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Otherwise Phyllis
Otherwise Phyllis

Chapter XXIV

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Context Illustration Reading 1/85 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.
And Tom Kirkwood was not without his sense of satisfaction.
He had without litigation straightened the Sycamore Company's financial tangles.
Its physical deficiencies were being remedied and its service brought to standard.
He had never in his life felt so conscious of his powers.
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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.

Otherwise Phyllis

Chapter XXIV

Reading 1/85 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.
Line 2
And Tom Kirkwood was not without his sense of satisfaction.
Line 3
He had without litigation straightened the Sycamore Company's financial tangles.
Line 4
Its physical deficiencies were being remedied and its service brought to standard.
Line 5
He had never in his life felt so conscious of his powers.

Learner Dictionary

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

Balance noun US /ˈbalance/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading “THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.”

Before preposition US /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading “THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.”

Being auxiliary verb US /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading “Its physical deficiencies were being remedied and its service brought to standard.”

Brought noun US /ˈbrought/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading “Its physical deficiencies were being remedied and its service brought to standard.”

Has auxiliary verb US /hæz/

the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading “THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.”

Last noun US /last/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.”

Life noun US /life/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He had never in his life felt so conscious of his powers.”

Make noun US /make/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.”

Manuscript noun US /ˈmæn.jə.skrɪpt/

A book, document, or piece of music written by hand rather than typed or printed.

From this reading “THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.”

Never noun US /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.”

Pleasant noun US /pleasant/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.”

Powers noun US /powers/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He had never in his life felt so conscious of his powers.”

Right noun US /right/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.”

Something pronoun US /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading “THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.”

Without preposition US /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading “And Tom Kirkwood was not without his sense of satisfaction.”

All words in this reading · 83

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 FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

approximating

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

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

back

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

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

balancenounUS /ˈbalance/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading Its physical deficiencies were being remedied and its service brought to standard.

book

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

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

bring

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

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

broughtnounUS /ˈbrought/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading Its physical deficiencies were being remedied and its service brought to standard.

canoe-paddle

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

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

clutter

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

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

Company's

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

From this reading He had without litigation straightened the Sycamore Company's financial tangles.

conscious

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

From this reading He had never in his life felt so conscious of his powers.

deficiencies

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

From this reading Its physical deficiencies were being remedied and its service brought to standard.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

doing

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

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

envelope

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

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

exactly

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

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

felt

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

From this reading He had never in his life felt so conscious of his powers.

financial

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

From this reading He had without litigation straightened the Sycamore Company's financial tangles.

FORSAKEN

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

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

GARDEN

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

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

grass

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

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

grow

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

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

grown

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

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading He had without litigation straightened the Sycamore Company's financial tangles.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

HepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading He had without litigation straightened the Sycamore Company's financial tangles.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading And Tom Kirkwood was not without his sense of satisfaction.

ideal

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

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

It's

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

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

ItsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Its physical deficiencies were being remedied and its service brought to standard.

Kirkwood

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

From this reading And Tom Kirkwood was not without his sense of satisfaction.

lastnounUS /last/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

lifenounUS /life/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He had never in his life felt so conscious of his powers.

litigation

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

From this reading He had without litigation straightened the Sycamore Company's financial tangles.

maddening

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

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

makenounUS /make/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

manuscriptnounUS /ˈmæn.jə.skrɪpt/

A book, document, or piece of music written by hand rather than typed or printed.

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

nevernounUS /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading And Tom Kirkwood was not without his sense of satisfaction.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

one's

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

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

pen-scratch

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

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

physical

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

From this reading Its physical deficiencies were being remedied and its service brought to standard.

pleasantnounUS /pleasant/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

potential

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

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

powersnounUS /powers/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He had never in his life felt so conscious of his powers.

put

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

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

remedied

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

From this reading Its physical deficiencies were being remedied and its service brought to standard.

rightnounUS /right/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

satisfaction

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

From this reading And Tom Kirkwood was not without his sense of satisfaction.

sense

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

From this reading And Tom Kirkwood was not without his sense of satisfaction.

sentence

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

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

service

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

From this reading Its physical deficiencies were being remedied and its service brought to standard.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading He had never in his life felt so conscious of his powers.

somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

sound

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

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

standard

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

From this reading Its physical deficiencies were being remedied and its service brought to standard.

straightened

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

From this reading He had without litigation straightened the Sycamore Company's financial tangles.

stubborn

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

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

Sycamore

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

From this reading He had without litigation straightened the Sycamore Company's financial tangles.

tangles

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

From this reading He had without litigation straightened the Sycamore Company's financial tangles.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

Tom

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

From this reading And Tom Kirkwood was not without his sense of satisfaction.

touch

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

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading And Tom Kirkwood was not without his sense of satisfaction.

weight

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

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Its physical deficiencies were being remedied and its service brought to standard.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

whole

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

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading And Tom Kirkwood was not without his sense of satisfaction.

words

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

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.

worth

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

From this reading THE FORSAKEN GARDEN It's pleasant, on the whole, to do something worth doing; to make grass grow where it has never grown before; to put the last touch to a canoe-paddle of exactly the right weight and balance; to bring to something approximating one's ideal of a sound sentence the last stubborn, maddening clutter of words in a manuscript that has grown from a pen-scratch on the back of an envelope into a potential book.