Chapter I
I was, perhaps, the plainest girl in the room that night. I was also the happiest—up to one o’clock. Then my whole world crumbled, or, at least, suffered an eclipse. Why and how, I am about to relate. I was not made for love.
The Woman in the Alcove
Chapter I
English subtitles · tap any word to listen
1 / 5
I
was,
perhaps,
the
plainest
girl
in
the
room
that
night.
I
was
also
the
happiest—up
to
one
o’clock.
Then
my
whole
world
crumbled,
or,
at
least,
suffered
an
eclipse.
Why
and
how,
I
am
about
to
relate.
I
was
not
made
for
love.
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Line 1
I
was,
perhaps,
the
plainest
girl
in
the
room
that
night.
Line 2
I
was
also
the
happiest—up
to
one
o’clock.
Line 3
Then
my
whole
world
crumbled,
or,
at
least,
suffered
an
eclipse.
Line 4
Why
and
how,
I
am
about
to
relate.
Line 5
I
was
not
made
for
love.
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 “Why and how, I am about to relate.”
Least
noun
US /least/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Then my whole world crumbled, or, at least, suffered an eclipse.”
One
pronoun
US /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading “I was also the happiest—up to one o’clock.”
Perhaps
noun
US /perhaps/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “I was, perhaps, the plainest girl in the room that night.”
All words in this reading · 37
Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Why and how, I am about to relate.
also
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was also the happiest—up to one o’clock.
amauxiliary verbUS /æm/
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading Why and how, I am about to relate.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Then my whole world crumbled, or, at least, suffered an eclipse.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Why and how, I am about to relate.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Then my whole world crumbled, or, at least, suffered an eclipse.
crumbled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then my whole world crumbled, or, at least, suffered an eclipse.
eclipse
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then my whole world crumbled, or, at least, suffered an eclipse.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading I was not made for love.
girl
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was, perhaps, the plainest girl in the room that night.
happiest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was also the happiest—up to one o’clock.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Why and how, I am about to relate.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I was, perhaps, the plainest girl in the room that night.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading I was, perhaps, the plainest girl in the room that night.
leastnounUS /least/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Then my whole world crumbled, or, at least, suffered an eclipse.
love
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was not made for love.
made
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was not made for love.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Then my whole world crumbled, or, at least, suffered an eclipse.
night
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was, perhaps, the plainest girl in the room that night.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading I was not made for love.
o'clock
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was also the happiest—up to one o’clock.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading I was also the happiest—up to one o’clock.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Then my whole world crumbled, or, at least, suffered an eclipse.
perhaps
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was, perhaps, the plainest girl in the room that night.
plainest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was, perhaps, the plainest girl in the room that night.
relate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Why and how, I am about to relate.
room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was, perhaps, the plainest girl in the room that night.
suffered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then my whole world crumbled, or, at least, suffered an eclipse.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading I was, perhaps, the plainest girl in the room that night.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading I was, perhaps, the plainest girl in the room that night.
Then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then my whole world crumbled, or, at least, suffered an eclipse.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I was also the happiest—up to one o’clock.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was also the happiest—up to one o’clock.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I was, perhaps, the plainest girl in the room that night.
whole
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then my whole world crumbled, or, at least, suffered an eclipse.
Why
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Why and how, I am about to relate.
world
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then my whole world crumbled, or, at least, suffered an eclipse.