A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter VIII
‘Will you serve me?’ asked the man. ‘Oh, yes; just as readily you as anyone else,’ said the boy. ‘But can you read?’ said the man. ‘No, I don’t know a single letter,’ said the boy. The man then took him into his service, and all the work he had to do was to dust his master’s books.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
any person at all
From this reading “‘Oh, yes; just as readily you as anyone else,’ said the boy.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “‘Will you serve me?’ asked the man.”
Bound written or printed works.
From this reading “The man then took him into his service, and all the work he had to do was to dust his master’s books.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “‘No, I don’t know a single letter,’ said the boy.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “‘Oh, yes; just as readily you as anyone else,’ said the boy.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “The man then took him into his service, and all the work he had to do was to dust his master’s books.”
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 ‘No, I don’t know a single letter,’ said the boy.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The man then took him into his service, and all the work he had to do was to dust his master’s books.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The man then took him into his service, and all the work he had to do was to dust his master’s books.
any person at all
From this reading ‘Oh, yes; just as readily you as anyone else,’ said the boy.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading ‘Oh, yes; just as readily you as anyone else,’ said the boy.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading ‘Will you serve me?’ asked the man.
Bound written or printed works.
From this reading The man then took him into his service, and all the work he had to do was to dust his master’s books.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘Oh, yes; just as readily you as anyone else,’ said the boy.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading ‘But can you read?’ said the man.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading ‘But can you read?’ said the man.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading The man then took him into his service, and all the work he had to do was to dust his master’s books.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘No, I don’t know a single letter,’ said the boy.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The man then took him into his service, and all the work he had to do was to dust his master’s books.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘Oh, yes; just as readily you as anyone else,’ said the boy.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The man then took him into his service, and all the work he had to do was to dust his master’s books.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The man then took him into his service, and all the work he had to do was to dust his master’s books.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The man then took him into his service, and all the work he had to do was to dust his master’s books.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The man then took him into his service, and all the work he had to do was to dust his master’s books.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading ‘No, I don’t know a single letter,’ said the boy.
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The man then took him into his service, and all the work he had to do was to dust his master’s books.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘Oh, yes; just as readily you as anyone else,’ said the boy.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading ‘No, I don’t know a single letter,’ said the boy.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘No, I don’t know a single letter,’ said the boy.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘Will you serve me?’ asked the man.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The man then took him into his service, and all the work he had to do was to dust his master’s books.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading ‘Will you serve me?’ asked the man.
not any; not one
From this reading ‘No, I don’t know a single letter,’ said the boy.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘Oh, yes; just as readily you as anyone else,’ said the boy.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘But can you read?’ said the man.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading ‘Oh, yes; just as readily you as anyone else,’ said the boy.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘Oh, yes; just as readily you as anyone else,’ said the boy.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘Will you serve me?’ asked the man.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The man then took him into his service, and all the work he had to do was to dust his master’s books.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘No, I don’t know a single letter,’ said the boy.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading ‘Will you serve me?’ asked the man.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The man then took him into his service, and all the work he had to do was to dust his master’s books.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The man then took him into his service, and all the work he had to do was to dust his master’s books.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The man then took him into his service, and all the work he had to do was to dust his master’s books.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The man then took him into his service, and all the work he had to do was to dust his master’s books.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading ‘Will you serve me?’ asked the man.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The man then took him into his service, and all the work he had to do was to dust his master’s books.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘Oh, yes; just as readily you as anyone else,’ said the boy.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading ‘Will you serve me?’ asked the man.
