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The Third Violet
The Third Violet

Chapter XXVI

Cover illustration for The Third Violet
Context Illustration Reading 1/14 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The harmony of summer sunlight on leaf and blade of green was not known to the two windows, which looked forth at an obviously endless building of brownstone about which there was the poetry of a prison.
Inside, great folds of lace swept down in orderly cascades, as water trained to fall mathematically.
The colossal chandelier, gleaming like a Siamese headdress, caught the subtle flashes from unknown places.
Hawker heard a step and the soft swishing of a woman's dress.
He turned toward the door swiftly, with a certain dramatic impulsiveness.
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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 Third Violet

Chapter XXVI

Reading 1/14 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
The harmony of summer sunlight on leaf and blade of green was not known to the two windows, which looked forth at an obviously endless building of brownstone about which there was the poetry of a prison.
Line 2
Inside, great folds of lace swept down in orderly cascades, as water trained to fall mathematically.
Line 3
The colossal chandelier, gleaming like a Siamese headdress, caught the subtle flashes from unknown places.
Line 4
Hawker heard a step and the soft swishing of a woman's dress.
Line 5
He turned toward the door swiftly, with a certain dramatic impulsiveness.

Learner Dictionary

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

About preposition US /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading “The harmony of summer sunlight on leaf and blade of green was not known to the two windows, which looked forth at an obviously endless building of brownstone about which there was the poetry of a prison.”

Great noun US /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Inside, great folds of lace swept down in orderly cascades, as water trained to fall mathematically.”

Looked noun US /looked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The harmony of summer sunlight on leaf and blade of green was not known to the two windows, which looked forth at an obviously endless building of brownstone about which there was the poetry of a prison.”

Step noun US /step/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Hawker heard a step and the soft swishing of a woman's dress.”

Toward preposition US /təˈwɔːrd/

in the direction of

From this reading “He turned toward the door swiftly, with a certain dramatic impulsiveness.”

All words in this reading · 72

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 The harmony of summer sunlight on leaf and blade of green was not known to the two windows, which looked forth at an obviously endless building of brownstone about which there was the poetry of a prison.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading The harmony of summer sunlight on leaf and blade of green was not known to the two windows, which looked forth at an obviously endless building of brownstone about which there was the poetry of a prison.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading The harmony of summer sunlight on leaf and blade of green was not known to the two windows, which looked forth at an obviously endless building of brownstone about which there was the poetry of a prison.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The harmony of summer sunlight on leaf and blade of green was not known to the two windows, which looked forth at an obviously endless building of brownstone about which there was the poetry of a prison.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Inside, great folds of lace swept down in orderly cascades, as water trained to fall mathematically.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The harmony of summer sunlight on leaf and blade of green was not known to the two windows, which looked forth at an obviously endless building of brownstone about which there was the poetry of a prison.

blade

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

From this reading The harmony of summer sunlight on leaf and blade of green was not known to the two windows, which looked forth at an obviously endless building of brownstone about which there was the poetry of a prison.

brownstone

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

From this reading The harmony of summer sunlight on leaf and blade of green was not known to the two windows, which looked forth at an obviously endless building of brownstone about which there was the poetry of a prison.

building

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

From this reading The harmony of summer sunlight on leaf and blade of green was not known to the two windows, which looked forth at an obviously endless building of brownstone about which there was the poetry of a prison.

cascades

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

From this reading Inside, great folds of lace swept down in orderly cascades, as water trained to fall mathematically.

caught

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

From this reading The colossal chandelier, gleaming like a Siamese headdress, caught the subtle flashes from unknown places.

certain

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

From this reading He turned toward the door swiftly, with a certain dramatic impulsiveness.

chandelier

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

From this reading The colossal chandelier, gleaming like a Siamese headdress, caught the subtle flashes from unknown places.

colossal

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

From this reading The colossal chandelier, gleaming like a Siamese headdress, caught the subtle flashes from unknown places.

door

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

From this reading He turned toward the door swiftly, with a certain dramatic impulsiveness.

down

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

From this reading Inside, great folds of lace swept down in orderly cascades, as water trained to fall mathematically.

dramatic

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

From this reading He turned toward the door swiftly, with a certain dramatic impulsiveness.

dress

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

From this reading Hawker heard a step and the soft swishing of a woman's dress.

endless

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

From this reading The harmony of summer sunlight on leaf and blade of green was not known to the two windows, which looked forth at an obviously endless building of brownstone about which there was the poetry of a prison.

fall

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

From this reading Inside, great folds of lace swept down in orderly cascades, as water trained to fall mathematically.

flashes

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

From this reading The colossal chandelier, gleaming like a Siamese headdress, caught the subtle flashes from unknown places.

folds

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

From this reading Inside, great folds of lace swept down in orderly cascades, as water trained to fall mathematically.

forth

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

From this reading The harmony of summer sunlight on leaf and blade of green was not known to the two windows, which looked forth at an obviously endless building of brownstone about which there was the poetry of a prison.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading The colossal chandelier, gleaming like a Siamese headdress, caught the subtle flashes from unknown places.

gleaming

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

From this reading The colossal chandelier, gleaming like a Siamese headdress, caught the subtle flashes from unknown places.

greatnounUS /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Inside, great folds of lace swept down in orderly cascades, as water trained to fall mathematically.

green

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

From this reading The harmony of summer sunlight on leaf and blade of green was not known to the two windows, which looked forth at an obviously endless building of brownstone about which there was the poetry of a prison.

harmony

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

From this reading The harmony of summer sunlight on leaf and blade of green was not known to the two windows, which looked forth at an obviously endless building of brownstone about which there was the poetry of a prison.

Hawker

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

From this reading Hawker heard a step and the soft swishing of a woman's dress.

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He turned toward the door swiftly, with a certain dramatic impulsiveness.

headdress

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

From this reading The colossal chandelier, gleaming like a Siamese headdress, caught the subtle flashes from unknown places.

heard

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

From this reading Hawker heard a step and the soft swishing of a woman's dress.

impulsiveness

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

From this reading He turned toward the door swiftly, with a certain dramatic impulsiveness.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Inside, great folds of lace swept down in orderly cascades, as water trained to fall mathematically.

Inside

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

From this reading Inside, great folds of lace swept down in orderly cascades, as water trained to fall mathematically.

known

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

From this reading The harmony of summer sunlight on leaf and blade of green was not known to the two windows, which looked forth at an obviously endless building of brownstone about which there was the poetry of a prison.

lace

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

From this reading Inside, great folds of lace swept down in orderly cascades, as water trained to fall mathematically.

leaf

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

From this reading The harmony of summer sunlight on leaf and blade of green was not known to the two windows, which looked forth at an obviously endless building of brownstone about which there was the poetry of a prison.

like

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

From this reading The colossal chandelier, gleaming like a Siamese headdress, caught the subtle flashes from unknown places.

lookednounUS /looked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The harmony of summer sunlight on leaf and blade of green was not known to the two windows, which looked forth at an obviously endless building of brownstone about which there was the poetry of a prison.

mathematically

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

From this reading Inside, great folds of lace swept down in orderly cascades, as water trained to fall mathematically.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading The harmony of summer sunlight on leaf and blade of green was not known to the two windows, which looked forth at an obviously endless building of brownstone about which there was the poetry of a prison.

obviously

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

From this reading The harmony of summer sunlight on leaf and blade of green was not known to the two windows, which looked forth at an obviously endless building of brownstone about which there was the poetry of a prison.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The harmony of summer sunlight on leaf and blade of green was not known to the two windows, which looked forth at an obviously endless building of brownstone about which there was the poetry of a prison.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading The harmony of summer sunlight on leaf and blade of green was not known to the two windows, which looked forth at an obviously endless building of brownstone about which there was the poetry of a prison.

orderly

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

From this reading Inside, great folds of lace swept down in orderly cascades, as water trained to fall mathematically.

places

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

From this reading The colossal chandelier, gleaming like a Siamese headdress, caught the subtle flashes from unknown places.

poetry

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

From this reading The harmony of summer sunlight on leaf and blade of green was not known to the two windows, which looked forth at an obviously endless building of brownstone about which there was the poetry of a prison.

prison

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

From this reading The harmony of summer sunlight on leaf and blade of green was not known to the two windows, which looked forth at an obviously endless building of brownstone about which there was the poetry of a prison.

Siamese

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

From this reading The colossal chandelier, gleaming like a Siamese headdress, caught the subtle flashes from unknown places.

soft

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

From this reading Hawker heard a step and the soft swishing of a woman's dress.

stepnounUS /step/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Hawker heard a step and the soft swishing of a woman's dress.

subtle

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

From this reading The colossal chandelier, gleaming like a Siamese headdress, caught the subtle flashes from unknown places.

summer

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

From this reading The harmony of summer sunlight on leaf and blade of green was not known to the two windows, which looked forth at an obviously endless building of brownstone about which there was the poetry of a prison.

sunlight

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

From this reading The harmony of summer sunlight on leaf and blade of green was not known to the two windows, which looked forth at an obviously endless building of brownstone about which there was the poetry of a prison.

swept

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

From this reading Inside, great folds of lace swept down in orderly cascades, as water trained to fall mathematically.

swiftly

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

From this reading He turned toward the door swiftly, with a certain dramatic impulsiveness.

swishing

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

From this reading Hawker heard a step and the soft swishing of a woman's dress.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The harmony of summer sunlight on leaf and blade of green was not known to the two windows, which looked forth at an obviously endless building of brownstone about which there was the poetry of a prison.

there

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

From this reading The harmony of summer sunlight on leaf and blade of green was not known to the two windows, which looked forth at an obviously endless building of brownstone about which there was the poetry of a prison.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The harmony of summer sunlight on leaf and blade of green was not known to the two windows, which looked forth at an obviously endless building of brownstone about which there was the poetry of a prison.

towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/

in the direction of

From this reading He turned toward the door swiftly, with a certain dramatic impulsiveness.

trained

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

From this reading Inside, great folds of lace swept down in orderly cascades, as water trained to fall mathematically.

turned

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

From this reading He turned toward the door swiftly, with a certain dramatic impulsiveness.

two

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

From this reading The harmony of summer sunlight on leaf and blade of green was not known to the two windows, which looked forth at an obviously endless building of brownstone about which there was the poetry of a prison.

unknown

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

From this reading The colossal chandelier, gleaming like a Siamese headdress, caught the subtle flashes from unknown places.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The harmony of summer sunlight on leaf and blade of green was not known to the two windows, which looked forth at an obviously endless building of brownstone about which there was the poetry of a prison.

water

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

From this reading Inside, great folds of lace swept down in orderly cascades, as water trained to fall mathematically.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading The harmony of summer sunlight on leaf and blade of green was not known to the two windows, which looked forth at an obviously endless building of brownstone about which there was the poetry of a prison.

windows

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

From this reading The harmony of summer sunlight on leaf and blade of green was not known to the two windows, which looked forth at an obviously endless building of brownstone about which there was the poetry of a prison.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading He turned toward the door swiftly, with a certain dramatic impulsiveness.

woman's

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

From this reading Hawker heard a step and the soft swishing of a woman's dress.