A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXIII
MRS. BROWN ATTEMPTS TO ESCAPE. But her husband was not sleeping. He was not even in bed, as she had left him. She found him sitting there before the fire-place, on which one half-burned log still retained a spark of what had once pretended to be a fire.
Reading 1/35 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading “She found him sitting there before the fire-place, on which one half-burned log still retained a spark of what had once pretended to be a fire.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “He was not even in bed, as she had left him.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “She found him sitting there before the fire-place, on which one half-burned log still retained a spark of what had once pretended to be a fire.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “He was not even in bed, as she had left him.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “She found him sitting there before the fire-place, on which one half-burned log still retained a spark of what had once pretended to be a fire.”
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading “She found him sitting there before the fire-place, on which one half-burned log still retained a spark of what had once pretended to be a fire.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “She found him sitting there before the fire-place, on which one half-burned log still retained a spark of what had once pretended to be a fire.”
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 She found him sitting there before the fire-place, on which one half-burned log still retained a spark of what had once pretended to be a fire.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He was not even in bed, as she had left him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BROWN ATTEMPTS TO ESCAPE.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading She found him sitting there before the fire-place, on which one half-burned log still retained a spark of what had once pretended to be a fire.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was not even in bed, as she had left him.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading She found him sitting there before the fire-place, on which one half-burned log still retained a spark of what had once pretended to be a fire.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BROWN ATTEMPTS TO ESCAPE.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But her husband was not sleeping.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BROWN ATTEMPTS TO ESCAPE.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He was not even in bed, as she had left him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She found him sitting there before the fire-place, on which one half-burned log still retained a spark of what had once pretended to be a fire.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She found him sitting there before the fire-place, on which one half-burned log still retained a spark of what had once pretended to be a fire.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She found him sitting there before the fire-place, on which one half-burned log still retained a spark of what had once pretended to be a fire.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He was not even in bed, as she had left him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She found him sitting there before the fire-place, on which one half-burned log still retained a spark of what had once pretended to be a fire.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was not even in bed, as she had left him.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading But her husband was not sleeping.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He was not even in bed, as she had left him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But her husband was not sleeping.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He was not even in bed, as she had left him.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He was not even in bed, as she had left him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She found him sitting there before the fire-place, on which one half-burned log still retained a spark of what had once pretended to be a fire.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MRS.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But her husband was not sleeping.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She found him sitting there before the fire-place, on which one half-burned log still retained a spark of what had once pretended to be a fire.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading She found him sitting there before the fire-place, on which one half-burned log still retained a spark of what had once pretended to be a fire.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She found him sitting there before the fire-place, on which one half-burned log still retained a spark of what had once pretended to be a fire.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading She found him sitting there before the fire-place, on which one half-burned log still retained a spark of what had once pretended to be a fire.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She found him sitting there before the fire-place, on which one half-burned log still retained a spark of what had once pretended to be a fire.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She found him sitting there before the fire-place, on which one half-burned log still retained a spark of what had once pretended to be a fire.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was not even in bed, as she had left him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She found him sitting there before the fire-place, on which one half-burned log still retained a spark of what had once pretended to be a fire.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But her husband was not sleeping.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She found him sitting there before the fire-place, on which one half-burned log still retained a spark of what had once pretended to be a fire.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She found him sitting there before the fire-place, on which one half-burned log still retained a spark of what had once pretended to be a fire.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading She found him sitting there before the fire-place, on which one half-burned log still retained a spark of what had once pretended to be a fire.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She found him sitting there before the fire-place, on which one half-burned log still retained a spark of what had once pretended to be a fire.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading BROWN ATTEMPTS TO ESCAPE.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But her husband was not sleeping.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading She found him sitting there before the fire-place, on which one half-burned log still retained a spark of what had once pretended to be a fire.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading She found him sitting there before the fire-place, on which one half-burned log still retained a spark of what had once pretended to be a fire.
