A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XX
The minister from the doorstep of the parsonage watched the stooped figure as it shambled down the street. The rain was still falling in torrents. The thought crossed his mind that the old man might not be able to compass the two miles or more of country road. Then he got into his raincoat and followed. “My umbrella isn’t of the best,” he said, as he overtook the toiling figure; “but I should have offered it.”
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading ““My umbrella isn’t of the best,” he said, as he overtook the toiling figure; “but I should have offered it.””
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading “The thought crossed his mind that the old man might not be able to compass the two miles or more of country road.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “The thought crossed his mind that the old man might not be able to compass the two miles or more of country road.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “The rain was still falling in torrents.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “The thought crossed his mind that the old man might not be able to compass the two miles or more of country road.”
Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The thought crossed his mind that the old man might not be able to compass the two miles or more of country road.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Then he got into his raincoat and followed.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The minister from the doorstep of the parsonage watched the stooped figure as it shambled down the street.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The thought crossed his mind that the old man might not be able to compass the two miles or more of country road.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “My umbrella isn’t of the best,” he said, as he overtook the toiling figure; “but I should have offered it.”
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading “My umbrella isn’t of the best,” he said, as he overtook the toiling figure; “but I should have offered it.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The thought crossed his mind that the old man might not be able to compass the two miles or more of country road.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The thought crossed his mind that the old man might not be able to compass the two miles or more of country road.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The thought crossed his mind that the old man might not be able to compass the two miles or more of country road.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The minister from the doorstep of the parsonage watched the stooped figure as it shambled down the street.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The minister from the doorstep of the parsonage watched the stooped figure as it shambled down the street.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The rain was still falling in torrents.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The minister from the doorstep of the parsonage watched the stooped figure as it shambled down the street.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then he got into his raincoat and followed.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The minister from the doorstep of the parsonage watched the stooped figure as it shambled down the street.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then he got into his raincoat and followed.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “My umbrella isn’t of the best,” he said, as he overtook the toiling figure; “but I should have offered it.”
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Then he got into his raincoat and followed.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The thought crossed his mind that the old man might not be able to compass the two miles or more of country road.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “My umbrella isn’t of the best,” he said, as he overtook the toiling figure; “but I should have offered it.”
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The rain was still falling in torrents.
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Then he got into his raincoat and followed.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “My umbrella isn’t of the best,” he said, as he overtook the toiling figure; “but I should have offered it.”
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The minister from the doorstep of the parsonage watched the stooped figure as it shambled down the street.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The thought crossed his mind that the old man might not be able to compass the two miles or more of country road.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading The thought crossed his mind that the old man might not be able to compass the two miles or more of country road.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The thought crossed his mind that the old man might not be able to compass the two miles or more of country road.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The thought crossed his mind that the old man might not be able to compass the two miles or more of country road.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The minister from the doorstep of the parsonage watched the stooped figure as it shambled down the street.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The thought crossed his mind that the old man might not be able to compass the two miles or more of country road.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “My umbrella isn’t of the best,” he said, as he overtook the toiling figure; “but I should have offered it.”
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The thought crossed his mind that the old man might not be able to compass the two miles or more of country road.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The minister from the doorstep of the parsonage watched the stooped figure as it shambled down the street.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “My umbrella isn’t of the best,” he said, as he overtook the toiling figure; “but I should have offered it.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The thought crossed his mind that the old man might not be able to compass the two miles or more of country road.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The thought crossed his mind that the old man might not be able to compass the two miles or more of country road.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “My umbrella isn’t of the best,” he said, as he overtook the toiling figure; “but I should have offered it.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The minister from the doorstep of the parsonage watched the stooped figure as it shambled down the street.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The rain was still falling in torrents.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then he got into his raincoat and followed.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The thought crossed his mind that the old man might not be able to compass the two miles or more of country road.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “My umbrella isn’t of the best,” he said, as he overtook the toiling figure; “but I should have offered it.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The minister from the doorstep of the parsonage watched the stooped figure as it shambled down the street.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading “My umbrella isn’t of the best,” he said, as he overtook the toiling figure; “but I should have offered it.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The rain was still falling in torrents.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The minister from the doorstep of the parsonage watched the stooped figure as it shambled down the street.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The minister from the doorstep of the parsonage watched the stooped figure as it shambled down the street.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The thought crossed his mind that the old man might not be able to compass the two miles or more of country road.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The minister from the doorstep of the parsonage watched the stooped figure as it shambled down the street.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then he got into his raincoat and followed.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The thought crossed his mind that the old man might not be able to compass the two miles or more of country road.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The thought crossed his mind that the old man might not be able to compass the two miles or more of country road.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “My umbrella isn’t of the best,” he said, as he overtook the toiling figure; “but I should have offered it.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The rain was still falling in torrents.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The thought crossed his mind that the old man might not be able to compass the two miles or more of country road.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “My umbrella isn’t of the best,” he said, as he overtook the toiling figure; “but I should have offered it.”
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The rain was still falling in torrents.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The minister from the doorstep of the parsonage watched the stooped figure as it shambled down the street.
