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The Elusive Pimpernel
The Elusive Pimpernel

Chapter VIII · The Invitation

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Context Illustration Reading 1/12 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
It was in truth a strange situation, this chance meeting between Percy Blakeney and ex-Ambassador Chauvelin.
Marguerite looked up at her husband.
She saw him shrug his broad shoulders as he first caught sight of Chauvelin, and glance down in his usual lazy, good-humoured manner at the shrunken figure of the silent Frenchman.
The words she meant to say never crossed her lips; she was waiting to hear what the two men would say to one another.
The instinct of the grande dame in her, the fashionable lady accustomed to the exigencies of society, just gave her sufficient presence of mind to make the requisite low curtsey before His Royal Highness.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Elusive Pimpernel

Chapter VIII · The Invitation

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

Line 1
It was in truth a strange situation, this chance meeting between Percy Blakeney and ex-Ambassador Chauvelin.
Line 2
Marguerite looked up at her husband.
Line 3
She saw him shrug his broad shoulders as he first caught sight of Chauvelin, and glance down in his usual lazy, good-humoured manner at the shrunken figure of the silent Frenchman.
Line 4
The words she meant to say never crossed her lips; she was waiting to hear what the two men would say to one another.
Line 5
The instinct of the grande dame in her, the fashionable lady accustomed to the exigencies of society, just gave her sufficient presence of mind to make the requisite low curtsey before His Royal Highness.

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 “The words she meant to say never crossed her lips; she was waiting to hear what the two men would say to one another.”

Before preposition US /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading “The instinct of the grande dame in her, the fashionable lady accustomed to the exigencies of society, just gave her sufficient presence of mind to make the requisite low curtsey before His Royal Highness.”

Between preposition US /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading “It was in truth a strange situation, this chance meeting between Percy Blakeney and ex-Ambassador Chauvelin.”

First noun US /first/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “She saw him shrug his broad shoulders as he first caught sight of Chauvelin, and glance down in his usual lazy, good-humoured manner at the shrunken figure of the silent Frenchman.”

Hear noun US /hear/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The words she meant to say never crossed her lips; she was waiting to hear what the two men would say to one another.”

Looked noun US /looked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Marguerite looked up at her husband.”

Make noun US /make/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The instinct of the grande dame in her, the fashionable lady accustomed to the exigencies of society, just gave her sufficient presence of mind to make the requisite low curtsey before His Royal Highness.”

Mind noun US /mind/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The instinct of the grande dame in her, the fashionable lady accustomed to the exigencies of society, just gave her sufficient presence of mind to make the requisite low curtsey before His Royal Highness.”

Never noun US /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The words she meant to say never crossed her lips; she was waiting to hear what the two men would say to one another.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “The words she meant to say never crossed her lips; she was waiting to hear what the two men would say to one another.”

Waiting noun US /ˈwaiting/

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

From this reading “The words she meant to say never crossed her lips; she was waiting to hear what the two men would say to one another.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

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

From this reading “The words she meant to say never crossed her lips; she was waiting to hear what the two men would say to one another.”

All words in this reading · 81

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 It was in truth a strange situation, this chance meeting between Percy Blakeney and ex-Ambassador Chauvelin.

accustomed

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

From this reading The instinct of the grande dame in her, the fashionable lady accustomed to the exigencies of society, just gave her sufficient presence of mind to make the requisite low curtsey before His Royal Highness.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading It was in truth a strange situation, this chance meeting between Percy Blakeney and ex-Ambassador Chauvelin.

anothernounUS /ˈanother/

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

From this reading The words she meant to say never crossed her lips; she was waiting to hear what the two men would say to one another.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading She saw him shrug his broad shoulders as he first caught sight of Chauvelin, and glance down in his usual lazy, good-humoured manner at the shrunken figure of the silent Frenchman.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Marguerite looked up at her husband.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading The instinct of the grande dame in her, the fashionable lady accustomed to the exigencies of society, just gave her sufficient presence of mind to make the requisite low curtsey before His Royal Highness.

betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading It was in truth a strange situation, this chance meeting between Percy Blakeney and ex-Ambassador Chauvelin.

Blakeney

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

From this reading It was in truth a strange situation, this chance meeting between Percy Blakeney and ex-Ambassador Chauvelin.

broad

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

From this reading She saw him shrug his broad shoulders as he first caught sight of Chauvelin, and glance down in his usual lazy, good-humoured manner at the shrunken figure of the silent Frenchman.

caught

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

From this reading She saw him shrug his broad shoulders as he first caught sight of Chauvelin, and glance down in his usual lazy, good-humoured manner at the shrunken figure of the silent Frenchman.

chance

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

From this reading It was in truth a strange situation, this chance meeting between Percy Blakeney and ex-Ambassador Chauvelin.

Chauvelin

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

From this reading It was in truth a strange situation, this chance meeting between Percy Blakeney and ex-Ambassador Chauvelin.

crossed

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

From this reading The words she meant to say never crossed her lips; she was waiting to hear what the two men would say to one another.

curtsey

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

From this reading The instinct of the grande dame in her, the fashionable lady accustomed to the exigencies of society, just gave her sufficient presence of mind to make the requisite low curtsey before His Royal Highness.

dame

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

From this reading The instinct of the grande dame in her, the fashionable lady accustomed to the exigencies of society, just gave her sufficient presence of mind to make the requisite low curtsey before His Royal Highness.

down

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

From this reading She saw him shrug his broad shoulders as he first caught sight of Chauvelin, and glance down in his usual lazy, good-humoured manner at the shrunken figure of the silent Frenchman.

ex-Ambassador

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

From this reading It was in truth a strange situation, this chance meeting between Percy Blakeney and ex-Ambassador Chauvelin.

exigencies

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

From this reading The instinct of the grande dame in her, the fashionable lady accustomed to the exigencies of society, just gave her sufficient presence of mind to make the requisite low curtsey before His Royal Highness.

fashionable

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

From this reading The instinct of the grande dame in her, the fashionable lady accustomed to the exigencies of society, just gave her sufficient presence of mind to make the requisite low curtsey before His Royal Highness.

figure

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

From this reading She saw him shrug his broad shoulders as he first caught sight of Chauvelin, and glance down in his usual lazy, good-humoured manner at the shrunken figure of the silent Frenchman.

firstnounUS /first/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading She saw him shrug his broad shoulders as he first caught sight of Chauvelin, and glance down in his usual lazy, good-humoured manner at the shrunken figure of the silent Frenchman.

Frenchman

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

From this reading She saw him shrug his broad shoulders as he first caught sight of Chauvelin, and glance down in his usual lazy, good-humoured manner at the shrunken figure of the silent Frenchman.

gave

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

From this reading The instinct of the grande dame in her, the fashionable lady accustomed to the exigencies of society, just gave her sufficient presence of mind to make the requisite low curtsey before His Royal Highness.

glance

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

From this reading She saw him shrug his broad shoulders as he first caught sight of Chauvelin, and glance down in his usual lazy, good-humoured manner at the shrunken figure of the silent Frenchman.

good-humoured

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

From this reading She saw him shrug his broad shoulders as he first caught sight of Chauvelin, and glance down in his usual lazy, good-humoured manner at the shrunken figure of the silent Frenchman.

grande

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

From this reading The instinct of the grande dame in her, the fashionable lady accustomed to the exigencies of society, just gave her sufficient presence of mind to make the requisite low curtsey before His Royal Highness.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading She saw him shrug his broad shoulders as he first caught sight of Chauvelin, and glance down in his usual lazy, good-humoured manner at the shrunken figure of the silent Frenchman.

hearnounUS /hear/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The words she meant to say never crossed her lips; she was waiting to hear what the two men would say to one another.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading Marguerite looked up at her husband.

Highness

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

From this reading The instinct of the grande dame in her, the fashionable lady accustomed to the exigencies of society, just gave her sufficient presence of mind to make the requisite low curtsey before His Royal Highness.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading She saw him shrug his broad shoulders as he first caught sight of Chauvelin, and glance down in his usual lazy, good-humoured manner at the shrunken figure of the silent Frenchman.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading She saw him shrug his broad shoulders as he first caught sight of Chauvelin, and glance down in his usual lazy, good-humoured manner at the shrunken figure of the silent Frenchman.

husband

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

From this reading Marguerite looked up at her husband.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading It was in truth a strange situation, this chance meeting between Percy Blakeney and ex-Ambassador Chauvelin.

instinct

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

From this reading The instinct of the grande dame in her, the fashionable lady accustomed to the exigencies of society, just gave her sufficient presence of mind to make the requisite low curtsey before His Royal Highness.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was in truth a strange situation, this chance meeting between Percy Blakeney and ex-Ambassador Chauvelin.

just

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

From this reading The instinct of the grande dame in her, the fashionable lady accustomed to the exigencies of society, just gave her sufficient presence of mind to make the requisite low curtsey before His Royal Highness.

lady

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

From this reading The instinct of the grande dame in her, the fashionable lady accustomed to the exigencies of society, just gave her sufficient presence of mind to make the requisite low curtsey before His Royal Highness.

lazy

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

From this reading She saw him shrug his broad shoulders as he first caught sight of Chauvelin, and glance down in his usual lazy, good-humoured manner at the shrunken figure of the silent Frenchman.

lips

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

From this reading The words she meant to say never crossed her lips; she was waiting to hear what the two men would say to one another.

lookednounUS /looked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Marguerite looked up at her husband.

low

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

From this reading The instinct of the grande dame in her, the fashionable lady accustomed to the exigencies of society, just gave her sufficient presence of mind to make the requisite low curtsey before His Royal Highness.

makenounUS /make/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The instinct of the grande dame in her, the fashionable lady accustomed to the exigencies of society, just gave her sufficient presence of mind to make the requisite low curtsey before His Royal Highness.

manner

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

From this reading She saw him shrug his broad shoulders as he first caught sight of Chauvelin, and glance down in his usual lazy, good-humoured manner at the shrunken figure of the silent Frenchman.

Marguerite

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

From this reading Marguerite looked up at her husband.

meant

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

From this reading The words she meant to say never crossed her lips; she was waiting to hear what the two men would say to one another.

meeting

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

From this reading It was in truth a strange situation, this chance meeting between Percy Blakeney and ex-Ambassador Chauvelin.

men

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

From this reading The words she meant to say never crossed her lips; she was waiting to hear what the two men would say to one another.

mindnounUS /mind/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The instinct of the grande dame in her, the fashionable lady accustomed to the exigencies of society, just gave her sufficient presence of mind to make the requisite low curtsey before His Royal Highness.

nevernounUS /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The words she meant to say never crossed her lips; she was waiting to hear what the two men would say to one another.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading She saw him shrug his broad shoulders as he first caught sight of Chauvelin, and glance down in his usual lazy, good-humoured manner at the shrunken figure of the silent Frenchman.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading The words she meant to say never crossed her lips; she was waiting to hear what the two men would say to one another.

Percy

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

From this reading It was in truth a strange situation, this chance meeting between Percy Blakeney and ex-Ambassador Chauvelin.

presence

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

From this reading The instinct of the grande dame in her, the fashionable lady accustomed to the exigencies of society, just gave her sufficient presence of mind to make the requisite low curtsey before His Royal Highness.

requisite

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

From this reading The instinct of the grande dame in her, the fashionable lady accustomed to the exigencies of society, just gave her sufficient presence of mind to make the requisite low curtsey before His Royal Highness.

Royal

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

From this reading The instinct of the grande dame in her, the fashionable lady accustomed to the exigencies of society, just gave her sufficient presence of mind to make the requisite low curtsey before His Royal Highness.

saw

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

From this reading She saw him shrug his broad shoulders as he first caught sight of Chauvelin, and glance down in his usual lazy, good-humoured manner at the shrunken figure of the silent Frenchman.

say

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

From this reading The words she meant to say never crossed her lips; she was waiting to hear what the two men would say to one another.

ShepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading She saw him shrug his broad shoulders as he first caught sight of Chauvelin, and glance down in his usual lazy, good-humoured manner at the shrunken figure of the silent Frenchman.

shoulders

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

From this reading She saw him shrug his broad shoulders as he first caught sight of Chauvelin, and glance down in his usual lazy, good-humoured manner at the shrunken figure of the silent Frenchman.

shrug

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

From this reading She saw him shrug his broad shoulders as he first caught sight of Chauvelin, and glance down in his usual lazy, good-humoured manner at the shrunken figure of the silent Frenchman.

shrunken

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

From this reading She saw him shrug his broad shoulders as he first caught sight of Chauvelin, and glance down in his usual lazy, good-humoured manner at the shrunken figure of the silent Frenchman.

sight

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

From this reading She saw him shrug his broad shoulders as he first caught sight of Chauvelin, and glance down in his usual lazy, good-humoured manner at the shrunken figure of the silent Frenchman.

silent

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

From this reading She saw him shrug his broad shoulders as he first caught sight of Chauvelin, and glance down in his usual lazy, good-humoured manner at the shrunken figure of the silent Frenchman.

situation

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

From this reading It was in truth a strange situation, this chance meeting between Percy Blakeney and ex-Ambassador Chauvelin.

society

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

From this reading The instinct of the grande dame in her, the fashionable lady accustomed to the exigencies of society, just gave her sufficient presence of mind to make the requisite low curtsey before His Royal Highness.

strange

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

From this reading It was in truth a strange situation, this chance meeting between Percy Blakeney and ex-Ambassador Chauvelin.

sufficient

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

From this reading The instinct of the grande dame in her, the fashionable lady accustomed to the exigencies of society, just gave her sufficient presence of mind to make the requisite low curtsey before His Royal Highness.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading She saw him shrug his broad shoulders as he first caught sight of Chauvelin, and glance down in his usual lazy, good-humoured manner at the shrunken figure of the silent Frenchman.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading It was in truth a strange situation, this chance meeting between Percy Blakeney and ex-Ambassador Chauvelin.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The words she meant to say never crossed her lips; she was waiting to hear what the two men would say to one another.

truth

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

From this reading It was in truth a strange situation, this chance meeting between Percy Blakeney and ex-Ambassador Chauvelin.

two

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

From this reading The words she meant to say never crossed her lips; she was waiting to hear what the two men would say to one another.

up

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

From this reading Marguerite looked up at her husband.

usual

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

From this reading She saw him shrug his broad shoulders as he first caught sight of Chauvelin, and glance down in his usual lazy, good-humoured manner at the shrunken figure of the silent Frenchman.

waiting

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

From this reading The words she meant to say never crossed her lips; she was waiting to hear what the two men would say to one another.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It was in truth a strange situation, this chance meeting between Percy Blakeney and ex-Ambassador Chauvelin.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading The words she meant to say never crossed her lips; she was waiting to hear what the two men would say to one another.

words

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

From this reading The words she meant to say never crossed her lips; she was waiting to hear what the two men would say to one another.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading The words she meant to say never crossed her lips; she was waiting to hear what the two men would say to one another.