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The Hampstead mystery — Volume 2
The Hampstead mystery — Volume 2

Chapter XI

Cover illustration for The Hampstead mystery — Volume 2
Context Illustration Reading 1/55 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Henry Hindes reached Hampstead quite early in the afternoon, and his wife met him with a foreign letter in her hand.
Hannah was much changed by this time as well as himself.
Always quiet and refined, her manner had settled down into a general melancholy.
She tried to smile sometimes, and to look cheerful for the sake of her little Wally, whom it was sad to think should be brought up between such a father and mother, but the attempt was usually abortive.
How could she smile, whilst memory remained to her?
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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 Hampstead mystery — Volume 2

Chapter XI

Reading 1/55 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Henry Hindes reached Hampstead quite early in the afternoon, and his wife met him with a foreign letter in her hand.
Line 2
Hannah was much changed by this time as well as himself.
Line 3
Always quiet and refined, her manner had settled down into a general melancholy.
Line 4
She tried to smile sometimes, and to look cheerful for the sake of her little Wally, whom it was sad to think should be brought up between such a father and mother, but the attempt was usually abortive.
Line 5
How could she smile, whilst memory remained to her?

Learner Dictionary

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

Afternoon noun US /ˈafternoon/

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

From this reading “Henry Hindes reached Hampstead quite early in the afternoon, and his wife met him with a foreign letter in her hand.”

Between preposition US /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading “She tried to smile sometimes, and to look cheerful for the sake of her little Wally, whom it was sad to think should be brought up between such a father and mother, but the attempt was usually abortive.”

Brought noun US /ˈbrought/

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

From this reading “She tried to smile sometimes, and to look cheerful for the sake of her little Wally, whom it was sad to think should be brought up between such a father and mother, but the attempt was usually abortive.”

Could modal verb US /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading “How could she smile, whilst memory remained to her?”

Hand noun US /hand/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Henry Hindes reached Hampstead quite early in the afternoon, and his wife met him with a foreign letter in her hand.”

Himself pronoun US /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading “Hannah was much changed by this time as well as himself.”

Little noun US /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “She tried to smile sometimes, and to look cheerful for the sake of her little Wally, whom it was sad to think should be brought up between such a father and mother, but the attempt was usually abortive.”

Look noun US /look/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “She tried to smile sometimes, and to look cheerful for the sake of her little Wally, whom it was sad to think should be brought up between such a father and mother, but the attempt was usually abortive.”

Memory noun US /ˈmem.ər.i/

The faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information and knowledge.

From this reading “How could she smile, whilst memory remained to her?”

Quite noun US /quite/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Henry Hindes reached Hampstead quite early in the afternoon, and his wife met him with a foreign letter in her hand.”

Remained noun US /ˈremained/

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

From this reading “How could she smile, whilst memory remained to her?”

Sometimes noun US /sometimes/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “She tried to smile sometimes, and to look cheerful for the sake of her little Wally, whom it was sad to think should be brought up between such a father and mother, but the attempt was usually abortive.”

Think noun US /think/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “She tried to smile sometimes, and to look cheerful for the sake of her little Wally, whom it was sad to think should be brought up between such a father and mother, but the attempt was usually abortive.”

Time noun US /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Hannah was much changed by this time as well as himself.”

Well noun US /well/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Hannah was much changed by this time as well as himself.”

Whilst conjunction US /waɪlst/

an old and formal word for “while”

From this reading “How could she smile, whilst memory remained to her?”

All words in this reading · 73

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 Henry Hindes reached Hampstead quite early in the afternoon, and his wife met him with a foreign letter in her hand.

abortive

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

From this reading She tried to smile sometimes, and to look cheerful for the sake of her little Wally, whom it was sad to think should be brought up between such a father and mother, but the attempt was usually abortive.

afternoonnounUS /ˈafternoon/

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

From this reading Henry Hindes reached Hampstead quite early in the afternoon, and his wife met him with a foreign letter in her hand.

Always

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

From this reading Always quiet and refined, her manner had settled down into a general melancholy.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Henry Hindes reached Hampstead quite early in the afternoon, and his wife met him with a foreign letter in her hand.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Hannah was much changed by this time as well as himself.

attempt

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

From this reading She tried to smile sometimes, and to look cheerful for the sake of her little Wally, whom it was sad to think should be brought up between such a father and mother, but the attempt was usually abortive.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading She tried to smile sometimes, and to look cheerful for the sake of her little Wally, whom it was sad to think should be brought up between such a father and mother, but the attempt was usually abortive.

betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading She tried to smile sometimes, and to look cheerful for the sake of her little Wally, whom it was sad to think should be brought up between such a father and mother, but the attempt was usually abortive.

broughtnounUS /ˈbrought/

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

From this reading She tried to smile sometimes, and to look cheerful for the sake of her little Wally, whom it was sad to think should be brought up between such a father and mother, but the attempt was usually abortive.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading She tried to smile sometimes, and to look cheerful for the sake of her little Wally, whom it was sad to think should be brought up between such a father and mother, but the attempt was usually abortive.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Hannah was much changed by this time as well as himself.

changed

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

From this reading Hannah was much changed by this time as well as himself.

cheerful

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

From this reading She tried to smile sometimes, and to look cheerful for the sake of her little Wally, whom it was sad to think should be brought up between such a father and mother, but the attempt was usually abortive.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading How could she smile, whilst memory remained to her?

down

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

From this reading Always quiet and refined, her manner had settled down into a general melancholy.

early

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

From this reading Henry Hindes reached Hampstead quite early in the afternoon, and his wife met him with a foreign letter in her hand.

father

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

From this reading She tried to smile sometimes, and to look cheerful for the sake of her little Wally, whom it was sad to think should be brought up between such a father and mother, but the attempt was usually abortive.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading She tried to smile sometimes, and to look cheerful for the sake of her little Wally, whom it was sad to think should be brought up between such a father and mother, but the attempt was usually abortive.

foreign

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

From this reading Henry Hindes reached Hampstead quite early in the afternoon, and his wife met him with a foreign letter in her hand.

general

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

From this reading Always quiet and refined, her manner had settled down into a general melancholy.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Always quiet and refined, her manner had settled down into a general melancholy.

Hampstead

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

From this reading Henry Hindes reached Hampstead quite early in the afternoon, and his wife met him with a foreign letter in her hand.

hand

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

From this reading Henry Hindes reached Hampstead quite early in the afternoon, and his wife met him with a foreign letter in her hand.

Hannah

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

From this reading Hannah was much changed by this time as well as himself.

Henry

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

From this reading Henry Hindes reached Hampstead quite early in the afternoon, and his wife met him with a foreign letter in her hand.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading Henry Hindes reached Hampstead quite early in the afternoon, and his wife met him with a foreign letter in her hand.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading Henry Hindes reached Hampstead quite early in the afternoon, and his wife met him with a foreign letter in her hand.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading Hannah was much changed by this time as well as himself.

Hindes

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

From this reading Henry Hindes reached Hampstead quite early in the afternoon, and his wife met him with a foreign letter in her hand.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Henry Hindes reached Hampstead quite early in the afternoon, and his wife met him with a foreign letter in her hand.

How

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

From this reading How could she smile, whilst memory remained to her?

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Henry Hindes reached Hampstead quite early in the afternoon, and his wife met him with a foreign letter in her hand.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Always quiet and refined, her manner had settled down into a general melancholy.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading She tried to smile sometimes, and to look cheerful for the sake of her little Wally, whom it was sad to think should be brought up between such a father and mother, but the attempt was usually abortive.

letter

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

From this reading Henry Hindes reached Hampstead quite early in the afternoon, and his wife met him with a foreign letter in her hand.

littlenounUS /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading She tried to smile sometimes, and to look cheerful for the sake of her little Wally, whom it was sad to think should be brought up between such a father and mother, but the attempt was usually abortive.

looknounUS /look/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading She tried to smile sometimes, and to look cheerful for the sake of her little Wally, whom it was sad to think should be brought up between such a father and mother, but the attempt was usually abortive.

manner

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

From this reading Always quiet and refined, her manner had settled down into a general melancholy.

melancholy

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

From this reading Always quiet and refined, her manner had settled down into a general melancholy.

memorynounUS /ˈmem.ər.i/

The faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information and knowledge.

From this reading How could she smile, whilst memory remained to her?

met

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

From this reading Henry Hindes reached Hampstead quite early in the afternoon, and his wife met him with a foreign letter in her hand.

mother

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

From this reading She tried to smile sometimes, and to look cheerful for the sake of her little Wally, whom it was sad to think should be brought up between such a father and mother, but the attempt was usually abortive.

much

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

From this reading Hannah was much changed by this time as well as himself.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading She tried to smile sometimes, and to look cheerful for the sake of her little Wally, whom it was sad to think should be brought up between such a father and mother, but the attempt was usually abortive.

quiet

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

From this reading Always quiet and refined, her manner had settled down into a general melancholy.

quitenounUS /quite/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Henry Hindes reached Hampstead quite early in the afternoon, and his wife met him with a foreign letter in her hand.

reached

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

From this reading Henry Hindes reached Hampstead quite early in the afternoon, and his wife met him with a foreign letter in her hand.

refined

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

From this reading Always quiet and refined, her manner had settled down into a general melancholy.

remainednounUS /ˈremained/

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

From this reading How could she smile, whilst memory remained to her?

sad

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

From this reading She tried to smile sometimes, and to look cheerful for the sake of her little Wally, whom it was sad to think should be brought up between such a father and mother, but the attempt was usually abortive.

sake

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

From this reading She tried to smile sometimes, and to look cheerful for the sake of her little Wally, whom it was sad to think should be brought up between such a father and mother, but the attempt was usually abortive.

settled

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

From this reading Always quiet and refined, her manner had settled down into a general melancholy.

ShepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading She tried to smile sometimes, and to look cheerful for the sake of her little Wally, whom it was sad to think should be brought up between such a father and mother, but the attempt was usually abortive.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading She tried to smile sometimes, and to look cheerful for the sake of her little Wally, whom it was sad to think should be brought up between such a father and mother, but the attempt was usually abortive.

smile

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

From this reading She tried to smile sometimes, and to look cheerful for the sake of her little Wally, whom it was sad to think should be brought up between such a father and mother, but the attempt was usually abortive.

sometimes

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

From this reading She tried to smile sometimes, and to look cheerful for the sake of her little Wally, whom it was sad to think should be brought up between such a father and mother, but the attempt was usually abortive.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading She tried to smile sometimes, and to look cheerful for the sake of her little Wally, whom it was sad to think should be brought up between such a father and mother, but the attempt was usually abortive.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Henry Hindes reached Hampstead quite early in the afternoon, and his wife met him with a foreign letter in her hand.

thinknounUS /think/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading She tried to smile sometimes, and to look cheerful for the sake of her little Wally, whom it was sad to think should be brought up between such a father and mother, but the attempt was usually abortive.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading Hannah was much changed by this time as well as himself.

timenounUS /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Hannah was much changed by this time as well as himself.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading She tried to smile sometimes, and to look cheerful for the sake of her little Wally, whom it was sad to think should be brought up between such a father and mother, but the attempt was usually abortive.

tried

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

From this reading She tried to smile sometimes, and to look cheerful for the sake of her little Wally, whom it was sad to think should be brought up between such a father and mother, but the attempt was usually abortive.

up

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

From this reading She tried to smile sometimes, and to look cheerful for the sake of her little Wally, whom it was sad to think should be brought up between such a father and mother, but the attempt was usually abortive.

usually

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

From this reading She tried to smile sometimes, and to look cheerful for the sake of her little Wally, whom it was sad to think should be brought up between such a father and mother, but the attempt was usually abortive.

Wally

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

From this reading She tried to smile sometimes, and to look cheerful for the sake of her little Wally, whom it was sad to think should be brought up between such a father and mother, but the attempt was usually abortive.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Hannah was much changed by this time as well as himself.

well

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

From this reading Hannah was much changed by this time as well as himself.

whilstconjunctionUS /waɪlst/

an old and formal word for “while”

From this reading How could she smile, whilst memory remained to her?

whompronounUS /huːm/

the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading She tried to smile sometimes, and to look cheerful for the sake of her little Wally, whom it was sad to think should be brought up between such a father and mother, but the attempt was usually abortive.

wife

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

From this reading Henry Hindes reached Hampstead quite early in the afternoon, and his wife met him with a foreign letter in her hand.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Henry Hindes reached Hampstead quite early in the afternoon, and his wife met him with a foreign letter in her hand.