A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XLV
WHEREIN WE SEE THE FACE OF HIM OF WHOM WE HAVE HITHERTO SEEN ONLY THE ACTS. Nature had been prodigal of her kindness to Gwynplaine. She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing. We have just said that nature had loaded Gwynplaine with her gifts. But was it nature?
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading “Nature had been prodigal of her kindness to Gwynplaine.”
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading “She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.”
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “WHEREIN WE SEE THE FACE OF HIM OF WHOM WE HAVE HITHERTO SEEN ONLY THE ACTS.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.”
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading “She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.”
above and across; more than
From this reading “She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.”
to provide what someone needs in order to live
From this reading “She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.”
a formal word for “on”
From this reading “She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.”
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading “She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.”
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 She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading WHEREIN WE SEE THE FACE OF HIM OF WHOM WE HAVE HITHERTO SEEN ONLY THE ACTS.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Nature had been prodigal of her kindness to Gwynplaine.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But was it nature?
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading WHEREIN WE SEE THE FACE OF HIM OF WHOM WE HAVE HITHERTO SEEN ONLY THE ACTS.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We have just said that nature had loaded Gwynplaine with her gifts.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nature had been prodigal of her kindness to Gwynplaine.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Nature had been prodigal of her kindness to Gwynplaine.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading WHEREIN WE SEE THE FACE OF HIM OF WHOM WE HAVE HITHERTO SEEN ONLY THE ACTS.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Nature had been prodigal of her kindness to Gwynplaine.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading WHEREIN WE SEE THE FACE OF HIM OF WHOM WE HAVE HITHERTO SEEN ONLY THE ACTS.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading WHEREIN WE SEE THE FACE OF HIM OF WHOM WE HAVE HITHERTO SEEN ONLY THE ACTS.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading But was it nature?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We have just said that nature had loaded Gwynplaine with her gifts.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nature had been prodigal of her kindness to Gwynplaine.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We have just said that nature had loaded Gwynplaine with her gifts.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nature had been prodigal of her kindness to Gwynplaine.
not any; not one
From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading WHEREIN WE SEE THE FACE OF HIM OF WHOM WE HAVE HITHERTO SEEN ONLY THE ACTS.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading WHEREIN WE SEE THE FACE OF HIM OF WHOM WE HAVE HITHERTO SEEN ONLY THE ACTS.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.
above and across; more than
From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nature had been prodigal of her kindness to Gwynplaine.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We have just said that nature had loaded Gwynplaine with her gifts.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading WHEREIN WE SEE THE FACE OF HIM OF WHOM WE HAVE HITHERTO SEEN ONLY THE ACTS.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading WHEREIN WE SEE THE FACE OF HIM OF WHOM WE HAVE HITHERTO SEEN ONLY THE ACTS.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.
to provide what someone needs in order to live
From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading WHEREIN WE SEE THE FACE OF HIM OF WHOM WE HAVE HITHERTO SEEN ONLY THE ACTS.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Nature had been prodigal of her kindness to Gwynplaine.
a formal word for “on”
From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But was it nature?
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading WHEREIN WE SEE THE FACE OF HIM OF WHOM WE HAVE HITHERTO SEEN ONLY THE ACTS.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading WHEREIN WE SEE THE FACE OF HIM OF WHOM WE HAVE HITHERTO SEEN ONLY THE ACTS.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading WHEREIN WE SEE THE FACE OF HIM OF WHOM WE HAVE HITHERTO SEEN ONLY THE ACTS.
in the company of; together with
From this reading We have just said that nature had loaded Gwynplaine with her gifts.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading She had bestowed on him a mouth opening to his ears, ears folding over to his eyes, a shapeless nose to support the spectacles of the grimace maker, and a face that no one could look upon without laughing.
