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Better Dead
Better Dead

Chapter VI

Cover illustration for Better Dead
Context Illustration Reading 1/23 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
It was one Sunday forenoon, on such a sunny day as slovenly men seize upon to wash their feet and have it over, that Andrew set out to call on Mr. Labouchere.
The leaves in the squares were green, and the twittering of the birds among the boughs was almost gay enough to charm him out of the severity of countenance which a Scotchman wears on a Sunday with his blacks.
Andrew could not help regarding the mother-of-pearl sky as a favourable omen.
Several times he caught himself becoming light-hearted.
He got the great Radical on the door-step, just setting out for church.
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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.

Better Dead

Chapter VI

Reading 1/23 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
It was one Sunday forenoon, on such a sunny day as slovenly men seize upon to wash their feet and have it over, that Andrew set out to call on Mr. Labouchere.
Line 2
The leaves in the squares were green, and the twittering of the birds among the boughs was almost gay enough to charm him out of the severity of countenance which a Scotchman wears on a Sunday with his blacks.
Line 3
Andrew could not help regarding the mother-of-pearl sky as a favourable omen.
Line 4
Several times he caught himself becoming light-hearted.
Line 5
He got the great Radical on the door-step, just setting out for church.

Learner Dictionary

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

Among preposition US /əˈmʌŋ/

surrounded by; in the middle of a group

From this reading “The leaves in the squares were green, and the twittering of the birds among the boughs was almost gay enough to charm him out of the severity of countenance which a Scotchman wears on a Sunday with his blacks.”

Could modal verb US /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading “Andrew could not help regarding the mother-of-pearl sky as a favourable omen.”

Great noun US /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He got the great Radical on the door-step, just setting out for church.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “It was one Sunday forenoon, on such a sunny day as slovenly men seize upon to wash their feet and have it over, that Andrew set out to call on Mr. Labouchere.”

Help noun US /help/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Andrew could not help regarding the mother-of-pearl sky as a favourable omen.”

Himself pronoun US /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading “Several times he caught himself becoming light-hearted.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “It was one Sunday forenoon, on such a sunny day as slovenly men seize upon to wash their feet and have it over, that Andrew set out to call on Mr. Labouchere.”

Over preposition US /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading “It was one Sunday forenoon, on such a sunny day as slovenly men seize upon to wash their feet and have it over, that Andrew set out to call on Mr. Labouchere.”

Several noun US /ˈseveral/

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

From this reading “Several times he caught himself becoming light-hearted.”

Upon preposition US /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading “It was one Sunday forenoon, on such a sunny day as slovenly men seize upon to wash their feet and have it over, that Andrew set out to call on Mr. Labouchere.”

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 It was one Sunday forenoon, on such a sunny day as slovenly men seize upon to wash their feet and have it over, that Andrew set out to call on Mr. Labouchere.

almost

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

From this reading The leaves in the squares were green, and the twittering of the birds among the boughs was almost gay enough to charm him out of the severity of countenance which a Scotchman wears on a Sunday with his blacks.

amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/

surrounded by; in the middle of a group

From this reading The leaves in the squares were green, and the twittering of the birds among the boughs was almost gay enough to charm him out of the severity of countenance which a Scotchman wears on a Sunday with his blacks.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading It was one Sunday forenoon, on such a sunny day as slovenly men seize upon to wash their feet and have it over, that Andrew set out to call on Mr. Labouchere.

Andrew

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

From this reading It was one Sunday forenoon, on such a sunny day as slovenly men seize upon to wash their feet and have it over, that Andrew set out to call on Mr. Labouchere.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading It was one Sunday forenoon, on such a sunny day as slovenly men seize upon to wash their feet and have it over, that Andrew set out to call on Mr. Labouchere.

becoming

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

From this reading Several times he caught himself becoming light-hearted.

birds

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

From this reading The leaves in the squares were green, and the twittering of the birds among the boughs was almost gay enough to charm him out of the severity of countenance which a Scotchman wears on a Sunday with his blacks.

blacks

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

From this reading The leaves in the squares were green, and the twittering of the birds among the boughs was almost gay enough to charm him out of the severity of countenance which a Scotchman wears on a Sunday with his blacks.

boughs

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

From this reading The leaves in the squares were green, and the twittering of the birds among the boughs was almost gay enough to charm him out of the severity of countenance which a Scotchman wears on a Sunday with his blacks.

call

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

From this reading It was one Sunday forenoon, on such a sunny day as slovenly men seize upon to wash their feet and have it over, that Andrew set out to call on Mr. Labouchere.

caught

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

From this reading Several times he caught himself becoming light-hearted.

charm

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

From this reading The leaves in the squares were green, and the twittering of the birds among the boughs was almost gay enough to charm him out of the severity of countenance which a Scotchman wears on a Sunday with his blacks.

church

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

From this reading He got the great Radical on the door-step, just setting out for church.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading Andrew could not help regarding the mother-of-pearl sky as a favourable omen.

countenance

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

From this reading The leaves in the squares were green, and the twittering of the birds among the boughs was almost gay enough to charm him out of the severity of countenance which a Scotchman wears on a Sunday with his blacks.

day

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

From this reading It was one Sunday forenoon, on such a sunny day as slovenly men seize upon to wash their feet and have it over, that Andrew set out to call on Mr. Labouchere.

door-step

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

From this reading He got the great Radical on the door-step, just setting out for church.

enough

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

From this reading The leaves in the squares were green, and the twittering of the birds among the boughs was almost gay enough to charm him out of the severity of countenance which a Scotchman wears on a Sunday with his blacks.

favourable

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

From this reading Andrew could not help regarding the mother-of-pearl sky as a favourable omen.

feet

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

From this reading It was one Sunday forenoon, on such a sunny day as slovenly men seize upon to wash their feet and have it over, that Andrew set out to call on Mr. Labouchere.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading He got the great Radical on the door-step, just setting out for church.

forenoon

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

From this reading It was one Sunday forenoon, on such a sunny day as slovenly men seize upon to wash their feet and have it over, that Andrew set out to call on Mr. Labouchere.

gay

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

From this reading The leaves in the squares were green, and the twittering of the birds among the boughs was almost gay enough to charm him out of the severity of countenance which a Scotchman wears on a Sunday with his blacks.

got

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

From this reading He got the great Radical on the door-step, just setting out for church.

greatnounUS /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He got the great Radical on the door-step, just setting out for church.

green

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

From this reading The leaves in the squares were green, and the twittering of the birds among the boughs was almost gay enough to charm him out of the severity of countenance which a Scotchman wears on a Sunday with his blacks.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading It was one Sunday forenoon, on such a sunny day as slovenly men seize upon to wash their feet and have it over, that Andrew set out to call on Mr. Labouchere.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Several times he caught himself becoming light-hearted.

helpnounUS /help/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Andrew could not help regarding the mother-of-pearl sky as a favourable omen.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading The leaves in the squares were green, and the twittering of the birds among the boughs was almost gay enough to charm him out of the severity of countenance which a Scotchman wears on a Sunday with his blacks.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading Several times he caught himself becoming light-hearted.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading The leaves in the squares were green, and the twittering of the birds among the boughs was almost gay enough to charm him out of the severity of countenance which a Scotchman wears on a Sunday with his blacks.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The leaves in the squares were green, and the twittering of the birds among the boughs was almost gay enough to charm him out of the severity of countenance which a Scotchman wears on a Sunday with his blacks.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was one Sunday forenoon, on such a sunny day as slovenly men seize upon to wash their feet and have it over, that Andrew set out to call on Mr. Labouchere.

just

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

From this reading He got the great Radical on the door-step, just setting out for church.

Labouchere

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

From this reading It was one Sunday forenoon, on such a sunny day as slovenly men seize upon to wash their feet and have it over, that Andrew set out to call on Mr. Labouchere.

leaves

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

From this reading The leaves in the squares were green, and the twittering of the birds among the boughs was almost gay enough to charm him out of the severity of countenance which a Scotchman wears on a Sunday with his blacks.

light-hearted

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

From this reading Several times he caught himself becoming light-hearted.

men

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

From this reading It was one Sunday forenoon, on such a sunny day as slovenly men seize upon to wash their feet and have it over, that Andrew set out to call on Mr. Labouchere.

mother-of-pearl

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

From this reading Andrew could not help regarding the mother-of-pearl sky as a favourable omen.

Mr

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

From this reading It was one Sunday forenoon, on such a sunny day as slovenly men seize upon to wash their feet and have it over, that Andrew set out to call on Mr. Labouchere.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Andrew could not help regarding the mother-of-pearl sky as a favourable omen.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The leaves in the squares were green, and the twittering of the birds among the boughs was almost gay enough to charm him out of the severity of countenance which a Scotchman wears on a Sunday with his blacks.

omen

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

From this reading Andrew could not help regarding the mother-of-pearl sky as a favourable omen.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading It was one Sunday forenoon, on such a sunny day as slovenly men seize upon to wash their feet and have it over, that Andrew set out to call on Mr. Labouchere.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading It was one Sunday forenoon, on such a sunny day as slovenly men seize upon to wash their feet and have it over, that Andrew set out to call on Mr. Labouchere.

out

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

From this reading It was one Sunday forenoon, on such a sunny day as slovenly men seize upon to wash their feet and have it over, that Andrew set out to call on Mr. Labouchere.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading It was one Sunday forenoon, on such a sunny day as slovenly men seize upon to wash their feet and have it over, that Andrew set out to call on Mr. Labouchere.

Radical

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

From this reading He got the great Radical on the door-step, just setting out for church.

regarding

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

From this reading Andrew could not help regarding the mother-of-pearl sky as a favourable omen.

Scotchman

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

From this reading The leaves in the squares were green, and the twittering of the birds among the boughs was almost gay enough to charm him out of the severity of countenance which a Scotchman wears on a Sunday with his blacks.

seize

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

From this reading It was one Sunday forenoon, on such a sunny day as slovenly men seize upon to wash their feet and have it over, that Andrew set out to call on Mr. Labouchere.

set

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

From this reading It was one Sunday forenoon, on such a sunny day as slovenly men seize upon to wash their feet and have it over, that Andrew set out to call on Mr. Labouchere.

setting

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

From this reading He got the great Radical on the door-step, just setting out for church.

Several

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

From this reading Several times he caught himself becoming light-hearted.

severity

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

From this reading The leaves in the squares were green, and the twittering of the birds among the boughs was almost gay enough to charm him out of the severity of countenance which a Scotchman wears on a Sunday with his blacks.

sky

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

From this reading Andrew could not help regarding the mother-of-pearl sky as a favourable omen.

slovenly

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

From this reading It was one Sunday forenoon, on such a sunny day as slovenly men seize upon to wash their feet and have it over, that Andrew set out to call on Mr. Labouchere.

squares

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

From this reading The leaves in the squares were green, and the twittering of the birds among the boughs was almost gay enough to charm him out of the severity of countenance which a Scotchman wears on a Sunday with his blacks.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading It was one Sunday forenoon, on such a sunny day as slovenly men seize upon to wash their feet and have it over, that Andrew set out to call on Mr. Labouchere.

Sunday

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

From this reading It was one Sunday forenoon, on such a sunny day as slovenly men seize upon to wash their feet and have it over, that Andrew set out to call on Mr. Labouchere.

sunny

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

From this reading It was one Sunday forenoon, on such a sunny day as slovenly men seize upon to wash their feet and have it over, that Andrew set out to call on Mr. Labouchere.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It was one Sunday forenoon, on such a sunny day as slovenly men seize upon to wash their feet and have it over, that Andrew set out to call on Mr. Labouchere.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The leaves in the squares were green, and the twittering of the birds among the boughs was almost gay enough to charm him out of the severity of countenance which a Scotchman wears on a Sunday with his blacks.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading It was one Sunday forenoon, on such a sunny day as slovenly men seize upon to wash their feet and have it over, that Andrew set out to call on Mr. Labouchere.

times

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

From this reading Several times he caught himself becoming light-hearted.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It was one Sunday forenoon, on such a sunny day as slovenly men seize upon to wash their feet and have it over, that Andrew set out to call on Mr. Labouchere.

twittering

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

From this reading The leaves in the squares were green, and the twittering of the birds among the boughs was almost gay enough to charm him out of the severity of countenance which a Scotchman wears on a Sunday with his blacks.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading It was one Sunday forenoon, on such a sunny day as slovenly men seize upon to wash their feet and have it over, that Andrew set out to call on Mr. Labouchere.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It was one Sunday forenoon, on such a sunny day as slovenly men seize upon to wash their feet and have it over, that Andrew set out to call on Mr. Labouchere.

wash

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

From this reading It was one Sunday forenoon, on such a sunny day as slovenly men seize upon to wash their feet and have it over, that Andrew set out to call on Mr. Labouchere.

wears

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

From this reading The leaves in the squares were green, and the twittering of the birds among the boughs was almost gay enough to charm him out of the severity of countenance which a Scotchman wears on a Sunday with his blacks.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading The leaves in the squares were green, and the twittering of the birds among the boughs was almost gay enough to charm him out of the severity of countenance which a Scotchman wears on a Sunday with his blacks.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading The leaves in the squares were green, and the twittering of the birds among the boughs was almost gay enough to charm him out of the severity of countenance which a Scotchman wears on a Sunday with his blacks.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The leaves in the squares were green, and the twittering of the birds among the boughs was almost gay enough to charm him out of the severity of countenance which a Scotchman wears on a Sunday with his blacks.