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The Chaperon
The Chaperon

Chapter I

Cover illustration for The Chaperon
Context Illustration Reading 1/42 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE CHAPERON.
AN old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close to the fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees.
She was dressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered, however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips in obedience to something that was passing in her mind.
She was far from the lamp, but though her eyes were fixed upon her active needles she was not looking at them.
What she really saw was quite another train of affairs.
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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 Chaperon

Chapter I

Reading 1/42 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE CHAPERON.
Line 2
AN old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close to the fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees.
Line 3
She was dressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered, however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips in obedience to something that was passing in her mind.
Line 4
She was far from the lamp, but though her eyes were fixed upon her active needles she was not looking at them.
Line 5
What she really saw was quite another train of affairs.

Learner Dictionary

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

Another noun US /ˈanother/

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

From this reading “What she really saw was quite another train of affairs.”

However adverb US /ˌhaʊˈevər/

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading “She was dressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered, however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips in obedience to something that was passing in her mind.”

Mind noun US /mind/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “She was dressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered, however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips in obedience to something that was passing in her mind.”

Quite noun US /quite/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “What she really saw was quite another train of affairs.”

Something pronoun US /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading “She was dressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered, however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips in obedience to something that was passing in her mind.”

Though conjunction US /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading “She was far from the lamp, but though her eyes were fixed upon her active needles she was not looking at them.”

Upon preposition US /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading “She was far from the lamp, but though her eyes were fixed upon her active needles she was not looking at them.”

All words in this reading · 66

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 AN old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close to the fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees.

active

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

From this reading She was far from the lamp, but though her eyes were fixed upon her active needles she was not looking at them.

affairs

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

From this reading What she really saw was quite another train of affairs.

ANdeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading AN old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close to the fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading AN old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close to the fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees.

anothernounUS /ˈanother/

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

From this reading What she really saw was quite another train of affairs.

assumed

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

From this reading She was dressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered, however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips in obedience to something that was passing in her mind.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading She was far from the lamp, but though her eyes were fixed upon her active needles she was not looking at them.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading She was far from the lamp, but though her eyes were fixed upon her active needles she was not looking at them.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading She was dressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered, however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips in obedience to something that was passing in her mind.

chair

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

From this reading AN old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close to the fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees.

CHAPERON

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

From this reading THE CHAPERON.

close

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

From this reading AN old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close to the fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees.

compression

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

From this reading She was dressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered, however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips in obedience to something that was passing in her mind.

deep

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

From this reading She was dressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered, however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips in obedience to something that was passing in her mind.

drawing-room

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

From this reading AN old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close to the fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees.

dressed

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

From this reading She was dressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered, however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips in obedience to something that was passing in her mind.

eyes

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

From this reading She was far from the lamp, but though her eyes were fixed upon her active needles she was not looking at them.

face

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

From this reading She was dressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered, however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips in obedience to something that was passing in her mind.

faded

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

From this reading She was dressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered, however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips in obedience to something that was passing in her mind.

far

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

From this reading She was far from the lamp, but though her eyes were fixed upon her active needles she was not looking at them.

fire

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

From this reading AN old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close to the fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees.

fixed

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

From this reading She was far from the lamp, but though her eyes were fixed upon her active needles she was not looking at them.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading She was far from the lamp, but though her eyes were fixed upon her active needles she was not looking at them.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading AN old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close to the fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading AN old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close to the fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees.

high

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

From this reading AN old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close to the fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees.

howeveradverbUS /ˌhaʊˈevər/

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading She was dressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered, however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips in obedience to something that was passing in her mind.

illiberal

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

From this reading She was dressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered, however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips in obedience to something that was passing in her mind.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading AN old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close to the fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees.

knees

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

From this reading AN old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close to the fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees.

knitting

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

From this reading AN old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close to the fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees.

lady

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

From this reading AN old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close to the fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees.

lamp

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

From this reading She was far from the lamp, but though her eyes were fixed upon her active needles she was not looking at them.

lips

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

From this reading She was dressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered, however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips in obedience to something that was passing in her mind.

looking

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

From this reading She was far from the lamp, but though her eyes were fixed upon her active needles she was not looking at them.

mindnounUS /mind/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading She was dressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered, however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips in obedience to something that was passing in her mind.

mourning

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

From this reading She was dressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered, however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips in obedience to something that was passing in her mind.

moved

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

From this reading AN old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close to the fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees.

needles

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

From this reading She was far from the lamp, but though her eyes were fixed upon her active needles she was not looking at them.

nobleness

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

From this reading She was dressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered, however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips in obedience to something that was passing in her mind.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading She was far from the lamp, but though her eyes were fixed upon her active needles she was not looking at them.

obedience

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

From this reading She was dressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered, however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips in obedience to something that was passing in her mind.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading What she really saw was quite another train of affairs.

old

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

From this reading AN old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close to the fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees.

passing

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

From this reading She was dressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered, however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips in obedience to something that was passing in her mind.

quitenounUS /quite/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading What she really saw was quite another train of affairs.

really

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

From this reading What she really saw was quite another train of affairs.

sat

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

From this reading AN old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close to the fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees.

saw

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

From this reading What she really saw was quite another train of affairs.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading AN old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close to the fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees.

somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading She was dressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered, however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips in obedience to something that was passing in her mind.

somewhat

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

From this reading She was dressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered, however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips in obedience to something that was passing in her mind.

tempered

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

From this reading She was dressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered, however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips in obedience to something that was passing in her mind.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading She was dressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered, however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips in obedience to something that was passing in her mind.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE CHAPERON.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading She was far from the lamp, but though her eyes were fixed upon her active needles she was not looking at them.

thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading She was far from the lamp, but though her eyes were fixed upon her active needles she was not looking at them.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading AN old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close to the fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees.

train

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

From this reading What she really saw was quite another train of affairs.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading She was far from the lamp, but though her eyes were fixed upon her active needles she was not looking at them.

warming

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

From this reading AN old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close to the fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading She was dressed in deep mourning; her face had a faded nobleness, tempered, however, by the somewhat illiberal compression assumed by her lips in obedience to something that was passing in her mind.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading She was far from the lamp, but though her eyes were fixed upon her active needles she was not looking at them.

WhatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading What she really saw was quite another train of affairs.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading AN old lady, in a high drawing-room, had had her chair moved close to the fire, where she sat knitting and warming her knees.