A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XI
The thing hung fire so long that it began to look as if the day was going against them. Mame herself inclined to think so. The Colony was very active; it was always trying to call her bluff. All through the summer she had managed to keep her chin above water, but she could not expect to go on like that forever. Soon or late, something was bound to happen.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
higher than, or over, something
From this reading “All through the summer she had managed to keep her chin above water, but she could not expect to go on like that forever.”
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading “The thing hung fire so long that it began to look as if the day was going against them.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “The thing hung fire so long that it began to look as if the day was going against them.”
direct and plain-spoken in manner, sometimes seeming rough
From this reading “The Colony was very active; it was always trying to call her bluff.”
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading “All through the summer she had managed to keep her chin above water, but she could not expect to go on like that forever.”
to think that something will happen
From this reading “All through the summer she had managed to keep her chin above water, but she could not expect to go on like that forever.”
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading “Mame herself inclined to think so.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “The thing hung fire so long that it began to look as if the day was going against them.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “The thing hung fire so long that it began to look as if the day was going against them.”
a thing, without saying which
From this reading “Soon or late, something was bound to happen.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Soon or late, something was bound to happen.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “The thing hung fire so long that it began to look as if the day was going against them.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Mame herself inclined to think so.”
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “All through the summer she had managed to keep her chin above water, but she could not expect to go on like that forever.”
Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
higher than, or over, something
From this reading All through the summer she had managed to keep her chin above water, but she could not expect to go on like that forever.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Colony was very active; it was always trying to call her bluff.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading The thing hung fire so long that it began to look as if the day was going against them.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All through the summer she had managed to keep her chin above water, but she could not expect to go on like that forever.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Colony was very active; it was always trying to call her bluff.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The thing hung fire so long that it began to look as if the day was going against them.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The thing hung fire so long that it began to look as if the day was going against them.
direct and plain-spoken in manner, sometimes seeming rough
From this reading The Colony was very active; it was always trying to call her bluff.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Soon or late, something was bound to happen.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading All through the summer she had managed to keep her chin above water, but she could not expect to go on like that forever.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Colony was very active; it was always trying to call her bluff.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All through the summer she had managed to keep her chin above water, but she could not expect to go on like that forever.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Colony was very active; it was always trying to call her bluff.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading All through the summer she had managed to keep her chin above water, but she could not expect to go on like that forever.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The thing hung fire so long that it began to look as if the day was going against them.
to think that something will happen
From this reading All through the summer she had managed to keep her chin above water, but she could not expect to go on like that forever.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The thing hung fire so long that it began to look as if the day was going against them.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All through the summer she had managed to keep her chin above water, but she could not expect to go on like that forever.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All through the summer she had managed to keep her chin above water, but she could not expect to go on like that forever.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The thing hung fire so long that it began to look as if the day was going against them.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading All through the summer she had managed to keep her chin above water, but she could not expect to go on like that forever.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Soon or late, something was bound to happen.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The Colony was very active; it was always trying to call her bluff.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading Mame herself inclined to think so.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The thing hung fire so long that it began to look as if the day was going against them.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading The thing hung fire so long that it began to look as if the day was going against them.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mame herself inclined to think so.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The thing hung fire so long that it began to look as if the day was going against them.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All through the summer she had managed to keep her chin above water, but she could not expect to go on like that forever.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Soon or late, something was bound to happen.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All through the summer she had managed to keep her chin above water, but she could not expect to go on like that forever.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The thing hung fire so long that it began to look as if the day was going against them.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The thing hung fire so long that it began to look as if the day was going against them.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mame herself inclined to think so.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All through the summer she had managed to keep her chin above water, but she could not expect to go on like that forever.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading All through the summer she had managed to keep her chin above water, but she could not expect to go on like that forever.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading All through the summer she had managed to keep her chin above water, but she could not expect to go on like that forever.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Soon or late, something was bound to happen.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading All through the summer she had managed to keep her chin above water, but she could not expect to go on like that forever.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The thing hung fire so long that it began to look as if the day was going against them.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading Soon or late, something was bound to happen.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Soon or late, something was bound to happen.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All through the summer she had managed to keep her chin above water, but she could not expect to go on like that forever.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The thing hung fire so long that it began to look as if the day was going against them.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The thing hung fire so long that it began to look as if the day was going against them.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The thing hung fire so long that it began to look as if the day was going against them.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The thing hung fire so long that it began to look as if the day was going against them.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Mame herself inclined to think so.
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading All through the summer she had managed to keep her chin above water, but she could not expect to go on like that forever.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The thing hung fire so long that it began to look as if the day was going against them.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Colony was very active; it was always trying to call her bluff.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Colony was very active; it was always trying to call her bluff.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The thing hung fire so long that it began to look as if the day was going against them.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All through the summer she had managed to keep her chin above water, but she could not expect to go on like that forever.
