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The Gypsy Queen's Vow
The Gypsy Queen's Vow

Chapter XVI

Cover illustration for The Gypsy Queen's Vow
Context Illustration Reading 1/38 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
MASTER RANTY.
"A rare compound of oddity, frolic and fun."
GOLDSMITH.
A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.
Her dress was the most astonishing complication of rags that ever hung together on a human back before.
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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 Gypsy Queen's Vow

Chapter XVI

Reading 1/38 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
MASTER RANTY.
Line 2
"A rare compound of oddity, frolic and fun."
Line 3
GOLDSMITH.
Line 4
A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.
Line 5
Her dress was the most astonishing complication of rags that ever hung together on a human back before.

Learner Dictionary

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

Before preposition US /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading “A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.”

Double noun US /double/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.”

Ever noun US /ever/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Her dress was the most astonishing complication of rags that ever hung together on a human back before.”

Little noun US /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.”

Shaking noun US /ˈshaking/

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

From this reading “A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.”

Stood noun US /stood/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.”

Suddenly noun US /ˈsuddenly/

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

From this reading “A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.”

Through noun US /ˈthrough/

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

From this reading “A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.”

All words in this reading · 50

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 "A rare compound of oddity, frolic and fun."

age

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

From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading "A rare compound of oddity, frolic and fun."

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.

astonishing

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

From this reading Her dress was the most astonishing complication of rags that ever hung together on a human back before.

back

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

From this reading Her dress was the most astonishing complication of rags that ever hung together on a human back before.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.

bent

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

From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.

complication

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

From this reading Her dress was the most astonishing complication of rags that ever hung together on a human back before.

compound

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

From this reading "A rare compound of oddity, frolic and fun."

decrepit

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

From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.

double

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

From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.

dress

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

From this reading Her dress was the most astonishing complication of rags that ever hung together on a human back before.

earth

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

From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.

evernounUS /ever/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Her dress was the most astonishing complication of rags that ever hung together on a human back before.

frolic

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

From this reading "A rare compound of oddity, frolic and fun."

fun

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

From this reading "A rare compound of oddity, frolic and fun."

GOLDSMITH

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

From this reading GOLDSMITH.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.

HerdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading Her dress was the most astonishing complication of rags that ever hung together on a human back before.

human

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

From this reading Her dress was the most astonishing complication of rags that ever hung together on a human back before.

hung

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

From this reading Her dress was the most astonishing complication of rags that ever hung together on a human back before.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.

leaning

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

From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.

littlenounUS /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.

MASTER

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

From this reading MASTER RANTY.

most

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

From this reading Her dress was the most astonishing complication of rags that ever hung together on a human back before.

oddity

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

From this reading "A rare compound of oddity, frolic and fun."

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading "A rare compound of oddity, frolic and fun."

old

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

From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.

palsy

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

From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.

rags

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

From this reading Her dress was the most astonishing complication of rags that ever hung together on a human back before.

RANTY

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

From this reading MASTER RANTY.

rare

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

From this reading "A rare compound of oddity, frolic and fun."

shakingnounUS /ˈshaking/

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

From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.

sprung

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

From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.

staff

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

From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.

stoodnounUS /stood/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.

suddenlynounUS /ˈsuddenly/

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

From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Her dress was the most astonishing complication of rags that ever hung together on a human back before.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.

throughnounUS /ˈthrough/

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

From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.

together

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

From this reading Her dress was the most astonishing complication of rags that ever hung together on a human back before.

up

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

From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Her dress was the most astonishing complication of rags that ever hung together on a human back before.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.

woman

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

From this reading A little, old, decrepit woman, bent double with age, leaning on a staff, and shaking with palsy, stood as suddenly before them as if she had sprung up through the earth.