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Weeds
Weeds

Chapter XXIII

Cover illustration for Weeds
Context Illustration Reading 1/29 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
La Fea and La Salvadora—Ortiz—Old Friends The two men strolled through the Calle del Barquillo into the Calle de Alcalá.
“They’re not going to catch me again,” thought Manuel.
But at once it occurred to him that the texture of the law was so stout and close-woven that it was exceedingly difficult not to be enmeshed in it, no matter how careful a fellow might be.
“You haven’t yet told me to whom I owe my freedom,” exclaimed Manuel.
“To whom you owe your freedom?
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Weeds

Chapter XXIII

Reading 1/29 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
La Fea and La Salvadora—Ortiz—Old Friends The two men strolled through the Calle del Barquillo into the Calle de Alcalá.
Line 2
“They’re not going to catch me again,” thought Manuel.
Line 3
But at once it occurred to him that the texture of the law was so stout and close-woven that it was exceedingly difficult not to be enmeshed in it, no matter how careful a fellow might be.
Line 4
“You haven’t yet told me to whom I owe my freedom,” exclaimed Manuel.
Line 5
“To whom you owe your freedom?

Learner Dictionary

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.

Again noun US /again/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading ““They’re not going to catch me again,” thought Manuel.”

Might modal verb US /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading “But at once it occurred to him that the texture of the law was so stout and close-woven that it was exceedingly difficult not to be enmeshed in it, no matter how careful a fellow might be.”

Once noun US /once/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “But at once it occurred to him that the texture of the law was so stout and close-woven that it was exceedingly difficult not to be enmeshed in it, no matter how careful a fellow might be.”

Thought noun US /thought/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading ““They’re not going to catch me again,” thought Manuel.”

Through noun US /ˈthrough/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading “La Fea and La Salvadora—Ortiz—Old Friends The two men strolled through the Calle del Barquillo into the Calle de Alcalá.”

Told noun US /told/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading ““You haven’t yet told me to whom I owe my freedom,” exclaimed Manuel.”

Yet conjunction US /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading ““You haven’t yet told me to whom I owe my freedom,” exclaimed Manuel.”

All words in this reading · 64

Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading But at once it occurred to him that the texture of the law was so stout and close-woven that it was exceedingly difficult not to be enmeshed in it, no matter how careful a fellow might be.

againnounUS /again/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “They’re not going to catch me again,” thought Manuel.

Alcalá

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading La Fea and La Salvadora—Ortiz—Old Friends The two men strolled through the Calle del Barquillo into the Calle de Alcalá.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading La Fea and La Salvadora—Ortiz—Old Friends The two men strolled through the Calle del Barquillo into the Calle de Alcalá.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading But at once it occurred to him that the texture of the law was so stout and close-woven that it was exceedingly difficult not to be enmeshed in it, no matter how careful a fellow might be.

Barquillo

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading La Fea and La Salvadora—Ortiz—Old Friends The two men strolled through the Calle del Barquillo into the Calle de Alcalá.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading But at once it occurred to him that the texture of the law was so stout and close-woven that it was exceedingly difficult not to be enmeshed in it, no matter how careful a fellow might be.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But at once it occurred to him that the texture of the law was so stout and close-woven that it was exceedingly difficult not to be enmeshed in it, no matter how careful a fellow might be.

Calle

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading La Fea and La Salvadora—Ortiz—Old Friends The two men strolled through the Calle del Barquillo into the Calle de Alcalá.

careful

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading But at once it occurred to him that the texture of the law was so stout and close-woven that it was exceedingly difficult not to be enmeshed in it, no matter how careful a fellow might be.

catch

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “They’re not going to catch me again,” thought Manuel.

close-woven

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading But at once it occurred to him that the texture of the law was so stout and close-woven that it was exceedingly difficult not to be enmeshed in it, no matter how careful a fellow might be.

de

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading La Fea and La Salvadora—Ortiz—Old Friends The two men strolled through the Calle del Barquillo into the Calle de Alcalá.

del

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading La Fea and La Salvadora—Ortiz—Old Friends The two men strolled through the Calle del Barquillo into the Calle de Alcalá.

difficult

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading But at once it occurred to him that the texture of the law was so stout and close-woven that it was exceedingly difficult not to be enmeshed in it, no matter how careful a fellow might be.

enmeshed

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading But at once it occurred to him that the texture of the law was so stout and close-woven that it was exceedingly difficult not to be enmeshed in it, no matter how careful a fellow might be.

exceedingly

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading But at once it occurred to him that the texture of the law was so stout and close-woven that it was exceedingly difficult not to be enmeshed in it, no matter how careful a fellow might be.

exclaimed

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “You haven’t yet told me to whom I owe my freedom,” exclaimed Manuel.

Fea

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading La Fea and La Salvadora—Ortiz—Old Friends The two men strolled through the Calle del Barquillo into the Calle de Alcalá.

fellow

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading But at once it occurred to him that the texture of the law was so stout and close-woven that it was exceedingly difficult not to be enmeshed in it, no matter how careful a fellow might be.

freedom

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “You haven’t yet told me to whom I owe my freedom,” exclaimed Manuel.

Friends

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading La Fea and La Salvadora—Ortiz—Old Friends The two men strolled through the Calle del Barquillo into the Calle de Alcalá.

going

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “They’re not going to catch me again,” thought Manuel.

haven't

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “You haven’t yet told me to whom I owe my freedom,” exclaimed Manuel.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading But at once it occurred to him that the texture of the law was so stout and close-woven that it was exceedingly difficult not to be enmeshed in it, no matter how careful a fellow might be.

how

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading But at once it occurred to him that the texture of the law was so stout and close-woven that it was exceedingly difficult not to be enmeshed in it, no matter how careful a fellow might be.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading “You haven’t yet told me to whom I owe my freedom,” exclaimed Manuel.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading But at once it occurred to him that the texture of the law was so stout and close-woven that it was exceedingly difficult not to be enmeshed in it, no matter how careful a fellow might be.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading La Fea and La Salvadora—Ortiz—Old Friends The two men strolled through the Calle del Barquillo into the Calle de Alcalá.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading But at once it occurred to him that the texture of the law was so stout and close-woven that it was exceedingly difficult not to be enmeshed in it, no matter how careful a fellow might be.

La

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading La Fea and La Salvadora—Ortiz—Old Friends The two men strolled through the Calle del Barquillo into the Calle de Alcalá.

law

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading But at once it occurred to him that the texture of the law was so stout and close-woven that it was exceedingly difficult not to be enmeshed in it, no matter how careful a fellow might be.

Manuel

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “They’re not going to catch me again,” thought Manuel.

matter

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading But at once it occurred to him that the texture of the law was so stout and close-woven that it was exceedingly difficult not to be enmeshed in it, no matter how careful a fellow might be.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading “They’re not going to catch me again,” thought Manuel.

men

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading La Fea and La Salvadora—Ortiz—Old Friends The two men strolled through the Calle del Barquillo into the Calle de Alcalá.

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading But at once it occurred to him that the texture of the law was so stout and close-woven that it was exceedingly difficult not to be enmeshed in it, no matter how careful a fellow might be.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading “You haven’t yet told me to whom I owe my freedom,” exclaimed Manuel.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading But at once it occurred to him that the texture of the law was so stout and close-woven that it was exceedingly difficult not to be enmeshed in it, no matter how careful a fellow might be.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading “They’re not going to catch me again,” thought Manuel.

occurred

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading But at once it occurred to him that the texture of the law was so stout and close-woven that it was exceedingly difficult not to be enmeshed in it, no matter how careful a fellow might be.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading But at once it occurred to him that the texture of the law was so stout and close-woven that it was exceedingly difficult not to be enmeshed in it, no matter how careful a fellow might be.

Old

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading La Fea and La Salvadora—Ortiz—Old Friends The two men strolled through the Calle del Barquillo into the Calle de Alcalá.

once

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading But at once it occurred to him that the texture of the law was so stout and close-woven that it was exceedingly difficult not to be enmeshed in it, no matter how careful a fellow might be.

Ortiz

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading La Fea and La Salvadora—Ortiz—Old Friends The two men strolled through the Calle del Barquillo into the Calle de Alcalá.

owe

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “You haven’t yet told me to whom I owe my freedom,” exclaimed Manuel.

Salvadora

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading La Fea and La Salvadora—Ortiz—Old Friends The two men strolled through the Calle del Barquillo into the Calle de Alcalá.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading But at once it occurred to him that the texture of the law was so stout and close-woven that it was exceedingly difficult not to be enmeshed in it, no matter how careful a fellow might be.

stout

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading But at once it occurred to him that the texture of the law was so stout and close-woven that it was exceedingly difficult not to be enmeshed in it, no matter how careful a fellow might be.

strolled

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading La Fea and La Salvadora—Ortiz—Old Friends The two men strolled through the Calle del Barquillo into the Calle de Alcalá.

texture

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading But at once it occurred to him that the texture of the law was so stout and close-woven that it was exceedingly difficult not to be enmeshed in it, no matter how careful a fellow might be.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading But at once it occurred to him that the texture of the law was so stout and close-woven that it was exceedingly difficult not to be enmeshed in it, no matter how careful a fellow might be.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading La Fea and La Salvadora—Ortiz—Old Friends The two men strolled through the Calle del Barquillo into the Calle de Alcalá.

They're

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “They’re not going to catch me again,” thought Manuel.

thoughtnounUS /thought/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “They’re not going to catch me again,” thought Manuel.

throughnounUS /ˈthrough/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading La Fea and La Salvadora—Ortiz—Old Friends The two men strolled through the Calle del Barquillo into the Calle de Alcalá.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading “They’re not going to catch me again,” thought Manuel.

toldnounUS /told/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “You haven’t yet told me to whom I owe my freedom,” exclaimed Manuel.

two

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading La Fea and La Salvadora—Ortiz—Old Friends The two men strolled through the Calle del Barquillo into the Calle de Alcalá.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading But at once it occurred to him that the texture of the law was so stout and close-woven that it was exceedingly difficult not to be enmeshed in it, no matter how careful a fellow might be.

whompronounUS /huːm/

the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading “You haven’t yet told me to whom I owe my freedom,” exclaimed Manuel.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading “You haven’t yet told me to whom I owe my freedom,” exclaimed Manuel.

YoupronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “You haven’t yet told me to whom I owe my freedom,” exclaimed Manuel.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “To whom you owe your freedom?