, each moment a little less, a little less brilliant, till it sank altogether in the gray.

sitting

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

From this reading He was sitting very quietly, looking out at the shaft of red gold in the west where the sun had disappeared, and watching the light as it stole away, each moment a little less, a little less brilliant, till it sank altogether in the gray.

solitary

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

From this reading And though a man who has begun to grow old, and who is solitary, may be very happy thinking, yet it is a pensive pleasure.

stole

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

From this reading He was sitting very quietly, looking out at the shaft of red gold in the west where the sun had disappeared, and watching the light as it stole away, each moment a little less, a little less brilliant, till it sank altogether in the gray.

study

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

From this reading Mr. Moubray was in his study, in the gray of the winter’s afternoon.

sun

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

From this reading He was sitting very quietly, looking out at the shaft of red gold in the west where the sun had disappeared, and watching the light as it stole away, each moment a little less, a little less brilliant, till it sank altogether in the gray.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Mr. Moubray was in his study, in the gray of the winter’s afternoon.

there

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

From this reading The fire was burning brightly, the room was warm and pleasant, with plenty of books, and many associations; but it was a pensive moment, too dark for reading, when there is nothing to do but to think.

thinknounUS /think/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The fire was burning brightly, the room was warm and pleasant, with plenty of books, and many associations; but it was a pensive moment, too dark for reading, when there is nothing to do but to think.

thinkingnounUS /thinking/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading And though a man who has begun to grow old, and who is solitary, may be very happy thinking, yet it is a pensive pleasure.

thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading And though a man who has begun to grow old, and who is solitary, may be very happy thinking, yet it is a pensive pleasure.

tillprepositionUS /tɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading He was sitting very quietly, looking out at the shaft of red gold in the west where the sun had disappeared, and watching the light as it stole away, each moment a little less, a little less brilliant, till it sank altogether in the gray.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The fire was burning brightly, the room was warm and pleasant, with plenty of books, and many associations; but it was a pensive moment, too dark for reading, when there is nothing to do but to think.

too

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

From this reading The fire was burning brightly, the room was warm and pleasant, with plenty of books, and many associations; but it was a pensive moment, too dark for reading, when there is nothing to do but to think.

very

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

From this reading It is never a very cheerful moment.

warm

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

From this reading The fire was burning brightly, the room was warm and pleasant, with plenty of books, and many associations; but it was a pensive moment, too dark for reading, when there is nothing to do but to think.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Mr. Moubray was in his study, in the gray of the winter’s afternoon.

watching

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

From this reading He was sitting very quietly, looking out at the shaft of red gold in the west where the sun had disappeared, and watching the light as it stole away, each moment a little less, a little less brilliant, till it sank altogether in the gray.

west

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

From this reading He was sitting very quietly, looking out at the shaft of red gold in the west where the sun had disappeared, and watching the light as it stole away, each moment a little less, a little less brilliant, till it sank altogether in the gray.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading The fire was burning brightly, the room was warm and pleasant, with plenty of books, and many associations; but it was a pensive moment, too dark for reading, when there is nothing to do but to think.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading He was sitting very quietly, looking out at the shaft of red gold in the west where the sun had disappeared, and watching the light as it stole away, each moment a little less, a little less brilliant, till it sank altogether in the gray.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading And though a man who has begun to grow old, and who is solitary, may be very happy thinking, yet it is a pensive pleasure.

winter's

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

From this reading Mr. Moubray was in his study, in the gray of the winter’s afternoon.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The fire was burning brightly, the room was warm and pleasant, with plenty of books, and many associations; but it was a pensive moment, too dark for reading, when there is nothing to do but to think.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading And though a man who has begun to grow old, and who is solitary, may be very happy thinking, yet it is a pensive pleasure.