A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XI
Johnston clung tenaciously to the rock. He tried to look down to see if the barge had passed beneath him, but the intense strain on his arm now drew his head back, so that he could not do so. Once more he made an effort to regain his position on the rock, but he was not able to raise himself an inch. He felt certain that the fall would kill him, and he groaned in agony. His fingers were benumbed and beginning to slip.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
Extreme physical or mental suffering; intense anguish.
From this reading “He felt certain that the fall would kill him, and he groaned in agony.”
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “His fingers were benumbed and beginning to slip.”
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading “He tried to look down to see if the barge had passed beneath him, but the intense strain on his arm now drew his head back, so that he could not do so.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Johnston clung tenaciously to the rock.”
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading “He tried to look down to see if the barge had passed beneath him, but the intense strain on his arm now drew his head back, so that he could not do so.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “He tried to look down to see if the barge had passed beneath him, but the intense strain on his arm now drew his head back, so that he could not do so.”
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading “Once more he made an effort to regain his position on the rock, but he was not able to raise himself an inch.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “He tried to look down to see if the barge had passed beneath him, but the intense strain on his arm now drew his head back, so that he could not do so.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Once more he made an effort to regain his position on the rock, but he was not able to raise himself an inch.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “He tried to look down to see if the barge had passed beneath him, but the intense strain on his arm now drew his head back, so that he could not do so.”
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading “He felt certain that the fall would kill him, and he groaned in agony.”
Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once more he made an effort to regain his position on the rock, but he was not able to raise himself an inch.
Extreme physical or mental suffering; intense anguish.
From this reading He felt certain that the fall would kill him, and he groaned in agony.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Once more he made an effort to regain his position on the rock, but he was not able to raise himself an inch.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He felt certain that the fall would kill him, and he groaned in agony.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He tried to look down to see if the barge had passed beneath him, but the intense strain on his arm now drew his head back, so that he could not do so.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He tried to look down to see if the barge had passed beneath him, but the intense strain on his arm now drew his head back, so that he could not do so.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He tried to look down to see if the barge had passed beneath him, but the intense strain on his arm now drew his head back, so that he could not do so.
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading His fingers were benumbed and beginning to slip.
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading He tried to look down to see if the barge had passed beneath him, but the intense strain on his arm now drew his head back, so that he could not do so.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His fingers were benumbed and beginning to slip.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He tried to look down to see if the barge had passed beneath him, but the intense strain on his arm now drew his head back, so that he could not do so.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He felt certain that the fall would kill him, and he groaned in agony.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Johnston clung tenaciously to the rock.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He tried to look down to see if the barge had passed beneath him, but the intense strain on his arm now drew his head back, so that he could not do so.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading He tried to look down to see if the barge had passed beneath him, but the intense strain on his arm now drew his head back, so that he could not do so.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He tried to look down to see if the barge had passed beneath him, but the intense strain on his arm now drew his head back, so that he could not do so.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He tried to look down to see if the barge had passed beneath him, but the intense strain on his arm now drew his head back, so that he could not do so.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once more he made an effort to regain his position on the rock, but he was not able to raise himself an inch.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He felt certain that the fall would kill him, and he groaned in agony.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He felt certain that the fall would kill him, and he groaned in agony.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His fingers were benumbed and beginning to slip.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He felt certain that the fall would kill him, and he groaned in agony.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He tried to look down to see if the barge had passed beneath him, but the intense strain on his arm now drew his head back, so that he could not do so.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He tried to look down to see if the barge had passed beneath him, but the intense strain on his arm now drew his head back, so that he could not do so.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He tried to look down to see if the barge had passed beneath him, but the intense strain on his arm now drew his head back, so that he could not do so.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He tried to look down to see if the barge had passed beneath him, but the intense strain on his arm now drew his head back, so that he could not do so.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Once more he made an effort to regain his position on the rock, but he was not able to raise himself an inch.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He tried to look down to see if the barge had passed beneath him, but the intense strain on his arm now drew his head back, so that he could not do so.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading He tried to look down to see if the barge had passed beneath him, but the intense strain on his arm now drew his head back, so that he could not do so.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He felt certain that the fall would kill him, and he groaned in agony.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once more he made an effort to regain his position on the rock, but he was not able to raise himself an inch.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He tried to look down to see if the barge had passed beneath him, but the intense strain on his arm now drew his head back, so that he could not do so.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Johnston clung tenaciously to the rock.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He felt certain that the fall would kill him, and he groaned in agony.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He tried to look down to see if the barge had passed beneath him, but the intense strain on his arm now drew his head back, so that he could not do so.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once more he made an effort to regain his position on the rock, but he was not able to raise himself an inch.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once more he made an effort to regain his position on the rock, but he was not able to raise himself an inch.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He tried to look down to see if the barge had passed beneath him, but the intense strain on his arm now drew his head back, so that he could not do so.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He tried to look down to see if the barge had passed beneath him, but the intense strain on his arm now drew his head back, so that he could not do so.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He tried to look down to see if the barge had passed beneath him, but the intense strain on his arm now drew his head back, so that he could not do so.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once more he made an effort to regain his position on the rock, but he was not able to raise himself an inch.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He tried to look down to see if the barge had passed beneath him, but the intense strain on his arm now drew his head back, so that he could not do so.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once more he made an effort to regain his position on the rock, but he was not able to raise himself an inch.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once more he made an effort to regain his position on the rock, but he was not able to raise himself an inch.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once more he made an effort to regain his position on the rock, but he was not able to raise himself an inch.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Johnston clung tenaciously to the rock.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He tried to look down to see if the barge had passed beneath him, but the intense strain on his arm now drew his head back, so that he could not do so.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His fingers were benumbed and beginning to slip.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading He tried to look down to see if the barge had passed beneath him, but the intense strain on his arm now drew his head back, so that he could not do so.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He tried to look down to see if the barge had passed beneath him, but the intense strain on his arm now drew his head back, so that he could not do so.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Johnston clung tenaciously to the rock.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He tried to look down to see if the barge had passed beneath him, but the intense strain on his arm now drew his head back, so that he could not do so.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Johnston clung tenaciously to the rock.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Johnston clung tenaciously to the rock.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He tried to look down to see if the barge had passed beneath him, but the intense strain on his arm now drew his head back, so that he could not do so.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Once more he made an effort to regain his position on the rock, but he was not able to raise himself an inch.
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading His fingers were benumbed and beginning to slip.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading He felt certain that the fall would kill him, and he groaned in agony.
