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The Lesser Bourgeoisie
The Lesser Bourgeoisie

Chapter IV · The Circle of Monsieur and Madame Thuillier

Cover illustration for The Lesser Bourgeoisie
Context Illustration Reading 1/45 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The Collevilles and their children became, naturally, the nucleus of the circle which Mademoiselle Thuillier had the ambition to group around her brother.
A former clerk in the Billardiere division of the ministry, named Phellion, had lived for the last thirty years in their present quarter.
He was promptly greeted by Colleville and Thuillier at the first review.
Phellion proved to be one of the most respected men in the arrondissement.
He had one daughter, now married to a school-teacher in the rue Saint-Hyacinthe, a Monsieur Barniol.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Lesser Bourgeoisie

Chapter IV · The Circle of Monsieur and Madame Thuillier

Reading 1/45 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
The Collevilles and their children became, naturally, the nucleus of the circle which Mademoiselle Thuillier had the ambition to group around her brother.
Line 2
A former clerk in the Billardiere division of the ministry, named Phellion, had lived for the last thirty years in their present quarter.
Line 3
He was promptly greeted by Colleville and Thuillier at the first review.
Line 4
Phellion proved to be one of the most respected men in the arrondissement.
Line 5
He had one daughter, now married to a school-teacher in the rue Saint-Hyacinthe, a Monsieur Barniol.

Learner Dictionary

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

Around preposition US /ərˈaʊnd/

surrounding, or on every side of, something

From this reading “The Collevilles and their children became, naturally, the nucleus of the circle which Mademoiselle Thuillier had the ambition to group around her brother.”

First noun US /first/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He was promptly greeted by Colleville and Thuillier at the first review.”

Last noun US /last/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “A former clerk in the Billardiere division of the ministry, named Phellion, had lived for the last thirty years in their present quarter.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “Phellion proved to be one of the most respected men in the arrondissement.”

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 A former clerk in the Billardiere division of the ministry, named Phellion, had lived for the last thirty years in their present quarter.

ambition

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

From this reading The Collevilles and their children became, naturally, the nucleus of the circle which Mademoiselle Thuillier had the ambition to group around her brother.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The Collevilles and their children became, naturally, the nucleus of the circle which Mademoiselle Thuillier had the ambition to group around her brother.

aroundprepositionUS /ərˈaʊnd/

surrounding, or on every side of, something

From this reading The Collevilles and their children became, naturally, the nucleus of the circle which Mademoiselle Thuillier had the ambition to group around her brother.

arrondissement

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

From this reading Phellion proved to be one of the most respected men in the arrondissement.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading He was promptly greeted by Colleville and Thuillier at the first review.

Barniol

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

From this reading He had one daughter, now married to a school-teacher in the rue Saint-Hyacinthe, a Monsieur Barniol.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading Phellion proved to be one of the most respected men in the arrondissement.

became

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

From this reading The Collevilles and their children became, naturally, the nucleus of the circle which Mademoiselle Thuillier had the ambition to group around her brother.

Billardiere

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

From this reading A former clerk in the Billardiere division of the ministry, named Phellion, had lived for the last thirty years in their present quarter.

brother

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

From this reading The Collevilles and their children became, naturally, the nucleus of the circle which Mademoiselle Thuillier had the ambition to group around her brother.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading He was promptly greeted by Colleville and Thuillier at the first review.

children

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

From this reading The Collevilles and their children became, naturally, the nucleus of the circle which Mademoiselle Thuillier had the ambition to group around her brother.

circle

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

From this reading The Collevilles and their children became, naturally, the nucleus of the circle which Mademoiselle Thuillier had the ambition to group around her brother.

clerk

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

From this reading A former clerk in the Billardiere division of the ministry, named Phellion, had lived for the last thirty years in their present quarter.

Colleville

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

From this reading He was promptly greeted by Colleville and Thuillier at the first review.

Collevilles

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

From this reading The Collevilles and their children became, naturally, the nucleus of the circle which Mademoiselle Thuillier had the ambition to group around her brother.

daughter

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

From this reading He had one daughter, now married to a school-teacher in the rue Saint-Hyacinthe, a Monsieur Barniol.

division

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

From this reading A former clerk in the Billardiere division of the ministry, named Phellion, had lived for the last thirty years in their present quarter.

firstnounUS /first/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He was promptly greeted by Colleville and Thuillier at the first review.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading A former clerk in the Billardiere division of the ministry, named Phellion, had lived for the last thirty years in their present quarter.

former

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

From this reading A former clerk in the Billardiere division of the ministry, named Phellion, had lived for the last thirty years in their present quarter.

greeted

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

From this reading He was promptly greeted by Colleville and Thuillier at the first review.

group

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

From this reading The Collevilles and their children became, naturally, the nucleus of the circle which Mademoiselle Thuillier had the ambition to group around her brother.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading The Collevilles and their children became, naturally, the nucleus of the circle which Mademoiselle Thuillier had the ambition to group around her brother.

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He was promptly greeted by Colleville and Thuillier at the first review.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading The Collevilles and their children became, naturally, the nucleus of the circle which Mademoiselle Thuillier had the ambition to group around her brother.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading A former clerk in the Billardiere division of the ministry, named Phellion, had lived for the last thirty years in their present quarter.

lastnounUS /last/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading A former clerk in the Billardiere division of the ministry, named Phellion, had lived for the last thirty years in their present quarter.

lived

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

From this reading A former clerk in the Billardiere division of the ministry, named Phellion, had lived for the last thirty years in their present quarter.

Mademoiselle

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

From this reading The Collevilles and their children became, naturally, the nucleus of the circle which Mademoiselle Thuillier had the ambition to group around her brother.

married

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

From this reading He had one daughter, now married to a school-teacher in the rue Saint-Hyacinthe, a Monsieur Barniol.

men

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

From this reading Phellion proved to be one of the most respected men in the arrondissement.

ministry

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

From this reading A former clerk in the Billardiere division of the ministry, named Phellion, had lived for the last thirty years in their present quarter.

Monsieur

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

From this reading He had one daughter, now married to a school-teacher in the rue Saint-Hyacinthe, a Monsieur Barniol.

most

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

From this reading Phellion proved to be one of the most respected men in the arrondissement.

named

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

From this reading A former clerk in the Billardiere division of the ministry, named Phellion, had lived for the last thirty years in their present quarter.

naturally

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

From this reading The Collevilles and their children became, naturally, the nucleus of the circle which Mademoiselle Thuillier had the ambition to group around her brother.

now

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

From this reading He had one daughter, now married to a school-teacher in the rue Saint-Hyacinthe, a Monsieur Barniol.

nucleus

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

From this reading The Collevilles and their children became, naturally, the nucleus of the circle which Mademoiselle Thuillier had the ambition to group around her brother.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The Collevilles and their children became, naturally, the nucleus of the circle which Mademoiselle Thuillier had the ambition to group around her brother.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Phellion proved to be one of the most respected men in the arrondissement.

Phellion

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

From this reading A former clerk in the Billardiere division of the ministry, named Phellion, had lived for the last thirty years in their present quarter.

present

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

From this reading A former clerk in the Billardiere division of the ministry, named Phellion, had lived for the last thirty years in their present quarter.

promptly

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

From this reading He was promptly greeted by Colleville and Thuillier at the first review.

proved

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

From this reading Phellion proved to be one of the most respected men in the arrondissement.

quarter

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

From this reading A former clerk in the Billardiere division of the ministry, named Phellion, had lived for the last thirty years in their present quarter.

respected

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

From this reading Phellion proved to be one of the most respected men in the arrondissement.

review

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

From this reading He was promptly greeted by Colleville and Thuillier at the first review.

rue

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

From this reading He had one daughter, now married to a school-teacher in the rue Saint-Hyacinthe, a Monsieur Barniol.

Saint-Hyacinthe

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

From this reading He had one daughter, now married to a school-teacher in the rue Saint-Hyacinthe, a Monsieur Barniol.

school-teacher

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

From this reading He had one daughter, now married to a school-teacher in the rue Saint-Hyacinthe, a Monsieur Barniol.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The Collevilles and their children became, naturally, the nucleus of the circle which Mademoiselle Thuillier had the ambition to group around her brother.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading The Collevilles and their children became, naturally, the nucleus of the circle which Mademoiselle Thuillier had the ambition to group around her brother.

thirty

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

From this reading A former clerk in the Billardiere division of the ministry, named Phellion, had lived for the last thirty years in their present quarter.

Thuillier

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

From this reading The Collevilles and their children became, naturally, the nucleus of the circle which Mademoiselle Thuillier had the ambition to group around her brother.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The Collevilles and their children became, naturally, the nucleus of the circle which Mademoiselle Thuillier had the ambition to group around her brother.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading He was promptly greeted by Colleville and Thuillier at the first review.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading The Collevilles and their children became, naturally, the nucleus of the circle which Mademoiselle Thuillier had the ambition to group around her brother.

years

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

From this reading A former clerk in the Billardiere division of the ministry, named Phellion, had lived for the last thirty years in their present quarter.