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Auld Licht Idyls
Auld Licht Idyls

Chapter I

Cover illustration for Auld Licht Idyls
Context Illustration Reading 1/82 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THRUMS.
Thrums is the name I give here to the handful of houses jumbled together in a cup, which is the town nearest the school-house.
Until twenty years ago its every other room, earthen-floored and showing the rafters overhead, had a hand-loom, and hundreds of weavers lived and died Thoreaus “ben the hoose” without knowing it.
In those days the cup overflowed and left several houses on the top of the hill, where their cold skeletons still stand.
The road that climbs from the square, which is Thrums' heart, to the north is so steep and straight, that in a sharp frost children hunker at the top and are blown down with a roar and a rush on rails of ice.
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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.

Auld Licht Idyls

Chapter I

Reading 1/82 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THRUMS.
Line 2
Thrums is the name I give here to the handful of houses jumbled together in a cup, which is the town nearest the school-house.
Line 3
Until twenty years ago its every other room, earthen-floored and showing the rafters overhead, had a hand-loom, and hundreds of weavers lived and died Thoreaus “ben the hoose” without knowing it.
Line 4
In those days the cup overflowed and left several houses on the top of the hill, where their cold skeletons still stand.
Line 5
The road that climbs from the square, which is Thrums' heart, to the north is so steep and straight, that in a sharp frost children hunker at the top and are blown down with a roar and a rush on rails of ice.

Learner Dictionary

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

Every determiner US /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading “Until twenty years ago its every other room, earthen-floored and showing the rafters overhead, had a hand-loom, and hundreds of weavers lived and died Thoreaus “ben the hoose” without knowing it.”

Here noun US /here/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Thrums is the name I give here to the handful of houses jumbled together in a cup, which is the town nearest the school-house.”

Left noun US /left/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “In those days the cup overflowed and left several houses on the top of the hill, where their cold skeletons still stand.”

Name noun US /name/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Thrums is the name I give here to the handful of houses jumbled together in a cup, which is the town nearest the school-house.”

Several noun US /ˈseveral/

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

From this reading “In those days the cup overflowed and left several houses on the top of the hill, where their cold skeletons still stand.”

Stand noun US /stand/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “In those days the cup overflowed and left several houses on the top of the hill, where their cold skeletons still stand.”

Still noun US /still/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “In those days the cup overflowed and left several houses on the top of the hill, where their cold skeletons still stand.”

Those determiner US /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading “In those days the cup overflowed and left several houses on the top of the hill, where their cold skeletons still stand.”

Until preposition US /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading “Until twenty years ago its every other room, earthen-floored and showing the rafters overhead, had a hand-loom, and hundreds of weavers lived and died Thoreaus “ben the hoose” without knowing it.”

Without preposition US /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading “Until twenty years ago its every other room, earthen-floored and showing the rafters overhead, had a hand-loom, and hundreds of weavers lived and died Thoreaus “ben the hoose” without knowing it.”

All words in this reading · 82

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 Thrums is the name I give here to the handful of houses jumbled together in a cup, which is the town nearest the school-house.

ago

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

From this reading Until twenty years ago its every other room, earthen-floored and showing the rafters overhead, had a hand-loom, and hundreds of weavers lived and died Thoreaus “ben the hoose” without knowing it.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Until twenty years ago its every other room, earthen-floored and showing the rafters overhead, had a hand-loom, and hundreds of weavers lived and died Thoreaus “ben the hoose” without knowing it.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading The road that climbs from the square, which is Thrums' heart, to the north is so steep and straight, that in a sharp frost children hunker at the top and are blown down with a roar and a rush on rails of ice.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The road that climbs from the square, which is Thrums' heart, to the north is so steep and straight, that in a sharp frost children hunker at the top and are blown down with a roar and a rush on rails of ice.

ben

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

From this reading Until twenty years ago its every other room, earthen-floored and showing the rafters overhead, had a hand-loom, and hundreds of weavers lived and died Thoreaus “ben the hoose” without knowing it.

blown

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

From this reading The road that climbs from the square, which is Thrums' heart, to the north is so steep and straight, that in a sharp frost children hunker at the top and are blown down with a roar and a rush on rails of ice.

children

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

From this reading The road that climbs from the square, which is Thrums' heart, to the north is so steep and straight, that in a sharp frost children hunker at the top and are blown down with a roar and a rush on rails of ice.

climbs

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

From this reading The road that climbs from the square, which is Thrums' heart, to the north is so steep and straight, that in a sharp frost children hunker at the top and are blown down with a roar and a rush on rails of ice.

cold

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

From this reading In those days the cup overflowed and left several houses on the top of the hill, where their cold skeletons still stand.

cup

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

From this reading Thrums is the name I give here to the handful of houses jumbled together in a cup, which is the town nearest the school-house.

days

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

From this reading In those days the cup overflowed and left several houses on the top of the hill, where their cold skeletons still stand.

died

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

From this reading Until twenty years ago its every other room, earthen-floored and showing the rafters overhead, had a hand-loom, and hundreds of weavers lived and died Thoreaus “ben the hoose” without knowing it.

down

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

From this reading The road that climbs from the square, which is Thrums' heart, to the north is so steep and straight, that in a sharp frost children hunker at the top and are blown down with a roar and a rush on rails of ice.

earthen-floored

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

From this reading Until twenty years ago its every other room, earthen-floored and showing the rafters overhead, had a hand-loom, and hundreds of weavers lived and died Thoreaus “ben the hoose” without knowing it.

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading Until twenty years ago its every other room, earthen-floored and showing the rafters overhead, had a hand-loom, and hundreds of weavers lived and died Thoreaus “ben the hoose” without knowing it.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading The road that climbs from the square, which is Thrums' heart, to the north is so steep and straight, that in a sharp frost children hunker at the top and are blown down with a roar and a rush on rails of ice.

frost

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

From this reading The road that climbs from the square, which is Thrums' heart, to the north is so steep and straight, that in a sharp frost children hunker at the top and are blown down with a roar and a rush on rails of ice.

give

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

From this reading Thrums is the name I give here to the handful of houses jumbled together in a cup, which is the town nearest the school-house.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading Until twenty years ago its every other room, earthen-floored and showing the rafters overhead, had a hand-loom, and hundreds of weavers lived and died Thoreaus “ben the hoose” without knowing it.

hand-loom

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

From this reading Until twenty years ago its every other room, earthen-floored and showing the rafters overhead, had a hand-loom, and hundreds of weavers lived and died Thoreaus “ben the hoose” without knowing it.

handful

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

From this reading Thrums is the name I give here to the handful of houses jumbled together in a cup, which is the town nearest the school-house.

heart

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

From this reading The road that climbs from the square, which is Thrums' heart, to the north is so steep and straight, that in a sharp frost children hunker at the top and are blown down with a roar and a rush on rails of ice.

herenounUS /here/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Thrums is the name I give here to the handful of houses jumbled together in a cup, which is the town nearest the school-house.

hill

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

From this reading In those days the cup overflowed and left several houses on the top of the hill, where their cold skeletons still stand.

hoose

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

From this reading Until twenty years ago its every other room, earthen-floored and showing the rafters overhead, had a hand-loom, and hundreds of weavers lived and died Thoreaus “ben the hoose” without knowing it.

houses

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

From this reading Thrums is the name I give here to the handful of houses jumbled together in a cup, which is the town nearest the school-house.

hundreds

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

From this reading Until twenty years ago its every other room, earthen-floored and showing the rafters overhead, had a hand-loom, and hundreds of weavers lived and died Thoreaus “ben the hoose” without knowing it.

hunker

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

From this reading The road that climbs from the square, which is Thrums' heart, to the north is so steep and straight, that in a sharp frost children hunker at the top and are blown down with a roar and a rush on rails of ice.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading Thrums is the name I give here to the handful of houses jumbled together in a cup, which is the town nearest the school-house.

ice

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

From this reading The road that climbs from the square, which is Thrums' heart, to the north is so steep and straight, that in a sharp frost children hunker at the top and are blown down with a roar and a rush on rails of ice.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Thrums is the name I give here to the handful of houses jumbled together in a cup, which is the town nearest the school-house.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading Thrums is the name I give here to the handful of houses jumbled together in a cup, which is the town nearest the school-house.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Until twenty years ago its every other room, earthen-floored and showing the rafters overhead, had a hand-loom, and hundreds of weavers lived and died Thoreaus “ben the hoose” without knowing it.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Until twenty years ago its every other room, earthen-floored and showing the rafters overhead, had a hand-loom, and hundreds of weavers lived and died Thoreaus “ben the hoose” without knowing it.

jumbled

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

From this reading Thrums is the name I give here to the handful of houses jumbled together in a cup, which is the town nearest the school-house.

knowing

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

From this reading Until twenty years ago its every other room, earthen-floored and showing the rafters overhead, had a hand-loom, and hundreds of weavers lived and died Thoreaus “ben the hoose” without knowing it.

leftnounUS /left/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading In those days the cup overflowed and left several houses on the top of the hill, where their cold skeletons still stand.

lived

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

From this reading Until twenty years ago its every other room, earthen-floored and showing the rafters overhead, had a hand-loom, and hundreds of weavers lived and died Thoreaus “ben the hoose” without knowing it.

namenounUS /name/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Thrums is the name I give here to the handful of houses jumbled together in a cup, which is the town nearest the school-house.

nearest

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

From this reading Thrums is the name I give here to the handful of houses jumbled together in a cup, which is the town nearest the school-house.

north

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

From this reading The road that climbs from the square, which is Thrums' heart, to the north is so steep and straight, that in a sharp frost children hunker at the top and are blown down with a roar and a rush on rails of ice.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Thrums is the name I give here to the handful of houses jumbled together in a cup, which is the town nearest the school-house.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading In those days the cup overflowed and left several houses on the top of the hill, where their cold skeletons still stand.

other

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

From this reading Until twenty years ago its every other room, earthen-floored and showing the rafters overhead, had a hand-loom, and hundreds of weavers lived and died Thoreaus “ben the hoose” without knowing it.

overflowed

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

From this reading In those days the cup overflowed and left several houses on the top of the hill, where their cold skeletons still stand.

overhead

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

From this reading Until twenty years ago its every other room, earthen-floored and showing the rafters overhead, had a hand-loom, and hundreds of weavers lived and died Thoreaus “ben the hoose” without knowing it.

rafters

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

From this reading Until twenty years ago its every other room, earthen-floored and showing the rafters overhead, had a hand-loom, and hundreds of weavers lived and died Thoreaus “ben the hoose” without knowing it.

rails

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

From this reading The road that climbs from the square, which is Thrums' heart, to the north is so steep and straight, that in a sharp frost children hunker at the top and are blown down with a roar and a rush on rails of ice.

road

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

From this reading The road that climbs from the square, which is Thrums' heart, to the north is so steep and straight, that in a sharp frost children hunker at the top and are blown down with a roar and a rush on rails of ice.

roar

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

From this reading The road that climbs from the square, which is Thrums' heart, to the north is so steep and straight, that in a sharp frost children hunker at the top and are blown down with a roar and a rush on rails of ice.

room

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

From this reading Until twenty years ago its every other room, earthen-floored and showing the rafters overhead, had a hand-loom, and hundreds of weavers lived and died Thoreaus “ben the hoose” without knowing it.

rush

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

From this reading The road that climbs from the square, which is Thrums' heart, to the north is so steep and straight, that in a sharp frost children hunker at the top and are blown down with a roar and a rush on rails of ice.

school-house

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

From this reading Thrums is the name I give here to the handful of houses jumbled together in a cup, which is the town nearest the school-house.

several

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

From this reading In those days the cup overflowed and left several houses on the top of the hill, where their cold skeletons still stand.

sharp

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

From this reading The road that climbs from the square, which is Thrums' heart, to the north is so steep and straight, that in a sharp frost children hunker at the top and are blown down with a roar and a rush on rails of ice.

showing

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

From this reading Until twenty years ago its every other room, earthen-floored and showing the rafters overhead, had a hand-loom, and hundreds of weavers lived and died Thoreaus “ben the hoose” without knowing it.

skeletons

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

From this reading In those days the cup overflowed and left several houses on the top of the hill, where their cold skeletons still stand.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading The road that climbs from the square, which is Thrums' heart, to the north is so steep and straight, that in a sharp frost children hunker at the top and are blown down with a roar and a rush on rails of ice.

square

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

From this reading The road that climbs from the square, which is Thrums' heart, to the north is so steep and straight, that in a sharp frost children hunker at the top and are blown down with a roar and a rush on rails of ice.

stand

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

From this reading In those days the cup overflowed and left several houses on the top of the hill, where their cold skeletons still stand.

steep

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

From this reading The road that climbs from the square, which is Thrums' heart, to the north is so steep and straight, that in a sharp frost children hunker at the top and are blown down with a roar and a rush on rails of ice.

stillnounUS /still/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading In those days the cup overflowed and left several houses on the top of the hill, where their cold skeletons still stand.

straight

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

From this reading The road that climbs from the square, which is Thrums' heart, to the north is so steep and straight, that in a sharp frost children hunker at the top and are blown down with a roar and a rush on rails of ice.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The road that climbs from the square, which is Thrums' heart, to the north is so steep and straight, that in a sharp frost children hunker at the top and are blown down with a roar and a rush on rails of ice.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Thrums is the name I give here to the handful of houses jumbled together in a cup, which is the town nearest the school-house.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading In those days the cup overflowed and left several houses on the top of the hill, where their cold skeletons still stand.

Thoreaus

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

From this reading Until twenty years ago its every other room, earthen-floored and showing the rafters overhead, had a hand-loom, and hundreds of weavers lived and died Thoreaus “ben the hoose” without knowing it.

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading In those days the cup overflowed and left several houses on the top of the hill, where their cold skeletons still stand.

THRUMS

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

From this reading THRUMS.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading Thrums is the name I give here to the handful of houses jumbled together in a cup, which is the town nearest the school-house.

together

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

From this reading Thrums is the name I give here to the handful of houses jumbled together in a cup, which is the town nearest the school-house.

top

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

From this reading In those days the cup overflowed and left several houses on the top of the hill, where their cold skeletons still stand.

town

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

From this reading Thrums is the name I give here to the handful of houses jumbled together in a cup, which is the town nearest the school-house.

twenty

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

From this reading Until twenty years ago its every other room, earthen-floored and showing the rafters overhead, had a hand-loom, and hundreds of weavers lived and died Thoreaus “ben the hoose” without knowing it.

UntilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading Until twenty years ago its every other room, earthen-floored and showing the rafters overhead, had a hand-loom, and hundreds of weavers lived and died Thoreaus “ben the hoose” without knowing it.

weavers

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

From this reading Until twenty years ago its every other room, earthen-floored and showing the rafters overhead, had a hand-loom, and hundreds of weavers lived and died Thoreaus “ben the hoose” without knowing it.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading In those days the cup overflowed and left several houses on the top of the hill, where their cold skeletons still stand.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading Thrums is the name I give here to the handful of houses jumbled together in a cup, which is the town nearest the school-house.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The road that climbs from the square, which is Thrums' heart, to the north is so steep and straight, that in a sharp frost children hunker at the top and are blown down with a roar and a rush on rails of ice.

withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading Until twenty years ago its every other room, earthen-floored and showing the rafters overhead, had a hand-loom, and hundreds of weavers lived and died Thoreaus “ben the hoose” without knowing it.

years

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

From this reading Until twenty years ago its every other room, earthen-floored and showing the rafters overhead, had a hand-loom, and hundreds of weavers lived and died Thoreaus “ben the hoose” without knowing it.