A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter V
It was the afternoon of the day before Christmas. Mrs. Alexander had been driving about all the morning, leaving presents at the houses of her friends. She lunched alone, and as she rose from the table she spoke to the butler: “Thomas, I am going down to the kitchen now to see Norah. In half an hour you are to bring the greens up from the cellar and put them in the library. Mr. Alexander will be home at three to hang them himself.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading “Mrs. Alexander had been driving about all the morning, leaving presents at the houses of her friends.”
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “It was the afternoon of the day before Christmas.”
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “Mrs. Alexander had been driving about all the morning, leaving presents at the houses of her friends.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “She lunched alone, and as she rose from the table she spoke to the butler: “Thomas, I am going down to the kitchen now to see Norah.”
the past participle of “be”
From this reading “Mrs. Alexander had been driving about all the morning, leaving presents at the houses of her friends.”
earlier than; in front of
From this reading “It was the afternoon of the day before Christmas.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “In half an hour you are to bring the greens up from the cellar and put them in the library.”
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading “Mr. Alexander will be home at three to hang them himself.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Mrs. Alexander had been driving about all the morning, leaving presents at the houses of her friends.”
Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Mrs. Alexander had been driving about all the morning, leaving presents at the houses of her friends.
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading It was the afternoon of the day before Christmas.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Alexander had been driving about all the morning, leaving presents at the houses of her friends.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Alexander had been driving about all the morning, leaving presents at the houses of her friends.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She lunched alone, and as she rose from the table she spoke to the butler: “Thomas, I am going down to the kitchen now to see Norah.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading She lunched alone, and as she rose from the table she spoke to the butler: “Thomas, I am going down to the kitchen now to see Norah.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading In half an hour you are to bring the greens up from the cellar and put them in the library.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She lunched alone, and as she rose from the table she spoke to the butler: “Thomas, I am going down to the kitchen now to see Norah.
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading In half an hour you are to bring the greens up from the cellar and put them in the library.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She lunched alone, and as she rose from the table she spoke to the butler: “Thomas, I am going down to the kitchen now to see Norah.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Mrs. Alexander had been driving about all the morning, leaving presents at the houses of her friends.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Mr. Alexander will be home at three to hang them himself.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Mrs. Alexander had been driving about all the morning, leaving presents at the houses of her friends.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading It was the afternoon of the day before Christmas.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In half an hour you are to bring the greens up from the cellar and put them in the library.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She lunched alone, and as she rose from the table she spoke to the butler: “Thomas, I am going down to the kitchen now to see Norah.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In half an hour you are to bring the greens up from the cellar and put them in the library.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the afternoon of the day before Christmas.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the afternoon of the day before Christmas.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She lunched alone, and as she rose from the table she spoke to the butler: “Thomas, I am going down to the kitchen now to see Norah.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Alexander had been driving about all the morning, leaving presents at the houses of her friends.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Alexander had been driving about all the morning, leaving presents at the houses of her friends.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading She lunched alone, and as she rose from the table she spoke to the butler: “Thomas, I am going down to the kitchen now to see Norah.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She lunched alone, and as she rose from the table she spoke to the butler: “Thomas, I am going down to the kitchen now to see Norah.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In half an hour you are to bring the greens up from the cellar and put them in the library.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Mrs. Alexander had been driving about all the morning, leaving presents at the houses of her friends.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading In half an hour you are to bring the greens up from the cellar and put them in the library.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. Alexander will be home at three to hang them himself.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Mrs. Alexander had been driving about all the morning, leaving presents at the houses of her friends.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Mr. Alexander will be home at three to hang them himself.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. Alexander will be home at three to hang them himself.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In half an hour you are to bring the greens up from the cellar and put them in the library.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Alexander had been driving about all the morning, leaving presents at the houses of her friends.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading She lunched alone, and as she rose from the table she spoke to the butler: “Thomas, I am going down to the kitchen now to see Norah.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In half an hour you are to bring the greens up from the cellar and put them in the library.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was the afternoon of the day before Christmas.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She lunched alone, and as she rose from the table she spoke to the butler: “Thomas, I am going down to the kitchen now to see Norah.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Alexander had been driving about all the morning, leaving presents at the houses of her friends.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In half an hour you are to bring the greens up from the cellar and put them in the library.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She lunched alone, and as she rose from the table she spoke to the butler: “Thomas, I am going down to the kitchen now to see Norah.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Mrs. Alexander had been driving about all the morning, leaving presents at the houses of her friends.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. Alexander will be home at three to hang them himself.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Alexander had been driving about all the morning, leaving presents at the houses of her friends.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She lunched alone, and as she rose from the table she spoke to the butler: “Thomas, I am going down to the kitchen now to see Norah.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She lunched alone, and as she rose from the table she spoke to the butler: “Thomas, I am going down to the kitchen now to see Norah.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was the afternoon of the day before Christmas.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Alexander had been driving about all the morning, leaving presents at the houses of her friends.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In half an hour you are to bring the greens up from the cellar and put them in the library.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She lunched alone, and as she rose from the table she spoke to the butler: “Thomas, I am going down to the kitchen now to see Norah.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She lunched alone, and as she rose from the table she spoke to the butler: “Thomas, I am going down to the kitchen now to see Norah.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She lunched alone, and as she rose from the table she spoke to the butler: “Thomas, I am going down to the kitchen now to see Norah.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She lunched alone, and as she rose from the table she spoke to the butler: “Thomas, I am going down to the kitchen now to see Norah.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She lunched alone, and as she rose from the table she spoke to the butler: “Thomas, I am going down to the kitchen now to see Norah.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was the afternoon of the day before Christmas.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading In half an hour you are to bring the greens up from the cellar and put them in the library.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She lunched alone, and as she rose from the table she spoke to the butler: “Thomas, I am going down to the kitchen now to see Norah.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. Alexander will be home at three to hang them himself.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She lunched alone, and as she rose from the table she spoke to the butler: “Thomas, I am going down to the kitchen now to see Norah.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In half an hour you are to bring the greens up from the cellar and put them in the library.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was the afternoon of the day before Christmas.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading Mr. Alexander will be home at three to hang them himself.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading In half an hour you are to bring the greens up from the cellar and put them in the library.
