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Five Tales
Five Tales

Chapter XXI

Cover illustration for Five Tales
Context Illustration Reading 1/41 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
“Good-night, Megan!”
“Good-night, sir!”
She was gone!
With a sigh he dropped back to earth, and sitting on that chair, took off his boots.
Nothing for it but to creep in and go to bed; yet for a long while he sat unmoving, his feet chilly in the dew, drunk on the memory of her lost, half-smiling face, and the clinging grip of her burning fingers, pressing the cold key into his hand.
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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.

Five Tales

Chapter XXI

Reading 1/41 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
“Good-night, Megan!”
Line 2
“Good-night, sir!”
Line 3
She was gone!
Line 4
With a sigh he dropped back to earth, and sitting on that chair, took off his boots.
Line 5
Nothing for it but to creep in and go to bed; yet for a long while he sat unmoving, his feet chilly in the dew, drunk on the memory of her lost, half-smiling face, and the clinging grip of her burning fingers, pressing the cold key into his hand.

Learner Dictionary

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

Chilly adjective US /ˈtʃɪli/

unpleasantly cold

From this reading “Nothing for it but to creep in and go to bed; yet for a long while he sat unmoving, his feet chilly in the dew, drunk on the memory of her lost, half-smiling face, and the clinging grip of her burning fingers, pressing the cold key into his hand.”

Hand noun US /hand/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Nothing for it but to creep in and go to bed; yet for a long while he sat unmoving, his feet chilly in the dew, drunk on the memory of her lost, half-smiling face, and the clinging grip of her burning fingers, pressing the cold key into his hand.”

Long noun US /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Nothing for it but to creep in and go to bed; yet for a long while he sat unmoving, his feet chilly in the dew, drunk on the memory of her lost, half-smiling face, and the clinging grip of her burning fingers, pressing the cold key into his hand.”

Memory noun US /ˈmem.ər.i/

The faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information and knowledge.

From this reading “Nothing for it but to creep in and go to bed; yet for a long while he sat unmoving, his feet chilly in the dew, drunk on the memory of her lost, half-smiling face, and the clinging grip of her burning fingers, pressing the cold key into his hand.”

Nothing pronoun US /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading “Nothing for it but to creep in and go to bed; yet for a long while he sat unmoving, his feet chilly in the dew, drunk on the memory of her lost, half-smiling face, and the clinging grip of her burning fingers, pressing the cold key into his hand.”

Took noun US /took/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “With a sigh he dropped back to earth, and sitting on that chair, took off his boots.”

While conjunction US /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading “Nothing for it but to creep in and go to bed; yet for a long while he sat unmoving, his feet chilly in the dew, drunk on the memory of her lost, half-smiling face, and the clinging grip of her burning fingers, pressing the cold key into his hand.”

Yet conjunction US /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading “Nothing for it but to creep in and go to bed; yet for a long while he sat unmoving, his feet chilly in the dew, drunk on the memory of her lost, half-smiling face, and the clinging grip of her burning fingers, pressing the cold key into his hand.”

All words in this reading · 56

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 With a sigh he dropped back to earth, and sitting on that chair, took off his boots.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading With a sigh he dropped back to earth, and sitting on that chair, took off his boots.

back

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

From this reading With a sigh he dropped back to earth, and sitting on that chair, took off his boots.

bed

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

From this reading Nothing for it but to creep in and go to bed; yet for a long while he sat unmoving, his feet chilly in the dew, drunk on the memory of her lost, half-smiling face, and the clinging grip of her burning fingers, pressing the cold key into his hand.

boots

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

From this reading With a sigh he dropped back to earth, and sitting on that chair, took off his boots.

burning

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

From this reading Nothing for it but to creep in and go to bed; yet for a long while he sat unmoving, his feet chilly in the dew, drunk on the memory of her lost, half-smiling face, and the clinging grip of her burning fingers, pressing the cold key into his hand.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Nothing for it but to creep in and go to bed; yet for a long while he sat unmoving, his feet chilly in the dew, drunk on the memory of her lost, half-smiling face, and the clinging grip of her burning fingers, pressing the cold key into his hand.

chair

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

From this reading With a sigh he dropped back to earth, and sitting on that chair, took off his boots.

chillyadjectiveUS /ˈtʃɪli/

unpleasantly cold

From this reading Nothing for it but to creep in and go to bed; yet for a long while he sat unmoving, his feet chilly in the dew, drunk on the memory of her lost, half-smiling face, and the clinging grip of her burning fingers, pressing the cold key into his hand.

clinging

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

From this reading Nothing for it but to creep in and go to bed; yet for a long while he sat unmoving, his feet chilly in the dew, drunk on the memory of her lost, half-smiling face, and the clinging grip of her burning fingers, pressing the cold key into his hand.

cold

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

From this reading Nothing for it but to creep in and go to bed; yet for a long while he sat unmoving, his feet chilly in the dew, drunk on the memory of her lost, half-smiling face, and the clinging grip of her burning fingers, pressing the cold key into his hand.

creep

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

From this reading Nothing for it but to creep in and go to bed; yet for a long while he sat unmoving, his feet chilly in the dew, drunk on the memory of her lost, half-smiling face, and the clinging grip of her burning fingers, pressing the cold key into his hand.

dew

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

From this reading Nothing for it but to creep in and go to bed; yet for a long while he sat unmoving, his feet chilly in the dew, drunk on the memory of her lost, half-smiling face, and the clinging grip of her burning fingers, pressing the cold key into his hand.

dropped

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

From this reading With a sigh he dropped back to earth, and sitting on that chair, took off his boots.

drunk

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

From this reading Nothing for it but to creep in and go to bed; yet for a long while he sat unmoving, his feet chilly in the dew, drunk on the memory of her lost, half-smiling face, and the clinging grip of her burning fingers, pressing the cold key into his hand.

earth

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

From this reading With a sigh he dropped back to earth, and sitting on that chair, took off his boots.

face

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

From this reading Nothing for it but to creep in and go to bed; yet for a long while he sat unmoving, his feet chilly in the dew, drunk on the memory of her lost, half-smiling face, and the clinging grip of her burning fingers, pressing the cold key into his hand.

feet

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

From this reading Nothing for it but to creep in and go to bed; yet for a long while he sat unmoving, his feet chilly in the dew, drunk on the memory of her lost, half-smiling face, and the clinging grip of her burning fingers, pressing the cold key into his hand.

fingers

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

From this reading Nothing for it but to creep in and go to bed; yet for a long while he sat unmoving, his feet chilly in the dew, drunk on the memory of her lost, half-smiling face, and the clinging grip of her burning fingers, pressing the cold key into his hand.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Nothing for it but to creep in and go to bed; yet for a long while he sat unmoving, his feet chilly in the dew, drunk on the memory of her lost, half-smiling face, and the clinging grip of her burning fingers, pressing the cold key into his hand.

go

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

From this reading Nothing for it but to creep in and go to bed; yet for a long while he sat unmoving, his feet chilly in the dew, drunk on the memory of her lost, half-smiling face, and the clinging grip of her burning fingers, pressing the cold key into his hand.

gone

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

From this reading She was gone!

Good-night

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

From this reading “Good-night, Megan!”

grip

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

From this reading Nothing for it but to creep in and go to bed; yet for a long while he sat unmoving, his feet chilly in the dew, drunk on the memory of her lost, half-smiling face, and the clinging grip of her burning fingers, pressing the cold key into his hand.

half-smiling

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

From this reading Nothing for it but to creep in and go to bed; yet for a long while he sat unmoving, his feet chilly in the dew, drunk on the memory of her lost, half-smiling face, and the clinging grip of her burning fingers, pressing the cold key into his hand.

hand

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

From this reading Nothing for it but to creep in and go to bed; yet for a long while he sat unmoving, his feet chilly in the dew, drunk on the memory of her lost, half-smiling face, and the clinging grip of her burning fingers, pressing the cold key into his hand.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading With a sigh he dropped back to earth, and sitting on that chair, took off his boots.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading Nothing for it but to creep in and go to bed; yet for a long while he sat unmoving, his feet chilly in the dew, drunk on the memory of her lost, half-smiling face, and the clinging grip of her burning fingers, pressing the cold key into his hand.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading With a sigh he dropped back to earth, and sitting on that chair, took off his boots.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Nothing for it but to creep in and go to bed; yet for a long while he sat unmoving, his feet chilly in the dew, drunk on the memory of her lost, half-smiling face, and the clinging grip of her burning fingers, pressing the cold key into his hand.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Nothing for it but to creep in and go to bed; yet for a long while he sat unmoving, his feet chilly in the dew, drunk on the memory of her lost, half-smiling face, and the clinging grip of her burning fingers, pressing the cold key into his hand.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Nothing for it but to creep in and go to bed; yet for a long while he sat unmoving, his feet chilly in the dew, drunk on the memory of her lost, half-smiling face, and the clinging grip of her burning fingers, pressing the cold key into his hand.

key

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

From this reading Nothing for it but to creep in and go to bed; yet for a long while he sat unmoving, his feet chilly in the dew, drunk on the memory of her lost, half-smiling face, and the clinging grip of her burning fingers, pressing the cold key into his hand.

longnounUS /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Nothing for it but to creep in and go to bed; yet for a long while he sat unmoving, his feet chilly in the dew, drunk on the memory of her lost, half-smiling face, and the clinging grip of her burning fingers, pressing the cold key into his hand.

lost

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

From this reading Nothing for it but to creep in and go to bed; yet for a long while he sat unmoving, his feet chilly in the dew, drunk on the memory of her lost, half-smiling face, and the clinging grip of her burning fingers, pressing the cold key into his hand.

Megan

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

From this reading “Good-night, Megan!”

memorynounUS /ˈmem.ər.i/

The faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information and knowledge.

From this reading Nothing for it but to creep in and go to bed; yet for a long while he sat unmoving, his feet chilly in the dew, drunk on the memory of her lost, half-smiling face, and the clinging grip of her burning fingers, pressing the cold key into his hand.

NothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading Nothing for it but to creep in and go to bed; yet for a long while he sat unmoving, his feet chilly in the dew, drunk on the memory of her lost, half-smiling face, and the clinging grip of her burning fingers, pressing the cold key into his hand.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Nothing for it but to creep in and go to bed; yet for a long while he sat unmoving, his feet chilly in the dew, drunk on the memory of her lost, half-smiling face, and the clinging grip of her burning fingers, pressing the cold key into his hand.

off

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

From this reading With a sigh he dropped back to earth, and sitting on that chair, took off his boots.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading With a sigh he dropped back to earth, and sitting on that chair, took off his boots.

pressing

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

From this reading Nothing for it but to creep in and go to bed; yet for a long while he sat unmoving, his feet chilly in the dew, drunk on the memory of her lost, half-smiling face, and the clinging grip of her burning fingers, pressing the cold key into his hand.

sat

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

From this reading Nothing for it but to creep in and go to bed; yet for a long while he sat unmoving, his feet chilly in the dew, drunk on the memory of her lost, half-smiling face, and the clinging grip of her burning fingers, pressing the cold key into his hand.

ShepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading She was gone!

sigh

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

From this reading With a sigh he dropped back to earth, and sitting on that chair, took off his boots.

sir

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

From this reading “Good-night, sir!”

sitting

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

From this reading With a sigh he dropped back to earth, and sitting on that chair, took off his boots.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading With a sigh he dropped back to earth, and sitting on that chair, took off his boots.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Nothing for it but to creep in and go to bed; yet for a long while he sat unmoving, his feet chilly in the dew, drunk on the memory of her lost, half-smiling face, and the clinging grip of her burning fingers, pressing the cold key into his hand.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading With a sigh he dropped back to earth, and sitting on that chair, took off his boots.

tooknounUS /took/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading With a sigh he dropped back to earth, and sitting on that chair, took off his boots.

unmoving

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

From this reading Nothing for it but to creep in and go to bed; yet for a long while he sat unmoving, his feet chilly in the dew, drunk on the memory of her lost, half-smiling face, and the clinging grip of her burning fingers, pressing the cold key into his hand.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading She was gone!

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading Nothing for it but to creep in and go to bed; yet for a long while he sat unmoving, his feet chilly in the dew, drunk on the memory of her lost, half-smiling face, and the clinging grip of her burning fingers, pressing the cold key into his hand.

WithprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading With a sigh he dropped back to earth, and sitting on that chair, took off his boots.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading Nothing for it but to creep in and go to bed; yet for a long while he sat unmoving, his feet chilly in the dew, drunk on the memory of her lost, half-smiling face, and the clinging grip of her burning fingers, pressing the cold key into his hand.