A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XII
The weather was intensely cold about the middle of January. Gervaise had not been able to pay her rent, due on the first. She had little or no work and consequently no food to speak of. The sky was dark and gloomy and the air heavy with the coming of a storm. Gervaise thought it barely possible that her husband might come in with a little money.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading “The weather was intensely cold about the middle of January.”
the past participle of “be”
From this reading “Gervaise had not been able to pay her rent, due on the first.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Gervaise thought it barely possible that her husband might come in with a little money.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Gervaise had not been able to pay her rent, due on the first.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “She had little or no work and consequently no food to speak of.”
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading “Gervaise thought it barely possible that her husband might come in with a little money.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “She had little or no work and consequently no food to speak of.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Gervaise thought it barely possible that her husband might come in with a little money.”
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 The sky was dark and gloomy and the air heavy with the coming of a storm.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gervaise had not been able to pay her rent, due on the first.
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The weather was intensely cold about the middle of January.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sky was dark and gloomy and the air heavy with the coming of a storm.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She had little or no work and consequently no food to speak of.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gervaise thought it barely possible that her husband might come in with a little money.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Gervaise had not been able to pay her rent, due on the first.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The weather was intensely cold about the middle of January.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Gervaise thought it barely possible that her husband might come in with a little money.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sky was dark and gloomy and the air heavy with the coming of a storm.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had little or no work and consequently no food to speak of.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sky was dark and gloomy and the air heavy with the coming of a storm.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gervaise had not been able to pay her rent, due on the first.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Gervaise had not been able to pay her rent, due on the first.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had little or no work and consequently no food to speak of.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gervaise had not been able to pay her rent, due on the first.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sky was dark and gloomy and the air heavy with the coming of a storm.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Gervaise had not been able to pay her rent, due on the first.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sky was dark and gloomy and the air heavy with the coming of a storm.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Gervaise had not been able to pay her rent, due on the first.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gervaise thought it barely possible that her husband might come in with a little money.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Gervaise thought it barely possible that her husband might come in with a little money.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The weather was intensely cold about the middle of January.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Gervaise thought it barely possible that her husband might come in with a little money.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The weather was intensely cold about the middle of January.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She had little or no work and consequently no food to speak of.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The weather was intensely cold about the middle of January.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Gervaise thought it barely possible that her husband might come in with a little money.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gervaise thought it barely possible that her husband might come in with a little money.
not any; not one
From this reading She had little or no work and consequently no food to speak of.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Gervaise had not been able to pay her rent, due on the first.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The weather was intensely cold about the middle of January.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Gervaise had not been able to pay her rent, due on the first.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading She had little or no work and consequently no food to speak of.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gervaise had not been able to pay her rent, due on the first.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gervaise thought it barely possible that her husband might come in with a little money.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gervaise had not been able to pay her rent, due on the first.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She had little or no work and consequently no food to speak of.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sky was dark and gloomy and the air heavy with the coming of a storm.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had little or no work and consequently no food to speak of.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sky was dark and gloomy and the air heavy with the coming of a storm.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Gervaise thought it barely possible that her husband might come in with a little money.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The weather was intensely cold about the middle of January.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Gervaise thought it barely possible that her husband might come in with a little money.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Gervaise had not been able to pay her rent, due on the first.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The weather was intensely cold about the middle of January.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The weather was intensely cold about the middle of January.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The sky was dark and gloomy and the air heavy with the coming of a storm.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had little or no work and consequently no food to speak of.
