A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter VII
When I went to be governess at Mrs Durham’s I was quite young. I had been “out” before, but only as nursery governess. Mine was not a very regular or, perhaps, a very good kind of education. My mother had been a governess before me, and not one of very high pretensions, as governesses are nowadays. I don’t think she ever knew anything herself, except a little music and a little French, which she had forgotten before my time.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
any thing at all
From this reading “I don’t think she ever knew anything herself, except a little music and a little French, which she had forgotten before my time.”
the past participle of “be”
From this reading “I had been “out” before, but only as nursery governess.”
earlier than; in front of
From this reading “I had been “out” before, but only as nursery governess.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “I don’t think she ever knew anything herself, except a little music and a little French, which she had forgotten before my time.”
apart from; not including
From this reading “I don’t think she ever knew anything herself, except a little music and a little French, which she had forgotten before my time.”
Not remembered; lapsed from memory.
From this reading “I don’t think she ever knew anything herself, except a little music and a little French, which she had forgotten before my time.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Mine was not a very regular or, perhaps, a very good kind of education.”
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading “I don’t think she ever knew anything herself, except a little music and a little French, which she had forgotten before my time.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “I don’t think she ever knew anything herself, except a little music and a little French, which she had forgotten before my time.”
the one or ones belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “Mine was not a very regular or, perhaps, a very good kind of education.”
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading “My mother had been a governess before me, and not one of very high pretensions, as governesses are nowadays.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Mine was not a very regular or, perhaps, a very good kind of education.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “When I went to be governess at Mrs Durham’s I was quite young.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “I don’t think she ever knew anything herself, except a little music and a little French, which she had forgotten before my time.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “I don’t think she ever knew anything herself, except a little music and a little French, which she had forgotten before my time.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “When I went to be governess at Mrs Durham’s I was quite young.”
Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Mine was not a very regular or, perhaps, a very good kind of education.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading My mother had been a governess before me, and not one of very high pretensions, as governesses are nowadays.
any thing at all
From this reading I don’t think she ever knew anything herself, except a little music and a little French, which she had forgotten before my time.
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading My mother had been a governess before me, and not one of very high pretensions, as governesses are nowadays.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading I had been “out” before, but only as nursery governess.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading When I went to be governess at Mrs Durham’s I was quite young.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading When I went to be governess at Mrs Durham’s I was quite young.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading I had been “out” before, but only as nursery governess.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading I had been “out” before, but only as nursery governess.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading I had been “out” before, but only as nursery governess.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I don’t think she ever knew anything herself, except a little music and a little French, which she had forgotten before my time.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When I went to be governess at Mrs Durham’s I was quite young.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mine was not a very regular or, perhaps, a very good kind of education.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I don’t think she ever knew anything herself, except a little music and a little French, which she had forgotten before my time.
apart from; not including
From this reading I don’t think she ever knew anything herself, except a little music and a little French, which she had forgotten before my time.
Not remembered; lapsed from memory.
From this reading I don’t think she ever knew anything herself, except a little music and a little French, which she had forgotten before my time.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I don’t think she ever knew anything herself, except a little music and a little French, which she had forgotten before my time.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Mine was not a very regular or, perhaps, a very good kind of education.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When I went to be governess at Mrs Durham’s I was quite young.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My mother had been a governess before me, and not one of very high pretensions, as governesses are nowadays.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I had been “out” before, but only as nursery governess.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading I don’t think she ever knew anything herself, except a little music and a little French, which she had forgotten before my time.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My mother had been a governess before me, and not one of very high pretensions, as governesses are nowadays.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading When I went to be governess at Mrs Durham’s I was quite young.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mine was not a very regular or, perhaps, a very good kind of education.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I don’t think she ever knew anything herself, except a little music and a little French, which she had forgotten before my time.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I don’t think she ever knew anything herself, except a little music and a little French, which she had forgotten before my time.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading My mother had been a governess before me, and not one of very high pretensions, as governesses are nowadays.
the one or ones belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Mine was not a very regular or, perhaps, a very good kind of education.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My mother had been a governess before me, and not one of very high pretensions, as governesses are nowadays.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When I went to be governess at Mrs Durham’s I was quite young.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I don’t think she ever knew anything herself, except a little music and a little French, which she had forgotten before my time.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading My mother had been a governess before me, and not one of very high pretensions, as governesses are nowadays.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Mine was not a very regular or, perhaps, a very good kind of education.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My mother had been a governess before me, and not one of very high pretensions, as governesses are nowadays.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had been “out” before, but only as nursery governess.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Mine was not a very regular or, perhaps, a very good kind of education.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading My mother had been a governess before me, and not one of very high pretensions, as governesses are nowadays.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had been “out” before, but only as nursery governess.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Mine was not a very regular or, perhaps, a very good kind of education.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had been “out” before, but only as nursery governess.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mine was not a very regular or, perhaps, a very good kind of education.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My mother had been a governess before me, and not one of very high pretensions, as governesses are nowadays.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading When I went to be governess at Mrs Durham’s I was quite young.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mine was not a very regular or, perhaps, a very good kind of education.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading I don’t think she ever knew anything herself, except a little music and a little French, which she had forgotten before my time.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I don’t think she ever knew anything herself, except a little music and a little French, which she had forgotten before my time.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I don’t think she ever knew anything herself, except a little music and a little French, which she had forgotten before my time.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading When I went to be governess at Mrs Durham’s I was quite young.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mine was not a very regular or, perhaps, a very good kind of education.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading When I went to be governess at Mrs Durham’s I was quite young.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading When I went to be governess at Mrs Durham’s I was quite young.
at the time that
From this reading When I went to be governess at Mrs Durham’s I was quite young.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading I don’t think she ever knew anything herself, except a little music and a little French, which she had forgotten before my time.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When I went to be governess at Mrs Durham’s I was quite young.
