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Five Tales
Five Tales

Chapter XXXI

Cover illustration for Five Tales
Context Illustration Reading 1/44 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Preposterous, at his age!
And yet--what other reason was there for asking June to undergo such painful reminder, and how prevent his son and his son's wife from thinking him very queer?
He would be reduced to sneaking up to London, which tired him; and the least indisposition would cut him off even from that.
He lay with eyes open, setting his jaw against the prospect, and calling himself an old fool, while his heart beat loudly, and then seemed to stop beating altogether.
He had seen the dawn lighting the window chinks, heard the birds chirp and twitter, and the cocks crow, before he fell asleep again, and awoke tired but sane.
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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 XXXI

Reading 1/44 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Preposterous, at his age!
Line 2
And yet--what other reason was there for asking June to undergo such painful reminder, and how prevent his son and his son's wife from thinking him very queer?
Line 3
He would be reduced to sneaking up to London, which tired him; and the least indisposition would cut him off even from that.
Line 4
He lay with eyes open, setting his jaw against the prospect, and calling himself an old fool, while his heart beat loudly, and then seemed to stop beating altogether.
Line 5
He had seen the dawn lighting the window chinks, heard the birds chirp and twitter, and the cocks crow, before he fell asleep again, and awoke tired but sane.

Learner Dictionary

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

Again noun US /again/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He had seen the dawn lighting the window chinks, heard the birds chirp and twitter, and the cocks crow, before he fell asleep again, and awoke tired but sane.”

Against preposition US /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading “He lay with eyes open, setting his jaw against the prospect, and calling himself an old fool, while his heart beat loudly, and then seemed to stop beating altogether.”

Before preposition US /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading “He had seen the dawn lighting the window chinks, heard the birds chirp and twitter, and the cocks crow, before he fell asleep again, and awoke tired but sane.”

Even noun US /even/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He would be reduced to sneaking up to London, which tired him; and the least indisposition would cut him off even from that.”

Fool noun US /fool/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He lay with eyes open, setting his jaw against the prospect, and calling himself an old fool, while his heart beat loudly, and then seemed to stop beating altogether.”

Himself pronoun US /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading “He lay with eyes open, setting his jaw against the prospect, and calling himself an old fool, while his heart beat loudly, and then seemed to stop beating altogether.”

Least noun US /least/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He would be reduced to sneaking up to London, which tired him; and the least indisposition would cut him off even from that.”

Open verb US /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading “He lay with eyes open, setting his jaw against the prospect, and calling himself an old fool, while his heart beat loudly, and then seemed to stop beating altogether.”

Seemed noun US /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He lay with eyes open, setting his jaw against the prospect, and calling himself an old fool, while his heart beat loudly, and then seemed to stop beating altogether.”

Thinking noun US /thinking/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “And yet--what other reason was there for asking June to undergo such painful reminder, and how prevent his son and his son's wife from thinking him very queer?”

While conjunction US /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading “He lay with eyes open, setting his jaw against the prospect, and calling himself an old fool, while his heart beat loudly, and then seemed to stop beating altogether.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

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

From this reading “He would be reduced to sneaking up to London, which tired him; and the least indisposition would cut him off even from that.”

Yet conjunction US /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading “And yet--what other reason was there for asking June to undergo such painful reminder, and how prevent his son and his son's wife from thinking him very queer?”

All words in this reading · 86

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

againnounUS /again/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He had seen the dawn lighting the window chinks, heard the birds chirp and twitter, and the cocks crow, before he fell asleep again, and awoke tired but sane.

againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading He lay with eyes open, setting his jaw against the prospect, and calling himself an old fool, while his heart beat loudly, and then seemed to stop beating altogether.

age

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

From this reading Preposterous, at his age!

altogether

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

From this reading He lay with eyes open, setting his jaw against the prospect, and calling himself an old fool, while his heart beat loudly, and then seemed to stop beating altogether.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading He lay with eyes open, setting his jaw against the prospect, and calling himself an old fool, while his heart beat loudly, and then seemed to stop beating altogether.

AndconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading And yet--what other reason was there for asking June to undergo such painful reminder, and how prevent his son and his son's wife from thinking him very queer?

asking

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

From this reading And yet--what other reason was there for asking June to undergo such painful reminder, and how prevent his son and his son's wife from thinking him very queer?

asleep

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

From this reading He had seen the dawn lighting the window chinks, heard the birds chirp and twitter, and the cocks crow, before he fell asleep again, and awoke tired but sane.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Preposterous, at his age!

awoke

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

From this reading He had seen the dawn lighting the window chinks, heard the birds chirp and twitter, and the cocks crow, before he fell asleep again, and awoke tired but sane.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading He would be reduced to sneaking up to London, which tired him; and the least indisposition would cut him off even from that.

beat

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

From this reading He lay with eyes open, setting his jaw against the prospect, and calling himself an old fool, while his heart beat loudly, and then seemed to stop beating altogether.

beating

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

From this reading He lay with eyes open, setting his jaw against the prospect, and calling himself an old fool, while his heart beat loudly, and then seemed to stop beating altogether.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading He had seen the dawn lighting the window chinks, heard the birds chirp and twitter, and the cocks crow, before he fell asleep again, and awoke tired but sane.

birds

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

From this reading He had seen the dawn lighting the window chinks, heard the birds chirp and twitter, and the cocks crow, before he fell asleep again, and awoke tired but sane.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading He had seen the dawn lighting the window chinks, heard the birds chirp and twitter, and the cocks crow, before he fell asleep again, and awoke tired but sane.

calling

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

From this reading He lay with eyes open, setting his jaw against the prospect, and calling himself an old fool, while his heart beat loudly, and then seemed to stop beating altogether.

chinks

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

From this reading He had seen the dawn lighting the window chinks, heard the birds chirp and twitter, and the cocks crow, before he fell asleep again, and awoke tired but sane.

chirp

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

From this reading He had seen the dawn lighting the window chinks, heard the birds chirp and twitter, and the cocks crow, before he fell asleep again, and awoke tired but sane.

cocks

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

From this reading He had seen the dawn lighting the window chinks, heard the birds chirp and twitter, and the cocks crow, before he fell asleep again, and awoke tired but sane.

crow

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

From this reading He had seen the dawn lighting the window chinks, heard the birds chirp and twitter, and the cocks crow, before he fell asleep again, and awoke tired but sane.

cut

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

From this reading He would be reduced to sneaking up to London, which tired him; and the least indisposition would cut him off even from that.

dawn

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

From this reading He had seen the dawn lighting the window chinks, heard the birds chirp and twitter, and the cocks crow, before he fell asleep again, and awoke tired but sane.

evennounUS /even/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He would be reduced to sneaking up to London, which tired him; and the least indisposition would cut him off even from that.

eyes

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

From this reading He lay with eyes open, setting his jaw against the prospect, and calling himself an old fool, while his heart beat loudly, and then seemed to stop beating altogether.

fell

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

From this reading He had seen the dawn lighting the window chinks, heard the birds chirp and twitter, and the cocks crow, before he fell asleep again, and awoke tired but sane.

foolnounUS /fool/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He lay with eyes open, setting his jaw against the prospect, and calling himself an old fool, while his heart beat loudly, and then seemed to stop beating altogether.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading And yet--what other reason was there for asking June to undergo such painful reminder, and how prevent his son and his son's wife from thinking him very queer?

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading And yet--what other reason was there for asking June to undergo such painful reminder, and how prevent his son and his son's wife from thinking him very queer?

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading He had seen the dawn lighting the window chinks, heard the birds chirp and twitter, and the cocks crow, before he fell asleep again, and awoke tired but sane.

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He would be reduced to sneaking up to London, which tired him; and the least indisposition would cut him off even from that.

heard

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

From this reading He had seen the dawn lighting the window chinks, heard the birds chirp and twitter, and the cocks crow, before he fell asleep again, and awoke tired but sane.

heart

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

From this reading He lay with eyes open, setting his jaw against the prospect, and calling himself an old fool, while his heart beat loudly, and then seemed to stop beating altogether.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading And yet--what other reason was there for asking June to undergo such painful reminder, and how prevent his son and his son's wife from thinking him very queer?

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading He lay with eyes open, setting his jaw against the prospect, and calling himself an old fool, while his heart beat loudly, and then seemed to stop beating altogether.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Preposterous, at his age!

how

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

From this reading And yet--what other reason was there for asking June to undergo such painful reminder, and how prevent his son and his son's wife from thinking him very queer?

indisposition

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

From this reading He would be reduced to sneaking up to London, which tired him; and the least indisposition would cut him off even from that.

jaw

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

From this reading He lay with eyes open, setting his jaw against the prospect, and calling himself an old fool, while his heart beat loudly, and then seemed to stop beating altogether.

June

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

From this reading And yet--what other reason was there for asking June to undergo such painful reminder, and how prevent his son and his son's wife from thinking him very queer?

lay

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

From this reading He lay with eyes open, setting his jaw against the prospect, and calling himself an old fool, while his heart beat loudly, and then seemed to stop beating altogether.

leastnounUS /least/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He would be reduced to sneaking up to London, which tired him; and the least indisposition would cut him off even from that.

lighting

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

From this reading He had seen the dawn lighting the window chinks, heard the birds chirp and twitter, and the cocks crow, before he fell asleep again, and awoke tired but sane.

London

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

From this reading He would be reduced to sneaking up to London, which tired him; and the least indisposition would cut him off even from that.

loudly

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

From this reading He lay with eyes open, setting his jaw against the prospect, and calling himself an old fool, while his heart beat loudly, and then seemed to stop beating altogether.

off

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

From this reading He would be reduced to sneaking up to London, which tired him; and the least indisposition would cut him off even from that.

old

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

From this reading He lay with eyes open, setting his jaw against the prospect, and calling himself an old fool, while his heart beat loudly, and then seemed to stop beating altogether.

openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading He lay with eyes open, setting his jaw against the prospect, and calling himself an old fool, while his heart beat loudly, and then seemed to stop beating altogether.

other

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

From this reading And yet--what other reason was there for asking June to undergo such painful reminder, and how prevent his son and his son's wife from thinking him very queer?

painful

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

From this reading And yet--what other reason was there for asking June to undergo such painful reminder, and how prevent his son and his son's wife from thinking him very queer?

Preposterous

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

From this reading Preposterous, at his age!

prevent

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

From this reading And yet--what other reason was there for asking June to undergo such painful reminder, and how prevent his son and his son's wife from thinking him very queer?

prospect

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

From this reading He lay with eyes open, setting his jaw against the prospect, and calling himself an old fool, while his heart beat loudly, and then seemed to stop beating altogether.

queer

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

From this reading And yet--what other reason was there for asking June to undergo such painful reminder, and how prevent his son and his son's wife from thinking him very queer?

reason

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

From this reading And yet--what other reason was there for asking June to undergo such painful reminder, and how prevent his son and his son's wife from thinking him very queer?

reduced

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

From this reading He would be reduced to sneaking up to London, which tired him; and the least indisposition would cut him off even from that.

reminder

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

From this reading And yet--what other reason was there for asking June to undergo such painful reminder, and how prevent his son and his son's wife from thinking him very queer?

sane

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

From this reading He had seen the dawn lighting the window chinks, heard the birds chirp and twitter, and the cocks crow, before he fell asleep again, and awoke tired but sane.

seemednounUS /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He lay with eyes open, setting his jaw against the prospect, and calling himself an old fool, while his heart beat loudly, and then seemed to stop beating altogether.

seen

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

From this reading He had seen the dawn lighting the window chinks, heard the birds chirp and twitter, and the cocks crow, before he fell asleep again, and awoke tired but sane.

setting

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

From this reading He lay with eyes open, setting his jaw against the prospect, and calling himself an old fool, while his heart beat loudly, and then seemed to stop beating altogether.

sneaking

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

From this reading He would be reduced to sneaking up to London, which tired him; and the least indisposition would cut him off even from that.

son

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

From this reading And yet--what other reason was there for asking June to undergo such painful reminder, and how prevent his son and his son's wife from thinking him very queer?

son's

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

From this reading And yet--what other reason was there for asking June to undergo such painful reminder, and how prevent his son and his son's wife from thinking him very queer?

stop

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

From this reading He lay with eyes open, setting his jaw against the prospect, and calling himself an old fool, while his heart beat loudly, and then seemed to stop beating altogether.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading And yet--what other reason was there for asking June to undergo such painful reminder, and how prevent his son and his son's wife from thinking him very queer?

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading He would be reduced to sneaking up to London, which tired him; and the least indisposition would cut him off even from that.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading He would be reduced to sneaking up to London, which tired him; and the least indisposition would cut him off even from that.

then

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

From this reading He lay with eyes open, setting his jaw against the prospect, and calling himself an old fool, while his heart beat loudly, and then seemed to stop beating altogether.

there

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

From this reading And yet--what other reason was there for asking June to undergo such painful reminder, and how prevent his son and his son's wife from thinking him very queer?

thinkingnounUS /thinking/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading And yet--what other reason was there for asking June to undergo such painful reminder, and how prevent his son and his son's wife from thinking him very queer?

tired

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

From this reading He would be reduced to sneaking up to London, which tired him; and the least indisposition would cut him off even from that.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading And yet--what other reason was there for asking June to undergo such painful reminder, and how prevent his son and his son's wife from thinking him very queer?

twitter

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

From this reading He had seen the dawn lighting the window chinks, heard the birds chirp and twitter, and the cocks crow, before he fell asleep again, and awoke tired but sane.

undergo

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

From this reading And yet--what other reason was there for asking June to undergo such painful reminder, and how prevent his son and his son's wife from thinking him very queer?

up

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

From this reading He would be reduced to sneaking up to London, which tired him; and the least indisposition would cut him off even from that.

very

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

From this reading And yet--what other reason was there for asking June to undergo such painful reminder, and how prevent his son and his son's wife from thinking him very queer?

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading And yet--what other reason was there for asking June to undergo such painful reminder, and how prevent his son and his son's wife from thinking him very queer?

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading And yet--what other reason was there for asking June to undergo such painful reminder, and how prevent his son and his son's wife from thinking him very queer?

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading He would be reduced to sneaking up to London, which tired him; and the least indisposition would cut him off even from that.

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading He lay with eyes open, setting his jaw against the prospect, and calling himself an old fool, while his heart beat loudly, and then seemed to stop beating altogether.

wife

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

From this reading And yet--what other reason was there for asking June to undergo such painful reminder, and how prevent his son and his son's wife from thinking him very queer?

window

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

From this reading He had seen the dawn lighting the window chinks, heard the birds chirp and twitter, and the cocks crow, before he fell asleep again, and awoke tired but sane.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading He lay with eyes open, setting his jaw against the prospect, and calling himself an old fool, while his heart beat loudly, and then seemed to stop beating altogether.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading He would be reduced to sneaking up to London, which tired him; and the least indisposition would cut him off even from that.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading And yet--what other reason was there for asking June to undergo such painful reminder, and how prevent his son and his son's wife from thinking him very queer?