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False Evidence
False Evidence

Chapter XVII

Cover illustration for False Evidence
Context Illustration Reading 1/30 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
A STRANGE INTERVIEW The sun had gone down behind a bank of angry, leaden-coloured clouds, which were fast spreading over the whole surface of the sky.
Only here and there a stunted, half-grown, and leafless oak-tree stretched out its naked branches towards the darkening sky, and within a yard or two of me there was a miserable apology for a cottage.
No one, save they had known otherwise, would have taken it for anything but a cowshed of the rudest form.
It was built of boards dipped in black tar, windowless, chimneyless, save for a hole in the roof through which a small piece of dilapidated stove piping had been thrust, and without the merest pretence of a garden.
It stood, or rather leaned, against one side of a sharp slope in the moor, and fifty yards from the rude sheep-track which did duty as a road, and even in the daytime there was no other human habitation within sight, or any sign of one.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

False Evidence

Chapter XVII

Reading 1/30 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
A STRANGE INTERVIEW The sun had gone down behind a bank of angry, leaden-coloured clouds, which were fast spreading over the whole surface of the sky.
Line 2
Only here and there a stunted, half-grown, and leafless oak-tree stretched out its naked branches towards the darkening sky, and within a yard or two of me there was a miserable apology for a cottage.
Line 3
No one, save they had known otherwise, would have taken it for anything but a cowshed of the rudest form.
Line 4
It was built of boards dipped in black tar, windowless, chimneyless, save for a hole in the roof through which a small piece of dilapidated stove piping had been thrust, and without the merest pretence of a garden.
Line 5
It stood, or rather leaned, against one side of a sharp slope in the moor, and fifty yards from the rude sheep-track which did duty as a road, and even in the daytime there was no other human habitation within sight, or any sign of one.

Learner Dictionary

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

Against preposition US /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading “It stood, or rather leaned, against one side of a sharp slope in the moor, and fifty yards from the rude sheep-track which did duty as a road, and even in the daytime there was no other human habitation within sight, or any sign of one.”

Anything pronoun US /ˈeniθɪŋ/

any thing at all

From this reading “No one, save they had known otherwise, would have taken it for anything but a cowshed of the rudest form.”

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “It was built of boards dipped in black tar, windowless, chimneyless, save for a hole in the roof through which a small piece of dilapidated stove piping had been thrust, and without the merest pretence of a garden.”

Behind preposition US /bɪˈhaɪnd/

at or toward the back of something

From this reading “A STRANGE INTERVIEW The sun had gone down behind a bank of angry, leaden-coloured clouds, which were fast spreading over the whole surface of the sky.”

Duty noun US /ˈduːti/

a responsibility that must be carried out

From this reading “It stood, or rather leaned, against one side of a sharp slope in the moor, and fifty yards from the rude sheep-track which did duty as a road, and even in the daytime there was no other human habitation within sight, or any sign of one.”

Even noun US /even/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It stood, or rather leaned, against one side of a sharp slope in the moor, and fifty yards from the rude sheep-track which did duty as a road, and even in the daytime there was no other human habitation within sight, or any sign of one.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “No one, save they had known otherwise, would have taken it for anything but a cowshed of the rudest form.”

Here noun US /here/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Only here and there a stunted, half-grown, and leafless oak-tree stretched out its naked branches towards the darkening sky, and within a yard or two of me there was a miserable apology for a cottage.”

Leafless adjective US /ˈliːfləs/

having no leaves, usually because of the season

From this reading “Only here and there a stunted, half-grown, and leafless oak-tree stretched out its naked branches towards the darkening sky, and within a yard or two of me there was a miserable apology for a cottage.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “No one, save they had known otherwise, would have taken it for anything but a cowshed of the rudest form.”

Over preposition US /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading “A STRANGE INTERVIEW The sun had gone down behind a bank of angry, leaden-coloured clouds, which were fast spreading over the whole surface of the sky.”

Save preposition US /seɪv/

except for; apart from

From this reading “No one, save they had known otherwise, would have taken it for anything but a cowshed of the rudest form.”

Stood noun US /stood/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It stood, or rather leaned, against one side of a sharp slope in the moor, and fifty yards from the rude sheep-track which did duty as a road, and even in the daytime there was no other human habitation within sight, or any sign of one.”

Through noun US /ˈthrough/

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

From this reading “It was built of boards dipped in black tar, windowless, chimneyless, save for a hole in the roof through which a small piece of dilapidated stove piping had been thrust, and without the merest pretence of a garden.”

Towards preposition US /təˈwɔːrdz/

in the direction of

From this reading “Only here and there a stunted, half-grown, and leafless oak-tree stretched out its naked branches towards the darkening sky, and within a yard or two of me there was a miserable apology for a cottage.”

Within preposition US /wɪˈðɪn/

inside; before a period of time has passed

From this reading “Only here and there a stunted, half-grown, and leafless oak-tree stretched out its naked branches towards the darkening sky, and within a yard or two of me there was a miserable apology for a cottage.”

Without preposition US /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading “It was built of boards dipped in black tar, windowless, chimneyless, save for a hole in the roof through which a small piece of dilapidated stove piping had been thrust, and without the merest pretence of a garden.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

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

From this reading “No one, save they had known otherwise, would have taken it for anything but a cowshed of the rudest form.”

All words in this reading · 109

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 A STRANGE INTERVIEW The sun had gone down behind a bank of angry, leaden-coloured clouds, which were fast spreading over the whole surface of the sky.

againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading It stood, or rather leaned, against one side of a sharp slope in the moor, and fifty yards from the rude sheep-track which did duty as a road, and even in the daytime there was no other human habitation within sight, or any sign of one.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Only here and there a stunted, half-grown, and leafless oak-tree stretched out its naked branches towards the darkening sky, and within a yard or two of me there was a miserable apology for a cottage.

angry

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

From this reading A STRANGE INTERVIEW The sun had gone down behind a bank of angry, leaden-coloured clouds, which were fast spreading over the whole surface of the sky.

any

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

From this reading It stood, or rather leaned, against one side of a sharp slope in the moor, and fifty yards from the rude sheep-track which did duty as a road, and even in the daytime there was no other human habitation within sight, or any sign of one.

anythingpronounUS /ˈeniθɪŋ/

any thing at all

From this reading No one, save they had known otherwise, would have taken it for anything but a cowshed of the rudest form.

apology

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

From this reading Only here and there a stunted, half-grown, and leafless oak-tree stretched out its naked branches towards the darkening sky, and within a yard or two of me there was a miserable apology for a cottage.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading It stood, or rather leaned, against one side of a sharp slope in the moor, and fifty yards from the rude sheep-track which did duty as a road, and even in the daytime there was no other human habitation within sight, or any sign of one.

bank

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

From this reading A STRANGE INTERVIEW The sun had gone down behind a bank of angry, leaden-coloured clouds, which were fast spreading over the whole surface of the sky.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading It was built of boards dipped in black tar, windowless, chimneyless, save for a hole in the roof through which a small piece of dilapidated stove piping had been thrust, and without the merest pretence of a garden.

behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/

at or toward the back of something

From this reading A STRANGE INTERVIEW The sun had gone down behind a bank of angry, leaden-coloured clouds, which were fast spreading over the whole surface of the sky.

black

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

From this reading It was built of boards dipped in black tar, windowless, chimneyless, save for a hole in the roof through which a small piece of dilapidated stove piping had been thrust, and without the merest pretence of a garden.

boards

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

From this reading It was built of boards dipped in black tar, windowless, chimneyless, save for a hole in the roof through which a small piece of dilapidated stove piping had been thrust, and without the merest pretence of a garden.

branches

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

From this reading Only here and there a stunted, half-grown, and leafless oak-tree stretched out its naked branches towards the darkening sky, and within a yard or two of me there was a miserable apology for a cottage.

built

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

From this reading It was built of boards dipped in black tar, windowless, chimneyless, save for a hole in the roof through which a small piece of dilapidated stove piping had been thrust, and without the merest pretence of a garden.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading No one, save they had known otherwise, would have taken it for anything but a cowshed of the rudest form.

chimneyless

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

From this reading It was built of boards dipped in black tar, windowless, chimneyless, save for a hole in the roof through which a small piece of dilapidated stove piping had been thrust, and without the merest pretence of a garden.

clouds

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

From this reading A STRANGE INTERVIEW The sun had gone down behind a bank of angry, leaden-coloured clouds, which were fast spreading over the whole surface of the sky.

cottage

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

From this reading Only here and there a stunted, half-grown, and leafless oak-tree stretched out its naked branches towards the darkening sky, and within a yard or two of me there was a miserable apology for a cottage.

cowshed

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

From this reading No one, save they had known otherwise, would have taken it for anything but a cowshed of the rudest form.

darkening

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

From this reading Only here and there a stunted, half-grown, and leafless oak-tree stretched out its naked branches towards the darkening sky, and within a yard or two of me there was a miserable apology for a cottage.

daytime

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

From this reading It stood, or rather leaned, against one side of a sharp slope in the moor, and fifty yards from the rude sheep-track which did duty as a road, and even in the daytime there was no other human habitation within sight, or any sign of one.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading It stood, or rather leaned, against one side of a sharp slope in the moor, and fifty yards from the rude sheep-track which did duty as a road, and even in the daytime there was no other human habitation within sight, or any sign of one.

dilapidated

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

From this reading It was built of boards dipped in black tar, windowless, chimneyless, save for a hole in the roof through which a small piece of dilapidated stove piping had been thrust, and without the merest pretence of a garden.

dipped

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

From this reading It was built of boards dipped in black tar, windowless, chimneyless, save for a hole in the roof through which a small piece of dilapidated stove piping had been thrust, and without the merest pretence of a garden.

down

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

From this reading A STRANGE INTERVIEW The sun had gone down behind a bank of angry, leaden-coloured clouds, which were fast spreading over the whole surface of the sky.

dutynounUS /ˈduːti/

a responsibility that must be carried out

From this reading It stood, or rather leaned, against one side of a sharp slope in the moor, and fifty yards from the rude sheep-track which did duty as a road, and even in the daytime there was no other human habitation within sight, or any sign of one.

evennounUS /even/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading It stood, or rather leaned, against one side of a sharp slope in the moor, and fifty yards from the rude sheep-track which did duty as a road, and even in the daytime there was no other human habitation within sight, or any sign of one.

fast

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

From this reading A STRANGE INTERVIEW The sun had gone down behind a bank of angry, leaden-coloured clouds, which were fast spreading over the whole surface of the sky.

fifty

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

From this reading It stood, or rather leaned, against one side of a sharp slope in the moor, and fifty yards from the rude sheep-track which did duty as a road, and even in the daytime there was no other human habitation within sight, or any sign of one.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Only here and there a stunted, half-grown, and leafless oak-tree stretched out its naked branches towards the darkening sky, and within a yard or two of me there was a miserable apology for a cottage.

form

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

From this reading No one, save they had known otherwise, would have taken it for anything but a cowshed of the rudest form.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading It stood, or rather leaned, against one side of a sharp slope in the moor, and fifty yards from the rude sheep-track which did duty as a road, and even in the daytime there was no other human habitation within sight, or any sign of one.

garden

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

From this reading It was built of boards dipped in black tar, windowless, chimneyless, save for a hole in the roof through which a small piece of dilapidated stove piping had been thrust, and without the merest pretence of a garden.

gone

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

From this reading A STRANGE INTERVIEW The sun had gone down behind a bank of angry, leaden-coloured clouds, which were fast spreading over the whole surface of the sky.

habitation

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

From this reading It stood, or rather leaned, against one side of a sharp slope in the moor, and fifty yards from the rude sheep-track which did duty as a road, and even in the daytime there was no other human habitation within sight, or any sign of one.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading A STRANGE INTERVIEW The sun had gone down behind a bank of angry, leaden-coloured clouds, which were fast spreading over the whole surface of the sky.

half-grown

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

From this reading Only here and there a stunted, half-grown, and leafless oak-tree stretched out its naked branches towards the darkening sky, and within a yard or two of me there was a miserable apology for a cottage.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading No one, save they had known otherwise, would have taken it for anything but a cowshed of the rudest form.

herenounUS /here/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Only here and there a stunted, half-grown, and leafless oak-tree stretched out its naked branches towards the darkening sky, and within a yard or two of me there was a miserable apology for a cottage.

hole

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

From this reading It was built of boards dipped in black tar, windowless, chimneyless, save for a hole in the roof through which a small piece of dilapidated stove piping had been thrust, and without the merest pretence of a garden.

human

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

From this reading It stood, or rather leaned, against one side of a sharp slope in the moor, and fifty yards from the rude sheep-track which did duty as a road, and even in the daytime there was no other human habitation within sight, or any sign of one.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading It was built of boards dipped in black tar, windowless, chimneyless, save for a hole in the roof through which a small piece of dilapidated stove piping had been thrust, and without the merest pretence of a garden.

INTERVIEW

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

From this reading A STRANGE INTERVIEW The sun had gone down behind a bank of angry, leaden-coloured clouds, which were fast spreading over the whole surface of the sky.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading No one, save they had known otherwise, would have taken it for anything but a cowshed of the rudest form.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Only here and there a stunted, half-grown, and leafless oak-tree stretched out its naked branches towards the darkening sky, and within a yard or two of me there was a miserable apology for a cottage.

known

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

From this reading No one, save they had known otherwise, would have taken it for anything but a cowshed of the rudest form.

leaden-coloured

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

From this reading A STRANGE INTERVIEW The sun had gone down behind a bank of angry, leaden-coloured clouds, which were fast spreading over the whole surface of the sky.

leaflessadjectiveUS /ˈliːfləs/

having no leaves, usually because of the season

From this reading Only here and there a stunted, half-grown, and leafless oak-tree stretched out its naked branches towards the darkening sky, and within a yard or two of me there was a miserable apology for a cottage.

leaned

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

From this reading It stood, or rather leaned, against one side of a sharp slope in the moor, and fifty yards from the rude sheep-track which did duty as a road, and even in the daytime there was no other human habitation within sight, or any sign of one.

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading Only here and there a stunted, half-grown, and leafless oak-tree stretched out its naked branches towards the darkening sky, and within a yard or two of me there was a miserable apology for a cottage.

merest

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

From this reading It was built of boards dipped in black tar, windowless, chimneyless, save for a hole in the roof through which a small piece of dilapidated stove piping had been thrust, and without the merest pretence of a garden.

miserable

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

From this reading Only here and there a stunted, half-grown, and leafless oak-tree stretched out its naked branches towards the darkening sky, and within a yard or two of me there was a miserable apology for a cottage.

moor

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

From this reading It stood, or rather leaned, against one side of a sharp slope in the moor, and fifty yards from the rude sheep-track which did duty as a road, and even in the daytime there was no other human habitation within sight, or any sign of one.

naked

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

From this reading Only here and there a stunted, half-grown, and leafless oak-tree stretched out its naked branches towards the darkening sky, and within a yard or two of me there was a miserable apology for a cottage.

NodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading No one, save they had known otherwise, would have taken it for anything but a cowshed of the rudest form.

oak-tree

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

From this reading Only here and there a stunted, half-grown, and leafless oak-tree stretched out its naked branches towards the darkening sky, and within a yard or two of me there was a miserable apology for a cottage.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading A STRANGE INTERVIEW The sun had gone down behind a bank of angry, leaden-coloured clouds, which were fast spreading over the whole surface of the sky.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading No one, save they had known otherwise, would have taken it for anything but a cowshed of the rudest form.

Only

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

From this reading Only here and there a stunted, half-grown, and leafless oak-tree stretched out its naked branches towards the darkening sky, and within a yard or two of me there was a miserable apology for a cottage.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Only here and there a stunted, half-grown, and leafless oak-tree stretched out its naked branches towards the darkening sky, and within a yard or two of me there was a miserable apology for a cottage.

other

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

From this reading It stood, or rather leaned, against one side of a sharp slope in the moor, and fifty yards from the rude sheep-track which did duty as a road, and even in the daytime there was no other human habitation within sight, or any sign of one.

otherwise

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

From this reading No one, save they had known otherwise, would have taken it for anything but a cowshed of the rudest form.

out

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

From this reading Only here and there a stunted, half-grown, and leafless oak-tree stretched out its naked branches towards the darkening sky, and within a yard or two of me there was a miserable apology for a cottage.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading A STRANGE INTERVIEW The sun had gone down behind a bank of angry, leaden-coloured clouds, which were fast spreading over the whole surface of the sky.

piece

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

From this reading It was built of boards dipped in black tar, windowless, chimneyless, save for a hole in the roof through which a small piece of dilapidated stove piping had been thrust, and without the merest pretence of a garden.

piping

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

From this reading It was built of boards dipped in black tar, windowless, chimneyless, save for a hole in the roof through which a small piece of dilapidated stove piping had been thrust, and without the merest pretence of a garden.

pretence

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

From this reading It was built of boards dipped in black tar, windowless, chimneyless, save for a hole in the roof through which a small piece of dilapidated stove piping had been thrust, and without the merest pretence of a garden.

rather

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

From this reading It stood, or rather leaned, against one side of a sharp slope in the moor, and fifty yards from the rude sheep-track which did duty as a road, and even in the daytime there was no other human habitation within sight, or any sign of one.

road

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

From this reading It stood, or rather leaned, against one side of a sharp slope in the moor, and fifty yards from the rude sheep-track which did duty as a road, and even in the daytime there was no other human habitation within sight, or any sign of one.

roof

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

From this reading It was built of boards dipped in black tar, windowless, chimneyless, save for a hole in the roof through which a small piece of dilapidated stove piping had been thrust, and without the merest pretence of a garden.

rude

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

From this reading It stood, or rather leaned, against one side of a sharp slope in the moor, and fifty yards from the rude sheep-track which did duty as a road, and even in the daytime there was no other human habitation within sight, or any sign of one.

rudest

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

From this reading No one, save they had known otherwise, would have taken it for anything but a cowshed of the rudest form.

saveprepositionUS /seɪv/

except for; apart from

From this reading No one, save they had known otherwise, would have taken it for anything but a cowshed of the rudest form.

sharp

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

From this reading It stood, or rather leaned, against one side of a sharp slope in the moor, and fifty yards from the rude sheep-track which did duty as a road, and even in the daytime there was no other human habitation within sight, or any sign of one.

sheep-track

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

From this reading It stood, or rather leaned, against one side of a sharp slope in the moor, and fifty yards from the rude sheep-track which did duty as a road, and even in the daytime there was no other human habitation within sight, or any sign of one.

side

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

From this reading It stood, or rather leaned, against one side of a sharp slope in the moor, and fifty yards from the rude sheep-track which did duty as a road, and even in the daytime there was no other human habitation within sight, or any sign of one.

sight

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

From this reading It stood, or rather leaned, against one side of a sharp slope in the moor, and fifty yards from the rude sheep-track which did duty as a road, and even in the daytime there was no other human habitation within sight, or any sign of one.

sign

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

From this reading It stood, or rather leaned, against one side of a sharp slope in the moor, and fifty yards from the rude sheep-track which did duty as a road, and even in the daytime there was no other human habitation within sight, or any sign of one.

sky

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

From this reading A STRANGE INTERVIEW The sun had gone down behind a bank of angry, leaden-coloured clouds, which were fast spreading over the whole surface of the sky.

slope

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

From this reading It stood, or rather leaned, against one side of a sharp slope in the moor, and fifty yards from the rude sheep-track which did duty as a road, and even in the daytime there was no other human habitation within sight, or any sign of one.

small

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

From this reading It was built of boards dipped in black tar, windowless, chimneyless, save for a hole in the roof through which a small piece of dilapidated stove piping had been thrust, and without the merest pretence of a garden.

spreading

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

From this reading A STRANGE INTERVIEW The sun had gone down behind a bank of angry, leaden-coloured clouds, which were fast spreading over the whole surface of the sky.

stoodnounUS /stood/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading It stood, or rather leaned, against one side of a sharp slope in the moor, and fifty yards from the rude sheep-track which did duty as a road, and even in the daytime there was no other human habitation within sight, or any sign of one.

stove

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

From this reading It was built of boards dipped in black tar, windowless, chimneyless, save for a hole in the roof through which a small piece of dilapidated stove piping had been thrust, and without the merest pretence of a garden.

STRANGE

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

From this reading A STRANGE INTERVIEW The sun had gone down behind a bank of angry, leaden-coloured clouds, which were fast spreading over the whole surface of the sky.

stretched

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

From this reading Only here and there a stunted, half-grown, and leafless oak-tree stretched out its naked branches towards the darkening sky, and within a yard or two of me there was a miserable apology for a cottage.

stunted

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

From this reading Only here and there a stunted, half-grown, and leafless oak-tree stretched out its naked branches towards the darkening sky, and within a yard or two of me there was a miserable apology for a cottage.

sun

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

From this reading A STRANGE INTERVIEW The sun had gone down behind a bank of angry, leaden-coloured clouds, which were fast spreading over the whole surface of the sky.

surface

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

From this reading A STRANGE INTERVIEW The sun had gone down behind a bank of angry, leaden-coloured clouds, which were fast spreading over the whole surface of the sky.

taken

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

From this reading No one, save they had known otherwise, would have taken it for anything but a cowshed of the rudest form.

tar

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

From this reading It was built of boards dipped in black tar, windowless, chimneyless, save for a hole in the roof through which a small piece of dilapidated stove piping had been thrust, and without the merest pretence of a garden.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading A STRANGE INTERVIEW The sun had gone down behind a bank of angry, leaden-coloured clouds, which were fast spreading over the whole surface of the sky.

there

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

From this reading Only here and there a stunted, half-grown, and leafless oak-tree stretched out its naked branches towards the darkening sky, and within a yard or two of me there was a miserable apology for a cottage.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading No one, save they had known otherwise, would have taken it for anything but a cowshed of the rudest form.

throughnounUS /ˈthrough/

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

From this reading It was built of boards dipped in black tar, windowless, chimneyless, save for a hole in the roof through which a small piece of dilapidated stove piping had been thrust, and without the merest pretence of a garden.

thrust

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

From this reading It was built of boards dipped in black tar, windowless, chimneyless, save for a hole in the roof through which a small piece of dilapidated stove piping had been thrust, and without the merest pretence of a garden.

towardsprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrdz/

in the direction of

From this reading Only here and there a stunted, half-grown, and leafless oak-tree stretched out its naked branches towards the darkening sky, and within a yard or two of me there was a miserable apology for a cottage.

two

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

From this reading Only here and there a stunted, half-grown, and leafless oak-tree stretched out its naked branches towards the darkening sky, and within a yard or two of me there was a miserable apology for a cottage.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Only here and there a stunted, half-grown, and leafless oak-tree stretched out its naked branches towards the darkening sky, and within a yard or two of me there was a miserable apology for a cottage.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading A STRANGE INTERVIEW The sun had gone down behind a bank of angry, leaden-coloured clouds, which were fast spreading over the whole surface of the sky.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading A STRANGE INTERVIEW The sun had gone down behind a bank of angry, leaden-coloured clouds, which were fast spreading over the whole surface of the sky.

whole

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

From this reading A STRANGE INTERVIEW The sun had gone down behind a bank of angry, leaden-coloured clouds, which were fast spreading over the whole surface of the sky.

windowless

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

From this reading It was built of boards dipped in black tar, windowless, chimneyless, save for a hole in the roof through which a small piece of dilapidated stove piping had been thrust, and without the merest pretence of a garden.

withinprepositionUS /wɪˈðɪn/

inside; before a period of time has passed

From this reading Only here and there a stunted, half-grown, and leafless oak-tree stretched out its naked branches towards the darkening sky, and within a yard or two of me there was a miserable apology for a cottage.

withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading It was built of boards dipped in black tar, windowless, chimneyless, save for a hole in the roof through which a small piece of dilapidated stove piping had been thrust, and without the merest pretence of a garden.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading No one, save they had known otherwise, would have taken it for anything but a cowshed of the rudest form.

yard

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

From this reading Only here and there a stunted, half-grown, and leafless oak-tree stretched out its naked branches towards the darkening sky, and within a yard or two of me there was a miserable apology for a cottage.

yards

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

From this reading It stood, or rather leaned, against one side of a sharp slope in the moor, and fifty yards from the rude sheep-track which did duty as a road, and even in the daytime there was no other human habitation within sight, or any sign of one.