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Bayou Folk
Bayou Folk

Chapter I

Cover illustration for Bayou Folk
Context Illustration Reading 1/84 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
One agreeable afternoon in late autumn two young men stood together on Canal Street, closing a conversation that had evidently begun within the club-house which they had just quitted.
"There's big money in it, Offdean," said the elder of the two.
"I would n't have you touch it if there was n't.
Why, they tell me Patchly 's pulled a hundred thousand out of the concern a'ready."
"That may be," replied Offdean, who had been politely attentive to the words addressed to him, but whose face bore a look indicating that he was closed to conviction.
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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.

Bayou Folk

Chapter I

Reading 1/84 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
One agreeable afternoon in late autumn two young men stood together on Canal Street, closing a conversation that had evidently begun within the club-house which they had just quitted.
Line 2
"There's big money in it, Offdean," said the elder of the two.
Line 3
"I would n't have you touch it if there was n't.
Line 4
Why, they tell me Patchly 's pulled a hundred thousand out of the concern a'ready."
Line 5
"That may be," replied Offdean, who had been politely attentive to the words addressed to him, but whose face bore a look indicating that he was closed to conviction.

Learner Dictionary

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

Afternoon noun US /ˈafternoon/

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

From this reading “One agreeable afternoon in late autumn two young men stood together on Canal Street, closing a conversation that had evidently begun within the club-house which they had just quitted.”

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “"That may be," replied Offdean, who had been politely attentive to the words addressed to him, but whose face bore a look indicating that he was closed to conviction.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “"I would n't have you touch it if there was n't.”

Look noun US /look/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “"That may be," replied Offdean, who had been politely attentive to the words addressed to him, but whose face bore a look indicating that he was closed to conviction.”

May modal verb US /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading “"That may be," replied Offdean, who had been politely attentive to the words addressed to him, but whose face bore a look indicating that he was closed to conviction.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “One agreeable afternoon in late autumn two young men stood together on Canal Street, closing a conversation that had evidently begun within the club-house which they had just quitted.”

Pulled noun US /pulled/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Why, they tell me Patchly 's pulled a hundred thousand out of the concern a'ready."”

Replied noun US /replied/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “"That may be," replied Offdean, who had been politely attentive to the words addressed to him, but whose face bore a look indicating that he was closed to conviction.”

Stood noun US /stood/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “One agreeable afternoon in late autumn two young men stood together on Canal Street, closing a conversation that had evidently begun within the club-house which they had just quitted.”

Tell noun US /tell/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Why, they tell me Patchly 's pulled a hundred thousand out of the concern a'ready."”

Whose determiner US /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading “"That may be," replied Offdean, who had been politely attentive to the words addressed to him, but whose face bore a look indicating that he was closed to conviction.”

Within preposition US /wɪˈðɪn/

inside; before a period of time has passed

From this reading “One agreeable afternoon in late autumn two young men stood together on Canal Street, closing a conversation that had evidently begun within the club-house which they had just quitted.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading “"I would n't have you touch it if there was n't.”

All words in this reading · 76

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 One agreeable afternoon in late autumn two young men stood together on Canal Street, closing a conversation that had evidently begun within the club-house which they had just quitted.

a'ready

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

From this reading Why, they tell me Patchly 's pulled a hundred thousand out of the concern a'ready."

addressed

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

From this reading "That may be," replied Offdean, who had been politely attentive to the words addressed to him, but whose face bore a look indicating that he was closed to conviction.

afternoonnounUS /ˈafternoon/

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

From this reading One agreeable afternoon in late autumn two young men stood together on Canal Street, closing a conversation that had evidently begun within the club-house which they had just quitted.

agreeable

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

From this reading One agreeable afternoon in late autumn two young men stood together on Canal Street, closing a conversation that had evidently begun within the club-house which they had just quitted.

attentive

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

From this reading "That may be," replied Offdean, who had been politely attentive to the words addressed to him, but whose face bore a look indicating that he was closed to conviction.

autumn

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

From this reading One agreeable afternoon in late autumn two young men stood together on Canal Street, closing a conversation that had evidently begun within the club-house which they had just quitted.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading "That may be," replied Offdean, who had been politely attentive to the words addressed to him, but whose face bore a look indicating that he was closed to conviction.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading "That may be," replied Offdean, who had been politely attentive to the words addressed to him, but whose face bore a look indicating that he was closed to conviction.

begun

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

From this reading One agreeable afternoon in late autumn two young men stood together on Canal Street, closing a conversation that had evidently begun within the club-house which they had just quitted.

big

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

From this reading "There's big money in it, Offdean," said the elder of the two.

bore

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

From this reading "That may be," replied Offdean, who had been politely attentive to the words addressed to him, but whose face bore a look indicating that he was closed to conviction.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading "That may be," replied Offdean, who had been politely attentive to the words addressed to him, but whose face bore a look indicating that he was closed to conviction.

Canal

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

From this reading One agreeable afternoon in late autumn two young men stood together on Canal Street, closing a conversation that had evidently begun within the club-house which they had just quitted.

closed

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

From this reading "That may be," replied Offdean, who had been politely attentive to the words addressed to him, but whose face bore a look indicating that he was closed to conviction.

closing

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

From this reading One agreeable afternoon in late autumn two young men stood together on Canal Street, closing a conversation that had evidently begun within the club-house which they had just quitted.

club-house

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

From this reading One agreeable afternoon in late autumn two young men stood together on Canal Street, closing a conversation that had evidently begun within the club-house which they had just quitted.

concern

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

From this reading Why, they tell me Patchly 's pulled a hundred thousand out of the concern a'ready."

conversation

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

From this reading One agreeable afternoon in late autumn two young men stood together on Canal Street, closing a conversation that had evidently begun within the club-house which they had just quitted.

conviction

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

From this reading "That may be," replied Offdean, who had been politely attentive to the words addressed to him, but whose face bore a look indicating that he was closed to conviction.

elder

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

From this reading "There's big money in it, Offdean," said the elder of the two.

evidently

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

From this reading One agreeable afternoon in late autumn two young men stood together on Canal Street, closing a conversation that had evidently begun within the club-house which they had just quitted.

face

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

From this reading "That may be," replied Offdean, who had been politely attentive to the words addressed to him, but whose face bore a look indicating that he was closed to conviction.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading One agreeable afternoon in late autumn two young men stood together on Canal Street, closing a conversation that had evidently begun within the club-house which they had just quitted.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading "I would n't have you touch it if there was n't.

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading "That may be," replied Offdean, who had been politely attentive to the words addressed to him, but whose face bore a look indicating that he was closed to conviction.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading "That may be," replied Offdean, who had been politely attentive to the words addressed to him, but whose face bore a look indicating that he was closed to conviction.

hundred

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

From this reading Why, they tell me Patchly 's pulled a hundred thousand out of the concern a'ready."

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading "I would n't have you touch it if there was n't.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading "I would n't have you touch it if there was n't.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading One agreeable afternoon in late autumn two young men stood together on Canal Street, closing a conversation that had evidently begun within the club-house which they had just quitted.

indicating

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

From this reading "That may be," replied Offdean, who had been politely attentive to the words addressed to him, but whose face bore a look indicating that he was closed to conviction.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading "There's big money in it, Offdean," said the elder of the two.

just

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

From this reading One agreeable afternoon in late autumn two young men stood together on Canal Street, closing a conversation that had evidently begun within the club-house which they had just quitted.

late

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

From this reading One agreeable afternoon in late autumn two young men stood together on Canal Street, closing a conversation that had evidently begun within the club-house which they had just quitted.

looknounUS /look/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading "That may be," replied Offdean, who had been politely attentive to the words addressed to him, but whose face bore a look indicating that he was closed to conviction.

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading "That may be," replied Offdean, who had been politely attentive to the words addressed to him, but whose face bore a look indicating that he was closed to conviction.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Why, they tell me Patchly 's pulled a hundred thousand out of the concern a'ready."

men

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

From this reading One agreeable afternoon in late autumn two young men stood together on Canal Street, closing a conversation that had evidently begun within the club-house which they had just quitted.

money

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

From this reading "There's big money in it, Offdean," said the elder of the two.

n't

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

From this reading "I would n't have you touch it if there was n't.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading "There's big money in it, Offdean," said the elder of the two.

Offdean

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

From this reading "There's big money in it, Offdean," said the elder of the two.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading One agreeable afternoon in late autumn two young men stood together on Canal Street, closing a conversation that had evidently begun within the club-house which they had just quitted.

OnepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading One agreeable afternoon in late autumn two young men stood together on Canal Street, closing a conversation that had evidently begun within the club-house which they had just quitted.

out

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

From this reading Why, they tell me Patchly 's pulled a hundred thousand out of the concern a'ready."

Patchly

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

From this reading Why, they tell me Patchly 's pulled a hundred thousand out of the concern a'ready."

politely

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

From this reading "That may be," replied Offdean, who had been politely attentive to the words addressed to him, but whose face bore a look indicating that he was closed to conviction.

pullednounUS /pulled/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Why, they tell me Patchly 's pulled a hundred thousand out of the concern a'ready."

quitted

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

From this reading One agreeable afternoon in late autumn two young men stood together on Canal Street, closing a conversation that had evidently begun within the club-house which they had just quitted.

repliednounUS /replied/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading "That may be," replied Offdean, who had been politely attentive to the words addressed to him, but whose face bore a look indicating that he was closed to conviction.

s

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

From this reading Why, they tell me Patchly 's pulled a hundred thousand out of the concern a'ready."

said

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

From this reading "There's big money in it, Offdean," said the elder of the two.

stoodnounUS /stood/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading One agreeable afternoon in late autumn two young men stood together on Canal Street, closing a conversation that had evidently begun within the club-house which they had just quitted.

Street

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

From this reading One agreeable afternoon in late autumn two young men stood together on Canal Street, closing a conversation that had evidently begun within the club-house which they had just quitted.

tellnounUS /tell/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Why, they tell me Patchly 's pulled a hundred thousand out of the concern a'ready."

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading One agreeable afternoon in late autumn two young men stood together on Canal Street, closing a conversation that had evidently begun within the club-house which they had just quitted.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading One agreeable afternoon in late autumn two young men stood together on Canal Street, closing a conversation that had evidently begun within the club-house which they had just quitted.

there

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

From this reading "I would n't have you touch it if there was n't.

There's

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

From this reading "There's big money in it, Offdean," said the elder of the two.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading One agreeable afternoon in late autumn two young men stood together on Canal Street, closing a conversation that had evidently begun within the club-house which they had just quitted.

thousand

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

From this reading Why, they tell me Patchly 's pulled a hundred thousand out of the concern a'ready."

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading "That may be," replied Offdean, who had been politely attentive to the words addressed to him, but whose face bore a look indicating that he was closed to conviction.

together

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

From this reading One agreeable afternoon in late autumn two young men stood together on Canal Street, closing a conversation that had evidently begun within the club-house which they had just quitted.

touch

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

From this reading "I would n't have you touch it if there was n't.

two

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

From this reading One agreeable afternoon in late autumn two young men stood together on Canal Street, closing a conversation that had evidently begun within the club-house which they had just quitted.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading "I would n't have you touch it if there was n't.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading One agreeable afternoon in late autumn two young men stood together on Canal Street, closing a conversation that had evidently begun within the club-house which they had just quitted.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading "That may be," replied Offdean, who had been politely attentive to the words addressed to him, but whose face bore a look indicating that he was closed to conviction.

whosedeterminerUS /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading "That may be," replied Offdean, who had been politely attentive to the words addressed to him, but whose face bore a look indicating that he was closed to conviction.

Why

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

From this reading Why, they tell me Patchly 's pulled a hundred thousand out of the concern a'ready."

withinprepositionUS /wɪˈðɪn/

inside; before a period of time has passed

From this reading One agreeable afternoon in late autumn two young men stood together on Canal Street, closing a conversation that had evidently begun within the club-house which they had just quitted.

words

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

From this reading "That may be," replied Offdean, who had been politely attentive to the words addressed to him, but whose face bore a look indicating that he was closed to conviction.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading "I would n't have you touch it if there was n't.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "I would n't have you touch it if there was n't.

young

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

From this reading One agreeable afternoon in late autumn two young men stood together on Canal Street, closing a conversation that had evidently begun within the club-house which they had just quitted.