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Over the Border: A Romance
Over the Border: A Romance

Chapter XXV · Acquittance

Cover illustration for Over the Border: A Romance
Context Illustration Reading 1/24 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Either the moon had set, or lay behind a cloud; for the night was very dark, with no trace of morning yet visible in the east.
Frances buckled on her shoes and stood up.
The innkeeper led forward his horse, and would doubtless have proffered his assistance, but when she spoke he learned she was already in the saddle.
“Set me on the road to Broughton, if you please?”
“The word for to-night is ‘Broughton,’” he whispered, then took the horse by the bridle and led him down the street.
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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.

Over the Border: A Romance

Chapter XXV · Acquittance

Reading 1/24 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Either the moon had set, or lay behind a cloud; for the night was very dark, with no trace of morning yet visible in the east.
Line 2
Frances buckled on her shoes and stood up.
Line 3
The innkeeper led forward his horse, and would doubtless have proffered his assistance, but when she spoke he learned she was already in the saddle.
Line 4
“Set me on the road to Broughton, if you please?”
Line 5
“The word for to-night is ‘Broughton,’” he whispered, then took the horse by the bridle and led him down the street.

Learner Dictionary

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

Already noun US /already/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The innkeeper led forward his horse, and would doubtless have proffered his assistance, but when she spoke he learned she was already in the saddle.”

Behind preposition US /bɪˈhaɪnd/

at or toward the back of something

From this reading “Either the moon had set, or lay behind a cloud; for the night was very dark, with no trace of morning yet visible in the east.”

Either determiner US /ˈiːðər/

one or the other of two

From this reading “Either the moon had set, or lay behind a cloud; for the night was very dark, with no trace of morning yet visible in the east.”

Forward noun US /forward/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The innkeeper led forward his horse, and would doubtless have proffered his assistance, but when she spoke he learned she was already in the saddle.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “The innkeeper led forward his horse, and would doubtless have proffered his assistance, but when she spoke he learned she was already in the saddle.”

Morning noun US /morning/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Either the moon had set, or lay behind a cloud; for the night was very dark, with no trace of morning yet visible in the east.”

Stood noun US /stood/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Frances buckled on her shoes and stood up.”

Took noun US /took/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading ““The word for to-night is ‘Broughton,’” he whispered, then took the horse by the bridle and led him down the street.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading “The innkeeper led forward his horse, and would doubtless have proffered his assistance, but when she spoke he learned she was already in the saddle.”

Yet conjunction US /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading “Either the moon had set, or lay behind a cloud; for the night was very dark, with no trace of morning yet visible in the east.”

All words in this reading · 68

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 Either the moon had set, or lay behind a cloud; for the night was very dark, with no trace of morning yet visible in the east.

alreadynounUS /already/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The innkeeper led forward his horse, and would doubtless have proffered his assistance, but when she spoke he learned she was already in the saddle.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Frances buckled on her shoes and stood up.

assistance

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

From this reading The innkeeper led forward his horse, and would doubtless have proffered his assistance, but when she spoke he learned she was already in the saddle.

behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/

at or toward the back of something

From this reading Either the moon had set, or lay behind a cloud; for the night was very dark, with no trace of morning yet visible in the east.

bridle

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

From this reading “The word for to-night is ‘Broughton,’” he whispered, then took the horse by the bridle and led him down the street.

Broughton

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

From this reading “Set me on the road to Broughton, if you please?”

buckled

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

From this reading Frances buckled on her shoes and stood up.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading The innkeeper led forward his horse, and would doubtless have proffered his assistance, but when she spoke he learned she was already in the saddle.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading “The word for to-night is ‘Broughton,’” he whispered, then took the horse by the bridle and led him down the street.

cloud

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

From this reading Either the moon had set, or lay behind a cloud; for the night was very dark, with no trace of morning yet visible in the east.

dark

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

From this reading Either the moon had set, or lay behind a cloud; for the night was very dark, with no trace of morning yet visible in the east.

doubtless

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

From this reading The innkeeper led forward his horse, and would doubtless have proffered his assistance, but when she spoke he learned she was already in the saddle.

down

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

From this reading “The word for to-night is ‘Broughton,’” he whispered, then took the horse by the bridle and led him down the street.

east

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

From this reading Either the moon had set, or lay behind a cloud; for the night was very dark, with no trace of morning yet visible in the east.

EitherdeterminerUS /ˈiːðər/

one or the other of two

From this reading Either the moon had set, or lay behind a cloud; for the night was very dark, with no trace of morning yet visible in the east.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Either the moon had set, or lay behind a cloud; for the night was very dark, with no trace of morning yet visible in the east.

forwardnounUS /forward/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The innkeeper led forward his horse, and would doubtless have proffered his assistance, but when she spoke he learned she was already in the saddle.

Frances

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

From this reading Frances buckled on her shoes and stood up.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Either the moon had set, or lay behind a cloud; for the night was very dark, with no trace of morning yet visible in the east.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading The innkeeper led forward his horse, and would doubtless have proffered his assistance, but when she spoke he learned she was already in the saddle.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading The innkeeper led forward his horse, and would doubtless have proffered his assistance, but when she spoke he learned she was already in the saddle.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading Frances buckled on her shoes and stood up.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading “The word for to-night is ‘Broughton,’” he whispered, then took the horse by the bridle and led him down the street.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading The innkeeper led forward his horse, and would doubtless have proffered his assistance, but when she spoke he learned she was already in the saddle.

horse

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

From this reading The innkeeper led forward his horse, and would doubtless have proffered his assistance, but when she spoke he learned she was already in the saddle.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading “Set me on the road to Broughton, if you please?”

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Either the moon had set, or lay behind a cloud; for the night was very dark, with no trace of morning yet visible in the east.

innkeeper

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

From this reading The innkeeper led forward his horse, and would doubtless have proffered his assistance, but when she spoke he learned she was already in the saddle.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading “The word for to-night is ‘Broughton,’” he whispered, then took the horse by the bridle and led him down the street.

lay

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

From this reading Either the moon had set, or lay behind a cloud; for the night was very dark, with no trace of morning yet visible in the east.

learned

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

From this reading The innkeeper led forward his horse, and would doubtless have proffered his assistance, but when she spoke he learned she was already in the saddle.

led

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

From this reading The innkeeper led forward his horse, and would doubtless have proffered his assistance, but when she spoke he learned she was already in the saddle.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading “Set me on the road to Broughton, if you please?”

moon

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

From this reading Either the moon had set, or lay behind a cloud; for the night was very dark, with no trace of morning yet visible in the east.

morningnounUS /morning/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Either the moon had set, or lay behind a cloud; for the night was very dark, with no trace of morning yet visible in the east.

night

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

From this reading Either the moon had set, or lay behind a cloud; for the night was very dark, with no trace of morning yet visible in the east.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading Either the moon had set, or lay behind a cloud; for the night was very dark, with no trace of morning yet visible in the east.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Either the moon had set, or lay behind a cloud; for the night was very dark, with no trace of morning yet visible in the east.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Frances buckled on her shoes and stood up.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Either the moon had set, or lay behind a cloud; for the night was very dark, with no trace of morning yet visible in the east.

please

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

From this reading “Set me on the road to Broughton, if you please?”

proffered

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

From this reading The innkeeper led forward his horse, and would doubtless have proffered his assistance, but when she spoke he learned she was already in the saddle.

road

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

From this reading “Set me on the road to Broughton, if you please?”

saddle

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

From this reading The innkeeper led forward his horse, and would doubtless have proffered his assistance, but when she spoke he learned she was already in the saddle.

set

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

From this reading Either the moon had set, or lay behind a cloud; for the night was very dark, with no trace of morning yet visible in the east.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading The innkeeper led forward his horse, and would doubtless have proffered his assistance, but when she spoke he learned she was already in the saddle.

shoes

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

From this reading Frances buckled on her shoes and stood up.

spoke

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

From this reading The innkeeper led forward his horse, and would doubtless have proffered his assistance, but when she spoke he learned she was already in the saddle.

stoodnounUS /stood/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Frances buckled on her shoes and stood up.

street

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

From this reading “The word for to-night is ‘Broughton,’” he whispered, then took the horse by the bridle and led him down the street.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Either the moon had set, or lay behind a cloud; for the night was very dark, with no trace of morning yet visible in the east.

then

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

From this reading “The word for to-night is ‘Broughton,’” he whispered, then took the horse by the bridle and led him down the street.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading “Set me on the road to Broughton, if you please?”

to-night

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

From this reading “The word for to-night is ‘Broughton,’” he whispered, then took the horse by the bridle and led him down the street.

tooknounUS /took/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The word for to-night is ‘Broughton,’” he whispered, then took the horse by the bridle and led him down the street.

trace

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

From this reading Either the moon had set, or lay behind a cloud; for the night was very dark, with no trace of morning yet visible in the east.

up

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

From this reading Frances buckled on her shoes and stood up.

very

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

From this reading Either the moon had set, or lay behind a cloud; for the night was very dark, with no trace of morning yet visible in the east.

visible

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

From this reading Either the moon had set, or lay behind a cloud; for the night was very dark, with no trace of morning yet visible in the east.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Either the moon had set, or lay behind a cloud; for the night was very dark, with no trace of morning yet visible in the east.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading The innkeeper led forward his horse, and would doubtless have proffered his assistance, but when she spoke he learned she was already in the saddle.

whispered

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

From this reading “The word for to-night is ‘Broughton,’” he whispered, then took the horse by the bridle and led him down the street.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Either the moon had set, or lay behind a cloud; for the night was very dark, with no trace of morning yet visible in the east.

word

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

From this reading “The word for to-night is ‘Broughton,’” he whispered, then took the horse by the bridle and led him down the street.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading The innkeeper led forward his horse, and would doubtless have proffered his assistance, but when she spoke he learned she was already in the saddle.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading Either the moon had set, or lay behind a cloud; for the night was very dark, with no trace of morning yet visible in the east.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “Set me on the road to Broughton, if you please?”