Chapter IV
“What would you like to have me do with this house while we are gone?” “Do with this house?” I echoed; and I felt as if I were standing on the edge of an abyss. “Yes; shall we let it, or sell it--or what? Or give it away?”
Through the Eye of the Needle: A Romance
Chapter IV
English subtitles · tap any word to listen
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“What
would
you
like
to
have
me
do
with
this
house
while
we
are
gone?”
“Do
with
this
house?”
I
echoed;
and
I
felt
as
if
I
were
standing
on
the
edge
of
an
abyss.
“Yes;
shall
we
let
it,
or
sell
it--or
what?
Or
give
it
away?”
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Line 1
“What
would
you
like
to
have
me
do
with
this
house
while
we
are
gone?”
Line 2
“Do
with
this
house?”
Line 3
I
echoed;
and
I
felt
as
if
I
were
standing
on
the
edge
of
an
abyss.
Line 4
“Yes;
shall
we
let
it,
or
sell
it--or
what?
Line 5
Or
give
it
away?”
Learner Dictionary
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
Have
auxiliary verb
US /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading ““What would you like to have me do with this house while we are gone?””
Let
auxiliary verb
US /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading ““Yes; shall we let it, or sell it--or what?”
Shall
modal verb
US /ʃæl/
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading ““Yes; shall we let it, or sell it--or what?”
Standing
noun
US /ˈstanding/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “I echoed; and I felt as if I were standing on the edge of an abyss.”
While
conjunction
US /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading ““What would you like to have me do with this house while we are gone?””
Would
modal verb
US /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading ““What would you like to have me do with this house while we are gone?””
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.
abyss
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I echoed; and I felt as if I were standing on the edge of an abyss.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading I echoed; and I felt as if I were standing on the edge of an abyss.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I echoed; and I felt as if I were standing on the edge of an abyss.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading “What would you like to have me do with this house while we are gone?”
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading I echoed; and I felt as if I were standing on the edge of an abyss.
away
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Or give it away?”
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading “What would you like to have me do with this house while we are gone?”
echoed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I echoed; and I felt as if I were standing on the edge of an abyss.
edge
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I echoed; and I felt as if I were standing on the edge of an abyss.
felt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I echoed; and I felt as if I were standing on the edge of an abyss.
give
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Or give it away?”
gone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What would you like to have me do with this house while we are gone?”
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “What would you like to have me do with this house while we are gone?”
house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What would you like to have me do with this house while we are gone?”
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I echoed; and I felt as if I were standing on the edge of an abyss.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading I echoed; and I felt as if I were standing on the edge of an abyss.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “Yes; shall we let it, or sell it--or what?
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading “Yes; shall we let it, or sell it--or what?
like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “What would you like to have me do with this house while we are gone?”
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “What would you like to have me do with this house while we are gone?”
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I echoed; and I felt as if I were standing on the edge of an abyss.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading I echoed; and I felt as if I were standing on the edge of an abyss.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading “Yes; shall we let it, or sell it--or what?
sell
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Yes; shall we let it, or sell it--or what?
shallmodal verbUS /ʃæl/
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading “Yes; shall we let it, or sell it--or what?
standingnounUS /ˈstanding/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading I echoed; and I felt as if I were standing on the edge of an abyss.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading I echoed; and I felt as if I were standing on the edge of an abyss.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “What would you like to have me do with this house while we are gone?”
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “What would you like to have me do with this house while we are gone?”
wepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading “What would you like to have me do with this house while we are gone?”
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading I echoed; and I felt as if I were standing on the edge of an abyss.
WhatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “What would you like to have me do with this house while we are gone?”
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading “What would you like to have me do with this house while we are gone?”
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading “What would you like to have me do with this house while we are gone?”
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading “What would you like to have me do with this house while we are gone?”
Yes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Yes; shall we let it, or sell it--or what?
youpronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “What would you like to have me do with this house while we are gone?”