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A Poor Wise Man
A Poor Wise Man

Chapter II

Cover illustration for A Poor Wise Man
Context Illustration Reading 1/62 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.
That was in the very beginning of the epoch of steel.
The iron business had already laid the foundations of its future greatness, but steel was still in its infancy.
Anthony's father had been an iron-master in a small way, with a monthly pay-roll of a few hundred dollars, and an abiding faith in the future of iron.
But he had never dreamed of steel.
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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 Poor Wise Man

Chapter II

Reading 1/62 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.
Line 2
That was in the very beginning of the epoch of steel.
Line 3
The iron business had already laid the foundations of its future greatness, but steel was still in its infancy.
Line 4
Anthony's father had been an iron-master in a small way, with a monthly pay-roll of a few hundred dollars, and an abiding faith in the future of iron.
Line 5
But he had never dreamed of steel.

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 “Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.”

Already noun US /already/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The iron business had already laid the foundations of its future greatness, but steel was still in its infancy.”

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “Anthony's father had been an iron-master in a small way, with a monthly pay-roll of a few hundred dollars, and an abiding faith in the future of iron.”

Beginning noun US /ˈbeginning/

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

From this reading “That was in the very beginning of the epoch of steel.”

Left noun US /left/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.”

Never noun US /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “But he had never dreamed of steel.”

Still noun US /still/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The iron business had already laid the foundations of its future greatness, but steel was still in its infancy.”

All words in this reading · 57

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 Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.

abiding

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

From this reading Anthony's father had been an iron-master in a small way, with a monthly pay-roll of a few hundred dollars, and an abiding faith in the future of iron.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.

alreadynounUS /already/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The iron business had already laid the foundations of its future greatness, but steel was still in its infancy.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading Anthony's father had been an iron-master in a small way, with a monthly pay-roll of a few hundred dollars, and an abiding faith in the future of iron.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.

Anthony

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

From this reading Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.

Anthony's

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

From this reading Anthony's father had been an iron-master in a small way, with a monthly pay-roll of a few hundred dollars, and an abiding faith in the future of iron.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Anthony's father had been an iron-master in a small way, with a monthly pay-roll of a few hundred dollars, and an abiding faith in the future of iron.

beginningnounUS /ˈbeginning/

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

From this reading That was in the very beginning of the epoch of steel.

business

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

From this reading The iron business had already laid the foundations of its future greatness, but steel was still in its infancy.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading The iron business had already laid the foundations of its future greatness, but steel was still in its infancy.

capital

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

From this reading Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.

Cardew

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

From this reading Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.

Civil

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

From this reading Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.

dollars

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

From this reading Anthony's father had been an iron-master in a small way, with a monthly pay-roll of a few hundred dollars, and an abiding faith in the future of iron.

dreamed

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

From this reading But he had never dreamed of steel.

epoch

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

From this reading That was in the very beginning of the epoch of steel.

faith

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

From this reading Anthony's father had been an iron-master in a small way, with a monthly pay-roll of a few hundred dollars, and an abiding faith in the future of iron.

father

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

From this reading Anthony's father had been an iron-master in a small way, with a monthly pay-roll of a few hundred dollars, and an abiding faith in the future of iron.

few

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

From this reading Anthony's father had been an iron-master in a small way, with a monthly pay-roll of a few hundred dollars, and an abiding faith in the future of iron.

finding

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

From this reading Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.

foundations

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

From this reading The iron business had already laid the foundations of its future greatness, but steel was still in its infancy.

future

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

From this reading The iron business had already laid the foundations of its future greatness, but steel was still in its infancy.

greatness

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

From this reading The iron business had already laid the foundations of its future greatness, but steel was still in its infancy.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading But he had never dreamed of steel.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.

hundred

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

From this reading Anthony's father had been an iron-master in a small way, with a monthly pay-roll of a few hundred dollars, and an abiding faith in the future of iron.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.

infancy

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

From this reading The iron business had already laid the foundations of its future greatness, but steel was still in its infancy.

investment

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

From this reading Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.

iron

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

From this reading The iron business had already laid the foundations of its future greatness, but steel was still in its infancy.

iron-master

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

From this reading Anthony's father had been an iron-master in a small way, with a monthly pay-roll of a few hundred dollars, and an abiding faith in the future of iron.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading The iron business had already laid the foundations of its future greatness, but steel was still in its infancy.

laid

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

From this reading The iron business had already laid the foundations of its future greatness, but steel was still in its infancy.

leftnounUS /left/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.

location

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

From this reading Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.

monthly

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

From this reading Anthony's father had been an iron-master in a small way, with a monthly pay-roll of a few hundred dollars, and an abiding faith in the future of iron.

nevernounUS /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading But he had never dreamed of steel.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.

pay-roll

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

From this reading Anthony's father had been an iron-master in a small way, with a monthly pay-roll of a few hundred dollars, and an abiding faith in the future of iron.

Pittsburgh

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

From this reading Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.

Shortly

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

From this reading Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.

small

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

From this reading Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.

spent

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

From this reading Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.

steel

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

From this reading That was in the very beginning of the epoch of steel.

stillnounUS /still/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The iron business had already laid the foundations of its future greatness, but steel was still in its infancy.

ThatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading That was in the very beginning of the epoch of steel.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.

very

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

From this reading That was in the very beginning of the epoch of steel.

War

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

From this reading Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading That was in the very beginning of the epoch of steel.

way

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

From this reading Anthony's father had been an iron-master in a small way, with a monthly pay-roll of a few hundred dollars, and an abiding faith in the future of iron.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Anthony's father had been an iron-master in a small way, with a monthly pay-roll of a few hundred dollars, and an abiding faith in the future of iron.

year

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

From this reading Shortly after the Civil War Anthony Cardew had left Pittsburgh and spent a year in finding a location for the investment of his small capital.