A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
“What’s this, Mr. Holmes? Man, it’s witchcraft! Where in the name of all that is wonderful did you get those names?” For an instant I could have sworn that the faintest shadow of a smile flickered over the woman’s lips. “Watson, would you be afraid to sleep in the same room with a lunatic.”
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading “For an instant I could have sworn that the faintest shadow of a smile flickered over the woman’s lips.”
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “For an instant I could have sworn that the faintest shadow of a smile flickered over the woman’s lips.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Where in the name of all that is wonderful did you get those names?””
above and across; more than
From this reading “For an instant I could have sworn that the faintest shadow of a smile flickered over the woman’s lips.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading ““Watson, would you be afraid to sleep in the same room with a lunatic.””
A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
From this reading “For an instant I could have sworn that the faintest shadow of a smile flickered over the woman’s lips.”
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading “Where in the name of all that is wonderful did you get those names?””
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “Where in the name of all that is wonderful did you get those names?””
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading ““Watson, would you be afraid to sleep in the same room with a lunatic.””
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 For an instant I could have sworn that the faintest shadow of a smile flickered over the woman’s lips.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Watson, would you be afraid to sleep in the same room with a lunatic.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Where in the name of all that is wonderful did you get those names?”
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading For an instant I could have sworn that the faintest shadow of a smile flickered over the woman’s lips.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading “Watson, would you be afraid to sleep in the same room with a lunatic.”
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading For an instant I could have sworn that the faintest shadow of a smile flickered over the woman’s lips.
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Where in the name of all that is wonderful did you get those names?”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For an instant I could have sworn that the faintest shadow of a smile flickered over the woman’s lips.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For an instant I could have sworn that the faintest shadow of a smile flickered over the woman’s lips.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For an instant I could have sworn that the faintest shadow of a smile flickered over the woman’s lips.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Where in the name of all that is wonderful did you get those names?”
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading For an instant I could have sworn that the faintest shadow of a smile flickered over the woman’s lips.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What’s this, Mr. Holmes?
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading For an instant I could have sworn that the faintest shadow of a smile flickered over the woman’s lips.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Where in the name of all that is wonderful did you get those names?”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For an instant I could have sworn that the faintest shadow of a smile flickered over the woman’s lips.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Where in the name of all that is wonderful did you get those names?”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Man, it’s witchcraft!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For an instant I could have sworn that the faintest shadow of a smile flickered over the woman’s lips.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Watson, would you be afraid to sleep in the same room with a lunatic.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Man, it’s witchcraft!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What’s this, Mr. Holmes?
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Where in the name of all that is wonderful did you get those names?”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Where in the name of all that is wonderful did you get those names?”
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Where in the name of all that is wonderful did you get those names?”
above and across; more than
From this reading For an instant I could have sworn that the faintest shadow of a smile flickered over the woman’s lips.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Watson, would you be afraid to sleep in the same room with a lunatic.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Watson, would you be afraid to sleep in the same room with a lunatic.”
A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
From this reading For an instant I could have sworn that the faintest shadow of a smile flickered over the woman’s lips.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Watson, would you be afraid to sleep in the same room with a lunatic.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For an instant I could have sworn that the faintest shadow of a smile flickered over the woman’s lips.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For an instant I could have sworn that the faintest shadow of a smile flickered over the woman’s lips.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Where in the name of all that is wonderful did you get those names?”
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Where in the name of all that is wonderful did you get those names?”
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “What’s this, Mr. Holmes?
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading Where in the name of all that is wonderful did you get those names?”
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “Watson, would you be afraid to sleep in the same room with a lunatic.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Watson, would you be afraid to sleep in the same room with a lunatic.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What’s this, Mr. Holmes?
in or at the place that
From this reading Where in the name of all that is wonderful did you get those names?”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Man, it’s witchcraft!
in the company of; together with
From this reading “Watson, would you be afraid to sleep in the same room with a lunatic.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For an instant I could have sworn that the faintest shadow of a smile flickered over the woman’s lips.
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Where in the name of all that is wonderful did you get those names?”
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading “Watson, would you be afraid to sleep in the same room with a lunatic.”
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Where in the name of all that is wonderful did you get those names?”
