A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXXV
He did not know whether he believed what she had said, nor whether she believed it herself, neither could he understand her motive in saying it. At intervals he was profoundly sorry for her. Pity for her loosened, from time to time, the grip of his own pain. He told himself that she must have gone through intolerable days and nights of misery before she could bring herself to say a thing like that. Her grief excused her.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading “He told himself that she must have gone through intolerable days and nights of misery before she could bring herself to say a thing like that.”
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading “He did not know whether he believed what she had said, nor whether she believed it herself, neither could he understand her motive in saying it.”
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “He told himself that she must have gone through intolerable days and nights of misery before she could bring herself to say a thing like that.”
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading “He did not know whether he believed what she had said, nor whether she believed it herself, neither could he understand her motive in saying it.”
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading “He told himself that she must have gone through intolerable days and nights of misery before she could bring herself to say a thing like that.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “He did not know whether he believed what she had said, nor whether she believed it herself, neither could he understand her motive in saying it.”
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading “He told himself that she must have gone through intolerable days and nights of misery before she could bring herself to say a thing like that.”
not one and not the other of two
From this reading “He did not know whether he believed what she had said, nor whether she believed it herself, neither could he understand her motive in saying it.”
Periods of darkness between sunset and sunrise.
From this reading “He told himself that she must have gone through intolerable days and nights of misery before she could bring herself to say a thing like that.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “He told himself that she must have gone through intolerable days and nights of misery before she could bring herself to say a thing like that.”
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “He told himself that she must have gone through intolerable days and nights of misery before she could bring herself to say a thing like that.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Pity for her loosened, from time to time, the grip of his own pain.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “He told himself that she must have gone through intolerable days and nights of misery before she could bring herself to say a thing like that.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “He did not know whether he believed what she had said, nor whether she believed it herself, neither could he understand her motive in saying it.”
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading “He did not know whether he believed what she had said, nor whether she believed it herself, neither could he understand her motive in saying it.”
Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He told himself that she must have gone through intolerable days and nights of misery before she could bring herself to say a thing like that.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He told himself that she must have gone through intolerable days and nights of misery before she could bring herself to say a thing like that.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At intervals he was profoundly sorry for her.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading He told himself that she must have gone through intolerable days and nights of misery before she could bring herself to say a thing like that.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He did not know whether he believed what she had said, nor whether she believed it herself, neither could he understand her motive in saying it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He told himself that she must have gone through intolerable days and nights of misery before she could bring herself to say a thing like that.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He did not know whether he believed what she had said, nor whether she believed it herself, neither could he understand her motive in saying it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He told himself that she must have gone through intolerable days and nights of misery before she could bring herself to say a thing like that.
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading He did not know whether he believed what she had said, nor whether she believed it herself, neither could he understand her motive in saying it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her grief excused her.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading At intervals he was profoundly sorry for her.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Pity for her loosened, from time to time, the grip of his own pain.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He told himself that she must have gone through intolerable days and nights of misery before she could bring herself to say a thing like that.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her grief excused her.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Pity for her loosened, from time to time, the grip of his own pain.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He did not know whether he believed what she had said, nor whether she believed it herself, neither could he understand her motive in saying it.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading He told himself that she must have gone through intolerable days and nights of misery before she could bring herself to say a thing like that.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He did not know whether he believed what she had said, nor whether she believed it herself, neither could he understand her motive in saying it.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading He did not know whether he believed what she had said, nor whether she believed it herself, neither could he understand her motive in saying it.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading He did not know whether he believed what she had said, nor whether she believed it herself, neither could he understand her motive in saying it.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He told himself that she must have gone through intolerable days and nights of misery before she could bring herself to say a thing like that.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Pity for her loosened, from time to time, the grip of his own pain.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He did not know whether he believed what she had said, nor whether she believed it herself, neither could he understand her motive in saying it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At intervals he was profoundly sorry for her.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He told himself that she must have gone through intolerable days and nights of misery before she could bring herself to say a thing like that.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He did not know whether he believed what she had said, nor whether she believed it herself, neither could he understand her motive in saying it.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He did not know whether he believed what she had said, nor whether she believed it herself, neither could he understand her motive in saying it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He told himself that she must have gone through intolerable days and nights of misery before she could bring herself to say a thing like that.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Pity for her loosened, from time to time, the grip of his own pain.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He told himself that she must have gone through intolerable days and nights of misery before she could bring herself to say a thing like that.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He did not know whether he believed what she had said, nor whether she believed it herself, neither could he understand her motive in saying it.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading He told himself that she must have gone through intolerable days and nights of misery before she could bring herself to say a thing like that.
not one and not the other of two
From this reading He did not know whether he believed what she had said, nor whether she believed it herself, neither could he understand her motive in saying it.
Periods of darkness between sunset and sunrise.
From this reading He told himself that she must have gone through intolerable days and nights of misery before she could bring herself to say a thing like that.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading He did not know whether he believed what she had said, nor whether she believed it herself, neither could he understand her motive in saying it.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He did not know whether he believed what she had said, nor whether she believed it herself, neither could he understand her motive in saying it.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Pity for her loosened, from time to time, the grip of his own pain.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Pity for her loosened, from time to time, the grip of his own pain.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Pity for her loosened, from time to time, the grip of his own pain.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Pity for her loosened, from time to time, the grip of his own pain.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At intervals he was profoundly sorry for her.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He did not know whether he believed what she had said, nor whether she believed it herself, neither could he understand her motive in saying it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He told himself that she must have gone through intolerable days and nights of misery before she could bring herself to say a thing like that.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He did not know whether he believed what she had said, nor whether she believed it herself, neither could he understand her motive in saying it.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He did not know whether he believed what she had said, nor whether she believed it herself, neither could he understand her motive in saying it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At intervals he was profoundly sorry for her.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He told himself that she must have gone through intolerable days and nights of misery before she could bring herself to say a thing like that.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Pity for her loosened, from time to time, the grip of his own pain.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He told himself that she must have gone through intolerable days and nights of misery before she could bring herself to say a thing like that.
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading He told himself that she must have gone through intolerable days and nights of misery before she could bring herself to say a thing like that.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Pity for her loosened, from time to time, the grip of his own pain.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Pity for her loosened, from time to time, the grip of his own pain.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He told himself that she must have gone through intolerable days and nights of misery before she could bring herself to say a thing like that.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He did not know whether he believed what she had said, nor whether she believed it herself, neither could he understand her motive in saying it.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading At intervals he was profoundly sorry for her.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading He did not know whether he believed what she had said, nor whether she believed it herself, neither could he understand her motive in saying it.
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading He did not know whether he believed what she had said, nor whether she believed it herself, neither could he understand her motive in saying it.
