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A Poor Wise Man
A Poor Wise Man

Chapter XXXII

Cover illustration for A Poor Wise Man
Context Illustration Reading 1/45 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.
Some of them were like herself, or herself as she might have been, bearing their children out of wedlock.
Yet they faced their indefinite futures impassively, content in relief from pain, in the child in their arms, in present peace and security.
She could not understand.
She herself felt no sense of loss.
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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 XXXII

Reading 1/45 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.
Line 2
Some of them were like herself, or herself as she might have been, bearing their children out of wedlock.
Line 3
Yet they faced their indefinite futures impassively, content in relief from pain, in the child in their arms, in present peace and security.
Line 4
She could not understand.
/ʃiː kʊd nɑːt understand/
Line 5
She herself felt no sense of loss.

Learner Dictionary

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

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “Some of them were like herself, or herself as she might have been, bearing their children out of wedlock.”

Could modal verb US /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading “She could not understand.”

First noun US /first/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “Some of them were like herself, or herself as she might have been, bearing their children out of wedlock.”

Herself pronoun US /hərˈself/

used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object

From this reading “Some of them were like herself, or herself as she might have been, bearing their children out of wedlock.”

Might modal verb US /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading “Some of them were like herself, or herself as she might have been, bearing their children out of wedlock.”

Over preposition US /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading “In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.”

Relief noun US /rɪˈliːf/

a feeling of comfort after worry or pain

From this reading “Yet they faced their indefinite futures impassively, content in relief from pain, in the child in their arms, in present peace and security.”

Through noun US /ˈthrough/

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

From this reading “In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.”

Understand noun US /understand/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “She could not understand.”

Yet conjunction US /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading “Yet they faced their indefinite futures impassively, content in relief from pain, in the child in their arms, in present peace and security.”

All words in this reading · 71

Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.

angels

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

From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.

arms

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

From this reading Yet they faced their indefinite futures impassively, content in relief from pain, in the child in their arms, in present peace and security.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Some of them were like herself, or herself as she might have been, bearing their children out of wedlock.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.

babies

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

From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.

bearing

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

From this reading Some of them were like herself, or herself as she might have been, bearing their children out of wedlock.

bed

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

From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Some of them were like herself, or herself as she might have been, bearing their children out of wedlock.

bundles

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

From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.

child

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

From this reading Yet they faced their indefinite futures impassively, content in relief from pain, in the child in their arms, in present peace and security.

children

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

From this reading Some of them were like herself, or herself as she might have been, bearing their children out of wedlock.

content

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

From this reading Yet they faced their indefinite futures impassively, content in relief from pain, in the child in their arms, in present peace and security.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading She could not understand.

days

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

From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.

Edith

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

From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.

faced

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

From this reading Yet they faced their indefinite futures impassively, content in relief from pain, in the child in their arms, in present peace and security.

felt

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

From this reading She herself felt no sense of loss.

firstnounUS /first/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Yet they faced their indefinite futures impassively, content in relief from pain, in the child in their arms, in present peace and security.

futures

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

From this reading Yet they faced their indefinite futures impassively, content in relief from pain, in the child in their arms, in present peace and security.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Some of them were like herself, or herself as she might have been, bearing their children out of wedlock.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.

herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/

used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object

From this reading Some of them were like herself, or herself as she might have been, bearing their children out of wedlock.

hover

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

From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.

impassively

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

From this reading Yet they faced their indefinite futures impassively, content in relief from pain, in the child in their arms, in present peace and security.

InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.

indefinite

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

From this reading Yet they faced their indefinite futures impassively, content in relief from pain, in the child in their arms, in present peace and security.

instinct

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

From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.

lay

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

From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.

like

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

From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.

loss

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

From this reading She herself felt no sense of loss.

made

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

From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.

maternity

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

From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading Some of them were like herself, or herself as she might have been, bearing their children out of wedlock.

ministering

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

From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.

mis-shaped

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

From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading She herself felt no sense of loss.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading She could not understand.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Some of them were like herself, or herself as she might have been, bearing their children out of wedlock.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Some of them were like herself, or herself as she might have been, bearing their children out of wedlock.

other

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

From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.

out

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

From this reading Some of them were like herself, or herself as she might have been, bearing their children out of wedlock.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.

pain

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

From this reading Yet they faced their indefinite futures impassively, content in relief from pain, in the child in their arms, in present peace and security.

peace

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

From this reading Yet they faced their indefinite futures impassively, content in relief from pain, in the child in their arms, in present peace and security.

present

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

From this reading Yet they faced their indefinite futures impassively, content in relief from pain, in the child in their arms, in present peace and security.

queer

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

From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.

quivering

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

From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.

reliefnounUS /rɪˈliːf/

a feeling of comfort after worry or pain

From this reading Yet they faced their indefinite futures impassively, content in relief from pain, in the child in their arms, in present peace and security.

security

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

From this reading Yet they faced their indefinite futures impassively, content in relief from pain, in the child in their arms, in present peace and security.

sense

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

From this reading She herself felt no sense of loss.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading Some of them were like herself, or herself as she might have been, bearing their children out of wedlock.

Some

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

From this reading Some of them were like herself, or herself as she might have been, bearing their children out of wedlock.

strange

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

From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Yet they faced their indefinite futures impassively, content in relief from pain, in the child in their arms, in present peace and security.

throughnounUS /ˈthrough/

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

From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.

tiny

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

From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.

understandnounUS /understand/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading She could not understand.

ward

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

From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.

watching

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

From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.

wedlock

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

From this reading Some of them were like herself, or herself as she might have been, bearing their children out of wedlock.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Some of them were like herself, or herself as she might have been, bearing their children out of wedlock.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.

women

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

From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.

wondering

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

From this reading In her bed in the maternity ward Edith at first lay through the days, watching the other women with their babies, and wondering over the strange instinct that made them hover, like queer mis-shaped ministering angels, over the tiny quivering bundles.

YetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading Yet they faced their indefinite futures impassively, content in relief from pain, in the child in their arms, in present peace and security.