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My Lady Clancarty
My Lady Clancarty

Chapter VI

Cover illustration for My Lady Clancarty
Context Illustration Reading 1/15 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
LADY BETTY’S TOILET NIGHT and the rain departed together.
The wind had swept the sky clear, not even a white feather curled there; it was blue—blue as English skies seldom are.
Lady Betty, opening her own window shutter, looked up and smiled, and then looked down into the courtyard of the inn.
The waters were subsiding, and the uneven flagging showed muddy, wet and glistening in the sunlight.
To the left lay the stables, where she could occasionally hear a horse neigh or stamp an impatient foot.
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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.

My Lady Clancarty

Chapter VI

Reading 1/15 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
LADY BETTY’S TOILET NIGHT and the rain departed together.
Line 2
The wind had swept the sky clear, not even a white feather curled there; it was blue—blue as English skies seldom are.
Line 3
Lady Betty, opening her own window shutter, looked up and smiled, and then looked down into the courtyard of the inn.
Line 4
The waters were subsiding, and the uneven flagging showed muddy, wet and glistening in the sunlight.
Line 5
To the left lay the stables, where she could occasionally hear a horse neigh or stamp an impatient foot.

Learner Dictionary

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

Could modal verb US /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading “To the left lay the stables, where she could occasionally hear a horse neigh or stamp an impatient foot.”

Courtyard noun US /ˈkɔːrtjɑːrd/

an open area surrounded by the walls of a building

From this reading “Lady Betty, opening her own window shutter, looked up and smiled, and then looked down into the courtyard of the inn.”

Even noun US /even/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The wind had swept the sky clear, not even a white feather curled there; it was blue—blue as English skies seldom are.”

Foot noun US /foot/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “To the left lay the stables, where she could occasionally hear a horse neigh or stamp an impatient foot.”

Hear noun US /hear/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “To the left lay the stables, where she could occasionally hear a horse neigh or stamp an impatient foot.”

Left noun US /left/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “To the left lay the stables, where she could occasionally hear a horse neigh or stamp an impatient foot.”

Looked noun US /looked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Lady Betty, opening her own window shutter, looked up and smiled, and then looked down into the courtyard of the inn.”

Subsiding adjective US /səbˈsaɪdɪŋ/

becoming less strong or severe

From this reading “The waters were subsiding, and the uneven flagging showed muddy, wet and glistening in the sunlight.”

Wind noun US /wind/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The wind had swept the sky clear, not even a white feather curled there; it was blue—blue as English skies seldom are.”

All words in this reading · 71

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 wind had swept the sky clear, not even a white feather curled there; it was blue—blue as English skies seldom are.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading To the left lay the stables, where she could occasionally hear a horse neigh or stamp an impatient foot.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading LADY BETTY’S TOILET NIGHT and the rain departed together.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading The wind had swept the sky clear, not even a white feather curled there; it was blue—blue as English skies seldom are.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading The wind had swept the sky clear, not even a white feather curled there; it was blue—blue as English skies seldom are.

Betty

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

From this reading Lady Betty, opening her own window shutter, looked up and smiled, and then looked down into the courtyard of the inn.

BETTY'S

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

From this reading LADY BETTY’S TOILET NIGHT and the rain departed together.

blue

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

From this reading The wind had swept the sky clear, not even a white feather curled there; it was blue—blue as English skies seldom are.

clear

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

From this reading The wind had swept the sky clear, not even a white feather curled there; it was blue—blue as English skies seldom are.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading To the left lay the stables, where she could occasionally hear a horse neigh or stamp an impatient foot.

courtyardnounUS /ˈkɔːrtjɑːrd/

an open area surrounded by the walls of a building

From this reading Lady Betty, opening her own window shutter, looked up and smiled, and then looked down into the courtyard of the inn.

curled

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

From this reading The wind had swept the sky clear, not even a white feather curled there; it was blue—blue as English skies seldom are.

departed

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

From this reading LADY BETTY’S TOILET NIGHT and the rain departed together.

down

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

From this reading Lady Betty, opening her own window shutter, looked up and smiled, and then looked down into the courtyard of the inn.

English

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

From this reading The wind had swept the sky clear, not even a white feather curled there; it was blue—blue as English skies seldom are.

evennounUS /even/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The wind had swept the sky clear, not even a white feather curled there; it was blue—blue as English skies seldom are.

feather

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

From this reading The wind had swept the sky clear, not even a white feather curled there; it was blue—blue as English skies seldom are.

flagging

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

From this reading The waters were subsiding, and the uneven flagging showed muddy, wet and glistening in the sunlight.

footnounUS /foot/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading To the left lay the stables, where she could occasionally hear a horse neigh or stamp an impatient foot.

glistening

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

From this reading The waters were subsiding, and the uneven flagging showed muddy, wet and glistening in the sunlight.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading The wind had swept the sky clear, not even a white feather curled there; it was blue—blue as English skies seldom are.

hearnounUS /hear/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading To the left lay the stables, where she could occasionally hear a horse neigh or stamp an impatient foot.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading Lady Betty, opening her own window shutter, looked up and smiled, and then looked down into the courtyard of the inn.

horse

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

From this reading To the left lay the stables, where she could occasionally hear a horse neigh or stamp an impatient foot.

impatient

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

From this reading To the left lay the stables, where she could occasionally hear a horse neigh or stamp an impatient foot.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The waters were subsiding, and the uneven flagging showed muddy, wet and glistening in the sunlight.

inn

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

From this reading Lady Betty, opening her own window shutter, looked up and smiled, and then looked down into the courtyard of the inn.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Lady Betty, opening her own window shutter, looked up and smiled, and then looked down into the courtyard of the inn.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading The wind had swept the sky clear, not even a white feather curled there; it was blue—blue as English skies seldom are.

LADY

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

From this reading LADY BETTY’S TOILET NIGHT and the rain departed together.

lay

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

From this reading To the left lay the stables, where she could occasionally hear a horse neigh or stamp an impatient foot.

leftnounUS /left/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading To the left lay the stables, where she could occasionally hear a horse neigh or stamp an impatient foot.

lookednounUS /looked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Lady Betty, opening her own window shutter, looked up and smiled, and then looked down into the courtyard of the inn.

muddy

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

From this reading The waters were subsiding, and the uneven flagging showed muddy, wet and glistening in the sunlight.

neigh

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

From this reading To the left lay the stables, where she could occasionally hear a horse neigh or stamp an impatient foot.

NIGHT

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

From this reading LADY BETTY’S TOILET NIGHT and the rain departed together.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading The wind had swept the sky clear, not even a white feather curled there; it was blue—blue as English skies seldom are.

occasionally

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

From this reading To the left lay the stables, where she could occasionally hear a horse neigh or stamp an impatient foot.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Lady Betty, opening her own window shutter, looked up and smiled, and then looked down into the courtyard of the inn.

opening

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

From this reading Lady Betty, opening her own window shutter, looked up and smiled, and then looked down into the courtyard of the inn.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading To the left lay the stables, where she could occasionally hear a horse neigh or stamp an impatient foot.

own

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

From this reading Lady Betty, opening her own window shutter, looked up and smiled, and then looked down into the courtyard of the inn.

rain

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

From this reading LADY BETTY’S TOILET NIGHT and the rain departed together.

seldom

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

From this reading The wind had swept the sky clear, not even a white feather curled there; it was blue—blue as English skies seldom are.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading To the left lay the stables, where she could occasionally hear a horse neigh or stamp an impatient foot.

showed

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

From this reading The waters were subsiding, and the uneven flagging showed muddy, wet and glistening in the sunlight.

shutter

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

From this reading Lady Betty, opening her own window shutter, looked up and smiled, and then looked down into the courtyard of the inn.

skies

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

From this reading The wind had swept the sky clear, not even a white feather curled there; it was blue—blue as English skies seldom are.

sky

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

From this reading The wind had swept the sky clear, not even a white feather curled there; it was blue—blue as English skies seldom are.

smiled

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

From this reading Lady Betty, opening her own window shutter, looked up and smiled, and then looked down into the courtyard of the inn.

stables

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

From this reading To the left lay the stables, where she could occasionally hear a horse neigh or stamp an impatient foot.

stamp

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

From this reading To the left lay the stables, where she could occasionally hear a horse neigh or stamp an impatient foot.

subsidingadjectiveUS /səbˈsaɪdɪŋ/

becoming less strong or severe

From this reading The waters were subsiding, and the uneven flagging showed muddy, wet and glistening in the sunlight.

sunlight

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

From this reading The waters were subsiding, and the uneven flagging showed muddy, wet and glistening in the sunlight.

swept

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

From this reading The wind had swept the sky clear, not even a white feather curled there; it was blue—blue as English skies seldom are.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading LADY BETTY’S TOILET NIGHT and the rain departed together.

then

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

From this reading Lady Betty, opening her own window shutter, looked up and smiled, and then looked down into the courtyard of the inn.

there

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

From this reading The wind had swept the sky clear, not even a white feather curled there; it was blue—blue as English skies seldom are.

ToparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading To the left lay the stables, where she could occasionally hear a horse neigh or stamp an impatient foot.

together

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

From this reading LADY BETTY’S TOILET NIGHT and the rain departed together.

TOILET

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

From this reading LADY BETTY’S TOILET NIGHT and the rain departed together.

uneven

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

From this reading The waters were subsiding, and the uneven flagging showed muddy, wet and glistening in the sunlight.

up

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

From this reading Lady Betty, opening her own window shutter, looked up and smiled, and then looked down into the courtyard of the inn.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The wind had swept the sky clear, not even a white feather curled there; it was blue—blue as English skies seldom are.

waters

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

From this reading The waters were subsiding, and the uneven flagging showed muddy, wet and glistening in the sunlight.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading The waters were subsiding, and the uneven flagging showed muddy, wet and glistening in the sunlight.

wet

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

From this reading The waters were subsiding, and the uneven flagging showed muddy, wet and glistening in the sunlight.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading To the left lay the stables, where she could occasionally hear a horse neigh or stamp an impatient foot.

white

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

From this reading The wind had swept the sky clear, not even a white feather curled there; it was blue—blue as English skies seldom are.

windnounUS /wind/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The wind had swept the sky clear, not even a white feather curled there; it was blue—blue as English skies seldom are.

window

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

From this reading Lady Betty, opening her own window shutter, looked up and smiled, and then looked down into the courtyard of the inn.