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A Mummer's Tale
A Mummer's Tale

Chapter XIII

Cover illustration for A Mummer's Tale
Context Illustration Reading 1/10 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
She had returned home in a burning fever.
Robert, after dining _en famille_, had retired to his attic.
His nerves were on edge, and he was badly out of temper as a result of the manner in which Nanteuil had left him.
His shirt and his clothes, laid out on the bed by his valet, seemed to be waiting for him in a domestic and obsequious attitude.
He began to dress himself with a somewhat ill-tempered alacrity.
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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.

A Mummer's Tale

Chapter XIII

Reading 1/10 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
She had returned home in a burning fever.
Line 2
Robert, after dining _en famille_, had retired to his attic.
Line 3
His nerves were on edge, and he was badly out of temper as a result of the manner in which Nanteuil had left him.
Line 4
His shirt and his clothes, laid out on the bed by his valet, seemed to be waiting for him in a domestic and obsequious attitude.
Line 5
He began to dress himself with a somewhat ill-tempered alacrity.

Learner Dictionary

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

After preposition US /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading “Robert, after dining _en famille_, had retired to his attic.”

Began noun US /began/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He began to dress himself with a somewhat ill-tempered alacrity.”

Himself pronoun US /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading “He began to dress himself with a somewhat ill-tempered alacrity.”

Left noun US /left/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “His nerves were on edge, and he was badly out of temper as a result of the manner in which Nanteuil had left him.”

Retired verb US /rɪˈtaɪərd/

went away to a private place

From this reading “Robert, after dining _en famille_, had retired to his attic.”

Returned noun US /ˈreturned/

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

From this reading “She had returned home in a burning fever.”

Seemed noun US /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “His shirt and his clothes, laid out on the bed by his valet, seemed to be waiting for him in a domestic and obsequious attitude.”

Waiting noun US /ˈwaiting/

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

From this reading “His shirt and his clothes, laid out on the bed by his valet, seemed to be waiting for him in a domestic and obsequious attitude.”

All words in this reading · 56

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 She had returned home in a burning fever.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading Robert, after dining _en famille_, had retired to his attic.

alacrity

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

From this reading He began to dress himself with a somewhat ill-tempered alacrity.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading His nerves were on edge, and he was badly out of temper as a result of the manner in which Nanteuil had left him.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading His nerves were on edge, and he was badly out of temper as a result of the manner in which Nanteuil had left him.

attic

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

From this reading Robert, after dining _en famille_, had retired to his attic.

attitude

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

From this reading His shirt and his clothes, laid out on the bed by his valet, seemed to be waiting for him in a domestic and obsequious attitude.

badly

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

From this reading His nerves were on edge, and he was badly out of temper as a result of the manner in which Nanteuil had left him.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading His shirt and his clothes, laid out on the bed by his valet, seemed to be waiting for him in a domestic and obsequious attitude.

bed

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

From this reading His shirt and his clothes, laid out on the bed by his valet, seemed to be waiting for him in a domestic and obsequious attitude.

begannounUS /began/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He began to dress himself with a somewhat ill-tempered alacrity.

burning

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

From this reading She had returned home in a burning fever.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading His shirt and his clothes, laid out on the bed by his valet, seemed to be waiting for him in a domestic and obsequious attitude.

clothes

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

From this reading His shirt and his clothes, laid out on the bed by his valet, seemed to be waiting for him in a domestic and obsequious attitude.

dining

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

From this reading Robert, after dining _en famille_, had retired to his attic.

domestic

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

From this reading His shirt and his clothes, laid out on the bed by his valet, seemed to be waiting for him in a domestic and obsequious attitude.

dress

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

From this reading He began to dress himself with a somewhat ill-tempered alacrity.

edge

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

From this reading His nerves were on edge, and he was badly out of temper as a result of the manner in which Nanteuil had left him.

en

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

From this reading Robert, after dining _en famille_, had retired to his attic.

famille

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

From this reading Robert, after dining _en famille_, had retired to his attic.

fever

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

From this reading She had returned home in a burning fever.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading His shirt and his clothes, laid out on the bed by his valet, seemed to be waiting for him in a domestic and obsequious attitude.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading She had returned home in a burning fever.

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading His nerves were on edge, and he was badly out of temper as a result of the manner in which Nanteuil had left him.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading His nerves were on edge, and he was badly out of temper as a result of the manner in which Nanteuil had left him.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading He began to dress himself with a somewhat ill-tempered alacrity.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading Robert, after dining _en famille_, had retired to his attic.

home

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

From this reading She had returned home in a burning fever.

ill-tempered

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

From this reading He began to dress himself with a somewhat ill-tempered alacrity.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading She had returned home in a burning fever.

laid

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

From this reading His shirt and his clothes, laid out on the bed by his valet, seemed to be waiting for him in a domestic and obsequious attitude.

leftnounUS /left/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading His nerves were on edge, and he was badly out of temper as a result of the manner in which Nanteuil had left him.

manner

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

From this reading His nerves were on edge, and he was badly out of temper as a result of the manner in which Nanteuil had left him.

Nanteuil

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

From this reading His nerves were on edge, and he was badly out of temper as a result of the manner in which Nanteuil had left him.

nerves

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

From this reading His nerves were on edge, and he was badly out of temper as a result of the manner in which Nanteuil had left him.

obsequious

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

From this reading His shirt and his clothes, laid out on the bed by his valet, seemed to be waiting for him in a domestic and obsequious attitude.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading His nerves were on edge, and he was badly out of temper as a result of the manner in which Nanteuil had left him.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading His nerves were on edge, and he was badly out of temper as a result of the manner in which Nanteuil had left him.

out

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

From this reading His nerves were on edge, and he was badly out of temper as a result of the manner in which Nanteuil had left him.

result

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

From this reading His nerves were on edge, and he was badly out of temper as a result of the manner in which Nanteuil had left him.

retiredverbUS /rɪˈtaɪərd/

went away to a private place

From this reading Robert, after dining _en famille_, had retired to his attic.

returnednounUS /ˈreturned/

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

From this reading She had returned home in a burning fever.

Robert

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

From this reading Robert, after dining _en famille_, had retired to his attic.

seemednounUS /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading His shirt and his clothes, laid out on the bed by his valet, seemed to be waiting for him in a domestic and obsequious attitude.

ShepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading She had returned home in a burning fever.

shirt

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

From this reading His shirt and his clothes, laid out on the bed by his valet, seemed to be waiting for him in a domestic and obsequious attitude.

somewhat

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

From this reading He began to dress himself with a somewhat ill-tempered alacrity.

temper

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

From this reading His nerves were on edge, and he was badly out of temper as a result of the manner in which Nanteuil had left him.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading His nerves were on edge, and he was badly out of temper as a result of the manner in which Nanteuil had left him.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Robert, after dining _en famille_, had retired to his attic.

valet

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

From this reading His shirt and his clothes, laid out on the bed by his valet, seemed to be waiting for him in a domestic and obsequious attitude.

waiting

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

From this reading His shirt and his clothes, laid out on the bed by his valet, seemed to be waiting for him in a domestic and obsequious attitude.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading His nerves were on edge, and he was badly out of temper as a result of the manner in which Nanteuil had left him.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading His nerves were on edge, and he was badly out of temper as a result of the manner in which Nanteuil had left him.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading His nerves were on edge, and he was badly out of temper as a result of the manner in which Nanteuil had left him.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading He began to dress himself with a somewhat ill-tempered alacrity.