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The Blonde Lady
The Blonde Lady

Chapter VII

Cover illustration for The Blonde Lady
Context Illustration Reading 1/152 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Holmlock Shears and Wilson were seated on either side of the fireplace in Shears's sitting-room.
The great detective's pipe had gone out.
He knocked the ashes into the grate, re-filled his briar, lit it, gathered the skirts of his dressing-gown around his knees, puffed away and devoted all his attention to sending rings of smoke curling gracefully up to the ceiling.
Wilson watched him.
He watched him as a dog, rolled up on the hearth-rug, watches its master, with wide-open eyes and unblinking lids, eyes which have no other hope than to reflect the expected movement on the master's part.
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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.

The Blonde Lady

Chapter VII

Reading 1/152 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Holmlock Shears and Wilson were seated on either side of the fireplace in Shears's sitting-room.
Line 2
The great detective's pipe had gone out.
Line 3
He knocked the ashes into the grate, re-filled his briar, lit it, gathered the skirts of his dressing-gown around his knees, puffed away and devoted all his attention to sending rings of smoke curling gracefully up to the ceiling.
Line 4
Wilson watched him.
Line 5
He watched him as a dog, rolled up on the hearth-rug, watches its master, with wide-open eyes and unblinking lids, eyes which have no other hope than to reflect the expected movement on the master's part.

Learner Dictionary

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

Around preposition US /ərˈaʊnd/

surrounding, or on every side of, something

From this reading “He knocked the ashes into the grate, re-filled his briar, lit it, gathered the skirts of his dressing-gown around his knees, puffed away and devoted all his attention to sending rings of smoke curling gracefully up to the ceiling.”

Ashes noun US /ˈæʃ.ɪz/

The powdery residue left after the burning of a substance.

From this reading “He knocked the ashes into the grate, re-filled his briar, lit it, gathered the skirts of his dressing-gown around his knees, puffed away and devoted all his attention to sending rings of smoke curling gracefully up to the ceiling.”

Either determiner US /ˈiːðər/

one or the other of two

From this reading “Holmlock Shears and Wilson were seated on either side of the fireplace in Shears's sitting-room.”

Great noun US /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The great detective's pipe had gone out.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “He watched him as a dog, rolled up on the hearth-rug, watches its master, with wide-open eyes and unblinking lids, eyes which have no other hope than to reflect the expected movement on the master's part.”

Part noun US /part/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He watched him as a dog, rolled up on the hearth-rug, watches its master, with wide-open eyes and unblinking lids, eyes which have no other hope than to reflect the expected movement on the master's part.”

Pipe noun US /pipe/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The great detective's pipe had gone out.”

All words in this reading · 75

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 He watched him as a dog, rolled up on the hearth-rug, watches its master, with wide-open eyes and unblinking lids, eyes which have no other hope than to reflect the expected movement on the master's part.

all

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

From this reading He knocked the ashes into the grate, re-filled his briar, lit it, gathered the skirts of his dressing-gown around his knees, puffed away and devoted all his attention to sending rings of smoke curling gracefully up to the ceiling.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Holmlock Shears and Wilson were seated on either side of the fireplace in Shears's sitting-room.

aroundprepositionUS /ərˈaʊnd/

surrounding, or on every side of, something

From this reading He knocked the ashes into the grate, re-filled his briar, lit it, gathered the skirts of his dressing-gown around his knees, puffed away and devoted all his attention to sending rings of smoke curling gracefully up to the ceiling.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading He watched him as a dog, rolled up on the hearth-rug, watches its master, with wide-open eyes and unblinking lids, eyes which have no other hope than to reflect the expected movement on the master's part.

ashesnounUS /ˈæʃ.ɪz/

The powdery residue left after the burning of a substance.

From this reading He knocked the ashes into the grate, re-filled his briar, lit it, gathered the skirts of his dressing-gown around his knees, puffed away and devoted all his attention to sending rings of smoke curling gracefully up to the ceiling.

attention

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

From this reading He knocked the ashes into the grate, re-filled his briar, lit it, gathered the skirts of his dressing-gown around his knees, puffed away and devoted all his attention to sending rings of smoke curling gracefully up to the ceiling.

away

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

From this reading He knocked the ashes into the grate, re-filled his briar, lit it, gathered the skirts of his dressing-gown around his knees, puffed away and devoted all his attention to sending rings of smoke curling gracefully up to the ceiling.

briar

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

From this reading He knocked the ashes into the grate, re-filled his briar, lit it, gathered the skirts of his dressing-gown around his knees, puffed away and devoted all his attention to sending rings of smoke curling gracefully up to the ceiling.

ceiling

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

From this reading He knocked the ashes into the grate, re-filled his briar, lit it, gathered the skirts of his dressing-gown around his knees, puffed away and devoted all his attention to sending rings of smoke curling gracefully up to the ceiling.

curling

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

From this reading He knocked the ashes into the grate, re-filled his briar, lit it, gathered the skirts of his dressing-gown around his knees, puffed away and devoted all his attention to sending rings of smoke curling gracefully up to the ceiling.

detective's

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

From this reading The great detective's pipe had gone out.

devoted

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

From this reading He knocked the ashes into the grate, re-filled his briar, lit it, gathered the skirts of his dressing-gown around his knees, puffed away and devoted all his attention to sending rings of smoke curling gracefully up to the ceiling.

dog

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

From this reading He watched him as a dog, rolled up on the hearth-rug, watches its master, with wide-open eyes and unblinking lids, eyes which have no other hope than to reflect the expected movement on the master's part.

dressing-gown

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

From this reading He knocked the ashes into the grate, re-filled his briar, lit it, gathered the skirts of his dressing-gown around his knees, puffed away and devoted all his attention to sending rings of smoke curling gracefully up to the ceiling.

eitherdeterminerUS /ˈiːðər/

one or the other of two

From this reading Holmlock Shears and Wilson were seated on either side of the fireplace in Shears's sitting-room.

expected

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

From this reading He watched him as a dog, rolled up on the hearth-rug, watches its master, with wide-open eyes and unblinking lids, eyes which have no other hope than to reflect the expected movement on the master's part.

eyes

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

From this reading He watched him as a dog, rolled up on the hearth-rug, watches its master, with wide-open eyes and unblinking lids, eyes which have no other hope than to reflect the expected movement on the master's part.

fireplace

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

From this reading Holmlock Shears and Wilson were seated on either side of the fireplace in Shears's sitting-room.

gathered

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

From this reading He knocked the ashes into the grate, re-filled his briar, lit it, gathered the skirts of his dressing-gown around his knees, puffed away and devoted all his attention to sending rings of smoke curling gracefully up to the ceiling.

gone

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

From this reading The great detective's pipe had gone out.

gracefully

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

From this reading He knocked the ashes into the grate, re-filled his briar, lit it, gathered the skirts of his dressing-gown around his knees, puffed away and devoted all his attention to sending rings of smoke curling gracefully up to the ceiling.

grate

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

From this reading He knocked the ashes into the grate, re-filled his briar, lit it, gathered the skirts of his dressing-gown around his knees, puffed away and devoted all his attention to sending rings of smoke curling gracefully up to the ceiling.

greatnounUS /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The great detective's pipe had gone out.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading The great detective's pipe had gone out.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading He watched him as a dog, rolled up on the hearth-rug, watches its master, with wide-open eyes and unblinking lids, eyes which have no other hope than to reflect the expected movement on the master's part.

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He knocked the ashes into the grate, re-filled his briar, lit it, gathered the skirts of his dressing-gown around his knees, puffed away and devoted all his attention to sending rings of smoke curling gracefully up to the ceiling.

hearth-rug

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

From this reading He watched him as a dog, rolled up on the hearth-rug, watches its master, with wide-open eyes and unblinking lids, eyes which have no other hope than to reflect the expected movement on the master's part.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading Wilson watched him.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading He knocked the ashes into the grate, re-filled his briar, lit it, gathered the skirts of his dressing-gown around his knees, puffed away and devoted all his attention to sending rings of smoke curling gracefully up to the ceiling.

Holmlock

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

From this reading Holmlock Shears and Wilson were seated on either side of the fireplace in Shears's sitting-room.

hope

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

From this reading He watched him as a dog, rolled up on the hearth-rug, watches its master, with wide-open eyes and unblinking lids, eyes which have no other hope than to reflect the expected movement on the master's part.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Holmlock Shears and Wilson were seated on either side of the fireplace in Shears's sitting-room.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading He knocked the ashes into the grate, re-filled his briar, lit it, gathered the skirts of his dressing-gown around his knees, puffed away and devoted all his attention to sending rings of smoke curling gracefully up to the ceiling.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading He knocked the ashes into the grate, re-filled his briar, lit it, gathered the skirts of his dressing-gown around his knees, puffed away and devoted all his attention to sending rings of smoke curling gracefully up to the ceiling.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading He watched him as a dog, rolled up on the hearth-rug, watches its master, with wide-open eyes and unblinking lids, eyes which have no other hope than to reflect the expected movement on the master's part.

knees

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

From this reading He knocked the ashes into the grate, re-filled his briar, lit it, gathered the skirts of his dressing-gown around his knees, puffed away and devoted all his attention to sending rings of smoke curling gracefully up to the ceiling.

knocked

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

From this reading He knocked the ashes into the grate, re-filled his briar, lit it, gathered the skirts of his dressing-gown around his knees, puffed away and devoted all his attention to sending rings of smoke curling gracefully up to the ceiling.

lids

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

From this reading He watched him as a dog, rolled up on the hearth-rug, watches its master, with wide-open eyes and unblinking lids, eyes which have no other hope than to reflect the expected movement on the master's part.

lit

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

From this reading He knocked the ashes into the grate, re-filled his briar, lit it, gathered the skirts of his dressing-gown around his knees, puffed away and devoted all his attention to sending rings of smoke curling gracefully up to the ceiling.

master

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

From this reading He watched him as a dog, rolled up on the hearth-rug, watches its master, with wide-open eyes and unblinking lids, eyes which have no other hope than to reflect the expected movement on the master's part.

master's

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

From this reading He watched him as a dog, rolled up on the hearth-rug, watches its master, with wide-open eyes and unblinking lids, eyes which have no other hope than to reflect the expected movement on the master's part.

movement

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

From this reading He watched him as a dog, rolled up on the hearth-rug, watches its master, with wide-open eyes and unblinking lids, eyes which have no other hope than to reflect the expected movement on the master's part.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading He watched him as a dog, rolled up on the hearth-rug, watches its master, with wide-open eyes and unblinking lids, eyes which have no other hope than to reflect the expected movement on the master's part.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Holmlock Shears and Wilson were seated on either side of the fireplace in Shears's sitting-room.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Holmlock Shears and Wilson were seated on either side of the fireplace in Shears's sitting-room.

other

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

From this reading He watched him as a dog, rolled up on the hearth-rug, watches its master, with wide-open eyes and unblinking lids, eyes which have no other hope than to reflect the expected movement on the master's part.

out

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

From this reading The great detective's pipe had gone out.

partnounUS /part/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He watched him as a dog, rolled up on the hearth-rug, watches its master, with wide-open eyes and unblinking lids, eyes which have no other hope than to reflect the expected movement on the master's part.

pipe

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

From this reading The great detective's pipe had gone out.

puffed

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

From this reading He knocked the ashes into the grate, re-filled his briar, lit it, gathered the skirts of his dressing-gown around his knees, puffed away and devoted all his attention to sending rings of smoke curling gracefully up to the ceiling.

re-filled

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

From this reading He knocked the ashes into the grate, re-filled his briar, lit it, gathered the skirts of his dressing-gown around his knees, puffed away and devoted all his attention to sending rings of smoke curling gracefully up to the ceiling.

reflect

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

From this reading He watched him as a dog, rolled up on the hearth-rug, watches its master, with wide-open eyes and unblinking lids, eyes which have no other hope than to reflect the expected movement on the master's part.

rings

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

From this reading He knocked the ashes into the grate, re-filled his briar, lit it, gathered the skirts of his dressing-gown around his knees, puffed away and devoted all his attention to sending rings of smoke curling gracefully up to the ceiling.

rolled

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

From this reading He watched him as a dog, rolled up on the hearth-rug, watches its master, with wide-open eyes and unblinking lids, eyes which have no other hope than to reflect the expected movement on the master's part.

seated

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

From this reading Holmlock Shears and Wilson were seated on either side of the fireplace in Shears's sitting-room.

sending

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

From this reading He knocked the ashes into the grate, re-filled his briar, lit it, gathered the skirts of his dressing-gown around his knees, puffed away and devoted all his attention to sending rings of smoke curling gracefully up to the ceiling.

Shears

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

From this reading Holmlock Shears and Wilson were seated on either side of the fireplace in Shears's sitting-room.

Shears's

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

From this reading Holmlock Shears and Wilson were seated on either side of the fireplace in Shears's sitting-room.

side

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

From this reading Holmlock Shears and Wilson were seated on either side of the fireplace in Shears's sitting-room.

sitting-room

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

From this reading Holmlock Shears and Wilson were seated on either side of the fireplace in Shears's sitting-room.

skirts

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

From this reading He knocked the ashes into the grate, re-filled his briar, lit it, gathered the skirts of his dressing-gown around his knees, puffed away and devoted all his attention to sending rings of smoke curling gracefully up to the ceiling.

smoke

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

From this reading He knocked the ashes into the grate, re-filled his briar, lit it, gathered the skirts of his dressing-gown around his knees, puffed away and devoted all his attention to sending rings of smoke curling gracefully up to the ceiling.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading He watched him as a dog, rolled up on the hearth-rug, watches its master, with wide-open eyes and unblinking lids, eyes which have no other hope than to reflect the expected movement on the master's part.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Holmlock Shears and Wilson were seated on either side of the fireplace in Shears's sitting-room.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading He knocked the ashes into the grate, re-filled his briar, lit it, gathered the skirts of his dressing-gown around his knees, puffed away and devoted all his attention to sending rings of smoke curling gracefully up to the ceiling.

unblinking

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

From this reading He watched him as a dog, rolled up on the hearth-rug, watches its master, with wide-open eyes and unblinking lids, eyes which have no other hope than to reflect the expected movement on the master's part.

up

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

From this reading He knocked the ashes into the grate, re-filled his briar, lit it, gathered the skirts of his dressing-gown around his knees, puffed away and devoted all his attention to sending rings of smoke curling gracefully up to the ceiling.

watched

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

From this reading Wilson watched him.

watches

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

From this reading He watched him as a dog, rolled up on the hearth-rug, watches its master, with wide-open eyes and unblinking lids, eyes which have no other hope than to reflect the expected movement on the master's part.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Holmlock Shears and Wilson were seated on either side of the fireplace in Shears's sitting-room.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading He watched him as a dog, rolled up on the hearth-rug, watches its master, with wide-open eyes and unblinking lids, eyes which have no other hope than to reflect the expected movement on the master's part.

wide-open

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

From this reading He watched him as a dog, rolled up on the hearth-rug, watches its master, with wide-open eyes and unblinking lids, eyes which have no other hope than to reflect the expected movement on the master's part.

Wilson

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

From this reading Holmlock Shears and Wilson were seated on either side of the fireplace in Shears's sitting-room.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading He watched him as a dog, rolled up on the hearth-rug, watches its master, with wide-open eyes and unblinking lids, eyes which have no other hope than to reflect the expected movement on the master's part.