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Much Darker Days
Much Darker Days

Chapter V · The White Groom

Cover illustration for Much Darker Days
Context Illustration Reading 1/11 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
I SHALL, I am sure, scarcely be credited when I say that Philippa’s unconsciousness lasted for sixteen days.
I had wished her to sleep so long that the memory of her deeds on the awful night should fade from her memory.
She seemed likely to do so.
All the time she slept I felt more and more secure, because the snow never ceased falling.
It must have been thirty feet deep above all that was mortal of Sir Runan Errand.
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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.

Much Darker Days

Chapter V · The White Groom

Reading 1/11 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
I SHALL, I am sure, scarcely be credited when I say that Philippa’s unconsciousness lasted for sixteen days.
Line 2
I had wished her to sleep so long that the memory of her deeds on the awful night should fade from her memory.
Line 3
She seemed likely to do so.
Line 4
All the time she slept I felt more and more secure, because the snow never ceased falling.
Line 5
It must have been thirty feet deep above all that was mortal of Sir Runan Errand.

Learner Dictionary

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

Above preposition US /əˈbʌv/

higher than, or over, something

From this reading “It must have been thirty feet deep above all that was mortal of Sir Runan Errand.”

Because conjunction US /bɪˈkɔːz/

for the reason that

From this reading “All the time she slept I felt more and more secure, because the snow never ceased falling.”

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “It must have been thirty feet deep above all that was mortal of Sir Runan Errand.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “It must have been thirty feet deep above all that was mortal of Sir Runan Errand.”

Long noun US /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “I had wished her to sleep so long that the memory of her deeds on the awful night should fade from her memory.”

Memory noun US /ˈmem.ər.i/

The faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information and knowledge.

From this reading “I had wished her to sleep so long that the memory of her deeds on the awful night should fade from her memory.”

Mortal adjective US /ˈmɔːrtəl/

causing or relating to death

From this reading “It must have been thirty feet deep above all that was mortal of Sir Runan Errand.”

Must modal verb US /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading “It must have been thirty feet deep above all that was mortal of Sir Runan Errand.”

Never noun US /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “All the time she slept I felt more and more secure, because the snow never ceased falling.”

Seemed noun US /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “She seemed likely to do so.”

SHALL modal verb US /ʃæl/

used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest

From this reading “I SHALL, I am sure, scarcely be credited when I say that Philippa’s unconsciousness lasted for sixteen days.”

Sure noun US /sure/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “I SHALL, I am sure, scarcely be credited when I say that Philippa’s unconsciousness lasted for sixteen days.”

Time noun US /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “All the time she slept I felt more and more secure, because the snow never ceased falling.”

All words in this reading · 62

Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/

higher than, or over, something

From this reading It must have been thirty feet deep above all that was mortal of Sir Runan Errand.

All

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

From this reading All the time she slept I felt more and more secure, because the snow never ceased falling.

amauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading I SHALL, I am sure, scarcely be credited when I say that Philippa’s unconsciousness lasted for sixteen days.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading All the time she slept I felt more and more secure, because the snow never ceased falling.

awful

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

From this reading I had wished her to sleep so long that the memory of her deeds on the awful night should fade from her memory.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading I SHALL, I am sure, scarcely be credited when I say that Philippa’s unconsciousness lasted for sixteen days.

becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/

for the reason that

From this reading All the time she slept I felt more and more secure, because the snow never ceased falling.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading It must have been thirty feet deep above all that was mortal of Sir Runan Errand.

ceased

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

From this reading All the time she slept I felt more and more secure, because the snow never ceased falling.

credited

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

From this reading I SHALL, I am sure, scarcely be credited when I say that Philippa’s unconsciousness lasted for sixteen days.

days

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

From this reading I SHALL, I am sure, scarcely be credited when I say that Philippa’s unconsciousness lasted for sixteen days.

deeds

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

From this reading I had wished her to sleep so long that the memory of her deeds on the awful night should fade from her memory.

deep

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

From this reading It must have been thirty feet deep above all that was mortal of Sir Runan Errand.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading She seemed likely to do so.

Errand

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

From this reading It must have been thirty feet deep above all that was mortal of Sir Runan Errand.

fade

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

From this reading I had wished her to sleep so long that the memory of her deeds on the awful night should fade from her memory.

falling

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

From this reading All the time she slept I felt more and more secure, because the snow never ceased falling.

feet

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

From this reading It must have been thirty feet deep above all that was mortal of Sir Runan Errand.

felt

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

From this reading All the time she slept I felt more and more secure, because the snow never ceased falling.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading I SHALL, I am sure, scarcely be credited when I say that Philippa’s unconsciousness lasted for sixteen days.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading I had wished her to sleep so long that the memory of her deeds on the awful night should fade from her memory.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading I had wished her to sleep so long that the memory of her deeds on the awful night should fade from her memory.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading It must have been thirty feet deep above all that was mortal of Sir Runan Errand.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading I had wished her to sleep so long that the memory of her deeds on the awful night should fade from her memory.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I SHALL, I am sure, scarcely be credited when I say that Philippa’s unconsciousness lasted for sixteen days.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It must have been thirty feet deep above all that was mortal of Sir Runan Errand.

lasted

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

From this reading I SHALL, I am sure, scarcely be credited when I say that Philippa’s unconsciousness lasted for sixteen days.

likely

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

From this reading She seemed likely to do so.

longnounUS /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading I had wished her to sleep so long that the memory of her deeds on the awful night should fade from her memory.

memorynounUS /ˈmem.ər.i/

The faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information and knowledge.

From this reading I had wished her to sleep so long that the memory of her deeds on the awful night should fade from her memory.

more

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

From this reading All the time she slept I felt more and more secure, because the snow never ceased falling.

mortaladjectiveUS /ˈmɔːrtəl/

causing or relating to death

From this reading It must have been thirty feet deep above all that was mortal of Sir Runan Errand.

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading It must have been thirty feet deep above all that was mortal of Sir Runan Errand.

nevernounUS /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading All the time she slept I felt more and more secure, because the snow never ceased falling.

night

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

From this reading I had wished her to sleep so long that the memory of her deeds on the awful night should fade from her memory.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading I had wished her to sleep so long that the memory of her deeds on the awful night should fade from her memory.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading I had wished her to sleep so long that the memory of her deeds on the awful night should fade from her memory.

Philippa's

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

From this reading I SHALL, I am sure, scarcely be credited when I say that Philippa’s unconsciousness lasted for sixteen days.

Runan

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

From this reading It must have been thirty feet deep above all that was mortal of Sir Runan Errand.

say

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

From this reading I SHALL, I am sure, scarcely be credited when I say that Philippa’s unconsciousness lasted for sixteen days.

scarcely

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

From this reading I SHALL, I am sure, scarcely be credited when I say that Philippa’s unconsciousness lasted for sixteen days.

secure

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

From this reading All the time she slept I felt more and more secure, because the snow never ceased falling.

seemednounUS /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading She seemed likely to do so.

SHALLmodal verbUS /ʃæl/

used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest

From this reading I SHALL, I am sure, scarcely be credited when I say that Philippa’s unconsciousness lasted for sixteen days.

ShepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading She seemed likely to do so.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading I had wished her to sleep so long that the memory of her deeds on the awful night should fade from her memory.

Sir

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

From this reading It must have been thirty feet deep above all that was mortal of Sir Runan Errand.

sixteen

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

From this reading I SHALL, I am sure, scarcely be credited when I say that Philippa’s unconsciousness lasted for sixteen days.

sleep

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

From this reading I had wished her to sleep so long that the memory of her deeds on the awful night should fade from her memory.

slept

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

From this reading All the time she slept I felt more and more secure, because the snow never ceased falling.

snow

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

From this reading All the time she slept I felt more and more secure, because the snow never ceased falling.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading I had wished her to sleep so long that the memory of her deeds on the awful night should fade from her memory.

surenounUS /sure/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading I SHALL, I am sure, scarcely be credited when I say that Philippa’s unconsciousness lasted for sixteen days.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading I SHALL, I am sure, scarcely be credited when I say that Philippa’s unconsciousness lasted for sixteen days.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading I had wished her to sleep so long that the memory of her deeds on the awful night should fade from her memory.

thirty

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

From this reading It must have been thirty feet deep above all that was mortal of Sir Runan Errand.

timenounUS /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading All the time she slept I felt more and more secure, because the snow never ceased falling.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading I had wished her to sleep so long that the memory of her deeds on the awful night should fade from her memory.

unconsciousness

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

From this reading I SHALL, I am sure, scarcely be credited when I say that Philippa’s unconsciousness lasted for sixteen days.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading It must have been thirty feet deep above all that was mortal of Sir Runan Errand.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading I SHALL, I am sure, scarcely be credited when I say that Philippa’s unconsciousness lasted for sixteen days.

wished

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

From this reading I had wished her to sleep so long that the memory of her deeds on the awful night should fade from her memory.