A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter V
THE COLDS OF SPACE. How could they imagine that the Observatory men had committed such a blunder? Barbican would not believe it possible. He made the Captain go over his calculation again and again; but no flaw was to be found in it. He himself carefully examined it, figure after figure, but he could find nothing wrong.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
later than; following
From this reading “He himself carefully examined it, figure after figure, but he could find nothing wrong.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “He made the Captain go over his calculation again and again; but no flaw was to be found in it.”
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “Barbican would not believe it possible.”
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “He made the Captain go over his calculation again and again; but no flaw was to be found in it.”
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading “How could they imagine that the Observatory men had committed such a blunder?”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “He made the Captain go over his calculation again and again; but no flaw was to be found in it.”
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading “He himself carefully examined it, figure after figure, but he could find nothing wrong.”
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “How could they imagine that the Observatory men had committed such a blunder?”
not one thing; not anything
From this reading “He himself carefully examined it, figure after figure, but he could find nothing wrong.”
above and across; more than
From this reading “He made the Captain go over his calculation again and again; but no flaw was to be found in it.”
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading “Barbican would not believe it possible.”
Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading How could they imagine that the Observatory men had committed such a blunder?
later than; following
From this reading He himself carefully examined it, figure after figure, but he could find nothing wrong.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He made the Captain go over his calculation again and again; but no flaw was to be found in it.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He made the Captain go over his calculation again and again; but no flaw was to be found in it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Barbican would not believe it possible.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He made the Captain go over his calculation again and again; but no flaw was to be found in it.
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Barbican would not believe it possible.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How could they imagine that the Observatory men had committed such a blunder?
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He made the Captain go over his calculation again and again; but no flaw was to be found in it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He made the Captain go over his calculation again and again; but no flaw was to be found in it.
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading He made the Captain go over his calculation again and again; but no flaw was to be found in it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He himself carefully examined it, figure after figure, but he could find nothing wrong.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE COLDS OF SPACE.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How could they imagine that the Observatory men had committed such a blunder?
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading How could they imagine that the Observatory men had committed such a blunder?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He himself carefully examined it, figure after figure, but he could find nothing wrong.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He himself carefully examined it, figure after figure, but he could find nothing wrong.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He himself carefully examined it, figure after figure, but he could find nothing wrong.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He made the Captain go over his calculation again and again; but no flaw was to be found in it.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He made the Captain go over his calculation again and again; but no flaw was to be found in it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He made the Captain go over his calculation again and again; but no flaw was to be found in it.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading How could they imagine that the Observatory men had committed such a blunder?
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He made the Captain go over his calculation again and again; but no flaw was to be found in it.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He himself carefully examined it, figure after figure, but he could find nothing wrong.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He made the Captain go over his calculation again and again; but no flaw was to be found in it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How could they imagine that the Observatory men had committed such a blunder?
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading How could they imagine that the Observatory men had committed such a blunder?
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He made the Captain go over his calculation again and again; but no flaw was to be found in it.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Barbican would not believe it possible.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He made the Captain go over his calculation again and again; but no flaw was to be found in it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How could they imagine that the Observatory men had committed such a blunder?
not any; not one
From this reading He made the Captain go over his calculation again and again; but no flaw was to be found in it.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Barbican would not believe it possible.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading He himself carefully examined it, figure after figure, but he could find nothing wrong.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How could they imagine that the Observatory men had committed such a blunder?
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE COLDS OF SPACE.
above and across; more than
From this reading He made the Captain go over his calculation again and again; but no flaw was to be found in it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Barbican would not believe it possible.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE COLDS OF SPACE.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading How could they imagine that the Observatory men had committed such a blunder?
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading How could they imagine that the Observatory men had committed such a blunder?
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE COLDS OF SPACE.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading How could they imagine that the Observatory men had committed such a blunder?
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He made the Captain go over his calculation again and again; but no flaw was to be found in it.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He made the Captain go over his calculation again and again; but no flaw was to be found in it.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Barbican would not believe it possible.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He himself carefully examined it, figure after figure, but he could find nothing wrong.
