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Some Short Stories [by Henry James]
Some Short Stories [by Henry James]

Chapter X

Cover illustration for Some Short Stories [by Henry James]
Context Illustration Reading 1/12 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
But meanwhile it befell that, in London, he was stricken with influenza and with subsequent sorrow.
The attack was short but sharp--had it lasted Addie would certainly have come to his aid; most of a blight really in its secondary stage.
The good ladies his sitters--the ladies with the frizzled hair, with the diamond earrings, with the chins tending to the massive--left for him, at the door of his lodgings, flowers, soup and love, so that with their assistance he pulled through; but his convalescence was slow and his weakness out of proportion to the muffled shock.
He came out, but he went about lame; it tired him to paint--he felt as if he had been ill three months.
He strolled in Kensington Gardens when he should have been at work; he sat long on penny chairs and helplessly mused and mooned.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Some Short Stories [by Henry James]

Chapter X

Reading 1/12 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
But meanwhile it befell that, in London, he was stricken with influenza and with subsequent sorrow.
Line 2
The attack was short but sharp--had it lasted Addie would certainly have come to his aid; most of a blight really in its secondary stage.
Line 3
The good ladies his sitters--the ladies with the frizzled hair, with the diamond earrings, with the chins tending to the massive--left for him, at the door of his lodgings, flowers, soup and love, so that with their assistance he pulled through; but his convalescence was slow and his weakness out of proportion to the muffled shock.
Line 4
He came out, but he went about lame; it tired him to paint--he felt as if he had been ill three months.
Line 5
He strolled in Kensington Gardens when he should have been at work; he sat long on penny chairs and helplessly mused and mooned.

Learner Dictionary

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

About preposition US /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading “He came out, but he went about lame; it tired him to paint--he felt as if he had been ill three months.”

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “He came out, but he went about lame; it tired him to paint--he felt as if he had been ill three months.”

Come noun US /come/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The attack was short but sharp--had it lasted Addie would certainly have come to his aid; most of a blight really in its secondary stage.”

Good noun US /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The good ladies his sitters--the ladies with the frizzled hair, with the diamond earrings, with the chins tending to the massive--left for him, at the door of his lodgings, flowers, soup and love, so that with their assistance he pulled through; but his convalescence was slow and his weakness out of proportion to the muffled shock.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “The attack was short but sharp--had it lasted Addie would certainly have come to his aid; most of a blight really in its secondary stage.”

Left noun US /left/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The good ladies his sitters--the ladies with the frizzled hair, with the diamond earrings, with the chins tending to the massive--left for him, at the door of his lodgings, flowers, soup and love, so that with their assistance he pulled through; but his convalescence was slow and his weakness out of proportion to the muffled shock.”

Long noun US /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He strolled in Kensington Gardens when he should have been at work; he sat long on penny chairs and helplessly mused and mooned.”

Meanwhile noun US /ˈmeanwhile/

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

From this reading “But meanwhile it befell that, in London, he was stricken with influenza and with subsequent sorrow.”

Pulled noun US /pulled/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The good ladies his sitters--the ladies with the frizzled hair, with the diamond earrings, with the chins tending to the massive--left for him, at the door of his lodgings, flowers, soup and love, so that with their assistance he pulled through; but his convalescence was slow and his weakness out of proportion to the muffled shock.”

Short adjective US /ʃɔrt/

brief or direct in expression

From this reading “The attack was short but sharp--had it lasted Addie would certainly have come to his aid; most of a blight really in its secondary stage.”

Through noun US /ˈthrough/

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

From this reading “The good ladies his sitters--the ladies with the frizzled hair, with the diamond earrings, with the chins tending to the massive--left for him, at the door of his lodgings, flowers, soup and love, so that with their assistance he pulled through; but his convalescence was slow and his weakness out of proportion to the muffled shock.”

Weakness noun US /ˈwiːknəs/

a lack of physical strength

From this reading “The good ladies his sitters--the ladies with the frizzled hair, with the diamond earrings, with the chins tending to the massive--left for him, at the door of his lodgings, flowers, soup and love, so that with their assistance he pulled through; but his convalescence was slow and his weakness out of proportion to the muffled shock.”

Went noun US /went/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He came out, but he went about lame; it tired him to paint--he felt as if he had been ill three months.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

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

From this reading “The attack was short but sharp--had it lasted Addie would certainly have come to his aid; most of a blight really in its secondary stage.”

All words in this reading · 95

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 attack was short but sharp--had it lasted Addie would certainly have come to his aid; most of a blight really in its secondary stage.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading He came out, but he went about lame; it tired him to paint--he felt as if he had been ill three months.

Addie

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

From this reading The attack was short but sharp--had it lasted Addie would certainly have come to his aid; most of a blight really in its secondary stage.

aid

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

From this reading The attack was short but sharp--had it lasted Addie would certainly have come to his aid; most of a blight really in its secondary stage.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading But meanwhile it befell that, in London, he was stricken with influenza and with subsequent sorrow.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading He came out, but he went about lame; it tired him to paint--he felt as if he had been ill three months.

assistance

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

From this reading The good ladies his sitters--the ladies with the frizzled hair, with the diamond earrings, with the chins tending to the massive--left for him, at the door of his lodgings, flowers, soup and love, so that with their assistance he pulled through; but his convalescence was slow and his weakness out of proportion to the muffled shock.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The good ladies his sitters--the ladies with the frizzled hair, with the diamond earrings, with the chins tending to the massive--left for him, at the door of his lodgings, flowers, soup and love, so that with their assistance he pulled through; but his convalescence was slow and his weakness out of proportion to the muffled shock.

attack

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

From this reading The attack was short but sharp--had it lasted Addie would certainly have come to his aid; most of a blight really in its secondary stage.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading He came out, but he went about lame; it tired him to paint--he felt as if he had been ill three months.

befell

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

From this reading But meanwhile it befell that, in London, he was stricken with influenza and with subsequent sorrow.

blight

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

From this reading The attack was short but sharp--had it lasted Addie would certainly have come to his aid; most of a blight really in its secondary stage.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But meanwhile it befell that, in London, he was stricken with influenza and with subsequent sorrow.

came

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

From this reading He came out, but he went about lame; it tired him to paint--he felt as if he had been ill three months.

certainly

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

From this reading The attack was short but sharp--had it lasted Addie would certainly have come to his aid; most of a blight really in its secondary stage.

chairs

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

From this reading He strolled in Kensington Gardens when he should have been at work; he sat long on penny chairs and helplessly mused and mooned.

chins

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

From this reading The good ladies his sitters--the ladies with the frizzled hair, with the diamond earrings, with the chins tending to the massive--left for him, at the door of his lodgings, flowers, soup and love, so that with their assistance he pulled through; but his convalescence was slow and his weakness out of proportion to the muffled shock.

comenounUS /come/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The attack was short but sharp--had it lasted Addie would certainly have come to his aid; most of a blight really in its secondary stage.

convalescence

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

From this reading The good ladies his sitters--the ladies with the frizzled hair, with the diamond earrings, with the chins tending to the massive--left for him, at the door of his lodgings, flowers, soup and love, so that with their assistance he pulled through; but his convalescence was slow and his weakness out of proportion to the muffled shock.

diamond

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

From this reading The good ladies his sitters--the ladies with the frizzled hair, with the diamond earrings, with the chins tending to the massive--left for him, at the door of his lodgings, flowers, soup and love, so that with their assistance he pulled through; but his convalescence was slow and his weakness out of proportion to the muffled shock.

door

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

From this reading The good ladies his sitters--the ladies with the frizzled hair, with the diamond earrings, with the chins tending to the massive--left for him, at the door of his lodgings, flowers, soup and love, so that with their assistance he pulled through; but his convalescence was slow and his weakness out of proportion to the muffled shock.

earrings

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

From this reading The good ladies his sitters--the ladies with the frizzled hair, with the diamond earrings, with the chins tending to the massive--left for him, at the door of his lodgings, flowers, soup and love, so that with their assistance he pulled through; but his convalescence was slow and his weakness out of proportion to the muffled shock.

felt

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

From this reading He came out, but he went about lame; it tired him to paint--he felt as if he had been ill three months.

flowers

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

From this reading The good ladies his sitters--the ladies with the frizzled hair, with the diamond earrings, with the chins tending to the massive--left for him, at the door of his lodgings, flowers, soup and love, so that with their assistance he pulled through; but his convalescence was slow and his weakness out of proportion to the muffled shock.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading The good ladies his sitters--the ladies with the frizzled hair, with the diamond earrings, with the chins tending to the massive--left for him, at the door of his lodgings, flowers, soup and love, so that with their assistance he pulled through; but his convalescence was slow and his weakness out of proportion to the muffled shock.

frizzled

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

From this reading The good ladies his sitters--the ladies with the frizzled hair, with the diamond earrings, with the chins tending to the massive--left for him, at the door of his lodgings, flowers, soup and love, so that with their assistance he pulled through; but his convalescence was slow and his weakness out of proportion to the muffled shock.

Gardens

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

From this reading He strolled in Kensington Gardens when he should have been at work; he sat long on penny chairs and helplessly mused and mooned.

goodnounUS /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The good ladies his sitters--the ladies with the frizzled hair, with the diamond earrings, with the chins tending to the massive--left for him, at the door of his lodgings, flowers, soup and love, so that with their assistance he pulled through; but his convalescence was slow and his weakness out of proportion to the muffled shock.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading The attack was short but sharp--had it lasted Addie would certainly have come to his aid; most of a blight really in its secondary stage.

hair

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

From this reading The good ladies his sitters--the ladies with the frizzled hair, with the diamond earrings, with the chins tending to the massive--left for him, at the door of his lodgings, flowers, soup and love, so that with their assistance he pulled through; but his convalescence was slow and his weakness out of proportion to the muffled shock.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading The attack was short but sharp--had it lasted Addie would certainly have come to his aid; most of a blight really in its secondary stage.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading But meanwhile it befell that, in London, he was stricken with influenza and with subsequent sorrow.

helplessly

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

From this reading He strolled in Kensington Gardens when he should have been at work; he sat long on penny chairs and helplessly mused and mooned.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading The good ladies his sitters--the ladies with the frizzled hair, with the diamond earrings, with the chins tending to the massive--left for him, at the door of his lodgings, flowers, soup and love, so that with their assistance he pulled through; but his convalescence was slow and his weakness out of proportion to the muffled shock.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading The attack was short but sharp--had it lasted Addie would certainly have come to his aid; most of a blight really in its secondary stage.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading He came out, but he went about lame; it tired him to paint--he felt as if he had been ill three months.

ill

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

From this reading He came out, but he went about lame; it tired him to paint--he felt as if he had been ill three months.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading But meanwhile it befell that, in London, he was stricken with influenza and with subsequent sorrow.

influenza

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

From this reading But meanwhile it befell that, in London, he was stricken with influenza and with subsequent sorrow.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading But meanwhile it befell that, in London, he was stricken with influenza and with subsequent sorrow.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading The attack was short but sharp--had it lasted Addie would certainly have come to his aid; most of a blight really in its secondary stage.

Kensington

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

From this reading He strolled in Kensington Gardens when he should have been at work; he sat long on penny chairs and helplessly mused and mooned.

ladies

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

From this reading The good ladies his sitters--the ladies with the frizzled hair, with the diamond earrings, with the chins tending to the massive--left for him, at the door of his lodgings, flowers, soup and love, so that with their assistance he pulled through; but his convalescence was slow and his weakness out of proportion to the muffled shock.

lame

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

From this reading He came out, but he went about lame; it tired him to paint--he felt as if he had been ill three months.

lasted

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

From this reading The attack was short but sharp--had it lasted Addie would certainly have come to his aid; most of a blight really in its secondary stage.

leftnounUS /left/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The good ladies his sitters--the ladies with the frizzled hair, with the diamond earrings, with the chins tending to the massive--left for him, at the door of his lodgings, flowers, soup and love, so that with their assistance he pulled through; but his convalescence was slow and his weakness out of proportion to the muffled shock.

lodgings

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

From this reading The good ladies his sitters--the ladies with the frizzled hair, with the diamond earrings, with the chins tending to the massive--left for him, at the door of his lodgings, flowers, soup and love, so that with their assistance he pulled through; but his convalescence was slow and his weakness out of proportion to the muffled shock.

London

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

From this reading But meanwhile it befell that, in London, he was stricken with influenza and with subsequent sorrow.

longnounUS /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He strolled in Kensington Gardens when he should have been at work; he sat long on penny chairs and helplessly mused and mooned.

love

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

From this reading The good ladies his sitters--the ladies with the frizzled hair, with the diamond earrings, with the chins tending to the massive--left for him, at the door of his lodgings, flowers, soup and love, so that with their assistance he pulled through; but his convalescence was slow and his weakness out of proportion to the muffled shock.

massive

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

From this reading The good ladies his sitters--the ladies with the frizzled hair, with the diamond earrings, with the chins tending to the massive--left for him, at the door of his lodgings, flowers, soup and love, so that with their assistance he pulled through; but his convalescence was slow and his weakness out of proportion to the muffled shock.

meanwhilenounUS /ˈmeanwhile/

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

From this reading But meanwhile it befell that, in London, he was stricken with influenza and with subsequent sorrow.

months

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

From this reading He came out, but he went about lame; it tired him to paint--he felt as if he had been ill three months.

mooned

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

From this reading He strolled in Kensington Gardens when he should have been at work; he sat long on penny chairs and helplessly mused and mooned.

most

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

From this reading The attack was short but sharp--had it lasted Addie would certainly have come to his aid; most of a blight really in its secondary stage.

muffled

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

From this reading The good ladies his sitters--the ladies with the frizzled hair, with the diamond earrings, with the chins tending to the massive--left for him, at the door of his lodgings, flowers, soup and love, so that with their assistance he pulled through; but his convalescence was slow and his weakness out of proportion to the muffled shock.

mused

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

From this reading He strolled in Kensington Gardens when he should have been at work; he sat long on penny chairs and helplessly mused and mooned.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The attack was short but sharp--had it lasted Addie would certainly have come to his aid; most of a blight really in its secondary stage.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading He strolled in Kensington Gardens when he should have been at work; he sat long on penny chairs and helplessly mused and mooned.

out

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

From this reading The good ladies his sitters--the ladies with the frizzled hair, with the diamond earrings, with the chins tending to the massive--left for him, at the door of his lodgings, flowers, soup and love, so that with their assistance he pulled through; but his convalescence was slow and his weakness out of proportion to the muffled shock.

paint

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

From this reading He came out, but he went about lame; it tired him to paint--he felt as if he had been ill three months.

penny

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

From this reading He strolled in Kensington Gardens when he should have been at work; he sat long on penny chairs and helplessly mused and mooned.

proportion

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

From this reading The good ladies his sitters--the ladies with the frizzled hair, with the diamond earrings, with the chins tending to the massive--left for him, at the door of his lodgings, flowers, soup and love, so that with their assistance he pulled through; but his convalescence was slow and his weakness out of proportion to the muffled shock.

pullednounUS /pulled/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The good ladies his sitters--the ladies with the frizzled hair, with the diamond earrings, with the chins tending to the massive--left for him, at the door of his lodgings, flowers, soup and love, so that with their assistance he pulled through; but his convalescence was slow and his weakness out of proportion to the muffled shock.

really

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

From this reading The attack was short but sharp--had it lasted Addie would certainly have come to his aid; most of a blight really in its secondary stage.

sat

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

From this reading He strolled in Kensington Gardens when he should have been at work; he sat long on penny chairs and helplessly mused and mooned.

secondary

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

From this reading The attack was short but sharp--had it lasted Addie would certainly have come to his aid; most of a blight really in its secondary stage.

sharp

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

From this reading The attack was short but sharp--had it lasted Addie would certainly have come to his aid; most of a blight really in its secondary stage.

shock

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

From this reading The good ladies his sitters--the ladies with the frizzled hair, with the diamond earrings, with the chins tending to the massive--left for him, at the door of his lodgings, flowers, soup and love, so that with their assistance he pulled through; but his convalescence was slow and his weakness out of proportion to the muffled shock.

shortadjectiveUS /ʃɔrt/

brief or direct in expression

From this reading The attack was short but sharp--had it lasted Addie would certainly have come to his aid; most of a blight really in its secondary stage.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading He strolled in Kensington Gardens when he should have been at work; he sat long on penny chairs and helplessly mused and mooned.

sitters

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

From this reading The good ladies his sitters--the ladies with the frizzled hair, with the diamond earrings, with the chins tending to the massive--left for him, at the door of his lodgings, flowers, soup and love, so that with their assistance he pulled through; but his convalescence was slow and his weakness out of proportion to the muffled shock.

slow

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

From this reading The good ladies his sitters--the ladies with the frizzled hair, with the diamond earrings, with the chins tending to the massive--left for him, at the door of his lodgings, flowers, soup and love, so that with their assistance he pulled through; but his convalescence was slow and his weakness out of proportion to the muffled shock.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading The good ladies his sitters--the ladies with the frizzled hair, with the diamond earrings, with the chins tending to the massive--left for him, at the door of his lodgings, flowers, soup and love, so that with their assistance he pulled through; but his convalescence was slow and his weakness out of proportion to the muffled shock.

sorrow

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

From this reading But meanwhile it befell that, in London, he was stricken with influenza and with subsequent sorrow.

soup

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

From this reading The good ladies his sitters--the ladies with the frizzled hair, with the diamond earrings, with the chins tending to the massive--left for him, at the door of his lodgings, flowers, soup and love, so that with their assistance he pulled through; but his convalescence was slow and his weakness out of proportion to the muffled shock.

stage

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

From this reading The attack was short but sharp--had it lasted Addie would certainly have come to his aid; most of a blight really in its secondary stage.

stricken

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

From this reading But meanwhile it befell that, in London, he was stricken with influenza and with subsequent sorrow.

strolled

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

From this reading He strolled in Kensington Gardens when he should have been at work; he sat long on penny chairs and helplessly mused and mooned.

subsequent

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

From this reading But meanwhile it befell that, in London, he was stricken with influenza and with subsequent sorrow.

tending

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

From this reading The good ladies his sitters--the ladies with the frizzled hair, with the diamond earrings, with the chins tending to the massive--left for him, at the door of his lodgings, flowers, soup and love, so that with their assistance he pulled through; but his convalescence was slow and his weakness out of proportion to the muffled shock.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading But meanwhile it befell that, in London, he was stricken with influenza and with subsequent sorrow.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The attack was short but sharp--had it lasted Addie would certainly have come to his aid; most of a blight really in its secondary stage.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading The good ladies his sitters--the ladies with the frizzled hair, with the diamond earrings, with the chins tending to the massive--left for him, at the door of his lodgings, flowers, soup and love, so that with their assistance he pulled through; but his convalescence was slow and his weakness out of proportion to the muffled shock.

three

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

From this reading He came out, but he went about lame; it tired him to paint--he felt as if he had been ill three months.

throughnounUS /ˈthrough/

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

From this reading The good ladies his sitters--the ladies with the frizzled hair, with the diamond earrings, with the chins tending to the massive--left for him, at the door of his lodgings, flowers, soup and love, so that with their assistance he pulled through; but his convalescence was slow and his weakness out of proportion to the muffled shock.

tired

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

From this reading He came out, but he went about lame; it tired him to paint--he felt as if he had been ill three months.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The attack was short but sharp--had it lasted Addie would certainly have come to his aid; most of a blight really in its secondary stage.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading But meanwhile it befell that, in London, he was stricken with influenza and with subsequent sorrow.

weaknessnounUS /ˈwiːknəs/

a lack of physical strength

From this reading The good ladies his sitters--the ladies with the frizzled hair, with the diamond earrings, with the chins tending to the massive--left for him, at the door of his lodgings, flowers, soup and love, so that with their assistance he pulled through; but his convalescence was slow and his weakness out of proportion to the muffled shock.

wentnounUS /went/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He came out, but he went about lame; it tired him to paint--he felt as if he had been ill three months.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading He strolled in Kensington Gardens when he should have been at work; he sat long on penny chairs and helplessly mused and mooned.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading But meanwhile it befell that, in London, he was stricken with influenza and with subsequent sorrow.

work

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

From this reading He strolled in Kensington Gardens when he should have been at work; he sat long on penny chairs and helplessly mused and mooned.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading The attack was short but sharp--had it lasted Addie would certainly have come to his aid; most of a blight really in its secondary stage.