A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXVII
MR. BALCOMB’S EASY CONSCIENCE Ezra Dameron had never been happier than during this summer. His life had run for years an eventless course; his interests had been small and he had been content to have them so. But since the gambler’s passion had fixed its gyves upon him he had become a changed being. He walked with a quicker step; his drooping shoulders grew erect; he was a new man, living in a new paradise that folly was constructing for him.
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 “BALCOMB’S EASY CONSCIENCE Ezra Dameron had never been happier than during this summer.”
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading “But since the gambler’s passion had fixed its gyves upon him he had become a changed being.”
the inner sense of right and wrong
From this reading “BALCOMB’S EASY CONSCIENCE Ezra Dameron had never been happier than during this summer.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “His life had run for years an eventless course; his interests had been small and he had been content to have them so.”
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading “BALCOMB’S EASY CONSCIENCE Ezra Dameron had never been happier than during this summer.”
an action or decision that shows a lack of good judgment
From this reading “He walked with a quicker step; his drooping shoulders grew erect; he was a new man, living in a new paradise that folly was constructing for him.”
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “His life had run for years an eventless course; his interests had been small and he had been content to have them so.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “His life had run for years an eventless course; his interests had been small and he had been content to have them so.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “BALCOMB’S EASY CONSCIENCE Ezra Dameron had never been happier than during this summer.”
from a time in the past until now
From this reading “But since the gambler’s passion had fixed its gyves upon him he had become a changed being.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “He walked with a quicker step; his drooping shoulders grew erect; he was a new man, living in a new paradise that folly was constructing for him.”
a formal word for “on”
From this reading “But since the gambler’s passion had fixed its gyves upon him he had become a changed being.”
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 But since the gambler’s passion had fixed its gyves upon him he had become a changed being.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading His life had run for years an eventless course; his interests had been small and he had been content to have them so.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading His life had run for years an eventless course; his interests had been small and he had been content to have them so.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BALCOMB’S EASY CONSCIENCE Ezra Dameron had never been happier than during this summer.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But since the gambler’s passion had fixed its gyves upon him he had become a changed being.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading BALCOMB’S EASY CONSCIENCE Ezra Dameron had never been happier than during this summer.
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading But since the gambler’s passion had fixed its gyves upon him he had become a changed being.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But since the gambler’s passion had fixed its gyves upon him he had become a changed being.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But since the gambler’s passion had fixed its gyves upon him he had become a changed being.
the inner sense of right and wrong
From this reading BALCOMB’S EASY CONSCIENCE Ezra Dameron had never been happier than during this summer.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He walked with a quicker step; his drooping shoulders grew erect; he was a new man, living in a new paradise that folly was constructing for him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His life had run for years an eventless course; his interests had been small and he had been content to have them so.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading His life had run for years an eventless course; his interests had been small and he had been content to have them so.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BALCOMB’S EASY CONSCIENCE Ezra Dameron had never been happier than during this summer.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He walked with a quicker step; his drooping shoulders grew erect; he was a new man, living in a new paradise that folly was constructing for him.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading BALCOMB’S EASY CONSCIENCE Ezra Dameron had never been happier than during this summer.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BALCOMB’S EASY CONSCIENCE Ezra Dameron had never been happier than during this summer.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He walked with a quicker step; his drooping shoulders grew erect; he was a new man, living in a new paradise that folly was constructing for him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His life had run for years an eventless course; his interests had been small and he had been content to have them so.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BALCOMB’S EASY CONSCIENCE Ezra Dameron had never been happier than during this summer.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But since the gambler’s passion had fixed its gyves upon him he had become a changed being.
an action or decision that shows a lack of good judgment
From this reading He walked with a quicker step; his drooping shoulders grew erect; he was a new man, living in a new paradise that folly was constructing for him.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading His life had run for years an eventless course; his interests had been small and he had been content to have them so.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But since the gambler’s passion had fixed its gyves upon him he had become a changed being.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He walked with a quicker step; his drooping shoulders grew erect; he was a new man, living in a new paradise that folly was constructing for him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But since the gambler’s passion had fixed its gyves upon him he had become a changed being.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading BALCOMB’S EASY CONSCIENCE Ezra Dameron had never been happier than during this summer.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BALCOMB’S EASY CONSCIENCE Ezra Dameron had never been happier than during this summer.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading His life had run for years an eventless course; his interests had been small and he had been content to have them so.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading His life had run for years an eventless course; his interests had been small and he had been content to have them so.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading But since the gambler’s passion had fixed its gyves upon him he had become a changed being.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading His life had run for years an eventless course; his interests had been small and he had been content to have them so.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He walked with a quicker step; his drooping shoulders grew erect; he was a new man, living in a new paradise that folly was constructing for him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His life had run for years an eventless course; his interests had been small and he had been content to have them so.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading But since the gambler’s passion had fixed its gyves upon him he had become a changed being.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading His life had run for years an eventless course; his interests had been small and he had been content to have them so.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He walked with a quicker step; his drooping shoulders grew erect; he was a new man, living in a new paradise that folly was constructing for him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He walked with a quicker step; his drooping shoulders grew erect; he was a new man, living in a new paradise that folly was constructing for him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MR.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading BALCOMB’S EASY CONSCIENCE Ezra Dameron had never been happier than during this summer.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He walked with a quicker step; his drooping shoulders grew erect; he was a new man, living in a new paradise that folly was constructing for him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He walked with a quicker step; his drooping shoulders grew erect; he was a new man, living in a new paradise that folly was constructing for him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But since the gambler’s passion had fixed its gyves upon him he had become a changed being.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He walked with a quicker step; his drooping shoulders grew erect; he was a new man, living in a new paradise that folly was constructing for him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His life had run for years an eventless course; his interests had been small and he had been content to have them so.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He walked with a quicker step; his drooping shoulders grew erect; he was a new man, living in a new paradise that folly was constructing for him.
from a time in the past until now
From this reading But since the gambler’s passion had fixed its gyves upon him he had become a changed being.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His life had run for years an eventless course; his interests had been small and he had been content to have them so.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading His life had run for years an eventless course; his interests had been small and he had been content to have them so.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He walked with a quicker step; his drooping shoulders grew erect; he was a new man, living in a new paradise that folly was constructing for him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BALCOMB’S EASY CONSCIENCE Ezra Dameron had never been happier than during this summer.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading BALCOMB’S EASY CONSCIENCE Ezra Dameron had never been happier than during this summer.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He walked with a quicker step; his drooping shoulders grew erect; he was a new man, living in a new paradise that folly was constructing for him.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading But since the gambler’s passion had fixed its gyves upon him he had become a changed being.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading His life had run for years an eventless course; his interests had been small and he had been content to have them so.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading BALCOMB’S EASY CONSCIENCE Ezra Dameron had never been happier than during this summer.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading His life had run for years an eventless course; his interests had been small and he had been content to have them so.
a formal word for “on”
From this reading But since the gambler’s passion had fixed its gyves upon him he had become a changed being.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He walked with a quicker step; his drooping shoulders grew erect; he was a new man, living in a new paradise that folly was constructing for him.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He walked with a quicker step; his drooping shoulders grew erect; he was a new man, living in a new paradise that folly was constructing for him.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He walked with a quicker step; his drooping shoulders grew erect; he was a new man, living in a new paradise that folly was constructing for him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His life had run for years an eventless course; his interests had been small and he had been content to have them so.
