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The Red House Mystery: The Piccadilly Novels
The Red House Mystery: The Piccadilly Novels

Chapter I

Cover illustration for The Red House Mystery: The Piccadilly Novels
Context Illustration Reading 1/26 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
It stood on the top of a high hill--bleak, solitary.
In winter all the winds of heaven raved round it; in summer the happy sunshine rarely touched it.
It was, indeed, hemmed in from brightness of any kind, by a dense row of cypresses that grew before the hall-door, and by a barren rock that rose perpendicularly at the back.
On clear days one could get from this cold house a grand view of the valley below, nestling in its warmth, and from the road that ran under it people would sometimes look up and wonder at the curious colour of the Red House--such a dark red, sombre, like blood.
It was a bleak house at all times, but to-day it showed itself singularly dull.
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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 Red House Mystery: The Piccadilly Novels

Chapter I

Reading 1/26 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
It stood on the top of a high hill--bleak, solitary.
Line 2
In winter all the winds of heaven raved round it; in summer the happy sunshine rarely touched it.
Line 3
It was, indeed, hemmed in from brightness of any kind, by a dense row of cypresses that grew before the hall-door, and by a barren rock that rose perpendicularly at the back.
Line 4
On clear days one could get from this cold house a grand view of the valley below, nestling in its warmth, and from the road that ran under it people would sometimes look up and wonder at the curious colour of the Red House--such a dark red, sombre, like blood.
Line 5
It was a bleak house at all times, but to-day it showed itself singularly dull.

Learner Dictionary

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

Before preposition US /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading “It was, indeed, hemmed in from brightness of any kind, by a dense row of cypresses that grew before the hall-door, and by a barren rock that rose perpendicularly at the back.”

Below preposition US /bɪˈloʊ/

at or to a lower level than something

From this reading “On clear days one could get from this cold house a grand view of the valley below, nestling in its warmth, and from the road that ran under it people would sometimes look up and wonder at the curious colour of the Red House--such a dark red, sombre, like blood.”

Blood noun US /blood/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “On clear days one could get from this cold house a grand view of the valley below, nestling in its warmth, and from the road that ran under it people would sometimes look up and wonder at the curious colour of the Red House--such a dark red, sombre, like blood.”

Could modal verb US /kʊd/

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

From this reading “On clear days one could get from this cold house a grand view of the valley below, nestling in its warmth, and from the road that ran under it people would sometimes look up and wonder at the curious colour of the Red House--such a dark red, sombre, like blood.”

Itself pronoun US /ˌɪtˈself/

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading “It was a bleak house at all times, but to-day it showed itself singularly dull.”

Look noun US /look/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “On clear days one could get from this cold house a grand view of the valley below, nestling in its warmth, and from the road that ran under it people would sometimes look up and wonder at the curious colour of the Red House--such a dark red, sombre, like blood.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “On clear days one could get from this cold house a grand view of the valley below, nestling in its warmth, and from the road that ran under it people would sometimes look up and wonder at the curious colour of the Red House--such a dark red, sombre, like blood.”

Sometimes noun US /sometimes/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “On clear days one could get from this cold house a grand view of the valley below, nestling in its warmth, and from the road that ran under it people would sometimes look up and wonder at the curious colour of the Red House--such a dark red, sombre, like blood.”

Stood noun US /stood/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It stood on the top of a high hill--bleak, solitary.”

Under preposition US /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading “On clear days one could get from this cold house a grand view of the valley below, nestling in its warmth, and from the road that ran under it people would sometimes look up and wonder at the curious colour of the Red House--such a dark red, sombre, like blood.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading “On clear days one could get from this cold house a grand view of the valley below, nestling in its warmth, and from the road that ran under it people would sometimes look up and wonder at the curious colour of the Red House--such a dark red, sombre, like blood.”

All words in this reading · 84

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 It stood on the top of a high hill--bleak, solitary.

all

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

From this reading In winter all the winds of heaven raved round it; in summer the happy sunshine rarely touched it.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading It was, indeed, hemmed in from brightness of any kind, by a dense row of cypresses that grew before the hall-door, and by a barren rock that rose perpendicularly at the back.

any

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

From this reading It was, indeed, hemmed in from brightness of any kind, by a dense row of cypresses that grew before the hall-door, and by a barren rock that rose perpendicularly at the back.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading It was, indeed, hemmed in from brightness of any kind, by a dense row of cypresses that grew before the hall-door, and by a barren rock that rose perpendicularly at the back.

back

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

From this reading It was, indeed, hemmed in from brightness of any kind, by a dense row of cypresses that grew before the hall-door, and by a barren rock that rose perpendicularly at the back.

barren

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

From this reading It was, indeed, hemmed in from brightness of any kind, by a dense row of cypresses that grew before the hall-door, and by a barren rock that rose perpendicularly at the back.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading It was, indeed, hemmed in from brightness of any kind, by a dense row of cypresses that grew before the hall-door, and by a barren rock that rose perpendicularly at the back.

belowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/

at or to a lower level than something

From this reading On clear days one could get from this cold house a grand view of the valley below, nestling in its warmth, and from the road that ran under it people would sometimes look up and wonder at the curious colour of the Red House--such a dark red, sombre, like blood.

bleak

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

From this reading It stood on the top of a high hill--bleak, solitary.

bloodnounUS /blood/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading On clear days one could get from this cold house a grand view of the valley below, nestling in its warmth, and from the road that ran under it people would sometimes look up and wonder at the curious colour of the Red House--such a dark red, sombre, like blood.

brightness

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

From this reading It was, indeed, hemmed in from brightness of any kind, by a dense row of cypresses that grew before the hall-door, and by a barren rock that rose perpendicularly at the back.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading It was a bleak house at all times, but to-day it showed itself singularly dull.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading It was, indeed, hemmed in from brightness of any kind, by a dense row of cypresses that grew before the hall-door, and by a barren rock that rose perpendicularly at the back.

clear

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

From this reading On clear days one could get from this cold house a grand view of the valley below, nestling in its warmth, and from the road that ran under it people would sometimes look up and wonder at the curious colour of the Red House--such a dark red, sombre, like blood.

cold

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

From this reading On clear days one could get from this cold house a grand view of the valley below, nestling in its warmth, and from the road that ran under it people would sometimes look up and wonder at the curious colour of the Red House--such a dark red, sombre, like blood.

colour

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

From this reading On clear days one could get from this cold house a grand view of the valley below, nestling in its warmth, and from the road that ran under it people would sometimes look up and wonder at the curious colour of the Red House--such a dark red, sombre, like blood.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading On clear days one could get from this cold house a grand view of the valley below, nestling in its warmth, and from the road that ran under it people would sometimes look up and wonder at the curious colour of the Red House--such a dark red, sombre, like blood.

curious

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

From this reading On clear days one could get from this cold house a grand view of the valley below, nestling in its warmth, and from the road that ran under it people would sometimes look up and wonder at the curious colour of the Red House--such a dark red, sombre, like blood.

cypresses

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

From this reading It was, indeed, hemmed in from brightness of any kind, by a dense row of cypresses that grew before the hall-door, and by a barren rock that rose perpendicularly at the back.

dark

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

From this reading On clear days one could get from this cold house a grand view of the valley below, nestling in its warmth, and from the road that ran under it people would sometimes look up and wonder at the curious colour of the Red House--such a dark red, sombre, like blood.

days

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

From this reading On clear days one could get from this cold house a grand view of the valley below, nestling in its warmth, and from the road that ran under it people would sometimes look up and wonder at the curious colour of the Red House--such a dark red, sombre, like blood.

dense

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

From this reading It was, indeed, hemmed in from brightness of any kind, by a dense row of cypresses that grew before the hall-door, and by a barren rock that rose perpendicularly at the back.

dull

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

From this reading It was a bleak house at all times, but to-day it showed itself singularly dull.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading It was, indeed, hemmed in from brightness of any kind, by a dense row of cypresses that grew before the hall-door, and by a barren rock that rose perpendicularly at the back.

get

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

From this reading On clear days one could get from this cold house a grand view of the valley below, nestling in its warmth, and from the road that ran under it people would sometimes look up and wonder at the curious colour of the Red House--such a dark red, sombre, like blood.

grand

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

From this reading On clear days one could get from this cold house a grand view of the valley below, nestling in its warmth, and from the road that ran under it people would sometimes look up and wonder at the curious colour of the Red House--such a dark red, sombre, like blood.

grew

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

From this reading It was, indeed, hemmed in from brightness of any kind, by a dense row of cypresses that grew before the hall-door, and by a barren rock that rose perpendicularly at the back.

hall-door

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

From this reading It was, indeed, hemmed in from brightness of any kind, by a dense row of cypresses that grew before the hall-door, and by a barren rock that rose perpendicularly at the back.

happy

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

From this reading In winter all the winds of heaven raved round it; in summer the happy sunshine rarely touched it.

heaven

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

From this reading In winter all the winds of heaven raved round it; in summer the happy sunshine rarely touched it.

hemmed

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

From this reading It was, indeed, hemmed in from brightness of any kind, by a dense row of cypresses that grew before the hall-door, and by a barren rock that rose perpendicularly at the back.

high

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

From this reading It stood on the top of a high hill--bleak, solitary.

hill

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

From this reading It stood on the top of a high hill--bleak, solitary.

house

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

From this reading On clear days one could get from this cold house a grand view of the valley below, nestling in its warmth, and from the road that ran under it people would sometimes look up and wonder at the curious colour of the Red House--such a dark red, sombre, like blood.

InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading In winter all the winds of heaven raved round it; in summer the happy sunshine rarely touched it.

indeed

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

From this reading It was, indeed, hemmed in from brightness of any kind, by a dense row of cypresses that grew before the hall-door, and by a barren rock that rose perpendicularly at the back.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It stood on the top of a high hill--bleak, solitary.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading On clear days one could get from this cold house a grand view of the valley below, nestling in its warmth, and from the road that ran under it people would sometimes look up and wonder at the curious colour of the Red House--such a dark red, sombre, like blood.

itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading It was a bleak house at all times, but to-day it showed itself singularly dull.

kind

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

From this reading It was, indeed, hemmed in from brightness of any kind, by a dense row of cypresses that grew before the hall-door, and by a barren rock that rose perpendicularly at the back.

like

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

From this reading On clear days one could get from this cold house a grand view of the valley below, nestling in its warmth, and from the road that ran under it people would sometimes look up and wonder at the curious colour of the Red House--such a dark red, sombre, like blood.

looknounUS /look/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading On clear days one could get from this cold house a grand view of the valley below, nestling in its warmth, and from the road that ran under it people would sometimes look up and wonder at the curious colour of the Red House--such a dark red, sombre, like blood.

nestling

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

From this reading On clear days one could get from this cold house a grand view of the valley below, nestling in its warmth, and from the road that ran under it people would sometimes look up and wonder at the curious colour of the Red House--such a dark red, sombre, like blood.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading It stood on the top of a high hill--bleak, solitary.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading It stood on the top of a high hill--bleak, solitary.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading On clear days one could get from this cold house a grand view of the valley below, nestling in its warmth, and from the road that ran under it people would sometimes look up and wonder at the curious colour of the Red House--such a dark red, sombre, like blood.

people

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

From this reading On clear days one could get from this cold house a grand view of the valley below, nestling in its warmth, and from the road that ran under it people would sometimes look up and wonder at the curious colour of the Red House--such a dark red, sombre, like blood.

perpendicularly

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

From this reading It was, indeed, hemmed in from brightness of any kind, by a dense row of cypresses that grew before the hall-door, and by a barren rock that rose perpendicularly at the back.

ran

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

From this reading On clear days one could get from this cold house a grand view of the valley below, nestling in its warmth, and from the road that ran under it people would sometimes look up and wonder at the curious colour of the Red House--such a dark red, sombre, like blood.

rarely

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

From this reading In winter all the winds of heaven raved round it; in summer the happy sunshine rarely touched it.

raved

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

From this reading In winter all the winds of heaven raved round it; in summer the happy sunshine rarely touched it.

Red

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

From this reading On clear days one could get from this cold house a grand view of the valley below, nestling in its warmth, and from the road that ran under it people would sometimes look up and wonder at the curious colour of the Red House--such a dark red, sombre, like blood.

road

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

From this reading On clear days one could get from this cold house a grand view of the valley below, nestling in its warmth, and from the road that ran under it people would sometimes look up and wonder at the curious colour of the Red House--such a dark red, sombre, like blood.

rock

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

From this reading It was, indeed, hemmed in from brightness of any kind, by a dense row of cypresses that grew before the hall-door, and by a barren rock that rose perpendicularly at the back.

rose

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

From this reading It was, indeed, hemmed in from brightness of any kind, by a dense row of cypresses that grew before the hall-door, and by a barren rock that rose perpendicularly at the back.

round

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

From this reading In winter all the winds of heaven raved round it; in summer the happy sunshine rarely touched it.

row

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

From this reading It was, indeed, hemmed in from brightness of any kind, by a dense row of cypresses that grew before the hall-door, and by a barren rock that rose perpendicularly at the back.

showed

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

From this reading It was a bleak house at all times, but to-day it showed itself singularly dull.

singularly

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

From this reading It was a bleak house at all times, but to-day it showed itself singularly dull.

solitary

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

From this reading It stood on the top of a high hill--bleak, solitary.

sombre

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

From this reading On clear days one could get from this cold house a grand view of the valley below, nestling in its warmth, and from the road that ran under it people would sometimes look up and wonder at the curious colour of the Red House--such a dark red, sombre, like blood.

sometimes

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

From this reading On clear days one could get from this cold house a grand view of the valley below, nestling in its warmth, and from the road that ran under it people would sometimes look up and wonder at the curious colour of the Red House--such a dark red, sombre, like blood.

stoodnounUS /stood/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading It stood on the top of a high hill--bleak, solitary.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading On clear days one could get from this cold house a grand view of the valley below, nestling in its warmth, and from the road that ran under it people would sometimes look up and wonder at the curious colour of the Red House--such a dark red, sombre, like blood.

summer

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

From this reading In winter all the winds of heaven raved round it; in summer the happy sunshine rarely touched it.

sunshine

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

From this reading In winter all the winds of heaven raved round it; in summer the happy sunshine rarely touched it.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It was, indeed, hemmed in from brightness of any kind, by a dense row of cypresses that grew before the hall-door, and by a barren rock that rose perpendicularly at the back.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading It stood on the top of a high hill--bleak, solitary.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading On clear days one could get from this cold house a grand view of the valley below, nestling in its warmth, and from the road that ran under it people would sometimes look up and wonder at the curious colour of the Red House--such a dark red, sombre, like blood.

times

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

From this reading It was a bleak house at all times, but to-day it showed itself singularly dull.

to-day

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

From this reading It was a bleak house at all times, but to-day it showed itself singularly dull.

top

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

From this reading It stood on the top of a high hill--bleak, solitary.

touched

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

From this reading In winter all the winds of heaven raved round it; in summer the happy sunshine rarely touched it.

underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading On clear days one could get from this cold house a grand view of the valley below, nestling in its warmth, and from the road that ran under it people would sometimes look up and wonder at the curious colour of the Red House--such a dark red, sombre, like blood.

up

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

From this reading On clear days one could get from this cold house a grand view of the valley below, nestling in its warmth, and from the road that ran under it people would sometimes look up and wonder at the curious colour of the Red House--such a dark red, sombre, like blood.

valley

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

From this reading On clear days one could get from this cold house a grand view of the valley below, nestling in its warmth, and from the road that ran under it people would sometimes look up and wonder at the curious colour of the Red House--such a dark red, sombre, like blood.

view

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

From this reading On clear days one could get from this cold house a grand view of the valley below, nestling in its warmth, and from the road that ran under it people would sometimes look up and wonder at the curious colour of the Red House--such a dark red, sombre, like blood.

warmth

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

From this reading On clear days one could get from this cold house a grand view of the valley below, nestling in its warmth, and from the road that ran under it people would sometimes look up and wonder at the curious colour of the Red House--such a dark red, sombre, like blood.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It was, indeed, hemmed in from brightness of any kind, by a dense row of cypresses that grew before the hall-door, and by a barren rock that rose perpendicularly at the back.

winds

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

From this reading In winter all the winds of heaven raved round it; in summer the happy sunshine rarely touched it.

winter

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

From this reading In winter all the winds of heaven raved round it; in summer the happy sunshine rarely touched it.

wonder

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

From this reading On clear days one could get from this cold house a grand view of the valley below, nestling in its warmth, and from the road that ran under it people would sometimes look up and wonder at the curious colour of the Red House--such a dark red, sombre, like blood.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading On clear days one could get from this cold house a grand view of the valley below, nestling in its warmth, and from the road that ran under it people would sometimes look up and wonder at the curious colour of the Red House--such a dark red, sombre, like blood.