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Jennie Gerhardt: A Novel
Jennie Gerhardt: A Novel

Chapter XXV

Cover illustration for Jennie Gerhardt: A Novel
Context Illustration Reading 1/105 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.
He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.
The trees, he declared to Jennie, were in a dreadful condition.
If Lester would get him a pruning knife and a saw he would attend to them in the spring.
In Germany they knew how to care for such things, but these Americans were so shiftless.
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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.

Jennie Gerhardt: A Novel

Chapter XXV

Reading 1/105 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.
Line 2
He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.
Line 3
The trees, he declared to Jennie, were in a dreadful condition.
Line 4
If Lester would get him a pruning knife and a saw he would attend to them in the spring.
Line 5
In Germany they knew how to care for such things, but these Americans were so shiftless.

Learner Dictionary

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

About preposition US /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading “Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.”

Dreadful adjective US /ˈdrɛdfəl/

extremely frightening or unpleasant

From this reading “The trees, he declared to Jennie, were in a dreadful condition.”

Good noun US /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.”

Having auxiliary verb US /ˈhævɪŋ/

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading “Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.”

Himself pronoun US /hɪmˈself/

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

From this reading “Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.”

Nothing pronoun US /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading “He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.”

Once noun US /once/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.”

Outsider noun US /ˌaʊtˈsaɪ.dər/

A person who does not belong to a particular group or community; a stranger.

From this reading “He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.”

These determiner US /ðiːz/

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

From this reading “In Germany they knew how to care for such things, but these Americans were so shiftless.”

Thought noun US /thought/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.”

Took noun US /took/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

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

From this reading “If Lester would get him a pruning knife and a saw he would attend to them in the spring.”

All words in this reading · 73

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 The trees, he declared to Jennie, were in a dreadful condition.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.

Americans

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

From this reading In Germany they knew how to care for such things, but these Americans were so shiftless.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.

any

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

From this reading He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.

attend

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

From this reading If Lester would get him a pruning knife and a saw he would attend to them in the spring.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.

become

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

From this reading Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.

bestirred

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

From this reading Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading In Germany they knew how to care for such things, but these Americans were so shiftless.

care

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

From this reading In Germany they knew how to care for such things, but these Americans were so shiftless.

charge

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

From this reading He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.

concerned

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

From this reading Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.

condition

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

From this reading The trees, he declared to Jennie, were in a dreadful condition.

declared

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

From this reading The trees, he declared to Jennie, were in a dreadful condition.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.

dreadfuladjectiveUS /ˈdrɛdfəl/

extremely frightening or unpleasant

From this reading The trees, he declared to Jennie, were in a dreadful condition.

felt

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

From this reading Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading In Germany they knew how to care for such things, but these Americans were so shiftless.

furnace

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

From this reading He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.

Gerhardt

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

From this reading Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.

Germany

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

From this reading In Germany they knew how to care for such things, but these Americans were so shiftless.

get

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

From this reading If Lester would get him a pruning knife and a saw he would attend to them in the spring.

goodnounUS /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.

havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

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

From this reading Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.

home

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

From this reading Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.

how

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

From this reading In Germany they knew how to care for such things, but these Americans were so shiftless.

Hyde

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

From this reading Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.

IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading If Lester would get him a pruning knife and a saw he would attend to them in the spring.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The trees, he declared to Jennie, were in a dreadful condition.

inmate

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

From this reading Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.

instinctively

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

From this reading Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.

Jennie

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

From this reading The trees, he declared to Jennie, were in a dreadful condition.

knew

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

From this reading In Germany they knew how to care for such things, but these Americans were so shiftless.

knife

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

From this reading If Lester would get him a pruning knife and a saw he would attend to them in the spring.

labors

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

From this reading Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.

Lester

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

From this reading If Lester would get him a pruning knife and a saw he would attend to them in the spring.

money

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

From this reading He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.

once

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

From this reading Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.

outraged

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

From this reading He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.

outsidernounUS /ˌaʊtˈsaɪ.dər/

A person who does not belong to a particular group or community; a stranger.

From this reading He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.

paid

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

From this reading He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.

Park

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

From this reading Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.

pruning

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

From this reading If Lester would get him a pruning knife and a saw he would attend to them in the spring.

saw

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

From this reading If Lester would get him a pruning knife and a saw he would attend to them in the spring.

shiftless

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

From this reading In Germany they knew how to care for such things, but these Americans were so shiftless.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading In Germany they knew how to care for such things, but these Americans were so shiftless.

spring

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

From this reading If Lester would get him a pruning knife and a saw he would attend to them in the spring.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading In Germany they knew how to care for such things, but these Americans were so shiftless.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading If Lester would get him a pruning knife and a saw he would attend to them in the spring.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

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

From this reading In Germany they knew how to care for such things, but these Americans were so shiftless.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading In Germany they knew how to care for such things, but these Americans were so shiftless.

things

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

From this reading In Germany they knew how to care for such things, but these Americans were so shiftless.

thoughtnounUS /thought/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.

tooknounUS /took/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.

trees

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

From this reading The trees, he declared to Jennie, were in a dreadful condition.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading The trees, he declared to Jennie, were in a dreadful condition.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading If Lester would get him a pruning knife and a saw he would attend to them in the spring.

yard

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

From this reading He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.