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Chapter XXIII
When she told him the intoxicating news, the old man, with a wariness that placed no trust in their unreal truce, looked at her sharply and said, doubtfully, “I don’t know, Hattie. I’m too old and too feeble. I think perhaps I’d better stay behind.” He opposed the idea in the belief that if he opposed it she would insist upon its being carried through. But she was firm.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
at or toward the back of something
From this reading “I think perhaps I’d better stay behind.””
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading “He opposed the idea in the belief that if he opposed it she would insist upon its being carried through.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “When she told him the intoxicating news, the old man, with a wariness that placed no trust in their unreal truce, looked at her sharply and said, doubtfully, “I don’t know, Hattie.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “When she told him the intoxicating news, the old man, with a wariness that placed no trust in their unreal truce, looked at her sharply and said, doubtfully, “I don’t know, Hattie.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “I think perhaps I’d better stay behind.””
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “When she told him the intoxicating news, the old man, with a wariness that placed no trust in their unreal truce, looked at her sharply and said, doubtfully, “I don’t know, Hattie.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “I think perhaps I’d better stay behind.””
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “He opposed the idea in the belief that if he opposed it she would insist upon its being carried through.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “When she told him the intoxicating news, the old man, with a wariness that placed no trust in their unreal truce, looked at her sharply and said, doubtfully, “I don’t know, Hattie.”
a formal word for “on”
From this reading “He opposed the idea in the belief that if he opposed it she would insist upon its being carried through.”
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading “He opposed the idea in the belief that if he opposed it she would insist upon its being carried through.”
Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading When she told him the intoxicating news, the old man, with a wariness that placed no trust in their unreal truce, looked at her sharply and said, doubtfully, “I don’t know, Hattie.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading When she told him the intoxicating news, the old man, with a wariness that placed no trust in their unreal truce, looked at her sharply and said, doubtfully, “I don’t know, Hattie.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading When she told him the intoxicating news, the old man, with a wariness that placed no trust in their unreal truce, looked at her sharply and said, doubtfully, “I don’t know, Hattie.
at or toward the back of something
From this reading I think perhaps I’d better stay behind.”
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading He opposed the idea in the belief that if he opposed it she would insist upon its being carried through.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He opposed the idea in the belief that if he opposed it she would insist upon its being carried through.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I think perhaps I’d better stay behind.”
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But she was firm.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He opposed the idea in the belief that if he opposed it she would insist upon its being carried through.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When she told him the intoxicating news, the old man, with a wariness that placed no trust in their unreal truce, looked at her sharply and said, doubtfully, “I don’t know, Hattie.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When she told him the intoxicating news, the old man, with a wariness that placed no trust in their unreal truce, looked at her sharply and said, doubtfully, “I don’t know, Hattie.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I’m too old and too feeble.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But she was firm.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When she told him the intoxicating news, the old man, with a wariness that placed no trust in their unreal truce, looked at her sharply and said, doubtfully, “I don’t know, Hattie.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He opposed the idea in the belief that if he opposed it she would insist upon its being carried through.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading When she told him the intoxicating news, the old man, with a wariness that placed no trust in their unreal truce, looked at her sharply and said, doubtfully, “I don’t know, Hattie.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading When she told him the intoxicating news, the old man, with a wariness that placed no trust in their unreal truce, looked at her sharply and said, doubtfully, “I don’t know, Hattie.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading When she told him the intoxicating news, the old man, with a wariness that placed no trust in their unreal truce, looked at her sharply and said, doubtfully, “I don’t know, Hattie.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I think perhaps I’d better stay behind.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I’m too old and too feeble.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He opposed the idea in the belief that if he opposed it she would insist upon its being carried through.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading He opposed the idea in the belief that if he opposed it she would insist upon its being carried through.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading When she told him the intoxicating news, the old man, with a wariness that placed no trust in their unreal truce, looked at her sharply and said, doubtfully, “I don’t know, Hattie.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He opposed the idea in the belief that if he opposed it she would insist upon its being carried through.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When she told him the intoxicating news, the old man, with a wariness that placed no trust in their unreal truce, looked at her sharply and said, doubtfully, “I don’t know, Hattie.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He opposed the idea in the belief that if he opposed it she would insist upon its being carried through.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading He opposed the idea in the belief that if he opposed it she would insist upon its being carried through.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading When she told him the intoxicating news, the old man, with a wariness that placed no trust in their unreal truce, looked at her sharply and said, doubtfully, “I don’t know, Hattie.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading When she told him the intoxicating news, the old man, with a wariness that placed no trust in their unreal truce, looked at her sharply and said, doubtfully, “I don’t know, Hattie.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When she told him the intoxicating news, the old man, with a wariness that placed no trust in their unreal truce, looked at her sharply and said, doubtfully, “I don’t know, Hattie.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When she told him the intoxicating news, the old man, with a wariness that placed no trust in their unreal truce, looked at her sharply and said, doubtfully, “I don’t know, Hattie.
not any; not one
From this reading When she told him the intoxicating news, the old man, with a wariness that placed no trust in their unreal truce, looked at her sharply and said, doubtfully, “I don’t know, Hattie.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When she told him the intoxicating news, the old man, with a wariness that placed no trust in their unreal truce, looked at her sharply and said, doubtfully, “I don’t know, Hattie.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He opposed the idea in the belief that if he opposed it she would insist upon its being carried through.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I think perhaps I’d better stay behind.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When she told him the intoxicating news, the old man, with a wariness that placed no trust in their unreal truce, looked at her sharply and said, doubtfully, “I don’t know, Hattie.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When she told him the intoxicating news, the old man, with a wariness that placed no trust in their unreal truce, looked at her sharply and said, doubtfully, “I don’t know, Hattie.
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading When she told him the intoxicating news, the old man, with a wariness that placed no trust in their unreal truce, looked at her sharply and said, doubtfully, “I don’t know, Hattie.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When she told him the intoxicating news, the old man, with a wariness that placed no trust in their unreal truce, looked at her sharply and said, doubtfully, “I don’t know, Hattie.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I think perhaps I’d better stay behind.”
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading When she told him the intoxicating news, the old man, with a wariness that placed no trust in their unreal truce, looked at her sharply and said, doubtfully, “I don’t know, Hattie.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When she told him the intoxicating news, the old man, with a wariness that placed no trust in their unreal truce, looked at her sharply and said, doubtfully, “I don’t know, Hattie.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading When she told him the intoxicating news, the old man, with a wariness that placed no trust in their unreal truce, looked at her sharply and said, doubtfully, “I don’t know, Hattie.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I think perhaps I’d better stay behind.”
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading He opposed the idea in the belief that if he opposed it she would insist upon its being carried through.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading When she told him the intoxicating news, the old man, with a wariness that placed no trust in their unreal truce, looked at her sharply and said, doubtfully, “I don’t know, Hattie.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I’m too old and too feeble.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When she told him the intoxicating news, the old man, with a wariness that placed no trust in their unreal truce, looked at her sharply and said, doubtfully, “I don’t know, Hattie.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When she told him the intoxicating news, the old man, with a wariness that placed no trust in their unreal truce, looked at her sharply and said, doubtfully, “I don’t know, Hattie.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When she told him the intoxicating news, the old man, with a wariness that placed no trust in their unreal truce, looked at her sharply and said, doubtfully, “I don’t know, Hattie.
a formal word for “on”
From this reading He opposed the idea in the belief that if he opposed it she would insist upon its being carried through.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When she told him the intoxicating news, the old man, with a wariness that placed no trust in their unreal truce, looked at her sharply and said, doubtfully, “I don’t know, Hattie.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But she was firm.
at the time that
From this reading When she told him the intoxicating news, the old man, with a wariness that placed no trust in their unreal truce, looked at her sharply and said, doubtfully, “I don’t know, Hattie.
in the company of; together with
From this reading When she told him the intoxicating news, the old man, with a wariness that placed no trust in their unreal truce, looked at her sharply and said, doubtfully, “I don’t know, Hattie.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading He opposed the idea in the belief that if he opposed it she would insist upon its being carried through.
