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Hetty Wesley
Hetty Wesley

Chapter XXXI

Cover illustration for Hetty Wesley
Context Illustration Reading 1/22 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"I never knew you were such a needlewoman, Hetty.
It has been nothing but stitch-stitch for these two hours--and the same yesterday, and the day before.
See, the kettle's boiling.
Lay down your sewing, that's a dear creature; make me a dish of tea; and while you're doing it, let me see your eyes and hear your voice."
Hetty dropped her hands on her lap and let them rest there for a moment, while she looked across at Charles with a smile.
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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.

Hetty Wesley

Chapter XXXI

Reading 1/22 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
"I never knew you were such a needlewoman, Hetty.
Line 2
It has been nothing but stitch-stitch for these two hours--and the same yesterday, and the day before.
Line 3
See, the kettle's boiling.
Line 4
Lay down your sewing, that's a dear creature; make me a dish of tea; and while you're doing it, let me see your eyes and hear your voice."
Line 5
Hetty dropped her hands on her lap and let them rest there for a moment, while she looked across at Charles with a smile.

Learner Dictionary

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

Across preposition US /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading “Hetty dropped her hands on her lap and let them rest there for a moment, while she looked across at Charles with a smile.”

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “It has been nothing but stitch-stitch for these two hours--and the same yesterday, and the day before.”

Before preposition US /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading “It has been nothing but stitch-stitch for these two hours--and the same yesterday, and the day before.”

Creature noun US /ˈcreature/

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

From this reading “Lay down your sewing, that's a dear creature; make me a dish of tea; and while you're doing it, let me see your eyes and hear your voice."”

Hands plural noun US /hændz/

members of a ship’s crew

From this reading “Hetty dropped her hands on her lap and let them rest there for a moment, while she looked across at Charles with a smile.”

Has auxiliary verb US /hæz/

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

From this reading “It has been nothing but stitch-stitch for these two hours--and the same yesterday, and the day before.”

Hear noun US /hear/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Lay down your sewing, that's a dear creature; make me a dish of tea; and while you're doing it, let me see your eyes and hear your voice."”

Let auxiliary verb US /let/

used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker

From this reading “Lay down your sewing, that's a dear creature; make me a dish of tea; and while you're doing it, let me see your eyes and hear your voice."”

Looked noun US /looked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Hetty dropped her hands on her lap and let them rest there for a moment, while she looked across at Charles with a smile.”

Make noun US /make/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Lay down your sewing, that's a dear creature; make me a dish of tea; and while you're doing it, let me see your eyes and hear your voice."”

Never noun US /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “"I never knew you were such a needlewoman, Hetty.”

Nothing pronoun US /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading “It has been nothing but stitch-stitch for these two hours--and the same yesterday, and the day before.”

Rest noun US /rest/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Hetty dropped her hands on her lap and let them rest there for a moment, while she looked across at Charles with a smile.”

Same noun US /same/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It has been nothing but stitch-stitch for these two hours--and the same yesterday, and the day before.”

These determiner US /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading “It has been nothing but stitch-stitch for these two hours--and the same yesterday, and the day before.”

While conjunction US /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading “Lay down your sewing, that's a dear creature; make me a dish of tea; and while you're doing it, let me see your eyes and hear your voice."”

All words in this reading · 63

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 "I never knew you were such a needlewoman, Hetty.

acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading Hetty dropped her hands on her lap and let them rest there for a moment, while she looked across at Charles with a smile.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading It has been nothing but stitch-stitch for these two hours--and the same yesterday, and the day before.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Hetty dropped her hands on her lap and let them rest there for a moment, while she looked across at Charles with a smile.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading It has been nothing but stitch-stitch for these two hours--and the same yesterday, and the day before.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading It has been nothing but stitch-stitch for these two hours--and the same yesterday, and the day before.

boiling

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

From this reading See, the kettle's boiling.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading It has been nothing but stitch-stitch for these two hours--and the same yesterday, and the day before.

Charles

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

From this reading Hetty dropped her hands on her lap and let them rest there for a moment, while she looked across at Charles with a smile.

creaturenounUS /ˈcreature/

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

From this reading Lay down your sewing, that's a dear creature; make me a dish of tea; and while you're doing it, let me see your eyes and hear your voice."

day

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

From this reading It has been nothing but stitch-stitch for these two hours--and the same yesterday, and the day before.

dear

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

From this reading Lay down your sewing, that's a dear creature; make me a dish of tea; and while you're doing it, let me see your eyes and hear your voice."

dish

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

From this reading Lay down your sewing, that's a dear creature; make me a dish of tea; and while you're doing it, let me see your eyes and hear your voice."

doing

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

From this reading Lay down your sewing, that's a dear creature; make me a dish of tea; and while you're doing it, let me see your eyes and hear your voice."

down

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

From this reading Lay down your sewing, that's a dear creature; make me a dish of tea; and while you're doing it, let me see your eyes and hear your voice."

dropped

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

From this reading Hetty dropped her hands on her lap and let them rest there for a moment, while she looked across at Charles with a smile.

eyes

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

From this reading Lay down your sewing, that's a dear creature; make me a dish of tea; and while you're doing it, let me see your eyes and hear your voice."

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading It has been nothing but stitch-stitch for these two hours--and the same yesterday, and the day before.

handsplural nounUS /hændz/

members of a ship’s crew

From this reading Hetty dropped her hands on her lap and let them rest there for a moment, while she looked across at Charles with a smile.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading It has been nothing but stitch-stitch for these two hours--and the same yesterday, and the day before.

hearnounUS /hear/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Lay down your sewing, that's a dear creature; make me a dish of tea; and while you're doing it, let me see your eyes and hear your voice."

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading Hetty dropped her hands on her lap and let them rest there for a moment, while she looked across at Charles with a smile.

Hetty

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

From this reading "I never knew you were such a needlewoman, Hetty.

hours

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

From this reading It has been nothing but stitch-stitch for these two hours--and the same yesterday, and the day before.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading "I never knew you were such a needlewoman, Hetty.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It has been nothing but stitch-stitch for these two hours--and the same yesterday, and the day before.

kettle's

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

From this reading See, the kettle's boiling.

knew

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

From this reading "I never knew you were such a needlewoman, Hetty.

lap

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

From this reading Hetty dropped her hands on her lap and let them rest there for a moment, while she looked across at Charles with a smile.

Lay

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

From this reading Lay down your sewing, that's a dear creature; make me a dish of tea; and while you're doing it, let me see your eyes and hear your voice."

letauxiliary verbUS /let/

used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker

From this reading Lay down your sewing, that's a dear creature; make me a dish of tea; and while you're doing it, let me see your eyes and hear your voice."

lookednounUS /looked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Hetty dropped her hands on her lap and let them rest there for a moment, while she looked across at Charles with a smile.

makenounUS /make/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Lay down your sewing, that's a dear creature; make me a dish of tea; and while you're doing it, let me see your eyes and hear your voice."

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading Lay down your sewing, that's a dear creature; make me a dish of tea; and while you're doing it, let me see your eyes and hear your voice."

moment

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

From this reading Hetty dropped her hands on her lap and let them rest there for a moment, while she looked across at Charles with a smile.

needlewoman

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

From this reading "I never knew you were such a needlewoman, Hetty.

nevernounUS /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading "I never knew you were such a needlewoman, Hetty.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading It has been nothing but stitch-stitch for these two hours--and the same yesterday, and the day before.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Lay down your sewing, that's a dear creature; make me a dish of tea; and while you're doing it, let me see your eyes and hear your voice."

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Hetty dropped her hands on her lap and let them rest there for a moment, while she looked across at Charles with a smile.

restnounUS /rest/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Hetty dropped her hands on her lap and let them rest there for a moment, while she looked across at Charles with a smile.

samenounUS /same/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading It has been nothing but stitch-stitch for these two hours--and the same yesterday, and the day before.

See

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

From this reading See, the kettle's boiling.

sewing

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

From this reading Lay down your sewing, that's a dear creature; make me a dish of tea; and while you're doing it, let me see your eyes and hear your voice."

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading Hetty dropped her hands on her lap and let them rest there for a moment, while she looked across at Charles with a smile.

smile

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

From this reading Hetty dropped her hands on her lap and let them rest there for a moment, while she looked across at Charles with a smile.

stitch-stitch

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

From this reading It has been nothing but stitch-stitch for these two hours--and the same yesterday, and the day before.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading "I never knew you were such a needlewoman, Hetty.

tea

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

From this reading Lay down your sewing, that's a dear creature; make me a dish of tea; and while you're doing it, let me see your eyes and hear your voice."

that's

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

From this reading Lay down your sewing, that's a dear creature; make me a dish of tea; and while you're doing it, let me see your eyes and hear your voice."

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading It has been nothing but stitch-stitch for these two hours--and the same yesterday, and the day before.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Hetty dropped her hands on her lap and let them rest there for a moment, while she looked across at Charles with a smile.

there

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

From this reading Hetty dropped her hands on her lap and let them rest there for a moment, while she looked across at Charles with a smile.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading It has been nothing but stitch-stitch for these two hours--and the same yesterday, and the day before.

two

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

From this reading It has been nothing but stitch-stitch for these two hours--and the same yesterday, and the day before.

voice

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

From this reading Lay down your sewing, that's a dear creature; make me a dish of tea; and while you're doing it, let me see your eyes and hear your voice."

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading "I never knew you were such a needlewoman, Hetty.

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading Lay down your sewing, that's a dear creature; make me a dish of tea; and while you're doing it, let me see your eyes and hear your voice."

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Hetty dropped her hands on her lap and let them rest there for a moment, while she looked across at Charles with a smile.

yesterday

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

From this reading It has been nothing but stitch-stitch for these two hours--and the same yesterday, and the day before.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "I never knew you were such a needlewoman, Hetty.

you're

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

From this reading Lay down your sewing, that's a dear creature; make me a dish of tea; and while you're doing it, let me see your eyes and hear your voice."

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Lay down your sewing, that's a dear creature; make me a dish of tea; and while you're doing it, let me see your eyes and hear your voice."