Chapter VII
'Suppose he asks why?' 'I shall say I can't possibly imagine.' 'Oh, well, if you're going to tell lies--' 'Not at all. Merely a diplomatic evasion. I'm not bound to go and sob out my secrets on Jephson's waistcoat.'
A Prefect's Uncle
Chapter VII
English subtitles · tap any word to listen
1 / 5
'Suppose
he
asks
why?'
'I
shall
say
I
can't
possibly
imagine.'
'Oh,
well,
if
you're
going
to
tell
lies--'
'Not
at
all.
Merely
a
diplomatic
evasion.
I'm
not
bound
to
go
and
sob
out
my
secrets
on
Jephson's
waistcoat.'
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Line 1
'Suppose
he
asks
why?'
Line 2
'I
shall
say
I
can't
possibly
imagine.'
Line 3
'Oh,
well,
if
you're
going
to
tell
lies--'
'Not
at
all.
Line 4
Merely
a
diplomatic
evasion.
Line 5
I'm
not
bound
to
go
and
sob
out
my
secrets
on
Jephson's
waistcoat.'
Learner Dictionary
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
Imagine
noun
US /ˈimagine/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “'I shall say I can't possibly imagine.'”
Shall
modal verb
US /ʃæl/
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading “'I shall say I can't possibly imagine.'”
Sob
noun
US /sɒb/
a sudden deep breath caused by emotion
From this reading “I'm not bound to go and sob out my secrets on Jephson's waistcoat.'”
Suppose
noun
US /ˈsuppose/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “'Suppose he asks why?'”
Tell
noun
US /tell/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “'Oh, well, if you're going to tell lies--' 'Not at all.”
Well
noun
US /well/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “'Oh, well, if you're going to tell lies--' 'Not at all.”
All words in this reading · 36
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 Merely a diplomatic evasion.
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'Oh, well, if you're going to tell lies--' 'Not at all.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I'm not bound to go and sob out my secrets on Jephson's waistcoat.'
asks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'Suppose he asks why?'
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading 'Oh, well, if you're going to tell lies--' 'Not at all.
bound
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I'm not bound to go and sob out my secrets on Jephson's waistcoat.'
can't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'I shall say I can't possibly imagine.'
diplomatic
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Merely a diplomatic evasion.
evasion
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Merely a diplomatic evasion.
go
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I'm not bound to go and sob out my secrets on Jephson's waistcoat.'
going
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'Oh, well, if you're going to tell lies--' 'Not at all.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading 'Suppose he asks why?'
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading 'I shall say I can't possibly imagine.'
I'm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I'm not bound to go and sob out my secrets on Jephson's waistcoat.'
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading 'Oh, well, if you're going to tell lies--' 'Not at all.
imaginenounUS /ˈimagine/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading 'I shall say I can't possibly imagine.'
Jephson's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I'm not bound to go and sob out my secrets on Jephson's waistcoat.'
lies
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'Oh, well, if you're going to tell lies--' 'Not at all.
Merely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Merely a diplomatic evasion.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading I'm not bound to go and sob out my secrets on Jephson's waistcoat.'
NotadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading 'Oh, well, if you're going to tell lies--' 'Not at all.
Oh
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'Oh, well, if you're going to tell lies--' 'Not at all.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading I'm not bound to go and sob out my secrets on Jephson's waistcoat.'
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I'm not bound to go and sob out my secrets on Jephson's waistcoat.'
possibly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'I shall say I can't possibly imagine.'
say
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'I shall say I can't possibly imagine.'
secrets
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I'm not bound to go and sob out my secrets on Jephson's waistcoat.'
shallmodal verbUS /ʃæl/
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading 'I shall say I can't possibly imagine.'
sobnounUS /sɒb/
a sudden deep breath caused by emotion
From this reading I'm not bound to go and sob out my secrets on Jephson's waistcoat.'
SupposenounUS /ˈsuppose/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading 'Suppose he asks why?'
tellnounUS /tell/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading 'Oh, well, if you're going to tell lies--' 'Not at all.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading 'Oh, well, if you're going to tell lies--' 'Not at all.
waistcoat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I'm not bound to go and sob out my secrets on Jephson's waistcoat.'
well
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'Oh, well, if you're going to tell lies--' 'Not at all.
why
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'Suppose he asks why?'
you're
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'Oh, well, if you're going to tell lies--' 'Not at all.