A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
WHEN THE MAIL CAME IN “Beth Bristead, did you tear--how did you tear your apron so?” demanded Beth’s aunt. She held up the accusing rent to explain the change in the form of her question; it left no room for doubt that the apron was torn. Beth, small and quiet for her eleven years, answered unexpectedly: “I didn’t tear it, Aunt Rebecca. It tore itself--kind of.”
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “Beth, small and quiet for her eleven years, answered unexpectedly:”
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading “It tore itself--kind of.””
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “She held up the accusing rent to explain the change in the form of her question; it left no room for doubt that the apron was torn.”
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “She held up the accusing rent to explain the change in the form of her question; it left no room for doubt that the apron was torn.”
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 She held up the accusing rent to explain the change in the form of her question; it left no room for doubt that the apron was torn.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Beth, small and quiet for her eleven years, answered unexpectedly:
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Beth, small and quiet for her eleven years, answered unexpectedly:
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading WHEN THE MAIL CAME IN “Beth Bristead, did you tear--how did you tear your apron so?” demanded Beth’s aunt.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading WHEN THE MAIL CAME IN “Beth Bristead, did you tear--how did you tear your apron so?” demanded Beth’s aunt.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading WHEN THE MAIL CAME IN “Beth Bristead, did you tear--how did you tear your apron so?” demanded Beth’s aunt.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading WHEN THE MAIL CAME IN “Beth Bristead, did you tear--how did you tear your apron so?” demanded Beth’s aunt.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading WHEN THE MAIL CAME IN “Beth Bristead, did you tear--how did you tear your apron so?” demanded Beth’s aunt.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading WHEN THE MAIL CAME IN “Beth Bristead, did you tear--how did you tear your apron so?” demanded Beth’s aunt.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She held up the accusing rent to explain the change in the form of her question; it left no room for doubt that the apron was torn.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading WHEN THE MAIL CAME IN “Beth Bristead, did you tear--how did you tear your apron so?” demanded Beth’s aunt.
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading WHEN THE MAIL CAME IN “Beth Bristead, did you tear--how did you tear your apron so?” demanded Beth’s aunt.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I didn’t tear it, Aunt Rebecca.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She held up the accusing rent to explain the change in the form of her question; it left no room for doubt that the apron was torn.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Beth, small and quiet for her eleven years, answered unexpectedly:
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She held up the accusing rent to explain the change in the form of her question; it left no room for doubt that the apron was torn.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading She held up the accusing rent to explain the change in the form of her question; it left no room for doubt that the apron was torn.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She held up the accusing rent to explain the change in the form of her question; it left no room for doubt that the apron was torn.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She held up the accusing rent to explain the change in the form of her question; it left no room for doubt that the apron was torn.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She held up the accusing rent to explain the change in the form of her question; it left no room for doubt that the apron was torn.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading WHEN THE MAIL CAME IN “Beth Bristead, did you tear--how did you tear your apron so?” demanded Beth’s aunt.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I didn’t tear it, Aunt Rebecca.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading WHEN THE MAIL CAME IN “Beth Bristead, did you tear--how did you tear your apron so?” demanded Beth’s aunt.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading She held up the accusing rent to explain the change in the form of her question; it left no room for doubt that the apron was torn.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading It tore itself--kind of.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It tore itself--kind of.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She held up the accusing rent to explain the change in the form of her question; it left no room for doubt that the apron was torn.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading WHEN THE MAIL CAME IN “Beth Bristead, did you tear--how did you tear your apron so?” demanded Beth’s aunt.
not any; not one
From this reading She held up the accusing rent to explain the change in the form of her question; it left no room for doubt that the apron was torn.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She held up the accusing rent to explain the change in the form of her question; it left no room for doubt that the apron was torn.
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading She held up the accusing rent to explain the change in the form of her question; it left no room for doubt that the apron was torn.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Beth, small and quiet for her eleven years, answered unexpectedly:
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I didn’t tear it, Aunt Rebecca.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She held up the accusing rent to explain the change in the form of her question; it left no room for doubt that the apron was torn.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She held up the accusing rent to explain the change in the form of her question; it left no room for doubt that the apron was torn.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She held up the accusing rent to explain the change in the form of her question; it left no room for doubt that the apron was torn.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Beth, small and quiet for her eleven years, answered unexpectedly:
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading WHEN THE MAIL CAME IN “Beth Bristead, did you tear--how did you tear your apron so?” demanded Beth’s aunt.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading WHEN THE MAIL CAME IN “Beth Bristead, did you tear--how did you tear your apron so?” demanded Beth’s aunt.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading She held up the accusing rent to explain the change in the form of her question; it left no room for doubt that the apron was torn.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading WHEN THE MAIL CAME IN “Beth Bristead, did you tear--how did you tear your apron so?” demanded Beth’s aunt.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She held up the accusing rent to explain the change in the form of her question; it left no room for doubt that the apron was torn.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It tore itself--kind of.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She held up the accusing rent to explain the change in the form of her question; it left no room for doubt that the apron was torn.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Beth, small and quiet for her eleven years, answered unexpectedly:
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She held up the accusing rent to explain the change in the form of her question; it left no room for doubt that the apron was torn.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She held up the accusing rent to explain the change in the form of her question; it left no room for doubt that the apron was torn.
at the time that
From this reading WHEN THE MAIL CAME IN “Beth Bristead, did you tear--how did you tear your apron so?” demanded Beth’s aunt.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Beth, small and quiet for her eleven years, answered unexpectedly:
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading WHEN THE MAIL CAME IN “Beth Bristead, did you tear--how did you tear your apron so?” demanded Beth’s aunt.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading WHEN THE MAIL CAME IN “Beth Bristead, did you tear--how did you tear your apron so?” demanded Beth’s aunt.
