A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter II
That day came a little sooner than they expected--came when the Sergeant, whose duty it was to collect defaulters, did not attend an afternoon call-over. “Tired of pubs, eh? He’s gone up to the top of the bill with his binoculars to spot us,” said Stalky. “Wonder he didn’t think of that before. Did you see old Heffy cock his eye at us when we answered our names?
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “That day came a little sooner than they expected--came when the Sergeant, whose duty it was to collect defaulters, did not attend an afternoon call-over.”
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “Did you see old Heffy cock his eye at us when we answered our names?”
earlier than; in front of
From this reading ““Wonder he didn’t think of that before.”
a responsibility that must be carried out
From this reading “That day came a little sooner than they expected--came when the Sergeant, whose duty it was to collect defaulters, did not attend an afternoon call-over.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “That day came a little sooner than they expected--came when the Sergeant, whose duty it was to collect defaulters, did not attend an afternoon call-over.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading ““Wonder he didn’t think of that before.”
belonging to which person
From this reading “That day came a little sooner than they expected--came when the Sergeant, whose duty it was to collect defaulters, did not attend an afternoon call-over.”
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 That day came a little sooner than they expected--came when the Sergeant, whose duty it was to collect defaulters, did not attend an afternoon call-over.
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading That day came a little sooner than they expected--came when the Sergeant, whose duty it was to collect defaulters, did not attend an afternoon call-over.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading That day came a little sooner than they expected--came when the Sergeant, whose duty it was to collect defaulters, did not attend an afternoon call-over.
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Did you see old Heffy cock his eye at us when we answered our names?
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Did you see old Heffy cock his eye at us when we answered our names?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That day came a little sooner than they expected--came when the Sergeant, whose duty it was to collect defaulters, did not attend an afternoon call-over.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading “Wonder he didn’t think of that before.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He’s gone up to the top of the bill with his binoculars to spot us,” said Stalky.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He’s gone up to the top of the bill with his binoculars to spot us,” said Stalky.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That day came a little sooner than they expected--came when the Sergeant, whose duty it was to collect defaulters, did not attend an afternoon call-over.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That day came a little sooner than they expected--came when the Sergeant, whose duty it was to collect defaulters, did not attend an afternoon call-over.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Did you see old Heffy cock his eye at us when we answered our names?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That day came a little sooner than they expected--came when the Sergeant, whose duty it was to collect defaulters, did not attend an afternoon call-over.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That day came a little sooner than they expected--came when the Sergeant, whose duty it was to collect defaulters, did not attend an afternoon call-over.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That day came a little sooner than they expected--came when the Sergeant, whose duty it was to collect defaulters, did not attend an afternoon call-over.
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading That day came a little sooner than they expected--came when the Sergeant, whose duty it was to collect defaulters, did not attend an afternoon call-over.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Wonder he didn’t think of that before.
a responsibility that must be carried out
From this reading That day came a little sooner than they expected--came when the Sergeant, whose duty it was to collect defaulters, did not attend an afternoon call-over.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Tired of pubs, eh?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That day came a little sooner than they expected--came when the Sergeant, whose duty it was to collect defaulters, did not attend an afternoon call-over.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Did you see old Heffy cock his eye at us when we answered our names?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He’s gone up to the top of the bill with his binoculars to spot us,” said Stalky.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “Wonder he didn’t think of that before.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He’s gone up to the top of the bill with his binoculars to spot us,” said Stalky.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Did you see old Heffy cock his eye at us when we answered our names?
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He’s gone up to the top of the bill with his binoculars to spot us,” said Stalky.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading That day came a little sooner than they expected--came when the Sergeant, whose duty it was to collect defaulters, did not attend an afternoon call-over.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading That day came a little sooner than they expected--came when the Sergeant, whose duty it was to collect defaulters, did not attend an afternoon call-over.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Did you see old Heffy cock his eye at us when we answered our names?
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading That day came a little sooner than they expected--came when the Sergeant, whose duty it was to collect defaulters, did not attend an afternoon call-over.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “Tired of pubs, eh?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Did you see old Heffy cock his eye at us when we answered our names?
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading Did you see old Heffy cock his eye at us when we answered our names?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Tired of pubs, eh?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He’s gone up to the top of the bill with his binoculars to spot us,” said Stalky.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Did you see old Heffy cock his eye at us when we answered our names?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That day came a little sooner than they expected--came when the Sergeant, whose duty it was to collect defaulters, did not attend an afternoon call-over.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That day came a little sooner than they expected--came when the Sergeant, whose duty it was to collect defaulters, did not attend an afternoon call-over.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He’s gone up to the top of the bill with his binoculars to spot us,” said Stalky.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He’s gone up to the top of the bill with his binoculars to spot us,” said Stalky.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading That day came a little sooner than they expected--came when the Sergeant, whose duty it was to collect defaulters, did not attend an afternoon call-over.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That day came a little sooner than they expected--came when the Sergeant, whose duty it was to collect defaulters, did not attend an afternoon call-over.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading That day came a little sooner than they expected--came when the Sergeant, whose duty it was to collect defaulters, did not attend an afternoon call-over.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading That day came a little sooner than they expected--came when the Sergeant, whose duty it was to collect defaulters, did not attend an afternoon call-over.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Wonder he didn’t think of that before.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Tired of pubs, eh?
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading That day came a little sooner than they expected--came when the Sergeant, whose duty it was to collect defaulters, did not attend an afternoon call-over.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He’s gone up to the top of the bill with his binoculars to spot us,” said Stalky.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He’s gone up to the top of the bill with his binoculars to spot us,” said Stalky.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He’s gone up to the top of the bill with his binoculars to spot us,” said Stalky.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading That day came a little sooner than they expected--came when the Sergeant, whose duty it was to collect defaulters, did not attend an afternoon call-over.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading Did you see old Heffy cock his eye at us when we answered our names?
at the time that
From this reading That day came a little sooner than they expected--came when the Sergeant, whose duty it was to collect defaulters, did not attend an afternoon call-over.
belonging to which person
From this reading That day came a little sooner than they expected--came when the Sergeant, whose duty it was to collect defaulters, did not attend an afternoon call-over.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He’s gone up to the top of the bill with his binoculars to spot us,” said Stalky.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Wonder he didn’t think of that before.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Did you see old Heffy cock his eye at us when we answered our names?
