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The Plattner Story, and Others
The Plattner Story, and Others

Chapter VIII

Cover illustration for The Plattner Story, and Others
Context Illustration Reading 1/85 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
A small shopman is in such a melancholy position, if his wife turns out a disloyal partner.
His capital is all tied up in his business, and to leave her, means to join the unemployed in some strange part of the earth.
The luxuries of divorce are beyond him altogether.
So that the good old tradition of marriage for better or worse holds inexorably for him, and things work up to tragic culminations.
Bricklayers kick their wives to death, and dukes betray theirs; but it is among the small clerks and shopkeepers nowadays that it comes most often to a cutting of throats.
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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 Plattner Story, and Others

Chapter VIII

Reading 1/85 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
A small shopman is in such a melancholy position, if his wife turns out a disloyal partner.
Line 2
His capital is all tied up in his business, and to leave her, means to join the unemployed in some strange part of the earth.
Line 3
The luxuries of divorce are beyond him altogether.
Line 4
So that the good old tradition of marriage for better or worse holds inexorably for him, and things work up to tragic culminations.
Line 5
Bricklayers kick their wives to death, and dukes betray theirs; but it is among the small clerks and shopkeepers nowadays that it comes most often to a cutting of throats.

Learner Dictionary

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

Among preposition US /əˈmʌŋ/

surrounded by; in the middle of a group

From this reading “Bricklayers kick their wives to death, and dukes betray theirs; but it is among the small clerks and shopkeepers nowadays that it comes most often to a cutting of throats.”

Beyond preposition US /bɪˈɑːnd/

on the far side of; further than

From this reading “The luxuries of divorce are beyond him altogether.”

Good noun US /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “So that the good old tradition of marriage for better or worse holds inexorably for him, and things work up to tragic culminations.”

Part noun US /part/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “His capital is all tied up in his business, and to leave her, means to join the unemployed in some strange part of the earth.”

Theirs pronoun US /ðerz/

the one or ones belonging to them

From this reading “Bricklayers kick their wives to death, and dukes betray theirs; but it is among the small clerks and shopkeepers nowadays that it comes most often to a cutting of throats.”

All words in this reading · 74

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 small shopman is in such a melancholy position, if his wife turns out a disloyal partner.

all

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

From this reading His capital is all tied up in his business, and to leave her, means to join the unemployed in some strange part of the earth.

altogether

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

From this reading The luxuries of divorce are beyond him altogether.

amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/

surrounded by; in the middle of a group

From this reading Bricklayers kick their wives to death, and dukes betray theirs; but it is among the small clerks and shopkeepers nowadays that it comes most often to a cutting of throats.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading His capital is all tied up in his business, and to leave her, means to join the unemployed in some strange part of the earth.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading The luxuries of divorce are beyond him altogether.

betray

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

From this reading Bricklayers kick their wives to death, and dukes betray theirs; but it is among the small clerks and shopkeepers nowadays that it comes most often to a cutting of throats.

better

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

From this reading So that the good old tradition of marriage for better or worse holds inexorably for him, and things work up to tragic culminations.

beyondprepositionUS /bɪˈɑːnd/

on the far side of; further than

From this reading The luxuries of divorce are beyond him altogether.

Bricklayers

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

From this reading Bricklayers kick their wives to death, and dukes betray theirs; but it is among the small clerks and shopkeepers nowadays that it comes most often to a cutting of throats.

business

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

From this reading His capital is all tied up in his business, and to leave her, means to join the unemployed in some strange part of the earth.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Bricklayers kick their wives to death, and dukes betray theirs; but it is among the small clerks and shopkeepers nowadays that it comes most often to a cutting of throats.

capital

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

From this reading His capital is all tied up in his business, and to leave her, means to join the unemployed in some strange part of the earth.

clerks

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

From this reading Bricklayers kick their wives to death, and dukes betray theirs; but it is among the small clerks and shopkeepers nowadays that it comes most often to a cutting of throats.

comes

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

From this reading Bricklayers kick their wives to death, and dukes betray theirs; but it is among the small clerks and shopkeepers nowadays that it comes most often to a cutting of throats.

culminations

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

From this reading So that the good old tradition of marriage for better or worse holds inexorably for him, and things work up to tragic culminations.

cutting

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

From this reading Bricklayers kick their wives to death, and dukes betray theirs; but it is among the small clerks and shopkeepers nowadays that it comes most often to a cutting of throats.

death

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

From this reading Bricklayers kick their wives to death, and dukes betray theirs; but it is among the small clerks and shopkeepers nowadays that it comes most often to a cutting of throats.

disloyal

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

From this reading A small shopman is in such a melancholy position, if his wife turns out a disloyal partner.

divorce

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

From this reading The luxuries of divorce are beyond him altogether.

dukes

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

From this reading Bricklayers kick their wives to death, and dukes betray theirs; but it is among the small clerks and shopkeepers nowadays that it comes most often to a cutting of throats.

earth

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

From this reading His capital is all tied up in his business, and to leave her, means to join the unemployed in some strange part of the earth.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading So that the good old tradition of marriage for better or worse holds inexorably for him, and things work up to tragic culminations.

goodnounUS /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading So that the good old tradition of marriage for better or worse holds inexorably for him, and things work up to tragic culminations.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading His capital is all tied up in his business, and to leave her, means to join the unemployed in some strange part of the earth.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading The luxuries of divorce are beyond him altogether.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading A small shopman is in such a melancholy position, if his wife turns out a disloyal partner.

holds

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

From this reading So that the good old tradition of marriage for better or worse holds inexorably for him, and things work up to tragic culminations.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading A small shopman is in such a melancholy position, if his wife turns out a disloyal partner.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading A small shopman is in such a melancholy position, if his wife turns out a disloyal partner.

inexorably

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

From this reading So that the good old tradition of marriage for better or worse holds inexorably for him, and things work up to tragic culminations.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading A small shopman is in such a melancholy position, if his wife turns out a disloyal partner.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Bricklayers kick their wives to death, and dukes betray theirs; but it is among the small clerks and shopkeepers nowadays that it comes most often to a cutting of throats.

join

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

From this reading His capital is all tied up in his business, and to leave her, means to join the unemployed in some strange part of the earth.

kick

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

From this reading Bricklayers kick their wives to death, and dukes betray theirs; but it is among the small clerks and shopkeepers nowadays that it comes most often to a cutting of throats.

leave

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

From this reading His capital is all tied up in his business, and to leave her, means to join the unemployed in some strange part of the earth.

luxuries

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

From this reading The luxuries of divorce are beyond him altogether.

marriage

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

From this reading So that the good old tradition of marriage for better or worse holds inexorably for him, and things work up to tragic culminations.

means

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

From this reading His capital is all tied up in his business, and to leave her, means to join the unemployed in some strange part of the earth.

melancholy

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

From this reading A small shopman is in such a melancholy position, if his wife turns out a disloyal partner.

most

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

From this reading Bricklayers kick their wives to death, and dukes betray theirs; but it is among the small clerks and shopkeepers nowadays that it comes most often to a cutting of throats.

nowadays

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

From this reading Bricklayers kick their wives to death, and dukes betray theirs; but it is among the small clerks and shopkeepers nowadays that it comes most often to a cutting of throats.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading His capital is all tied up in his business, and to leave her, means to join the unemployed in some strange part of the earth.

often

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

From this reading Bricklayers kick their wives to death, and dukes betray theirs; but it is among the small clerks and shopkeepers nowadays that it comes most often to a cutting of throats.

old

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

From this reading So that the good old tradition of marriage for better or worse holds inexorably for him, and things work up to tragic culminations.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading So that the good old tradition of marriage for better or worse holds inexorably for him, and things work up to tragic culminations.

out

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

From this reading A small shopman is in such a melancholy position, if his wife turns out a disloyal partner.

partnounUS /part/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading His capital is all tied up in his business, and to leave her, means to join the unemployed in some strange part of the earth.

partner

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

From this reading A small shopman is in such a melancholy position, if his wife turns out a disloyal partner.

position

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

From this reading A small shopman is in such a melancholy position, if his wife turns out a disloyal partner.

shopkeepers

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

From this reading Bricklayers kick their wives to death, and dukes betray theirs; but it is among the small clerks and shopkeepers nowadays that it comes most often to a cutting of throats.

shopman

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

From this reading A small shopman is in such a melancholy position, if his wife turns out a disloyal partner.

small

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

From this reading A small shopman is in such a melancholy position, if his wife turns out a disloyal partner.

SoconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading So that the good old tradition of marriage for better or worse holds inexorably for him, and things work up to tragic culminations.

some

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

From this reading His capital is all tied up in his business, and to leave her, means to join the unemployed in some strange part of the earth.

strange

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

From this reading His capital is all tied up in his business, and to leave her, means to join the unemployed in some strange part of the earth.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading A small shopman is in such a melancholy position, if his wife turns out a disloyal partner.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading So that the good old tradition of marriage for better or worse holds inexorably for him, and things work up to tragic culminations.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading His capital is all tied up in his business, and to leave her, means to join the unemployed in some strange part of the earth.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Bricklayers kick their wives to death, and dukes betray theirs; but it is among the small clerks and shopkeepers nowadays that it comes most often to a cutting of throats.

theirspronounUS /ðerz/

the one or ones belonging to them

From this reading Bricklayers kick their wives to death, and dukes betray theirs; but it is among the small clerks and shopkeepers nowadays that it comes most often to a cutting of throats.

things

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

From this reading So that the good old tradition of marriage for better or worse holds inexorably for him, and things work up to tragic culminations.

throats

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

From this reading Bricklayers kick their wives to death, and dukes betray theirs; but it is among the small clerks and shopkeepers nowadays that it comes most often to a cutting of throats.

tied

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

From this reading His capital is all tied up in his business, and to leave her, means to join the unemployed in some strange part of the earth.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading His capital is all tied up in his business, and to leave her, means to join the unemployed in some strange part of the earth.

tradition

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

From this reading So that the good old tradition of marriage for better or worse holds inexorably for him, and things work up to tragic culminations.

tragic

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

From this reading So that the good old tradition of marriage for better or worse holds inexorably for him, and things work up to tragic culminations.

turns

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

From this reading A small shopman is in such a melancholy position, if his wife turns out a disloyal partner.

unemployed

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

From this reading His capital is all tied up in his business, and to leave her, means to join the unemployed in some strange part of the earth.

up

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

From this reading His capital is all tied up in his business, and to leave her, means to join the unemployed in some strange part of the earth.

wife

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

From this reading A small shopman is in such a melancholy position, if his wife turns out a disloyal partner.

wives

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

From this reading Bricklayers kick their wives to death, and dukes betray theirs; but it is among the small clerks and shopkeepers nowadays that it comes most often to a cutting of throats.

work

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

From this reading So that the good old tradition of marriage for better or worse holds inexorably for him, and things work up to tragic culminations.

worse

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

From this reading So that the good old tradition of marriage for better or worse holds inexorably for him, and things work up to tragic culminations.