A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XVIII
THE RECEPTION The reception pleased Mr. Prohack as a spectacle, and it cost him almost no trouble. He announced his decision that it must cost him no trouble, and everybody in the house, and a few people outside it, took him at his word--which did not wholly gratify him. Indeed the family and its connections seemed to be conspiring to give him a life of ease. Responsibilities were lifted from him. He did not even miss his secretary.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “He did not even miss his secretary.”
every person
From this reading “He announced his decision that it must cost him no trouble, and everybody in the house, and a few people outside it, took him at his word--which did not wholly gratify him.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Indeed the family and its connections seemed to be conspiring to give him a life of ease.”
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading “He announced his decision that it must cost him no trouble, and everybody in the house, and a few people outside it, took him at his word--which did not wholly gratify him.”
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “He announced his decision that it must cost him no trouble, and everybody in the house, and a few people outside it, took him at his word--which did not wholly gratify him.”
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “THE RECEPTION The reception pleased Mr. Prohack as a spectacle, and it cost him almost no trouble.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Indeed the family and its connections seemed to be conspiring to give him a life of ease.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “He announced his decision that it must cost him no trouble, and everybody in the house, and a few people outside it, took him at his word--which did not wholly gratify him.”
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 RECEPTION The reception pleased Mr. Prohack as a spectacle, and it cost him almost no trouble.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE RECEPTION The reception pleased Mr. Prohack as a spectacle, and it cost him almost no trouble.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE RECEPTION The reception pleased Mr. Prohack as a spectacle, and it cost him almost no trouble.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He announced his decision that it must cost him no trouble, and everybody in the house, and a few people outside it, took him at his word--which did not wholly gratify him.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading THE RECEPTION The reception pleased Mr. Prohack as a spectacle, and it cost him almost no trouble.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He announced his decision that it must cost him no trouble, and everybody in the house, and a few people outside it, took him at his word--which did not wholly gratify him.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Indeed the family and its connections seemed to be conspiring to give him a life of ease.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Indeed the family and its connections seemed to be conspiring to give him a life of ease.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Indeed the family and its connections seemed to be conspiring to give him a life of ease.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE RECEPTION The reception pleased Mr. Prohack as a spectacle, and it cost him almost no trouble.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He announced his decision that it must cost him no trouble, and everybody in the house, and a few people outside it, took him at his word--which did not wholly gratify him.
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading He announced his decision that it must cost him no trouble, and everybody in the house, and a few people outside it, took him at his word--which did not wholly gratify him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Indeed the family and its connections seemed to be conspiring to give him a life of ease.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He did not even miss his secretary.
every person
From this reading He announced his decision that it must cost him no trouble, and everybody in the house, and a few people outside it, took him at his word--which did not wholly gratify him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Indeed the family and its connections seemed to be conspiring to give him a life of ease.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He announced his decision that it must cost him no trouble, and everybody in the house, and a few people outside it, took him at his word--which did not wholly gratify him.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Responsibilities were lifted from him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Indeed the family and its connections seemed to be conspiring to give him a life of ease.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He announced his decision that it must cost him no trouble, and everybody in the house, and a few people outside it, took him at his word--which did not wholly gratify him.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He announced his decision that it must cost him no trouble, and everybody in the house, and a few people outside it, took him at his word--which did not wholly gratify him.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading THE RECEPTION The reception pleased Mr. Prohack as a spectacle, and it cost him almost no trouble.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He announced his decision that it must cost him no trouble, and everybody in the house, and a few people outside it, took him at his word--which did not wholly gratify him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He announced his decision that it must cost him no trouble, and everybody in the house, and a few people outside it, took him at his word--which did not wholly gratify him.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He announced his decision that it must cost him no trouble, and everybody in the house, and a few people outside it, took him at his word--which did not wholly gratify him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Indeed the family and its connections seemed to be conspiring to give him a life of ease.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading THE RECEPTION The reception pleased Mr. Prohack as a spectacle, and it cost him almost no trouble.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Indeed the family and its connections seemed to be conspiring to give him a life of ease.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Indeed the family and its connections seemed to be conspiring to give him a life of ease.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Responsibilities were lifted from him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He did not even miss his secretary.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE RECEPTION The reception pleased Mr. Prohack as a spectacle, and it cost him almost no trouble.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading He announced his decision that it must cost him no trouble, and everybody in the house, and a few people outside it, took him at his word--which did not wholly gratify him.
not any; not one
From this reading THE RECEPTION The reception pleased Mr. Prohack as a spectacle, and it cost him almost no trouble.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He announced his decision that it must cost him no trouble, and everybody in the house, and a few people outside it, took him at his word--which did not wholly gratify him.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Indeed the family and its connections seemed to be conspiring to give him a life of ease.
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading He announced his decision that it must cost him no trouble, and everybody in the house, and a few people outside it, took him at his word--which did not wholly gratify him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He announced his decision that it must cost him no trouble, and everybody in the house, and a few people outside it, took him at his word--which did not wholly gratify him.
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading THE RECEPTION The reception pleased Mr. Prohack as a spectacle, and it cost him almost no trouble.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE RECEPTION The reception pleased Mr. Prohack as a spectacle, and it cost him almost no trouble.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE RECEPTION The reception pleased Mr. Prohack as a spectacle, and it cost him almost no trouble.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Responsibilities were lifted from him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He did not even miss his secretary.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Indeed the family and its connections seemed to be conspiring to give him a life of ease.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE RECEPTION The reception pleased Mr. Prohack as a spectacle, and it cost him almost no trouble.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He announced his decision that it must cost him no trouble, and everybody in the house, and a few people outside it, took him at his word--which did not wholly gratify him.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE RECEPTION The reception pleased Mr. Prohack as a spectacle, and it cost him almost no trouble.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Indeed the family and its connections seemed to be conspiring to give him a life of ease.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He announced his decision that it must cost him no trouble, and everybody in the house, and a few people outside it, took him at his word--which did not wholly gratify him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE RECEPTION The reception pleased Mr. Prohack as a spectacle, and it cost him almost no trouble.
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Responsibilities were lifted from him.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He announced his decision that it must cost him no trouble, and everybody in the house, and a few people outside it, took him at his word--which did not wholly gratify him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He announced his decision that it must cost him no trouble, and everybody in the house, and a few people outside it, took him at his word--which did not wholly gratify him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He announced his decision that it must cost him no trouble, and everybody in the house, and a few people outside it, took him at his word--which did not wholly gratify him.
