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The Privet Hedge
The Privet Hedge

Chapter I

Cover illustration for The Privet Hedge
Context Illustration Reading 1/80 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
At the far end of Thorhaven towards the north was a little square house surrounded by a privet hedge.
It had a green door under a sort of wooden canopy with two flat windows on either side, and seemed to stand there defying the rows and rows of terraces, avenues and meanish semi-detached villas which were creeping up to it.
Behind lay the flat fields under a wide sky just as they had lain for centuries, with the gulls screaming across them inland from the mud cliffs, and so the cottage formed a sort of outpost, facing alone the hordes of jerry-built houses which threatened to sweep on and surround it.
The ladies who lived at the Cottage had once been nicknamed the Misses Canute--which showed how plainly all this could be seen, as a sort of symbol, by anyone in the least imaginative; though it was a rather unsatisfactory curate from Manchester who actually gave them the name.
No one felt surprised when he afterwards offended his bishop and went into the motor business, for he suffered from that constitutional ability to take people as seriously as they wished to be taken, which is so bad for any career.
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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 Privet Hedge

Chapter I

Reading 1/80 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
At the far end of Thorhaven towards the north was a little square house surrounded by a privet hedge.
Line 2
It had a green door under a sort of wooden canopy with two flat windows on either side, and seemed to stand there defying the rows and rows of terraces, avenues and meanish semi-detached villas which were creeping up to it.
Line 3
Behind lay the flat fields under a wide sky just as they had lain for centuries, with the gulls screaming across them inland from the mud cliffs, and so the cottage formed a sort of outpost, facing alone the hordes of jerry-built houses which threatened to sweep on and surround it.
Line 4
The ladies who lived at the Cottage had once been nicknamed the Misses Canute--which showed how plainly all this could be seen, as a sort of symbol, by anyone in the least imaginative; though it was a rather unsatisfactory curate from Manchester who actually gave them the name.
Line 5
No one felt surprised when he afterwards offended his bishop and went into the motor business, for he suffered from that constitutional ability to take people as seriously as they wished to be taken, which is so bad for any career.

Learner Dictionary

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

Across preposition US /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading “Behind lay the flat fields under a wide sky just as they had lain for centuries, with the gulls screaming across them inland from the mud cliffs, and so the cottage formed a sort of outpost, facing alone the hordes of jerry-built houses which threatened to sweep on and surround it.”

Alone noun US /alone/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Behind lay the flat fields under a wide sky just as they had lain for centuries, with the gulls screaming across them inland from the mud cliffs, and so the cottage formed a sort of outpost, facing alone the hordes of jerry-built houses which threatened to sweep on and surround it.”

Anyone pronoun US /ˈeniwʌn/

any person at all

From this reading “The ladies who lived at the Cottage had once been nicknamed the Misses Canute--which showed how plainly all this could be seen, as a sort of symbol, by anyone in the least imaginative; though it was a rather unsatisfactory curate from Manchester who actually gave them the name.”

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “The ladies who lived at the Cottage had once been nicknamed the Misses Canute--which showed how plainly all this could be seen, as a sort of symbol, by anyone in the least imaginative; though it was a rather unsatisfactory curate from Manchester who actually gave them the name.”

Behind preposition US /bɪˈhaɪnd/

at or toward the back of something

From this reading “Behind lay the flat fields under a wide sky just as they had lain for centuries, with the gulls screaming across them inland from the mud cliffs, and so the cottage formed a sort of outpost, facing alone the hordes of jerry-built houses which threatened to sweep on and surround it.”

Canopy noun US /ˈkæn.ə.pi/

An overhead roof or structure, such as the high vaulted ceiling of an ancient library.

From this reading “It had a green door under a sort of wooden canopy with two flat windows on either side, and seemed to stand there defying the rows and rows of terraces, avenues and meanish semi-detached villas which were creeping up to it.”

Could modal verb US /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading “The ladies who lived at the Cottage had once been nicknamed the Misses Canute--which showed how plainly all this could be seen, as a sort of symbol, by anyone in the least imaginative; though it was a rather unsatisfactory curate from Manchester who actually gave them the name.”

Either determiner US /ˈiːðər/

one or the other of two

From this reading “It had a green door under a sort of wooden canopy with two flat windows on either side, and seemed to stand there defying the rows and rows of terraces, avenues and meanish semi-detached villas which were creeping up to it.”

Least noun US /least/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The ladies who lived at the Cottage had once been nicknamed the Misses Canute--which showed how plainly all this could be seen, as a sort of symbol, by anyone in the least imaginative; though it was a rather unsatisfactory curate from Manchester who actually gave them the name.”

Little noun US /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “At the far end of Thorhaven towards the north was a little square house surrounded by a privet hedge.”

Name noun US /name/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The ladies who lived at the Cottage had once been nicknamed the Misses Canute--which showed how plainly all this could be seen, as a sort of symbol, by anyone in the least imaginative; though it was a rather unsatisfactory curate from Manchester who actually gave them the name.”

Once noun US /once/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The ladies who lived at the Cottage had once been nicknamed the Misses Canute--which showed how plainly all this could be seen, as a sort of symbol, by anyone in the least imaginative; though it was a rather unsatisfactory curate from Manchester who actually gave them the name.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “No one felt surprised when he afterwards offended his bishop and went into the motor business, for he suffered from that constitutional ability to take people as seriously as they wished to be taken, which is so bad for any career.”

Plainly noun US /ˈplainly/

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

From this reading “The ladies who lived at the Cottage had once been nicknamed the Misses Canute--which showed how plainly all this could be seen, as a sort of symbol, by anyone in the least imaginative; though it was a rather unsatisfactory curate from Manchester who actually gave them the name.”

Seemed noun US /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It had a green door under a sort of wooden canopy with two flat windows on either side, and seemed to stand there defying the rows and rows of terraces, avenues and meanish semi-detached villas which were creeping up to it.”

Stand noun US /stand/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It had a green door under a sort of wooden canopy with two flat windows on either side, and seemed to stand there defying the rows and rows of terraces, avenues and meanish semi-detached villas which were creeping up to it.”

Surprised noun US /surprised/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “No one felt surprised when he afterwards offended his bishop and went into the motor business, for he suffered from that constitutional ability to take people as seriously as they wished to be taken, which is so bad for any career.”

Take noun US /take/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “No one felt surprised when he afterwards offended his bishop and went into the motor business, for he suffered from that constitutional ability to take people as seriously as they wished to be taken, which is so bad for any career.”

Though conjunction US /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading “The ladies who lived at the Cottage had once been nicknamed the Misses Canute--which showed how plainly all this could be seen, as a sort of symbol, by anyone in the least imaginative; though it was a rather unsatisfactory curate from Manchester who actually gave them the name.”

Towards preposition US /təˈwɔːrdz/

in the direction of

From this reading “At the far end of Thorhaven towards the north was a little square house surrounded by a privet hedge.”

Under preposition US /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading “It had a green door under a sort of wooden canopy with two flat windows on either side, and seemed to stand there defying the rows and rows of terraces, avenues and meanish semi-detached villas which were creeping up to it.”

Went noun US /went/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “No one felt surprised when he afterwards offended his bishop and went into the motor business, for he suffered from that constitutional ability to take people as seriously as they wished to be taken, which is so bad for any career.”

All words in this reading · 135

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 At the far end of Thorhaven towards the north was a little square house surrounded by a privet hedge.

ability

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

From this reading No one felt surprised when he afterwards offended his bishop and went into the motor business, for he suffered from that constitutional ability to take people as seriously as they wished to be taken, which is so bad for any career.

acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading Behind lay the flat fields under a wide sky just as they had lain for centuries, with the gulls screaming across them inland from the mud cliffs, and so the cottage formed a sort of outpost, facing alone the hordes of jerry-built houses which threatened to sweep on and surround it.

actually

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

From this reading The ladies who lived at the Cottage had once been nicknamed the Misses Canute--which showed how plainly all this could be seen, as a sort of symbol, by anyone in the least imaginative; though it was a rather unsatisfactory curate from Manchester who actually gave them the name.

afterwards

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

From this reading No one felt surprised when he afterwards offended his bishop and went into the motor business, for he suffered from that constitutional ability to take people as seriously as they wished to be taken, which is so bad for any career.

all

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

From this reading The ladies who lived at the Cottage had once been nicknamed the Misses Canute--which showed how plainly all this could be seen, as a sort of symbol, by anyone in the least imaginative; though it was a rather unsatisfactory curate from Manchester who actually gave them the name.

alonenounUS /alone/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Behind lay the flat fields under a wide sky just as they had lain for centuries, with the gulls screaming across them inland from the mud cliffs, and so the cottage formed a sort of outpost, facing alone the hordes of jerry-built houses which threatened to sweep on and surround it.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading It had a green door under a sort of wooden canopy with two flat windows on either side, and seemed to stand there defying the rows and rows of terraces, avenues and meanish semi-detached villas which were creeping up to it.

any

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

From this reading No one felt surprised when he afterwards offended his bishop and went into the motor business, for he suffered from that constitutional ability to take people as seriously as they wished to be taken, which is so bad for any career.

anyonepronounUS /ˈeniwʌn/

any person at all

From this reading The ladies who lived at the Cottage had once been nicknamed the Misses Canute--which showed how plainly all this could be seen, as a sort of symbol, by anyone in the least imaginative; though it was a rather unsatisfactory curate from Manchester who actually gave them the name.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading Behind lay the flat fields under a wide sky just as they had lain for centuries, with the gulls screaming across them inland from the mud cliffs, and so the cottage formed a sort of outpost, facing alone the hordes of jerry-built houses which threatened to sweep on and surround it.

AtprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading At the far end of Thorhaven towards the north was a little square house surrounded by a privet hedge.

avenues

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

From this reading It had a green door under a sort of wooden canopy with two flat windows on either side, and seemed to stand there defying the rows and rows of terraces, avenues and meanish semi-detached villas which were creeping up to it.

bad

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

From this reading No one felt surprised when he afterwards offended his bishop and went into the motor business, for he suffered from that constitutional ability to take people as seriously as they wished to be taken, which is so bad for any career.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading The ladies who lived at the Cottage had once been nicknamed the Misses Canute--which showed how plainly all this could be seen, as a sort of symbol, by anyone in the least imaginative; though it was a rather unsatisfactory curate from Manchester who actually gave them the name.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading The ladies who lived at the Cottage had once been nicknamed the Misses Canute--which showed how plainly all this could be seen, as a sort of symbol, by anyone in the least imaginative; though it was a rather unsatisfactory curate from Manchester who actually gave them the name.

BehindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/

at or toward the back of something

From this reading Behind lay the flat fields under a wide sky just as they had lain for centuries, with the gulls screaming across them inland from the mud cliffs, and so the cottage formed a sort of outpost, facing alone the hordes of jerry-built houses which threatened to sweep on and surround it.

bishop

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

From this reading No one felt surprised when he afterwards offended his bishop and went into the motor business, for he suffered from that constitutional ability to take people as seriously as they wished to be taken, which is so bad for any career.

business

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

From this reading No one felt surprised when he afterwards offended his bishop and went into the motor business, for he suffered from that constitutional ability to take people as seriously as they wished to be taken, which is so bad for any career.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading At the far end of Thorhaven towards the north was a little square house surrounded by a privet hedge.

canopynounUS /ˈkæn.ə.pi/

An overhead roof or structure, such as the high vaulted ceiling of an ancient library.

From this reading It had a green door under a sort of wooden canopy with two flat windows on either side, and seemed to stand there defying the rows and rows of terraces, avenues and meanish semi-detached villas which were creeping up to it.

Canute

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

From this reading The ladies who lived at the Cottage had once been nicknamed the Misses Canute--which showed how plainly all this could be seen, as a sort of symbol, by anyone in the least imaginative; though it was a rather unsatisfactory curate from Manchester who actually gave them the name.

career

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

From this reading No one felt surprised when he afterwards offended his bishop and went into the motor business, for he suffered from that constitutional ability to take people as seriously as they wished to be taken, which is so bad for any career.

centuries

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

From this reading Behind lay the flat fields under a wide sky just as they had lain for centuries, with the gulls screaming across them inland from the mud cliffs, and so the cottage formed a sort of outpost, facing alone the hordes of jerry-built houses which threatened to sweep on and surround it.

cliffs

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

From this reading Behind lay the flat fields under a wide sky just as they had lain for centuries, with the gulls screaming across them inland from the mud cliffs, and so the cottage formed a sort of outpost, facing alone the hordes of jerry-built houses which threatened to sweep on and surround it.

constitutional

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

From this reading No one felt surprised when he afterwards offended his bishop and went into the motor business, for he suffered from that constitutional ability to take people as seriously as they wished to be taken, which is so bad for any career.

cottage

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

From this reading Behind lay the flat fields under a wide sky just as they had lain for centuries, with the gulls screaming across them inland from the mud cliffs, and so the cottage formed a sort of outpost, facing alone the hordes of jerry-built houses which threatened to sweep on and surround it.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading The ladies who lived at the Cottage had once been nicknamed the Misses Canute--which showed how plainly all this could be seen, as a sort of symbol, by anyone in the least imaginative; though it was a rather unsatisfactory curate from Manchester who actually gave them the name.

creeping

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

From this reading It had a green door under a sort of wooden canopy with two flat windows on either side, and seemed to stand there defying the rows and rows of terraces, avenues and meanish semi-detached villas which were creeping up to it.

curate

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

From this reading The ladies who lived at the Cottage had once been nicknamed the Misses Canute--which showed how plainly all this could be seen, as a sort of symbol, by anyone in the least imaginative; though it was a rather unsatisfactory curate from Manchester who actually gave them the name.

defying

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

From this reading It had a green door under a sort of wooden canopy with two flat windows on either side, and seemed to stand there defying the rows and rows of terraces, avenues and meanish semi-detached villas which were creeping up to it.

door

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

From this reading It had a green door under a sort of wooden canopy with two flat windows on either side, and seemed to stand there defying the rows and rows of terraces, avenues and meanish semi-detached villas which were creeping up to it.

eitherdeterminerUS /ˈiːðər/

one or the other of two

From this reading It had a green door under a sort of wooden canopy with two flat windows on either side, and seemed to stand there defying the rows and rows of terraces, avenues and meanish semi-detached villas which were creeping up to it.

end

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

From this reading At the far end of Thorhaven towards the north was a little square house surrounded by a privet hedge.

facing

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

From this reading Behind lay the flat fields under a wide sky just as they had lain for centuries, with the gulls screaming across them inland from the mud cliffs, and so the cottage formed a sort of outpost, facing alone the hordes of jerry-built houses which threatened to sweep on and surround it.

far

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

From this reading At the far end of Thorhaven towards the north was a little square house surrounded by a privet hedge.

felt

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

From this reading No one felt surprised when he afterwards offended his bishop and went into the motor business, for he suffered from that constitutional ability to take people as seriously as they wished to be taken, which is so bad for any career.

fields

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

From this reading Behind lay the flat fields under a wide sky just as they had lain for centuries, with the gulls screaming across them inland from the mud cliffs, and so the cottage formed a sort of outpost, facing alone the hordes of jerry-built houses which threatened to sweep on and surround it.

flat

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

From this reading It had a green door under a sort of wooden canopy with two flat windows on either side, and seemed to stand there defying the rows and rows of terraces, avenues and meanish semi-detached villas which were creeping up to it.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Behind lay the flat fields under a wide sky just as they had lain for centuries, with the gulls screaming across them inland from the mud cliffs, and so the cottage formed a sort of outpost, facing alone the hordes of jerry-built houses which threatened to sweep on and surround it.

formed

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

From this reading Behind lay the flat fields under a wide sky just as they had lain for centuries, with the gulls screaming across them inland from the mud cliffs, and so the cottage formed a sort of outpost, facing alone the hordes of jerry-built houses which threatened to sweep on and surround it.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Behind lay the flat fields under a wide sky just as they had lain for centuries, with the gulls screaming across them inland from the mud cliffs, and so the cottage formed a sort of outpost, facing alone the hordes of jerry-built houses which threatened to sweep on and surround it.

gave

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

From this reading The ladies who lived at the Cottage had once been nicknamed the Misses Canute--which showed how plainly all this could be seen, as a sort of symbol, by anyone in the least imaginative; though it was a rather unsatisfactory curate from Manchester who actually gave them the name.

green

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

From this reading It had a green door under a sort of wooden canopy with two flat windows on either side, and seemed to stand there defying the rows and rows of terraces, avenues and meanish semi-detached villas which were creeping up to it.

gulls

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

From this reading Behind lay the flat fields under a wide sky just as they had lain for centuries, with the gulls screaming across them inland from the mud cliffs, and so the cottage formed a sort of outpost, facing alone the hordes of jerry-built houses which threatened to sweep on and surround it.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading It had a green door under a sort of wooden canopy with two flat windows on either side, and seemed to stand there defying the rows and rows of terraces, avenues and meanish semi-detached villas which were creeping up to it.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading No one felt surprised when he afterwards offended his bishop and went into the motor business, for he suffered from that constitutional ability to take people as seriously as they wished to be taken, which is so bad for any career.

hedge

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

From this reading At the far end of Thorhaven towards the north was a little square house surrounded by a privet hedge.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading No one felt surprised when he afterwards offended his bishop and went into the motor business, for he suffered from that constitutional ability to take people as seriously as they wished to be taken, which is so bad for any career.

hordes

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

From this reading Behind lay the flat fields under a wide sky just as they had lain for centuries, with the gulls screaming across them inland from the mud cliffs, and so the cottage formed a sort of outpost, facing alone the hordes of jerry-built houses which threatened to sweep on and surround it.

house

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

From this reading At the far end of Thorhaven towards the north was a little square house surrounded by a privet hedge.

houses

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

From this reading Behind lay the flat fields under a wide sky just as they had lain for centuries, with the gulls screaming across them inland from the mud cliffs, and so the cottage formed a sort of outpost, facing alone the hordes of jerry-built houses which threatened to sweep on and surround it.

how

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

From this reading The ladies who lived at the Cottage had once been nicknamed the Misses Canute--which showed how plainly all this could be seen, as a sort of symbol, by anyone in the least imaginative; though it was a rather unsatisfactory curate from Manchester who actually gave them the name.

imaginative

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

From this reading The ladies who lived at the Cottage had once been nicknamed the Misses Canute--which showed how plainly all this could be seen, as a sort of symbol, by anyone in the least imaginative; though it was a rather unsatisfactory curate from Manchester who actually gave them the name.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The ladies who lived at the Cottage had once been nicknamed the Misses Canute--which showed how plainly all this could be seen, as a sort of symbol, by anyone in the least imaginative; though it was a rather unsatisfactory curate from Manchester who actually gave them the name.

inland

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

From this reading Behind lay the flat fields under a wide sky just as they had lain for centuries, with the gulls screaming across them inland from the mud cliffs, and so the cottage formed a sort of outpost, facing alone the hordes of jerry-built houses which threatened to sweep on and surround it.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading No one felt surprised when he afterwards offended his bishop and went into the motor business, for he suffered from that constitutional ability to take people as seriously as they wished to be taken, which is so bad for any career.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading No one felt surprised when he afterwards offended his bishop and went into the motor business, for he suffered from that constitutional ability to take people as seriously as they wished to be taken, which is so bad for any career.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It had a green door under a sort of wooden canopy with two flat windows on either side, and seemed to stand there defying the rows and rows of terraces, avenues and meanish semi-detached villas which were creeping up to it.

jerry-built

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

From this reading Behind lay the flat fields under a wide sky just as they had lain for centuries, with the gulls screaming across them inland from the mud cliffs, and so the cottage formed a sort of outpost, facing alone the hordes of jerry-built houses which threatened to sweep on and surround it.

just

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

From this reading Behind lay the flat fields under a wide sky just as they had lain for centuries, with the gulls screaming across them inland from the mud cliffs, and so the cottage formed a sort of outpost, facing alone the hordes of jerry-built houses which threatened to sweep on and surround it.

ladies

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

From this reading The ladies who lived at the Cottage had once been nicknamed the Misses Canute--which showed how plainly all this could be seen, as a sort of symbol, by anyone in the least imaginative; though it was a rather unsatisfactory curate from Manchester who actually gave them the name.

lain

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

From this reading Behind lay the flat fields under a wide sky just as they had lain for centuries, with the gulls screaming across them inland from the mud cliffs, and so the cottage formed a sort of outpost, facing alone the hordes of jerry-built houses which threatened to sweep on and surround it.

lay

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

From this reading Behind lay the flat fields under a wide sky just as they had lain for centuries, with the gulls screaming across them inland from the mud cliffs, and so the cottage formed a sort of outpost, facing alone the hordes of jerry-built houses which threatened to sweep on and surround it.

leastnounUS /least/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The ladies who lived at the Cottage had once been nicknamed the Misses Canute--which showed how plainly all this could be seen, as a sort of symbol, by anyone in the least imaginative; though it was a rather unsatisfactory curate from Manchester who actually gave them the name.

littlenounUS /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading At the far end of Thorhaven towards the north was a little square house surrounded by a privet hedge.

lived

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

From this reading The ladies who lived at the Cottage had once been nicknamed the Misses Canute--which showed how plainly all this could be seen, as a sort of symbol, by anyone in the least imaginative; though it was a rather unsatisfactory curate from Manchester who actually gave them the name.

Manchester

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

From this reading The ladies who lived at the Cottage had once been nicknamed the Misses Canute--which showed how plainly all this could be seen, as a sort of symbol, by anyone in the least imaginative; though it was a rather unsatisfactory curate from Manchester who actually gave them the name.

meanish

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

From this reading It had a green door under a sort of wooden canopy with two flat windows on either side, and seemed to stand there defying the rows and rows of terraces, avenues and meanish semi-detached villas which were creeping up to it.

Misses

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

From this reading The ladies who lived at the Cottage had once been nicknamed the Misses Canute--which showed how plainly all this could be seen, as a sort of symbol, by anyone in the least imaginative; though it was a rather unsatisfactory curate from Manchester who actually gave them the name.

motor

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

From this reading No one felt surprised when he afterwards offended his bishop and went into the motor business, for he suffered from that constitutional ability to take people as seriously as they wished to be taken, which is so bad for any career.

mud

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

From this reading Behind lay the flat fields under a wide sky just as they had lain for centuries, with the gulls screaming across them inland from the mud cliffs, and so the cottage formed a sort of outpost, facing alone the hordes of jerry-built houses which threatened to sweep on and surround it.

namenounUS /name/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The ladies who lived at the Cottage had once been nicknamed the Misses Canute--which showed how plainly all this could be seen, as a sort of symbol, by anyone in the least imaginative; though it was a rather unsatisfactory curate from Manchester who actually gave them the name.

nicknamed

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

From this reading The ladies who lived at the Cottage had once been nicknamed the Misses Canute--which showed how plainly all this could be seen, as a sort of symbol, by anyone in the least imaginative; though it was a rather unsatisfactory curate from Manchester who actually gave them the name.

NodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading No one felt surprised when he afterwards offended his bishop and went into the motor business, for he suffered from that constitutional ability to take people as seriously as they wished to be taken, which is so bad for any career.

north

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

From this reading At the far end of Thorhaven towards the north was a little square house surrounded by a privet hedge.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading At the far end of Thorhaven towards the north was a little square house surrounded by a privet hedge.

offended

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

From this reading No one felt surprised when he afterwards offended his bishop and went into the motor business, for he suffered from that constitutional ability to take people as seriously as they wished to be taken, which is so bad for any career.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading It had a green door under a sort of wooden canopy with two flat windows on either side, and seemed to stand there defying the rows and rows of terraces, avenues and meanish semi-detached villas which were creeping up to it.

once

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

From this reading The ladies who lived at the Cottage had once been nicknamed the Misses Canute--which showed how plainly all this could be seen, as a sort of symbol, by anyone in the least imaginative; though it was a rather unsatisfactory curate from Manchester who actually gave them the name.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading No one felt surprised when he afterwards offended his bishop and went into the motor business, for he suffered from that constitutional ability to take people as seriously as they wished to be taken, which is so bad for any career.

outpost

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

From this reading Behind lay the flat fields under a wide sky just as they had lain for centuries, with the gulls screaming across them inland from the mud cliffs, and so the cottage formed a sort of outpost, facing alone the hordes of jerry-built houses which threatened to sweep on and surround it.

people

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

From this reading No one felt surprised when he afterwards offended his bishop and went into the motor business, for he suffered from that constitutional ability to take people as seriously as they wished to be taken, which is so bad for any career.

plainlynounUS /ˈplainly/

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

From this reading The ladies who lived at the Cottage had once been nicknamed the Misses Canute--which showed how plainly all this could be seen, as a sort of symbol, by anyone in the least imaginative; though it was a rather unsatisfactory curate from Manchester who actually gave them the name.

privet

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

From this reading At the far end of Thorhaven towards the north was a little square house surrounded by a privet hedge.

rather

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

From this reading The ladies who lived at the Cottage had once been nicknamed the Misses Canute--which showed how plainly all this could be seen, as a sort of symbol, by anyone in the least imaginative; though it was a rather unsatisfactory curate from Manchester who actually gave them the name.

rows

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

From this reading It had a green door under a sort of wooden canopy with two flat windows on either side, and seemed to stand there defying the rows and rows of terraces, avenues and meanish semi-detached villas which were creeping up to it.

screaming

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

From this reading Behind lay the flat fields under a wide sky just as they had lain for centuries, with the gulls screaming across them inland from the mud cliffs, and so the cottage formed a sort of outpost, facing alone the hordes of jerry-built houses which threatened to sweep on and surround it.

seemednounUS /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading It had a green door under a sort of wooden canopy with two flat windows on either side, and seemed to stand there defying the rows and rows of terraces, avenues and meanish semi-detached villas which were creeping up to it.

seen

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

From this reading The ladies who lived at the Cottage had once been nicknamed the Misses Canute--which showed how plainly all this could be seen, as a sort of symbol, by anyone in the least imaginative; though it was a rather unsatisfactory curate from Manchester who actually gave them the name.

semi-detached

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

From this reading It had a green door under a sort of wooden canopy with two flat windows on either side, and seemed to stand there defying the rows and rows of terraces, avenues and meanish semi-detached villas which were creeping up to it.

seriously

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

From this reading No one felt surprised when he afterwards offended his bishop and went into the motor business, for he suffered from that constitutional ability to take people as seriously as they wished to be taken, which is so bad for any career.

showed

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

From this reading The ladies who lived at the Cottage had once been nicknamed the Misses Canute--which showed how plainly all this could be seen, as a sort of symbol, by anyone in the least imaginative; though it was a rather unsatisfactory curate from Manchester who actually gave them the name.

side

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

From this reading It had a green door under a sort of wooden canopy with two flat windows on either side, and seemed to stand there defying the rows and rows of terraces, avenues and meanish semi-detached villas which were creeping up to it.

sky

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

From this reading Behind lay the flat fields under a wide sky just as they had lain for centuries, with the gulls screaming across them inland from the mud cliffs, and so the cottage formed a sort of outpost, facing alone the hordes of jerry-built houses which threatened to sweep on and surround it.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Behind lay the flat fields under a wide sky just as they had lain for centuries, with the gulls screaming across them inland from the mud cliffs, and so the cottage formed a sort of outpost, facing alone the hordes of jerry-built houses which threatened to sweep on and surround it.

sort

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

From this reading It had a green door under a sort of wooden canopy with two flat windows on either side, and seemed to stand there defying the rows and rows of terraces, avenues and meanish semi-detached villas which were creeping up to it.

square

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

From this reading At the far end of Thorhaven towards the north was a little square house surrounded by a privet hedge.

stand

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

From this reading It had a green door under a sort of wooden canopy with two flat windows on either side, and seemed to stand there defying the rows and rows of terraces, avenues and meanish semi-detached villas which were creeping up to it.

suffered

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

From this reading No one felt surprised when he afterwards offended his bishop and went into the motor business, for he suffered from that constitutional ability to take people as seriously as they wished to be taken, which is so bad for any career.

surprisednounUS /surprised/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading No one felt surprised when he afterwards offended his bishop and went into the motor business, for he suffered from that constitutional ability to take people as seriously as they wished to be taken, which is so bad for any career.

surround

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

From this reading Behind lay the flat fields under a wide sky just as they had lain for centuries, with the gulls screaming across them inland from the mud cliffs, and so the cottage formed a sort of outpost, facing alone the hordes of jerry-built houses which threatened to sweep on and surround it.

surrounded

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

From this reading At the far end of Thorhaven towards the north was a little square house surrounded by a privet hedge.

sweep

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

From this reading Behind lay the flat fields under a wide sky just as they had lain for centuries, with the gulls screaming across them inland from the mud cliffs, and so the cottage formed a sort of outpost, facing alone the hordes of jerry-built houses which threatened to sweep on and surround it.

symbol

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

From this reading The ladies who lived at the Cottage had once been nicknamed the Misses Canute--which showed how plainly all this could be seen, as a sort of symbol, by anyone in the least imaginative; though it was a rather unsatisfactory curate from Manchester who actually gave them the name.

takenounUS /take/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading No one felt surprised when he afterwards offended his bishop and went into the motor business, for he suffered from that constitutional ability to take people as seriously as they wished to be taken, which is so bad for any career.

taken

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

From this reading No one felt surprised when he afterwards offended his bishop and went into the motor business, for he suffered from that constitutional ability to take people as seriously as they wished to be taken, which is so bad for any career.

terraces

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

From this reading It had a green door under a sort of wooden canopy with two flat windows on either side, and seemed to stand there defying the rows and rows of terraces, avenues and meanish semi-detached villas which were creeping up to it.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading No one felt surprised when he afterwards offended his bishop and went into the motor business, for he suffered from that constitutional ability to take people as seriously as they wished to be taken, which is so bad for any career.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading At the far end of Thorhaven towards the north was a little square house surrounded by a privet hedge.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Behind lay the flat fields under a wide sky just as they had lain for centuries, with the gulls screaming across them inland from the mud cliffs, and so the cottage formed a sort of outpost, facing alone the hordes of jerry-built houses which threatened to sweep on and surround it.

there

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

From this reading It had a green door under a sort of wooden canopy with two flat windows on either side, and seemed to stand there defying the rows and rows of terraces, avenues and meanish semi-detached villas which were creeping up to it.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading Behind lay the flat fields under a wide sky just as they had lain for centuries, with the gulls screaming across them inland from the mud cliffs, and so the cottage formed a sort of outpost, facing alone the hordes of jerry-built houses which threatened to sweep on and surround it.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading The ladies who lived at the Cottage had once been nicknamed the Misses Canute--which showed how plainly all this could be seen, as a sort of symbol, by anyone in the least imaginative; though it was a rather unsatisfactory curate from Manchester who actually gave them the name.

Thorhaven

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

From this reading At the far end of Thorhaven towards the north was a little square house surrounded by a privet hedge.

thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading The ladies who lived at the Cottage had once been nicknamed the Misses Canute--which showed how plainly all this could be seen, as a sort of symbol, by anyone in the least imaginative; though it was a rather unsatisfactory curate from Manchester who actually gave them the name.

threatened

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

From this reading Behind lay the flat fields under a wide sky just as they had lain for centuries, with the gulls screaming across them inland from the mud cliffs, and so the cottage formed a sort of outpost, facing alone the hordes of jerry-built houses which threatened to sweep on and surround it.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It had a green door under a sort of wooden canopy with two flat windows on either side, and seemed to stand there defying the rows and rows of terraces, avenues and meanish semi-detached villas which were creeping up to it.

towardsprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrdz/

in the direction of

From this reading At the far end of Thorhaven towards the north was a little square house surrounded by a privet hedge.

two

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

From this reading It had a green door under a sort of wooden canopy with two flat windows on either side, and seemed to stand there defying the rows and rows of terraces, avenues and meanish semi-detached villas which were creeping up to it.

underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading It had a green door under a sort of wooden canopy with two flat windows on either side, and seemed to stand there defying the rows and rows of terraces, avenues and meanish semi-detached villas which were creeping up to it.

unsatisfactory

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

From this reading The ladies who lived at the Cottage had once been nicknamed the Misses Canute--which showed how plainly all this could be seen, as a sort of symbol, by anyone in the least imaginative; though it was a rather unsatisfactory curate from Manchester who actually gave them the name.

up

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

From this reading It had a green door under a sort of wooden canopy with two flat windows on either side, and seemed to stand there defying the rows and rows of terraces, avenues and meanish semi-detached villas which were creeping up to it.

villas

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

From this reading It had a green door under a sort of wooden canopy with two flat windows on either side, and seemed to stand there defying the rows and rows of terraces, avenues and meanish semi-detached villas which were creeping up to it.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading At the far end of Thorhaven towards the north was a little square house surrounded by a privet hedge.

wentnounUS /went/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading No one felt surprised when he afterwards offended his bishop and went into the motor business, for he suffered from that constitutional ability to take people as seriously as they wished to be taken, which is so bad for any career.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading It had a green door under a sort of wooden canopy with two flat windows on either side, and seemed to stand there defying the rows and rows of terraces, avenues and meanish semi-detached villas which were creeping up to it.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading No one felt surprised when he afterwards offended his bishop and went into the motor business, for he suffered from that constitutional ability to take people as seriously as they wished to be taken, which is so bad for any career.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading It had a green door under a sort of wooden canopy with two flat windows on either side, and seemed to stand there defying the rows and rows of terraces, avenues and meanish semi-detached villas which were creeping up to it.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading The ladies who lived at the Cottage had once been nicknamed the Misses Canute--which showed how plainly all this could be seen, as a sort of symbol, by anyone in the least imaginative; though it was a rather unsatisfactory curate from Manchester who actually gave them the name.

wide

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

From this reading Behind lay the flat fields under a wide sky just as they had lain for centuries, with the gulls screaming across them inland from the mud cliffs, and so the cottage formed a sort of outpost, facing alone the hordes of jerry-built houses which threatened to sweep on and surround it.

windows

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

From this reading It had a green door under a sort of wooden canopy with two flat windows on either side, and seemed to stand there defying the rows and rows of terraces, avenues and meanish semi-detached villas which were creeping up to it.

wished

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

From this reading No one felt surprised when he afterwards offended his bishop and went into the motor business, for he suffered from that constitutional ability to take people as seriously as they wished to be taken, which is so bad for any career.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading It had a green door under a sort of wooden canopy with two flat windows on either side, and seemed to stand there defying the rows and rows of terraces, avenues and meanish semi-detached villas which were creeping up to it.

wooden

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

From this reading It had a green door under a sort of wooden canopy with two flat windows on either side, and seemed to stand there defying the rows and rows of terraces, avenues and meanish semi-detached villas which were creeping up to it.