A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XIX
THE LIGHT THAT BROKE It was Sunday morning. Leonard sat before the fire doing nothing. He had done nothing for three weeks. He had no desire to do anything: his work lay neglected on the table, books and papers piled together. He was brooding over the general wreck of all he had held precious: over the family history; the family disgraces and disasters; and the mystery which it was hopeless to look into but impossible to forget.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
any thing at all
From this reading “He had no desire to do anything: his work lay neglected on the table, books and papers piled together.”
earlier than; in front of
From this reading “Leonard sat before the fire doing nothing.”
Bound written or printed works.
From this reading “He had no desire to do anything: his work lay neglected on the table, books and papers piled together.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “He had done nothing for three weeks.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “He was brooding over the general wreck of all he had held precious: over the family history; the family disgraces and disasters; and the mystery which it was hopeless to look into but impossible to forget.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “THE LIGHT THAT BROKE It was Sunday morning.”
not one thing; not anything
From this reading “Leonard sat before the fire doing nothing.”
above and across; more than
From this reading “He was brooding over the general wreck of all he had held precious: over the family history; the family disgraces and disasters; and the mystery which it was hopeless to look into but impossible to forget.”
rare and worth a great deal
From this reading “He was brooding over the general wreck of all he had held precious: over the family history; the family disgraces and disasters; and the mystery which it was hopeless to look into but impossible to forget.”
Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was brooding over the general wreck of all he had held precious: over the family history; the family disgraces and disasters; and the mystery which it was hopeless to look into but impossible to forget.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He had no desire to do anything: his work lay neglected on the table, books and papers piled together.
any thing at all
From this reading He had no desire to do anything: his work lay neglected on the table, books and papers piled together.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Leonard sat before the fire doing nothing.
Bound written or printed works.
From this reading He had no desire to do anything: his work lay neglected on the table, books and papers piled together.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE LIGHT THAT BROKE It was Sunday morning.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was brooding over the general wreck of all he had held precious: over the family history; the family disgraces and disasters; and the mystery which it was hopeless to look into but impossible to forget.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He was brooding over the general wreck of all he had held precious: over the family history; the family disgraces and disasters; and the mystery which it was hopeless to look into but impossible to forget.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had no desire to do anything: his work lay neglected on the table, books and papers piled together.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was brooding over the general wreck of all he had held precious: over the family history; the family disgraces and disasters; and the mystery which it was hopeless to look into but impossible to forget.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was brooding over the general wreck of all he had held precious: over the family history; the family disgraces and disasters; and the mystery which it was hopeless to look into but impossible to forget.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading He had no desire to do anything: his work lay neglected on the table, books and papers piled together.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Leonard sat before the fire doing nothing.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He had done nothing for three weeks.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was brooding over the general wreck of all he had held precious: over the family history; the family disgraces and disasters; and the mystery which it was hopeless to look into but impossible to forget.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Leonard sat before the fire doing nothing.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He had done nothing for three weeks.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was brooding over the general wreck of all he had held precious: over the family history; the family disgraces and disasters; and the mystery which it was hopeless to look into but impossible to forget.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was brooding over the general wreck of all he had held precious: over the family history; the family disgraces and disasters; and the mystery which it was hopeless to look into but impossible to forget.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had done nothing for three weeks.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had done nothing for three weeks.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was brooding over the general wreck of all he had held precious: over the family history; the family disgraces and disasters; and the mystery which it was hopeless to look into but impossible to forget.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He had no desire to do anything: his work lay neglected on the table, books and papers piled together.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was brooding over the general wreck of all he had held precious: over the family history; the family disgraces and disasters; and the mystery which it was hopeless to look into but impossible to forget.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was brooding over the general wreck of all he had held precious: over the family history; the family disgraces and disasters; and the mystery which it was hopeless to look into but impossible to forget.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was brooding over the general wreck of all he had held precious: over the family history; the family disgraces and disasters; and the mystery which it was hopeless to look into but impossible to forget.
moving to the inside of something
From this reading He was brooding over the general wreck of all he had held precious: over the family history; the family disgraces and disasters; and the mystery which it was hopeless to look into but impossible to forget.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading THE LIGHT THAT BROKE It was Sunday morning.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had no desire to do anything: his work lay neglected on the table, books and papers piled together.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Leonard sat before the fire doing nothing.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE LIGHT THAT BROKE It was Sunday morning.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He was brooding over the general wreck of all he had held precious: over the family history; the family disgraces and disasters; and the mystery which it was hopeless to look into but impossible to forget.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading THE LIGHT THAT BROKE It was Sunday morning.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was brooding over the general wreck of all he had held precious: over the family history; the family disgraces and disasters; and the mystery which it was hopeless to look into but impossible to forget.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had no desire to do anything: his work lay neglected on the table, books and papers piled together.
not any; not one
From this reading He had no desire to do anything: his work lay neglected on the table, books and papers piled together.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading Leonard sat before the fire doing nothing.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He was brooding over the general wreck of all he had held precious: over the family history; the family disgraces and disasters; and the mystery which it was hopeless to look into but impossible to forget.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He had no desire to do anything: his work lay neglected on the table, books and papers piled together.
above and across; more than
From this reading He was brooding over the general wreck of all he had held precious: over the family history; the family disgraces and disasters; and the mystery which it was hopeless to look into but impossible to forget.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had no desire to do anything: his work lay neglected on the table, books and papers piled together.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had no desire to do anything: his work lay neglected on the table, books and papers piled together.
rare and worth a great deal
From this reading He was brooding over the general wreck of all he had held precious: over the family history; the family disgraces and disasters; and the mystery which it was hopeless to look into but impossible to forget.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Leonard sat before the fire doing nothing.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE LIGHT THAT BROKE It was Sunday morning.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had no desire to do anything: his work lay neglected on the table, books and papers piled together.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading THE LIGHT THAT BROKE It was Sunday morning.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE LIGHT THAT BROKE It was Sunday morning.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had done nothing for three weeks.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He had no desire to do anything: his work lay neglected on the table, books and papers piled together.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had no desire to do anything: his work lay neglected on the table, books and papers piled together.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE LIGHT THAT BROKE It was Sunday morning.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had done nothing for three weeks.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He was brooding over the general wreck of all he had held precious: over the family history; the family disgraces and disasters; and the mystery which it was hopeless to look into but impossible to forget.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had no desire to do anything: his work lay neglected on the table, books and papers piled together.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was brooding over the general wreck of all he had held precious: over the family history; the family disgraces and disasters; and the mystery which it was hopeless to look into but impossible to forget.
