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The Highflyers
The Highflyers

Chapter XIII

Cover illustration for The Highflyers
Context Illustration Reading 1/60 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The summer and early autumn months of the year 1916 were, perhaps, the least illumined of any period of Potter Waite's life.
It was a period of drudgery without encouragement, of restless, brooding moods, of kicking against the pricks.
There were hours when he felt himself and his work to be futile, when there was imminence of his return to the old life of the bar, the cabaret, the club.
With the countenance and belief of one person he could have surmounted it all easily; but neither countenance nor belief was to be had of Hildegarde von Essen.
If possible, she was farther from him than ever.
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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 Highflyers

Chapter XIII

Reading 1/60 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
The summer and early autumn months of the year 1916 were, perhaps, the least illumined of any period of Potter Waite's life.
Line 2
It was a period of drudgery without encouragement, of restless, brooding moods, of kicking against the pricks.
Line 3
There were hours when he felt himself and his work to be futile, when there was imminence of his return to the old life of the bar, the cabaret, the club.
Line 4
With the countenance and belief of one person he could have surmounted it all easily; but neither countenance nor belief was to be had of Hildegarde von Essen.
Line 5
If possible, she was farther from him than ever.

Learner Dictionary

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

Against preposition US /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading “It was a period of drudgery without encouragement, of restless, brooding moods, of kicking against the pricks.”

Could modal verb US /kʊd/

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

From this reading “With the countenance and belief of one person he could have surmounted it all easily; but neither countenance nor belief was to be had of Hildegarde von Essen.”

Ever noun US /ever/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “If possible, she was farther from him than ever.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “With the countenance and belief of one person he could have surmounted it all easily; but neither countenance nor belief was to be had of Hildegarde von Essen.”

Himself pronoun US /hɪmˈself/

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

From this reading “There were hours when he felt himself and his work to be futile, when there was imminence of his return to the old life of the bar, the cabaret, the club.”

Least noun US /least/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The summer and early autumn months of the year 1916 were, perhaps, the least illumined of any period of Potter Waite's life.”

Life noun US /life/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The summer and early autumn months of the year 1916 were, perhaps, the least illumined of any period of Potter Waite's life.”

Neither determiner US /ˈniːðər/

not one and not the other of two

From this reading “With the countenance and belief of one person he could have surmounted it all easily; but neither countenance nor belief was to be had of Hildegarde von Essen.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “With the countenance and belief of one person he could have surmounted it all easily; but neither countenance nor belief was to be had of Hildegarde von Essen.”

Perhaps noun US /perhaps/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The summer and early autumn months of the year 1916 were, perhaps, the least illumined of any period of Potter Waite's life.”

Without preposition US /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading “It was a period of drudgery without encouragement, of restless, brooding moods, of kicking against the pricks.”

All words in this reading · 72

Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

1916

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

From this reading The summer and early autumn months of the year 1916 were, perhaps, the least illumined of any period of Potter Waite's life.

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 a period of drudgery without encouragement, of restless, brooding moods, of kicking against the pricks.

againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading It was a period of drudgery without encouragement, of restless, brooding moods, of kicking against the pricks.

all

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

From this reading With the countenance and belief of one person he could have surmounted it all easily; but neither countenance nor belief was to be had of Hildegarde von Essen.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The summer and early autumn months of the year 1916 were, perhaps, the least illumined of any period of Potter Waite's life.

any

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

From this reading The summer and early autumn months of the year 1916 were, perhaps, the least illumined of any period of Potter Waite's life.

autumn

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

From this reading The summer and early autumn months of the year 1916 were, perhaps, the least illumined of any period of Potter Waite's life.

bar

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

From this reading There were hours when he felt himself and his work to be futile, when there was imminence of his return to the old life of the bar, the cabaret, the club.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading There were hours when he felt himself and his work to be futile, when there was imminence of his return to the old life of the bar, the cabaret, the club.

belief

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

From this reading With the countenance and belief of one person he could have surmounted it all easily; but neither countenance nor belief was to be had of Hildegarde von Essen.

brooding

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

From this reading It was a period of drudgery without encouragement, of restless, brooding moods, of kicking against the pricks.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading With the countenance and belief of one person he could have surmounted it all easily; but neither countenance nor belief was to be had of Hildegarde von Essen.

cabaret

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

From this reading There were hours when he felt himself and his work to be futile, when there was imminence of his return to the old life of the bar, the cabaret, the club.

club

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

From this reading There were hours when he felt himself and his work to be futile, when there was imminence of his return to the old life of the bar, the cabaret, the club.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading With the countenance and belief of one person he could have surmounted it all easily; but neither countenance nor belief was to be had of Hildegarde von Essen.

countenance

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

From this reading With the countenance and belief of one person he could have surmounted it all easily; but neither countenance nor belief was to be had of Hildegarde von Essen.

drudgery

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

From this reading It was a period of drudgery without encouragement, of restless, brooding moods, of kicking against the pricks.

early

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

From this reading The summer and early autumn months of the year 1916 were, perhaps, the least illumined of any period of Potter Waite's life.

easily

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

From this reading With the countenance and belief of one person he could have surmounted it all easily; but neither countenance nor belief was to be had of Hildegarde von Essen.

encouragement

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

From this reading It was a period of drudgery without encouragement, of restless, brooding moods, of kicking against the pricks.

Essen

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

From this reading With the countenance and belief of one person he could have surmounted it all easily; but neither countenance nor belief was to be had of Hildegarde von Essen.

evernounUS /ever/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading If possible, she was farther from him than ever.

farther

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

From this reading If possible, she was farther from him than ever.

felt

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

From this reading There were hours when he felt himself and his work to be futile, when there was imminence of his return to the old life of the bar, the cabaret, the club.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading If possible, she was farther from him than ever.

futile

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

From this reading There were hours when he felt himself and his work to be futile, when there was imminence of his return to the old life of the bar, the cabaret, the club.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading With the countenance and belief of one person he could have surmounted it all easily; but neither countenance nor belief was to be had of Hildegarde von Essen.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading With the countenance and belief of one person he could have surmounted it all easily; but neither countenance nor belief was to be had of Hildegarde von Essen.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading There were hours when he felt himself and his work to be futile, when there was imminence of his return to the old life of the bar, the cabaret, the club.

Hildegarde

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

From this reading With the countenance and belief of one person he could have surmounted it all easily; but neither countenance nor belief was to be had of Hildegarde von Essen.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading If possible, she was farther from him than ever.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

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

From this reading There were hours when he felt himself and his work to be futile, when there was imminence of his return to the old life of the bar, the cabaret, the club.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading There were hours when he felt himself and his work to be futile, when there was imminence of his return to the old life of the bar, the cabaret, the club.

hours

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

From this reading There were hours when he felt himself and his work to be futile, when there was imminence of his return to the old life of the bar, the cabaret, the club.

IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading If possible, she was farther from him than ever.

illumined

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

From this reading The summer and early autumn months of the year 1916 were, perhaps, the least illumined of any period of Potter Waite's life.

imminence

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

From this reading There were hours when he felt himself and his work to be futile, when there was imminence of his return to the old life of the bar, the cabaret, the club.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was a period of drudgery without encouragement, of restless, brooding moods, of kicking against the pricks.

kicking

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

From this reading It was a period of drudgery without encouragement, of restless, brooding moods, of kicking against the pricks.

leastnounUS /least/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The summer and early autumn months of the year 1916 were, perhaps, the least illumined of any period of Potter Waite's life.

lifenounUS /life/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The summer and early autumn months of the year 1916 were, perhaps, the least illumined of any period of Potter Waite's life.

months

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

From this reading The summer and early autumn months of the year 1916 were, perhaps, the least illumined of any period of Potter Waite's life.

moods

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

From this reading It was a period of drudgery without encouragement, of restless, brooding moods, of kicking against the pricks.

neitherdeterminerUS /ˈniːðər/

not one and not the other of two

From this reading With the countenance and belief of one person he could have surmounted it all easily; but neither countenance nor belief was to be had of Hildegarde von Essen.

norconjunctionUS /nɔːr/

and not; used after a negative to add a second negative

From this reading With the countenance and belief of one person he could have surmounted it all easily; but neither countenance nor belief was to be had of Hildegarde von Essen.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The summer and early autumn months of the year 1916 were, perhaps, the least illumined of any period of Potter Waite's life.

old

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

From this reading There were hours when he felt himself and his work to be futile, when there was imminence of his return to the old life of the bar, the cabaret, the club.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading With the countenance and belief of one person he could have surmounted it all easily; but neither countenance nor belief was to be had of Hildegarde von Essen.

perhaps

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

From this reading The summer and early autumn months of the year 1916 were, perhaps, the least illumined of any period of Potter Waite's life.

period

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

From this reading The summer and early autumn months of the year 1916 were, perhaps, the least illumined of any period of Potter Waite's life.

person

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

From this reading With the countenance and belief of one person he could have surmounted it all easily; but neither countenance nor belief was to be had of Hildegarde von Essen.

possible

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

From this reading If possible, she was farther from him than ever.

Potter

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

From this reading The summer and early autumn months of the year 1916 were, perhaps, the least illumined of any period of Potter Waite's life.

pricks

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

From this reading It was a period of drudgery without encouragement, of restless, brooding moods, of kicking against the pricks.

restless

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

From this reading It was a period of drudgery without encouragement, of restless, brooding moods, of kicking against the pricks.

return

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

From this reading There were hours when he felt himself and his work to be futile, when there was imminence of his return to the old life of the bar, the cabaret, the club.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading If possible, she was farther from him than ever.

summer

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

From this reading The summer and early autumn months of the year 1916 were, perhaps, the least illumined of any period of Potter Waite's life.

surmounted

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

From this reading With the countenance and belief of one person he could have surmounted it all easily; but neither countenance nor belief was to be had of Hildegarde von Essen.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading If possible, she was farther from him than ever.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The summer and early autumn months of the year 1916 were, perhaps, the least illumined of any period of Potter Waite's life.

There

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

From this reading There were hours when he felt himself and his work to be futile, when there was imminence of his return to the old life of the bar, the cabaret, the club.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading There were hours when he felt himself and his work to be futile, when there was imminence of his return to the old life of the bar, the cabaret, the club.

von

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

From this reading With the countenance and belief of one person he could have surmounted it all easily; but neither countenance nor belief was to be had of Hildegarde von Essen.

Waite's

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

From this reading The summer and early autumn months of the year 1916 were, perhaps, the least illumined of any period of Potter Waite's life.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It was a period of drudgery without encouragement, of restless, brooding moods, of kicking against the pricks.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading The summer and early autumn months of the year 1916 were, perhaps, the least illumined of any period of Potter Waite's life.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading There were hours when he felt himself and his work to be futile, when there was imminence of his return to the old life of the bar, the cabaret, the club.

WithprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading With the countenance and belief of one person he could have surmounted it all easily; but neither countenance nor belief was to be had of Hildegarde von Essen.

withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading It was a period of drudgery without encouragement, of restless, brooding moods, of kicking against the pricks.

work

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

From this reading There were hours when he felt himself and his work to be futile, when there was imminence of his return to the old life of the bar, the cabaret, the club.

year

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

From this reading The summer and early autumn months of the year 1916 were, perhaps, the least illumined of any period of Potter Waite's life.