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The Shuttle
The Shuttle

Chapter XXXIII

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Context Illustration Reading 1/50 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
SHE WOULD DO SOMETHING Sir Nigel's face was not a good thing to see when he appeared at the dinner table in the evening.
As he took his seat the two footmen glanced quickly at each other, and the butler at the sideboard furtively thrust out his underlip.
Not a man or woman in the household but had learned the signal denoting the moment when no service would please, no word or movement be unobjectionable.
Lady Anstruthers' face unconsciously assumed its propitiatory expression, and she glanced at her sister more than once when Betty was unaware that she did so.
Until the soup had been removed, Sir Nigel scarcely spoke, merely making curt replies to any casual remark.
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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 Shuttle

Chapter XXXIII

Reading 1/50 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
SHE WOULD DO SOMETHING Sir Nigel's face was not a good thing to see when he appeared at the dinner table in the evening.
Line 2
As he took his seat the two footmen glanced quickly at each other, and the butler at the sideboard furtively thrust out his underlip.
Line 3
Not a man or woman in the household but had learned the signal denoting the moment when no service would please, no word or movement be unobjectionable.
Line 4
Lady Anstruthers' face unconsciously assumed its propitiatory expression, and she glanced at her sister more than once when Betty was unaware that she did so.
Line 5
Until the soup had been removed, Sir Nigel scarcely spoke, merely making curt replies to any casual remark.

Learner Dictionary

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

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “Until the soup had been removed, Sir Nigel scarcely spoke, merely making curt replies to any casual remark.”

Good noun US /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “SHE WOULD DO SOMETHING Sir Nigel's face was not a good thing to see when he appeared at the dinner table in the evening.”

Once noun US /once/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Lady Anstruthers' face unconsciously assumed its propitiatory expression, and she glanced at her sister more than once when Betty was unaware that she did so.”

SOMETHING pronoun US /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading “SHE WOULD DO SOMETHING Sir Nigel's face was not a good thing to see when he appeared at the dinner table in the evening.”

Thing noun US /thing/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “SHE WOULD DO SOMETHING Sir Nigel's face was not a good thing to see when he appeared at the dinner table in the evening.”

Took noun US /took/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “As he took his seat the two footmen glanced quickly at each other, and the butler at the sideboard furtively thrust out his underlip.”

Until preposition US /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading “Until the soup had been removed, Sir Nigel scarcely spoke, merely making curt replies to any casual remark.”

WOULD modal verb US /wʊd/

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

From this reading “SHE WOULD DO SOMETHING Sir Nigel's face was not a good thing to see when he appeared at the dinner table in the evening.”

All words in this reading · 88

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 SHE WOULD DO SOMETHING Sir Nigel's face was not a good thing to see when he appeared at the dinner table in the evening.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading As he took his seat the two footmen glanced quickly at each other, and the butler at the sideboard furtively thrust out his underlip.

Anstruthers

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

From this reading Lady Anstruthers' face unconsciously assumed its propitiatory expression, and she glanced at her sister more than once when Betty was unaware that she did so.

any

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

From this reading Until the soup had been removed, Sir Nigel scarcely spoke, merely making curt replies to any casual remark.

appeared

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

From this reading SHE WOULD DO SOMETHING Sir Nigel's face was not a good thing to see when he appeared at the dinner table in the evening.

AsconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading As he took his seat the two footmen glanced quickly at each other, and the butler at the sideboard furtively thrust out his underlip.

assumed

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

From this reading Lady Anstruthers' face unconsciously assumed its propitiatory expression, and she glanced at her sister more than once when Betty was unaware that she did so.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading SHE WOULD DO SOMETHING Sir Nigel's face was not a good thing to see when he appeared at the dinner table in the evening.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading Not a man or woman in the household but had learned the signal denoting the moment when no service would please, no word or movement be unobjectionable.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Until the soup had been removed, Sir Nigel scarcely spoke, merely making curt replies to any casual remark.

Betty

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

From this reading Lady Anstruthers' face unconsciously assumed its propitiatory expression, and she glanced at her sister more than once when Betty was unaware that she did so.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Not a man or woman in the household but had learned the signal denoting the moment when no service would please, no word or movement be unobjectionable.

butler

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

From this reading As he took his seat the two footmen glanced quickly at each other, and the butler at the sideboard furtively thrust out his underlip.

casual

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

From this reading Until the soup had been removed, Sir Nigel scarcely spoke, merely making curt replies to any casual remark.

curt

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

From this reading Until the soup had been removed, Sir Nigel scarcely spoke, merely making curt replies to any casual remark.

denoting

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

From this reading Not a man or woman in the household but had learned the signal denoting the moment when no service would please, no word or movement be unobjectionable.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading Lady Anstruthers' face unconsciously assumed its propitiatory expression, and she glanced at her sister more than once when Betty was unaware that she did so.

dinner

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

From this reading SHE WOULD DO SOMETHING Sir Nigel's face was not a good thing to see when he appeared at the dinner table in the evening.

DOauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading SHE WOULD DO SOMETHING Sir Nigel's face was not a good thing to see when he appeared at the dinner table in the evening.

eachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/

every one of two or more people or things, taken separately

From this reading As he took his seat the two footmen glanced quickly at each other, and the butler at the sideboard furtively thrust out his underlip.

evening

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

From this reading SHE WOULD DO SOMETHING Sir Nigel's face was not a good thing to see when he appeared at the dinner table in the evening.

expression

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

From this reading Lady Anstruthers' face unconsciously assumed its propitiatory expression, and she glanced at her sister more than once when Betty was unaware that she did so.

face

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

From this reading SHE WOULD DO SOMETHING Sir Nigel's face was not a good thing to see when he appeared at the dinner table in the evening.

footmen

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

From this reading As he took his seat the two footmen glanced quickly at each other, and the butler at the sideboard furtively thrust out his underlip.

furtively

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

From this reading As he took his seat the two footmen glanced quickly at each other, and the butler at the sideboard furtively thrust out his underlip.

glanced

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

From this reading As he took his seat the two footmen glanced quickly at each other, and the butler at the sideboard furtively thrust out his underlip.

goodnounUS /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading SHE WOULD DO SOMETHING Sir Nigel's face was not a good thing to see when he appeared at the dinner table in the evening.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Not a man or woman in the household but had learned the signal denoting the moment when no service would please, no word or movement be unobjectionable.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading SHE WOULD DO SOMETHING Sir Nigel's face was not a good thing to see when he appeared at the dinner table in the evening.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading Lady Anstruthers' face unconsciously assumed its propitiatory expression, and she glanced at her sister more than once when Betty was unaware that she did so.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading As he took his seat the two footmen glanced quickly at each other, and the butler at the sideboard furtively thrust out his underlip.

household

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

From this reading Not a man or woman in the household but had learned the signal denoting the moment when no service would please, no word or movement be unobjectionable.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading SHE WOULD DO SOMETHING Sir Nigel's face was not a good thing to see when he appeared at the dinner table in the evening.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Lady Anstruthers' face unconsciously assumed its propitiatory expression, and she glanced at her sister more than once when Betty was unaware that she did so.

Lady

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

From this reading Lady Anstruthers' face unconsciously assumed its propitiatory expression, and she glanced at her sister more than once when Betty was unaware that she did so.

learned

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

From this reading Not a man or woman in the household but had learned the signal denoting the moment when no service would please, no word or movement be unobjectionable.

making

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

From this reading Until the soup had been removed, Sir Nigel scarcely spoke, merely making curt replies to any casual remark.

man

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

From this reading Not a man or woman in the household but had learned the signal denoting the moment when no service would please, no word or movement be unobjectionable.

merely

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

From this reading Until the soup had been removed, Sir Nigel scarcely spoke, merely making curt replies to any casual remark.

moment

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

From this reading Not a man or woman in the household but had learned the signal denoting the moment when no service would please, no word or movement be unobjectionable.

more

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

From this reading Lady Anstruthers' face unconsciously assumed its propitiatory expression, and she glanced at her sister more than once when Betty was unaware that she did so.

movement

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

From this reading Not a man or woman in the household but had learned the signal denoting the moment when no service would please, no word or movement be unobjectionable.

Nigel

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

From this reading Until the soup had been removed, Sir Nigel scarcely spoke, merely making curt replies to any casual remark.

Nigel's

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

From this reading SHE WOULD DO SOMETHING Sir Nigel's face was not a good thing to see when he appeared at the dinner table in the evening.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading Not a man or woman in the household but had learned the signal denoting the moment when no service would please, no word or movement be unobjectionable.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading SHE WOULD DO SOMETHING Sir Nigel's face was not a good thing to see when he appeared at the dinner table in the evening.

once

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

From this reading Lady Anstruthers' face unconsciously assumed its propitiatory expression, and she glanced at her sister more than once when Betty was unaware that she did so.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Not a man or woman in the household but had learned the signal denoting the moment when no service would please, no word or movement be unobjectionable.

other

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

From this reading As he took his seat the two footmen glanced quickly at each other, and the butler at the sideboard furtively thrust out his underlip.

out

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

From this reading As he took his seat the two footmen glanced quickly at each other, and the butler at the sideboard furtively thrust out his underlip.

please

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

From this reading Not a man or woman in the household but had learned the signal denoting the moment when no service would please, no word or movement be unobjectionable.

propitiatory

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

From this reading Lady Anstruthers' face unconsciously assumed its propitiatory expression, and she glanced at her sister more than once when Betty was unaware that she did so.

quickly

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

From this reading As he took his seat the two footmen glanced quickly at each other, and the butler at the sideboard furtively thrust out his underlip.

remark

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

From this reading Until the soup had been removed, Sir Nigel scarcely spoke, merely making curt replies to any casual remark.

removed

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

From this reading Until the soup had been removed, Sir Nigel scarcely spoke, merely making curt replies to any casual remark.

replies

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

From this reading Until the soup had been removed, Sir Nigel scarcely spoke, merely making curt replies to any casual remark.

scarcely

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

From this reading Until the soup had been removed, Sir Nigel scarcely spoke, merely making curt replies to any casual remark.

seat

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

From this reading As he took his seat the two footmen glanced quickly at each other, and the butler at the sideboard furtively thrust out his underlip.

see

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

From this reading SHE WOULD DO SOMETHING Sir Nigel's face was not a good thing to see when he appeared at the dinner table in the evening.

service

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

From this reading Not a man or woman in the household but had learned the signal denoting the moment when no service would please, no word or movement be unobjectionable.

SHEpronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading SHE WOULD DO SOMETHING Sir Nigel's face was not a good thing to see when he appeared at the dinner table in the evening.

sideboard

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

From this reading As he took his seat the two footmen glanced quickly at each other, and the butler at the sideboard furtively thrust out his underlip.

signal

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

From this reading Not a man or woman in the household but had learned the signal denoting the moment when no service would please, no word or movement be unobjectionable.

Sir

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

From this reading SHE WOULD DO SOMETHING Sir Nigel's face was not a good thing to see when he appeared at the dinner table in the evening.

sister

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

From this reading Lady Anstruthers' face unconsciously assumed its propitiatory expression, and she glanced at her sister more than once when Betty was unaware that she did so.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Lady Anstruthers' face unconsciously assumed its propitiatory expression, and she glanced at her sister more than once when Betty was unaware that she did so.

SOMETHINGpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading SHE WOULD DO SOMETHING Sir Nigel's face was not a good thing to see when he appeared at the dinner table in the evening.

soup

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

From this reading Until the soup had been removed, Sir Nigel scarcely spoke, merely making curt replies to any casual remark.

spoke

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

From this reading Until the soup had been removed, Sir Nigel scarcely spoke, merely making curt replies to any casual remark.

table

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

From this reading SHE WOULD DO SOMETHING Sir Nigel's face was not a good thing to see when he appeared at the dinner table in the evening.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading Lady Anstruthers' face unconsciously assumed its propitiatory expression, and she glanced at her sister more than once when Betty was unaware that she did so.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Lady Anstruthers' face unconsciously assumed its propitiatory expression, and she glanced at her sister more than once when Betty was unaware that she did so.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading SHE WOULD DO SOMETHING Sir Nigel's face was not a good thing to see when he appeared at the dinner table in the evening.

thingnounUS /thing/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading SHE WOULD DO SOMETHING Sir Nigel's face was not a good thing to see when he appeared at the dinner table in the evening.

thrust

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

From this reading As he took his seat the two footmen glanced quickly at each other, and the butler at the sideboard furtively thrust out his underlip.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading SHE WOULD DO SOMETHING Sir Nigel's face was not a good thing to see when he appeared at the dinner table in the evening.

tooknounUS /took/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading As he took his seat the two footmen glanced quickly at each other, and the butler at the sideboard furtively thrust out his underlip.

two

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

From this reading As he took his seat the two footmen glanced quickly at each other, and the butler at the sideboard furtively thrust out his underlip.

unaware

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

From this reading Lady Anstruthers' face unconsciously assumed its propitiatory expression, and she glanced at her sister more than once when Betty was unaware that she did so.

unconsciously

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

From this reading Lady Anstruthers' face unconsciously assumed its propitiatory expression, and she glanced at her sister more than once when Betty was unaware that she did so.

underlip

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

From this reading As he took his seat the two footmen glanced quickly at each other, and the butler at the sideboard furtively thrust out his underlip.

unobjectionable

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

From this reading Not a man or woman in the household but had learned the signal denoting the moment when no service would please, no word or movement be unobjectionable.

UntilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading Until the soup had been removed, Sir Nigel scarcely spoke, merely making curt replies to any casual remark.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading SHE WOULD DO SOMETHING Sir Nigel's face was not a good thing to see when he appeared at the dinner table in the evening.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading SHE WOULD DO SOMETHING Sir Nigel's face was not a good thing to see when he appeared at the dinner table in the evening.

woman

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

From this reading Not a man or woman in the household but had learned the signal denoting the moment when no service would please, no word or movement be unobjectionable.

word

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

From this reading Not a man or woman in the household but had learned the signal denoting the moment when no service would please, no word or movement be unobjectionable.

WOULDmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading SHE WOULD DO SOMETHING Sir Nigel's face was not a good thing to see when he appeared at the dinner table in the evening.