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Empire Builders
Empire Builders

Chapter II

Cover illustration for Empire Builders
Context Illustration Reading 1/86 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
He gave in because he had to.
"You are much more lenient than I deserve.
Really, you ought to stick me good and hard for my awkwardness.
It would serve me right."
"I am considering the motive," she said almost wistfully, he fancied.
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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.

Empire Builders

Chapter II

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

Line 1
He gave in because he had to.
Line 2
"You are much more lenient than I deserve.
Line 3
Really, you ought to stick me good and hard for my awkwardness.
Line 4
It would serve me right."
Line 5
"I am considering the motive," she said almost wistfully, he fancied.

Learner Dictionary

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

Because conjunction US /bɪˈkɔːz/

for the reason that

From this reading “He gave in because he had to.”

Good noun US /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Really, you ought to stick me good and hard for my awkwardness.”

Ought modal verb US /ɔːt/

used with “to” to say what is right or advisable

From this reading “Really, you ought to stick me good and hard for my awkwardness.”

Right noun US /right/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It would serve me right."”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading “It would serve me right."”

All words in this reading · 37

Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

almost

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

From this reading "I am considering the motive," she said almost wistfully, he fancied.

amauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading "I am considering the motive," she said almost wistfully, he fancied.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Really, you ought to stick me good and hard for my awkwardness.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading "You are much more lenient than I deserve.

awkwardness

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

From this reading Really, you ought to stick me good and hard for my awkwardness.

becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/

for the reason that

From this reading He gave in because he had to.

considering

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

From this reading "I am considering the motive," she said almost wistfully, he fancied.

deserve

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

From this reading "You are much more lenient than I deserve.

fancied

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

From this reading "I am considering the motive," she said almost wistfully, he fancied.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Really, you ought to stick me good and hard for my awkwardness.

gave

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

From this reading He gave in because he had to.

goodnounUS /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Really, you ought to stick me good and hard for my awkwardness.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading He gave in because he had to.

hard

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

From this reading Really, you ought to stick me good and hard for my awkwardness.

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He gave in because he had to.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading "You are much more lenient than I deserve.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading He gave in because he had to.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It would serve me right."

lenient

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

From this reading "You are much more lenient than I deserve.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Really, you ought to stick me good and hard for my awkwardness.

more

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

From this reading "You are much more lenient than I deserve.

motive

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

From this reading "I am considering the motive," she said almost wistfully, he fancied.

much

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

From this reading "You are much more lenient than I deserve.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading Really, you ought to stick me good and hard for my awkwardness.

oughtmodal verbUS /ɔːt/

used with “to” to say what is right or advisable

From this reading Really, you ought to stick me good and hard for my awkwardness.

Really

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

From this reading Really, you ought to stick me good and hard for my awkwardness.

rightnounUS /right/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading It would serve me right."

said

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

From this reading "I am considering the motive," she said almost wistfully, he fancied.

serve

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

From this reading It would serve me right."

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading "I am considering the motive," she said almost wistfully, he fancied.

stick

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

From this reading Really, you ought to stick me good and hard for my awkwardness.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading "You are much more lenient than I deserve.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading "I am considering the motive," she said almost wistfully, he fancied.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading He gave in because he had to.

wistfully

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

From this reading "I am considering the motive," she said almost wistfully, he fancied.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading It would serve me right."

YoupronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "You are much more lenient than I deserve.