A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter X
THE RIVER ROAD Rodney Merriam’s efforts to manage Zelda had not thus far been wholly satisfactory. He might, under ordinary circumstances, have submitted to what seemed to be the inevitable, but he had never in his life tamely accepted defeat. He could not take the forts by storm; he would lay siege to them, and so he planned a long campaign. Zelda’s intractability was as annoying as it was charming. He scolded her, and she laughed at him; he gave orders and she disobeyed.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading “THE RIVER ROAD Rodney Merriam’s efforts to manage Zelda had not thus far been wholly satisfactory.”
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading “He could not take the forts by storm; he would lay siege to them, and so he planned a long campaign.”
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “He might, under ordinary circumstances, have submitted to what seemed to be the inevitable, but he had never in his life tamely accepted defeat.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “He might, under ordinary circumstances, have submitted to what seemed to be the inevitable, but he had never in his life tamely accepted defeat.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “He could not take the forts by storm; he would lay siege to them, and so he planned a long campaign.”
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading “He might, under ordinary circumstances, have submitted to what seemed to be the inevitable, but he had never in his life tamely accepted defeat.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “He might, under ordinary circumstances, have submitted to what seemed to be the inevitable, but he had never in his life tamely accepted defeat.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “He might, under ordinary circumstances, have submitted to what seemed to be the inevitable, but he had never in his life tamely accepted defeat.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “He could not take the forts by storm; he would lay siege to them, and so he planned a long campaign.”
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading “He might, under ordinary circumstances, have submitted to what seemed to be the inevitable, but he had never in his life tamely accepted defeat.”
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading “He could not take the forts by storm; he would lay siege to them, and so he planned a long campaign.”
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 He could not take the forts by storm; he would lay siege to them, and so he planned a long campaign.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He might, under ordinary circumstances, have submitted to what seemed to be the inevitable, but he had never in his life tamely accepted defeat.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He could not take the forts by storm; he would lay siege to them, and so he planned a long campaign.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Zelda’s intractability was as annoying as it was charming.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Zelda’s intractability was as annoying as it was charming.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He scolded her, and she laughed at him; he gave orders and she disobeyed.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He might, under ordinary circumstances, have submitted to what seemed to be the inevitable, but he had never in his life tamely accepted defeat.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading THE RIVER ROAD Rodney Merriam’s efforts to manage Zelda had not thus far been wholly satisfactory.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He might, under ordinary circumstances, have submitted to what seemed to be the inevitable, but he had never in his life tamely accepted defeat.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading He could not take the forts by storm; he would lay siege to them, and so he planned a long campaign.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could not take the forts by storm; he would lay siege to them, and so he planned a long campaign.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Zelda’s intractability was as annoying as it was charming.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He might, under ordinary circumstances, have submitted to what seemed to be the inevitable, but he had never in his life tamely accepted defeat.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He could not take the forts by storm; he would lay siege to them, and so he planned a long campaign.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He might, under ordinary circumstances, have submitted to what seemed to be the inevitable, but he had never in his life tamely accepted defeat.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He scolded her, and she laughed at him; he gave orders and she disobeyed.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE RIVER ROAD Rodney Merriam’s efforts to manage Zelda had not thus far been wholly satisfactory.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE RIVER ROAD Rodney Merriam’s efforts to manage Zelda had not thus far been wholly satisfactory.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could not take the forts by storm; he would lay siege to them, and so he planned a long campaign.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He scolded her, and she laughed at him; he gave orders and she disobeyed.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading THE RIVER ROAD Rodney Merriam’s efforts to manage Zelda had not thus far been wholly satisfactory.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading He might, under ordinary circumstances, have submitted to what seemed to be the inevitable, but he had never in his life tamely accepted defeat.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He might, under ordinary circumstances, have submitted to what seemed to be the inevitable, but he had never in his life tamely accepted defeat.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading He scolded her, and she laughed at him; he gave orders and she disobeyed.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He scolded her, and she laughed at him; he gave orders and she disobeyed.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He might, under ordinary circumstances, have submitted to what seemed to be the inevitable, but he had never in his life tamely accepted defeat.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He might, under ordinary circumstances, have submitted to what seemed to be the inevitable, but he had never in his life tamely accepted defeat.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He might, under ordinary circumstances, have submitted to what seemed to be the inevitable, but he had never in his life tamely accepted defeat.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Zelda’s intractability was as annoying as it was charming.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Zelda’s intractability was as annoying as it was charming.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He scolded her, and she laughed at him; he gave orders and she disobeyed.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could not take the forts by storm; he would lay siege to them, and so he planned a long campaign.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He might, under ordinary circumstances, have submitted to what seemed to be the inevitable, but he had never in his life tamely accepted defeat.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He could not take the forts by storm; he would lay siege to them, and so he planned a long campaign.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE RIVER ROAD Rodney Merriam’s efforts to manage Zelda had not thus far been wholly satisfactory.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE RIVER ROAD Rodney Merriam’s efforts to manage Zelda had not thus far been wholly satisfactory.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading He might, under ordinary circumstances, have submitted to what seemed to be the inevitable, but he had never in his life tamely accepted defeat.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He might, under ordinary circumstances, have submitted to what seemed to be the inevitable, but he had never in his life tamely accepted defeat.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading THE RIVER ROAD Rodney Merriam’s efforts to manage Zelda had not thus far been wholly satisfactory.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He scolded her, and she laughed at him; he gave orders and she disobeyed.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He might, under ordinary circumstances, have submitted to what seemed to be the inevitable, but he had never in his life tamely accepted defeat.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could not take the forts by storm; he would lay siege to them, and so he planned a long campaign.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE RIVER ROAD Rodney Merriam’s efforts to manage Zelda had not thus far been wholly satisfactory.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE RIVER ROAD Rodney Merriam’s efforts to manage Zelda had not thus far been wholly satisfactory.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE RIVER ROAD Rodney Merriam’s efforts to manage Zelda had not thus far been wholly satisfactory.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE RIVER ROAD Rodney Merriam’s efforts to manage Zelda had not thus far been wholly satisfactory.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He scolded her, and she laughed at him; he gave orders and she disobeyed.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He might, under ordinary circumstances, have submitted to what seemed to be the inevitable, but he had never in his life tamely accepted defeat.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He scolded her, and she laughed at him; he gave orders and she disobeyed.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could not take the forts by storm; he would lay siege to them, and so he planned a long campaign.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading He could not take the forts by storm; he would lay siege to them, and so he planned a long campaign.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could not take the forts by storm; he would lay siege to them, and so he planned a long campaign.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He might, under ordinary circumstances, have submitted to what seemed to be the inevitable, but he had never in his life tamely accepted defeat.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He could not take the forts by storm; he would lay siege to them, and so he planned a long campaign.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He might, under ordinary circumstances, have submitted to what seemed to be the inevitable, but he had never in his life tamely accepted defeat.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE RIVER ROAD Rodney Merriam’s efforts to manage Zelda had not thus far been wholly satisfactory.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading He could not take the forts by storm; he would lay siege to them, and so he planned a long campaign.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE RIVER ROAD Rodney Merriam’s efforts to manage Zelda had not thus far been wholly satisfactory.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE RIVER ROAD Rodney Merriam’s efforts to manage Zelda had not thus far been wholly satisfactory.
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading He might, under ordinary circumstances, have submitted to what seemed to be the inevitable, but he had never in his life tamely accepted defeat.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Zelda’s intractability was as annoying as it was charming.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading He might, under ordinary circumstances, have submitted to what seemed to be the inevitable, but he had never in his life tamely accepted defeat.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE RIVER ROAD Rodney Merriam’s efforts to manage Zelda had not thus far been wholly satisfactory.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading He could not take the forts by storm; he would lay siege to them, and so he planned a long campaign.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE RIVER ROAD Rodney Merriam’s efforts to manage Zelda had not thus far been wholly satisfactory.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Zelda’s intractability was as annoying as it was charming.
