A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XVII
OFF! With the full darkness a whole army of horrors crept nearer. He felt sure of this, though he could actually see nothing. The house was surrounded, the courtyard crowded. Outside, on the stairs, in the other rooms, even on the roof itself, waited dreadful things ready to catch him, to tear off his wings, to make him prisoner for ever and ever.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading “He felt sure of this, though he could actually see nothing.”
an open area surrounded by the walls of a building
From this reading “The house was surrounded, the courtyard crowded.”
extremely frightening or unpleasant
From this reading “Outside, on the stairs, in the other rooms, even on the roof itself, waited dreadful things ready to catch him, to tear off his wings, to make him prisoner for ever and ever.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Outside, on the stairs, in the other rooms, even on the roof itself, waited dreadful things ready to catch him, to tear off his wings, to make him prisoner for ever and ever.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Outside, on the stairs, in the other rooms, even on the roof itself, waited dreadful things ready to catch him, to tear off his wings, to make him prisoner for ever and ever.”
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading “Outside, on the stairs, in the other rooms, even on the roof itself, waited dreadful things ready to catch him, to tear off his wings, to make him prisoner for ever and ever.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Outside, on the stairs, in the other rooms, even on the roof itself, waited dreadful things ready to catch him, to tear off his wings, to make him prisoner for ever and ever.”
not one thing; not anything
From this reading “He felt sure of this, though he could actually see nothing.”
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “Outside, on the stairs, in the other rooms, even on the roof itself, waited dreadful things ready to catch him, to tear off his wings, to make him prisoner for ever and ever.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “He felt sure of this, though he could actually see nothing.”
in spite of the fact that
From this reading “He felt sure of this, though he could actually see nothing.”
Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading With the full darkness a whole army of horrors crept nearer.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He felt sure of this, though he could actually see nothing.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Outside, on the stairs, in the other rooms, even on the roof itself, waited dreadful things ready to catch him, to tear off his wings, to make him prisoner for ever and ever.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With the full darkness a whole army of horrors crept nearer.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Outside, on the stairs, in the other rooms, even on the roof itself, waited dreadful things ready to catch him, to tear off his wings, to make him prisoner for ever and ever.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He felt sure of this, though he could actually see nothing.
an open area surrounded by the walls of a building
From this reading The house was surrounded, the courtyard crowded.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With the full darkness a whole army of horrors crept nearer.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The house was surrounded, the courtyard crowded.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With the full darkness a whole army of horrors crept nearer.
extremely frightening or unpleasant
From this reading Outside, on the stairs, in the other rooms, even on the roof itself, waited dreadful things ready to catch him, to tear off his wings, to make him prisoner for ever and ever.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Outside, on the stairs, in the other rooms, even on the roof itself, waited dreadful things ready to catch him, to tear off his wings, to make him prisoner for ever and ever.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Outside, on the stairs, in the other rooms, even on the roof itself, waited dreadful things ready to catch him, to tear off his wings, to make him prisoner for ever and ever.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He felt sure of this, though he could actually see nothing.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Outside, on the stairs, in the other rooms, even on the roof itself, waited dreadful things ready to catch him, to tear off his wings, to make him prisoner for ever and ever.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With the full darkness a whole army of horrors crept nearer.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He felt sure of this, though he could actually see nothing.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Outside, on the stairs, in the other rooms, even on the roof itself, waited dreadful things ready to catch him, to tear off his wings, to make him prisoner for ever and ever.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Outside, on the stairs, in the other rooms, even on the roof itself, waited dreadful things ready to catch him, to tear off his wings, to make him prisoner for ever and ever.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With the full darkness a whole army of horrors crept nearer.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The house was surrounded, the courtyard crowded.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Outside, on the stairs, in the other rooms, even on the roof itself, waited dreadful things ready to catch him, to tear off his wings, to make him prisoner for ever and ever.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading Outside, on the stairs, in the other rooms, even on the roof itself, waited dreadful things ready to catch him, to tear off his wings, to make him prisoner for ever and ever.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Outside, on the stairs, in the other rooms, even on the roof itself, waited dreadful things ready to catch him, to tear off his wings, to make him prisoner for ever and ever.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With the full darkness a whole army of horrors crept nearer.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading He felt sure of this, though he could actually see nothing.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading With the full darkness a whole army of horrors crept nearer.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading OFF!
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Outside, on the stairs, in the other rooms, even on the roof itself, waited dreadful things ready to catch him, to tear off his wings, to make him prisoner for ever and ever.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Outside, on the stairs, in the other rooms, even on the roof itself, waited dreadful things ready to catch him, to tear off his wings, to make him prisoner for ever and ever.
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Outside, on the stairs, in the other rooms, even on the roof itself, waited dreadful things ready to catch him, to tear off his wings, to make him prisoner for ever and ever.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Outside, on the stairs, in the other rooms, even on the roof itself, waited dreadful things ready to catch him, to tear off his wings, to make him prisoner for ever and ever.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Outside, on the stairs, in the other rooms, even on the roof itself, waited dreadful things ready to catch him, to tear off his wings, to make him prisoner for ever and ever.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Outside, on the stairs, in the other rooms, even on the roof itself, waited dreadful things ready to catch him, to tear off his wings, to make him prisoner for ever and ever.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Outside, on the stairs, in the other rooms, even on the roof itself, waited dreadful things ready to catch him, to tear off his wings, to make him prisoner for ever and ever.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He felt sure of this, though he could actually see nothing.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Outside, on the stairs, in the other rooms, even on the roof itself, waited dreadful things ready to catch him, to tear off his wings, to make him prisoner for ever and ever.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He felt sure of this, though he could actually see nothing.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The house was surrounded, the courtyard crowded.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Outside, on the stairs, in the other rooms, even on the roof itself, waited dreadful things ready to catch him, to tear off his wings, to make him prisoner for ever and ever.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading With the full darkness a whole army of horrors crept nearer.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Outside, on the stairs, in the other rooms, even on the roof itself, waited dreadful things ready to catch him, to tear off his wings, to make him prisoner for ever and ever.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading He felt sure of this, though he could actually see nothing.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading He felt sure of this, though he could actually see nothing.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Outside, on the stairs, in the other rooms, even on the roof itself, waited dreadful things ready to catch him, to tear off his wings, to make him prisoner for ever and ever.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Outside, on the stairs, in the other rooms, even on the roof itself, waited dreadful things ready to catch him, to tear off his wings, to make him prisoner for ever and ever.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The house was surrounded, the courtyard crowded.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With the full darkness a whole army of horrors crept nearer.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Outside, on the stairs, in the other rooms, even on the roof itself, waited dreadful things ready to catch him, to tear off his wings, to make him prisoner for ever and ever.
in the company of; together with
From this reading With the full darkness a whole army of horrors crept nearer.
