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The Struggles of Brown, Jones, and Robinson
The Struggles of Brown, Jones, and Robinson

Chapter IV

Cover illustration for The Struggles of Brown, Jones, and Robinson
Context Illustration Reading 1/38 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
NINE TIMES NINE IS EIGHTY-ONE.
SHOWING HOW BROWN, JONES, AND ROBINSON SELECTED THEIR HOUSE OF BUSINESS.
And haberdashery it was.
But there was much yet to be done before any terms for a partnership could be settled.
Mr. Jones at first insisted that he and his father-in-law should begin business on equal terms.
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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 Struggles of Brown, Jones, and Robinson

Chapter IV

Reading 1/38 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
NINE TIMES NINE IS EIGHTY-ONE.
Line 2
SHOWING HOW BROWN, JONES, AND ROBINSON SELECTED THEIR HOUSE OF BUSINESS.
Line 3
And haberdashery it was.
Line 4
But there was much yet to be done before any terms for a partnership could be settled.
Line 5
Mr. Jones at first insisted that he and his father-in-law should begin business on equal terms.

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 “But there was much yet to be done before any terms for a partnership could be settled.”

Could modal verb US /kʊd/

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

From this reading “But there was much yet to be done before any terms for a partnership could be settled.”

Done noun US /done/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “But there was much yet to be done before any terms for a partnership could be settled.”

First noun US /first/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Mr. Jones at first insisted that he and his father-in-law should begin business on equal terms.”

Insisted verb US /ɪnˈsɪstɪd/

demanded something firmly

From this reading “Mr. Jones at first insisted that he and his father-in-law should begin business on equal terms.”

Yet conjunction US /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading “But there was much yet to be done before any terms for a partnership could be settled.”

All words in this reading · 45

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 But there was much yet to be done before any terms for a partnership could be settled.

ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading SHOWING HOW BROWN, JONES, AND ROBINSON SELECTED THEIR HOUSE OF BUSINESS.

any

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

From this reading But there was much yet to be done before any terms for a partnership could be settled.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Mr. Jones at first insisted that he and his father-in-law should begin business on equal terms.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading But there was much yet to be done before any terms for a partnership could be settled.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading But there was much yet to be done before any terms for a partnership could be settled.

begin

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

From this reading Mr. Jones at first insisted that he and his father-in-law should begin business on equal terms.

BROWN

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

From this reading SHOWING HOW BROWN, JONES, AND ROBINSON SELECTED THEIR HOUSE OF BUSINESS.

BUSINESS

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

From this reading SHOWING HOW BROWN, JONES, AND ROBINSON SELECTED THEIR HOUSE OF BUSINESS.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But there was much yet to be done before any terms for a partnership could be settled.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading But there was much yet to be done before any terms for a partnership could be settled.

donenounUS /done/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading But there was much yet to be done before any terms for a partnership could be settled.

EIGHTY-ONE

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

From this reading NINE TIMES NINE IS EIGHTY-ONE.

equal

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

From this reading Mr. Jones at first insisted that he and his father-in-law should begin business on equal terms.

father-in-law

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

From this reading Mr. Jones at first insisted that he and his father-in-law should begin business on equal terms.

firstnounUS /first/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Mr. Jones at first insisted that he and his father-in-law should begin business on equal terms.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading But there was much yet to be done before any terms for a partnership could be settled.

haberdashery

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

From this reading And haberdashery it was.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Mr. Jones at first insisted that he and his father-in-law should begin business on equal terms.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Mr. Jones at first insisted that he and his father-in-law should begin business on equal terms.

HOUSE

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

From this reading SHOWING HOW BROWN, JONES, AND ROBINSON SELECTED THEIR HOUSE OF BUSINESS.

HOW

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

From this reading SHOWING HOW BROWN, JONES, AND ROBINSON SELECTED THEIR HOUSE OF BUSINESS.

insistedverbUS /ɪnˈsɪstɪd/

demanded something firmly

From this reading Mr. Jones at first insisted that he and his father-in-law should begin business on equal terms.

ISauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading NINE TIMES NINE IS EIGHTY-ONE.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading And haberdashery it was.

JONES

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

From this reading SHOWING HOW BROWN, JONES, AND ROBINSON SELECTED THEIR HOUSE OF BUSINESS.

Mr

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

From this reading Mr. Jones at first insisted that he and his father-in-law should begin business on equal terms.

much

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

From this reading But there was much yet to be done before any terms for a partnership could be settled.

NINE

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

From this reading NINE TIMES NINE IS EIGHTY-ONE.

OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading SHOWING HOW BROWN, JONES, AND ROBINSON SELECTED THEIR HOUSE OF BUSINESS.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Mr. Jones at first insisted that he and his father-in-law should begin business on equal terms.

partnership

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

From this reading But there was much yet to be done before any terms for a partnership could be settled.

ROBINSON

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

From this reading SHOWING HOW BROWN, JONES, AND ROBINSON SELECTED THEIR HOUSE OF BUSINESS.

SELECTED

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

From this reading SHOWING HOW BROWN, JONES, AND ROBINSON SELECTED THEIR HOUSE OF BUSINESS.

settled

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

From this reading But there was much yet to be done before any terms for a partnership could be settled.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading Mr. Jones at first insisted that he and his father-in-law should begin business on equal terms.

SHOWING

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

From this reading SHOWING HOW BROWN, JONES, AND ROBINSON SELECTED THEIR HOUSE OF BUSINESS.

terms

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

From this reading But there was much yet to be done before any terms for a partnership could be settled.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Mr. Jones at first insisted that he and his father-in-law should begin business on equal terms.

THEIRdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading SHOWING HOW BROWN, JONES, AND ROBINSON SELECTED THEIR HOUSE OF BUSINESS.

there

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

From this reading But there was much yet to be done before any terms for a partnership could be settled.

TIMES

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

From this reading NINE TIMES NINE IS EIGHTY-ONE.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading But there was much yet to be done before any terms for a partnership could be settled.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading And haberdashery it was.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading But there was much yet to be done before any terms for a partnership could be settled.