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The Killer
The Killer

Chapter XIII

Cover illustration for The Killer
Context Illustration Reading 1/30 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
They had no tender feelings about me, however.
Nobody cared whether I ever ate or not.
I was led into the little ranch office and catechized to a fare-ye-well.
They sat and roosted and squatted about, emitting solemn puffs of smoke and speaking never a word; and the sun went down in shafts of light through the murk, and the old shadows of former days crept from the corners.
When I had finished my story it was dusk.
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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 Killer

Chapter XIII

Reading 1/30 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
They had no tender feelings about me, however.
Line 2
Nobody cared whether I ever ate or not.
Line 3
I was led into the little ranch office and catechized to a fare-ye-well.
Line 4
They sat and roosted and squatted about, emitting solemn puffs of smoke and speaking never a word; and the sun went down in shafts of light through the murk, and the old shadows of former days crept from the corners.
Line 5
When I had finished my story it was dusk.

Learner Dictionary

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

About preposition US /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading “They had no tender feelings about me, however.”

Ever noun US /ever/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Nobody cared whether I ever ate or not.”

However adverb US /ˌhaʊˈevər/

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading “They had no tender feelings about me, however.”

Little noun US /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “I was led into the little ranch office and catechized to a fare-ye-well.”

Never noun US /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “They sat and roosted and squatted about, emitting solemn puffs of smoke and speaking never a word; and the sun went down in shafts of light through the murk, and the old shadows of former days crept from the corners.”

Nobody pronoun US /ˈnoʊbɑːdiː/

no person; not anyone

From this reading “Nobody cared whether I ever ate or not.”

Through noun US /ˈthrough/

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

From this reading “They sat and roosted and squatted about, emitting solemn puffs of smoke and speaking never a word; and the sun went down in shafts of light through the murk, and the old shadows of former days crept from the corners.”

Went noun US /went/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “They sat and roosted and squatted about, emitting solemn puffs of smoke and speaking never a word; and the sun went down in shafts of light through the murk, and the old shadows of former days crept from the corners.”

Whether conjunction US /ˈweðər/

used to introduce two or more possibilities

From this reading “Nobody cared whether I ever ate or not.”

All words in this reading · 60

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 I was led into the little ranch office and catechized to a fare-ye-well.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading They had no tender feelings about me, however.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading I was led into the little ranch office and catechized to a fare-ye-well.

ate

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

From this reading Nobody cared whether I ever ate or not.

cared

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

From this reading Nobody cared whether I ever ate or not.

catechized

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

From this reading I was led into the little ranch office and catechized to a fare-ye-well.

corners

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

From this reading They sat and roosted and squatted about, emitting solemn puffs of smoke and speaking never a word; and the sun went down in shafts of light through the murk, and the old shadows of former days crept from the corners.

crept

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

From this reading They sat and roosted and squatted about, emitting solemn puffs of smoke and speaking never a word; and the sun went down in shafts of light through the murk, and the old shadows of former days crept from the corners.

days

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

From this reading They sat and roosted and squatted about, emitting solemn puffs of smoke and speaking never a word; and the sun went down in shafts of light through the murk, and the old shadows of former days crept from the corners.

down

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

From this reading They sat and roosted and squatted about, emitting solemn puffs of smoke and speaking never a word; and the sun went down in shafts of light through the murk, and the old shadows of former days crept from the corners.

dusk

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

From this reading When I had finished my story it was dusk.

emitting

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

From this reading They sat and roosted and squatted about, emitting solemn puffs of smoke and speaking never a word; and the sun went down in shafts of light through the murk, and the old shadows of former days crept from the corners.

evernounUS /ever/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Nobody cared whether I ever ate or not.

fare-ye-well

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

From this reading I was led into the little ranch office and catechized to a fare-ye-well.

feelings

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

From this reading They had no tender feelings about me, however.

finished

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

From this reading When I had finished my story it was dusk.

former

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

From this reading They sat and roosted and squatted about, emitting solemn puffs of smoke and speaking never a word; and the sun went down in shafts of light through the murk, and the old shadows of former days crept from the corners.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading They sat and roosted and squatted about, emitting solemn puffs of smoke and speaking never a word; and the sun went down in shafts of light through the murk, and the old shadows of former days crept from the corners.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading They had no tender feelings about me, however.

howeveradverbUS /ˌhaʊˈevər/

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading They had no tender feelings about me, however.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading Nobody cared whether I ever ate or not.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading They sat and roosted and squatted about, emitting solemn puffs of smoke and speaking never a word; and the sun went down in shafts of light through the murk, and the old shadows of former days crept from the corners.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading I was led into the little ranch office and catechized to a fare-ye-well.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading When I had finished my story it was dusk.

led

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

From this reading I was led into the little ranch office and catechized to a fare-ye-well.

light

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

From this reading They sat and roosted and squatted about, emitting solemn puffs of smoke and speaking never a word; and the sun went down in shafts of light through the murk, and the old shadows of former days crept from the corners.

littlenounUS /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading I was led into the little ranch office and catechized to a fare-ye-well.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading They had no tender feelings about me, however.

murk

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

From this reading They sat and roosted and squatted about, emitting solemn puffs of smoke and speaking never a word; and the sun went down in shafts of light through the murk, and the old shadows of former days crept from the corners.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading When I had finished my story it was dusk.

nevernounUS /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading They sat and roosted and squatted about, emitting solemn puffs of smoke and speaking never a word; and the sun went down in shafts of light through the murk, and the old shadows of former days crept from the corners.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading They had no tender feelings about me, however.

NobodypronounUS /ˈnoʊbɑːdiː/

no person; not anyone

From this reading Nobody cared whether I ever ate or not.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Nobody cared whether I ever ate or not.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading They sat and roosted and squatted about, emitting solemn puffs of smoke and speaking never a word; and the sun went down in shafts of light through the murk, and the old shadows of former days crept from the corners.

office

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

From this reading I was led into the little ranch office and catechized to a fare-ye-well.

old

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

From this reading They sat and roosted and squatted about, emitting solemn puffs of smoke and speaking never a word; and the sun went down in shafts of light through the murk, and the old shadows of former days crept from the corners.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Nobody cared whether I ever ate or not.

puffs

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

From this reading They sat and roosted and squatted about, emitting solemn puffs of smoke and speaking never a word; and the sun went down in shafts of light through the murk, and the old shadows of former days crept from the corners.

ranch

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

From this reading I was led into the little ranch office and catechized to a fare-ye-well.

roosted

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

From this reading They sat and roosted and squatted about, emitting solemn puffs of smoke and speaking never a word; and the sun went down in shafts of light through the murk, and the old shadows of former days crept from the corners.

sat

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

From this reading They sat and roosted and squatted about, emitting solemn puffs of smoke and speaking never a word; and the sun went down in shafts of light through the murk, and the old shadows of former days crept from the corners.

shadows

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

From this reading They sat and roosted and squatted about, emitting solemn puffs of smoke and speaking never a word; and the sun went down in shafts of light through the murk, and the old shadows of former days crept from the corners.

shafts

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

From this reading They sat and roosted and squatted about, emitting solemn puffs of smoke and speaking never a word; and the sun went down in shafts of light through the murk, and the old shadows of former days crept from the corners.

smoke

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

From this reading They sat and roosted and squatted about, emitting solemn puffs of smoke and speaking never a word; and the sun went down in shafts of light through the murk, and the old shadows of former days crept from the corners.

solemn

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

From this reading They sat and roosted and squatted about, emitting solemn puffs of smoke and speaking never a word; and the sun went down in shafts of light through the murk, and the old shadows of former days crept from the corners.

speaking

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

From this reading They sat and roosted and squatted about, emitting solemn puffs of smoke and speaking never a word; and the sun went down in shafts of light through the murk, and the old shadows of former days crept from the corners.

squatted

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

From this reading They sat and roosted and squatted about, emitting solemn puffs of smoke and speaking never a word; and the sun went down in shafts of light through the murk, and the old shadows of former days crept from the corners.

story

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

From this reading When I had finished my story it was dusk.

sun

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

From this reading They sat and roosted and squatted about, emitting solemn puffs of smoke and speaking never a word; and the sun went down in shafts of light through the murk, and the old shadows of former days crept from the corners.

tender

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

From this reading They had no tender feelings about me, however.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading I was led into the little ranch office and catechized to a fare-ye-well.

TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading They had no tender feelings about me, however.

throughnounUS /ˈthrough/

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

From this reading They sat and roosted and squatted about, emitting solemn puffs of smoke and speaking never a word; and the sun went down in shafts of light through the murk, and the old shadows of former days crept from the corners.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading I was led into the little ranch office and catechized to a fare-ye-well.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading I was led into the little ranch office and catechized to a fare-ye-well.

wentnounUS /went/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading They sat and roosted and squatted about, emitting solemn puffs of smoke and speaking never a word; and the sun went down in shafts of light through the murk, and the old shadows of former days crept from the corners.

WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading When I had finished my story it was dusk.

whetherconjunctionUS /ˈweðər/

used to introduce two or more possibilities

From this reading Nobody cared whether I ever ate or not.

word

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

From this reading They sat and roosted and squatted about, emitting solemn puffs of smoke and speaking never a word; and the sun went down in shafts of light through the murk, and the old shadows of former days crept from the corners.