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Henry Northcote
Henry Northcote

Chapter II

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Context Illustration Reading 1/78 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Jools was the head waiter, a man of the first distinction, with a small imperial, the envy and the proud despair of all the compatriots who shared his exile in an alien country.
It had the choice perfection which art is sometimes able to superimpose upon nature.
Jools was of slight, even mean, physique, but he had the ease of bearing which comes of having been somebody for several generations.
He held the key to the finest cellar in London, as his father before him had held the key to the finest cellar of Paris, and his grandfather of that of Vienna.
Jools was an aristocrat of aristocrats, and one versed in the ways of his order would almost have divined it from the amiable humility with which he came forward to receive one of other clay.
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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.

Henry Northcote

Chapter II

Reading 1/78 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Jools was the head waiter, a man of the first distinction, with a small imperial, the envy and the proud despair of all the compatriots who shared his exile in an alien country.
Line 2
It had the choice perfection which art is sometimes able to superimpose upon nature.
Line 3
Jools was of slight, even mean, physique, but he had the ease of bearing which comes of having been somebody for several generations.
Line 4
He held the key to the finest cellar in London, as his father before him had held the key to the finest cellar of Paris, and his grandfather of that of Vienna.
Line 5
Jools was an aristocrat of aristocrats, and one versed in the ways of his order would almost have divined it from the amiable humility with which he came forward to receive one of other clay.

Learner Dictionary

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

Art auxiliary verb US /ɑːrt/

an old form of “are”, used with “thou”

From this reading “It had the choice perfection which art is sometimes able to superimpose upon nature.”

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “Jools was of slight, even mean, physique, but he had the ease of bearing which comes of having been somebody for several generations.”

Before preposition US /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading “He held the key to the finest cellar in London, as his father before him had held the key to the finest cellar of Paris, and his grandfather of that of Vienna.”

Even noun US /even/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Jools was of slight, even mean, physique, but he had the ease of bearing which comes of having been somebody for several generations.”

First noun US /first/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Jools was the head waiter, a man of the first distinction, with a small imperial, the envy and the proud despair of all the compatriots who shared his exile in an alien country.”

Forward noun US /forward/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Jools was an aristocrat of aristocrats, and one versed in the ways of his order would almost have divined it from the amiable humility with which he came forward to receive one of other clay.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “Jools was an aristocrat of aristocrats, and one versed in the ways of his order would almost have divined it from the amiable humility with which he came forward to receive one of other clay.”

Having auxiliary verb US /ˈhævɪŋ/

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading “Jools was of slight, even mean, physique, but he had the ease of bearing which comes of having been somebody for several generations.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “Jools was an aristocrat of aristocrats, and one versed in the ways of his order would almost have divined it from the amiable humility with which he came forward to receive one of other clay.”

Order noun US /order/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Jools was an aristocrat of aristocrats, and one versed in the ways of his order would almost have divined it from the amiable humility with which he came forward to receive one of other clay.”

Several noun US /ˈseveral/

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

From this reading “Jools was of slight, even mean, physique, but he had the ease of bearing which comes of having been somebody for several generations.”

Somebody pronoun US /ˈsʌmbɑːdi/

a person, without saying who

From this reading “Jools was of slight, even mean, physique, but he had the ease of bearing which comes of having been somebody for several generations.”

Sometimes noun US /sometimes/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It had the choice perfection which art is sometimes able to superimpose upon nature.”

Upon preposition US /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading “It had the choice perfection which art is sometimes able to superimpose upon nature.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

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

From this reading “Jools was an aristocrat of aristocrats, and one versed in the ways of his order would almost have divined it from the amiable humility with which he came forward to receive one of other clay.”

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.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading Jools was the head waiter, a man of the first distinction, with a small imperial, the envy and the proud despair of all the compatriots who shared his exile in an alien country.

able

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

From this reading It had the choice perfection which art is sometimes able to superimpose upon nature.

alien

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

From this reading Jools was the head waiter, a man of the first distinction, with a small imperial, the envy and the proud despair of all the compatriots who shared his exile in an alien country.

all

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

From this reading Jools was the head waiter, a man of the first distinction, with a small imperial, the envy and the proud despair of all the compatriots who shared his exile in an alien country.

almost

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

From this reading Jools was an aristocrat of aristocrats, and one versed in the ways of his order would almost have divined it from the amiable humility with which he came forward to receive one of other clay.

amiable

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

From this reading Jools was an aristocrat of aristocrats, and one versed in the ways of his order would almost have divined it from the amiable humility with which he came forward to receive one of other clay.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading Jools was the head waiter, a man of the first distinction, with a small imperial, the envy and the proud despair of all the compatriots who shared his exile in an alien country.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Jools was the head waiter, a man of the first distinction, with a small imperial, the envy and the proud despair of all the compatriots who shared his exile in an alien country.

aristocrat

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

From this reading Jools was an aristocrat of aristocrats, and one versed in the ways of his order would almost have divined it from the amiable humility with which he came forward to receive one of other clay.

aristocrats

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

From this reading Jools was an aristocrat of aristocrats, and one versed in the ways of his order would almost have divined it from the amiable humility with which he came forward to receive one of other clay.

artauxiliary verbUS /ɑːrt/

an old form of “are”, used with “thou”

From this reading It had the choice perfection which art is sometimes able to superimpose upon nature.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading He held the key to the finest cellar in London, as his father before him had held the key to the finest cellar of Paris, and his grandfather of that of Vienna.

bearing

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

From this reading Jools was of slight, even mean, physique, but he had the ease of bearing which comes of having been somebody for several generations.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Jools was of slight, even mean, physique, but he had the ease of bearing which comes of having been somebody for several generations.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading He held the key to the finest cellar in London, as his father before him had held the key to the finest cellar of Paris, and his grandfather of that of Vienna.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Jools was of slight, even mean, physique, but he had the ease of bearing which comes of having been somebody for several generations.

came

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

From this reading Jools was an aristocrat of aristocrats, and one versed in the ways of his order would almost have divined it from the amiable humility with which he came forward to receive one of other clay.

cellar

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

From this reading He held the key to the finest cellar in London, as his father before him had held the key to the finest cellar of Paris, and his grandfather of that of Vienna.

choice

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

From this reading It had the choice perfection which art is sometimes able to superimpose upon nature.

clay

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

From this reading Jools was an aristocrat of aristocrats, and one versed in the ways of his order would almost have divined it from the amiable humility with which he came forward to receive one of other clay.

comes

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

From this reading Jools was of slight, even mean, physique, but he had the ease of bearing which comes of having been somebody for several generations.

compatriots

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

From this reading Jools was the head waiter, a man of the first distinction, with a small imperial, the envy and the proud despair of all the compatriots who shared his exile in an alien country.

country

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

From this reading Jools was the head waiter, a man of the first distinction, with a small imperial, the envy and the proud despair of all the compatriots who shared his exile in an alien country.

despair

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

From this reading Jools was the head waiter, a man of the first distinction, with a small imperial, the envy and the proud despair of all the compatriots who shared his exile in an alien country.

distinction

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

From this reading Jools was the head waiter, a man of the first distinction, with a small imperial, the envy and the proud despair of all the compatriots who shared his exile in an alien country.

divined

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

From this reading Jools was an aristocrat of aristocrats, and one versed in the ways of his order would almost have divined it from the amiable humility with which he came forward to receive one of other clay.

ease

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

From this reading Jools was of slight, even mean, physique, but he had the ease of bearing which comes of having been somebody for several generations.

envy

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

From this reading Jools was the head waiter, a man of the first distinction, with a small imperial, the envy and the proud despair of all the compatriots who shared his exile in an alien country.

evennounUS /even/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Jools was of slight, even mean, physique, but he had the ease of bearing which comes of having been somebody for several generations.

exile

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

From this reading Jools was the head waiter, a man of the first distinction, with a small imperial, the envy and the proud despair of all the compatriots who shared his exile in an alien country.

father

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

From this reading He held the key to the finest cellar in London, as his father before him had held the key to the finest cellar of Paris, and his grandfather of that of Vienna.

finest

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

From this reading He held the key to the finest cellar in London, as his father before him had held the key to the finest cellar of Paris, and his grandfather of that of Vienna.

firstnounUS /first/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Jools was the head waiter, a man of the first distinction, with a small imperial, the envy and the proud despair of all the compatriots who shared his exile in an alien country.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Jools was of slight, even mean, physique, but he had the ease of bearing which comes of having been somebody for several generations.

forwardnounUS /forward/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Jools was an aristocrat of aristocrats, and one versed in the ways of his order would almost have divined it from the amiable humility with which he came forward to receive one of other clay.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Jools was an aristocrat of aristocrats, and one versed in the ways of his order would almost have divined it from the amiable humility with which he came forward to receive one of other clay.

generations

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

From this reading Jools was of slight, even mean, physique, but he had the ease of bearing which comes of having been somebody for several generations.

grandfather

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

From this reading He held the key to the finest cellar in London, as his father before him had held the key to the finest cellar of Paris, and his grandfather of that of Vienna.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading It had the choice perfection which art is sometimes able to superimpose upon nature.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Jools was an aristocrat of aristocrats, and one versed in the ways of his order would almost have divined it from the amiable humility with which he came forward to receive one of other clay.

havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading Jools was of slight, even mean, physique, but he had the ease of bearing which comes of having been somebody for several generations.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Jools was of slight, even mean, physique, but he had the ease of bearing which comes of having been somebody for several generations.

head

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

From this reading Jools was the head waiter, a man of the first distinction, with a small imperial, the envy and the proud despair of all the compatriots who shared his exile in an alien country.

held

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

From this reading He held the key to the finest cellar in London, as his father before him had held the key to the finest cellar of Paris, and his grandfather of that of Vienna.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading He held the key to the finest cellar in London, as his father before him had held the key to the finest cellar of Paris, and his grandfather of that of Vienna.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Jools was the head waiter, a man of the first distinction, with a small imperial, the envy and the proud despair of all the compatriots who shared his exile in an alien country.

humility

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

From this reading Jools was an aristocrat of aristocrats, and one versed in the ways of his order would almost have divined it from the amiable humility with which he came forward to receive one of other clay.

imperial

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

From this reading Jools was the head waiter, a man of the first distinction, with a small imperial, the envy and the proud despair of all the compatriots who shared his exile in an alien country.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Jools was the head waiter, a man of the first distinction, with a small imperial, the envy and the proud despair of all the compatriots who shared his exile in an alien country.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading It had the choice perfection which art is sometimes able to superimpose upon nature.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It had the choice perfection which art is sometimes able to superimpose upon nature.

Jools

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

From this reading Jools was the head waiter, a man of the first distinction, with a small imperial, the envy and the proud despair of all the compatriots who shared his exile in an alien country.

key

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

From this reading He held the key to the finest cellar in London, as his father before him had held the key to the finest cellar of Paris, and his grandfather of that of Vienna.

London

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

From this reading He held the key to the finest cellar in London, as his father before him had held the key to the finest cellar of Paris, and his grandfather of that of Vienna.

man

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

From this reading Jools was the head waiter, a man of the first distinction, with a small imperial, the envy and the proud despair of all the compatriots who shared his exile in an alien country.

mean

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

From this reading Jools was of slight, even mean, physique, but he had the ease of bearing which comes of having been somebody for several generations.

nature

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

From this reading It had the choice perfection which art is sometimes able to superimpose upon nature.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Jools was the head waiter, a man of the first distinction, with a small imperial, the envy and the proud despair of all the compatriots who shared his exile in an alien country.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Jools was an aristocrat of aristocrats, and one versed in the ways of his order would almost have divined it from the amiable humility with which he came forward to receive one of other clay.

ordernounUS /order/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Jools was an aristocrat of aristocrats, and one versed in the ways of his order would almost have divined it from the amiable humility with which he came forward to receive one of other clay.

other

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

From this reading Jools was an aristocrat of aristocrats, and one versed in the ways of his order would almost have divined it from the amiable humility with which he came forward to receive one of other clay.

Paris

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

From this reading He held the key to the finest cellar in London, as his father before him had held the key to the finest cellar of Paris, and his grandfather of that of Vienna.

perfection

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

From this reading It had the choice perfection which art is sometimes able to superimpose upon nature.

physique

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

From this reading Jools was of slight, even mean, physique, but he had the ease of bearing which comes of having been somebody for several generations.

proud

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

From this reading Jools was the head waiter, a man of the first distinction, with a small imperial, the envy and the proud despair of all the compatriots who shared his exile in an alien country.

receive

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

From this reading Jools was an aristocrat of aristocrats, and one versed in the ways of his order would almost have divined it from the amiable humility with which he came forward to receive one of other clay.

several

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

From this reading Jools was of slight, even mean, physique, but he had the ease of bearing which comes of having been somebody for several generations.

shared

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

From this reading Jools was the head waiter, a man of the first distinction, with a small imperial, the envy and the proud despair of all the compatriots who shared his exile in an alien country.

slight

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

From this reading Jools was of slight, even mean, physique, but he had the ease of bearing which comes of having been somebody for several generations.

small

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

From this reading Jools was the head waiter, a man of the first distinction, with a small imperial, the envy and the proud despair of all the compatriots who shared his exile in an alien country.

somebodypronounUS /ˈsʌmbɑːdi/

a person, without saying who

From this reading Jools was of slight, even mean, physique, but he had the ease of bearing which comes of having been somebody for several generations.

sometimes

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

From this reading It had the choice perfection which art is sometimes able to superimpose upon nature.

superimpose

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

From this reading It had the choice perfection which art is sometimes able to superimpose upon nature.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading He held the key to the finest cellar in London, as his father before him had held the key to the finest cellar of Paris, and his grandfather of that of Vienna.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Jools was the head waiter, a man of the first distinction, with a small imperial, the envy and the proud despair of all the compatriots who shared his exile in an alien country.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It had the choice perfection which art is sometimes able to superimpose upon nature.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading It had the choice perfection which art is sometimes able to superimpose upon nature.

versed

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

From this reading Jools was an aristocrat of aristocrats, and one versed in the ways of his order would almost have divined it from the amiable humility with which he came forward to receive one of other clay.

Vienna

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

From this reading He held the key to the finest cellar in London, as his father before him had held the key to the finest cellar of Paris, and his grandfather of that of Vienna.

waiter

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

From this reading Jools was the head waiter, a man of the first distinction, with a small imperial, the envy and the proud despair of all the compatriots who shared his exile in an alien country.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Jools was the head waiter, a man of the first distinction, with a small imperial, the envy and the proud despair of all the compatriots who shared his exile in an alien country.

ways

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

From this reading Jools was an aristocrat of aristocrats, and one versed in the ways of his order would almost have divined it from the amiable humility with which he came forward to receive one of other clay.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading It had the choice perfection which art is sometimes able to superimpose upon nature.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Jools was the head waiter, a man of the first distinction, with a small imperial, the envy and the proud despair of all the compatriots who shared his exile in an alien country.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Jools was the head waiter, a man of the first distinction, with a small imperial, the envy and the proud despair of all the compatriots who shared his exile in an alien country.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading Jools was an aristocrat of aristocrats, and one versed in the ways of his order would almost have divined it from the amiable humility with which he came forward to receive one of other clay.