A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXIII
AN ORDEAL. Oscar arose very early, before his wife was awake. He went to his study, and, after long fervent prayer, took out the large sealed letter and carried it himself to the post. The postmaster was making up the bag for the Calcutta mail, whistling a light air as he did so. Oscar gave in the letter with a hand that did not tremble, and turned away with the thought, “I _have_ plucked out the right eye.”
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
later than; following
From this reading “He went to his study, and, after long fervent prayer, took out the large sealed letter and carried it himself to the post.”
earlier than; in front of
From this reading “Oscar arose very early, before his wife was awake.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Oscar gave in the letter with a hand that did not tremble, and turned away with the thought, “I _have_ plucked out the right eye.””
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading “He went to his study, and, after long fervent prayer, took out the large sealed letter and carried it himself to the post.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “He went to his study, and, after long fervent prayer, took out the large sealed letter and carried it himself to the post.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Oscar gave in the letter with a hand that did not tremble, and turned away with the thought, “I _have_ plucked out the right eye.””
closed and kept secret in this chapter’s sailing situation
From this reading “He went to his study, and, after long fervent prayer, took out the large sealed letter and carried it himself to the post.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Oscar gave in the letter with a hand that did not tremble, and turned away with the thought, “I _have_ plucked out the right eye.””
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “He went to his study, and, after long fervent prayer, took out the large sealed letter and carried it himself to the post.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “He went to his study, and, after long fervent prayer, took out the large sealed letter and carried it himself to the post.”
Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The postmaster was making up the bag for the Calcutta mail, whistling a light air as he did so.
later than; following
From this reading He went to his study, and, after long fervent prayer, took out the large sealed letter and carried it himself to the post.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The postmaster was making up the bag for the Calcutta mail, whistling a light air as he did so.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading AN ORDEAL.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He went to his study, and, after long fervent prayer, took out the large sealed letter and carried it himself to the post.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Oscar arose very early, before his wife was awake.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The postmaster was making up the bag for the Calcutta mail, whistling a light air as he did so.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Oscar arose very early, before his wife was awake.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Oscar gave in the letter with a hand that did not tremble, and turned away with the thought, “I _have_ plucked out the right eye.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The postmaster was making up the bag for the Calcutta mail, whistling a light air as he did so.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Oscar arose very early, before his wife was awake.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The postmaster was making up the bag for the Calcutta mail, whistling a light air as he did so.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He went to his study, and, after long fervent prayer, took out the large sealed letter and carried it himself to the post.
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading The postmaster was making up the bag for the Calcutta mail, whistling a light air as he did so.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Oscar arose very early, before his wife was awake.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Oscar gave in the letter with a hand that did not tremble, and turned away with the thought, “I _have_ plucked out the right eye.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He went to his study, and, after long fervent prayer, took out the large sealed letter and carried it himself to the post.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The postmaster was making up the bag for the Calcutta mail, whistling a light air as he did so.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Oscar gave in the letter with a hand that did not tremble, and turned away with the thought, “I _have_ plucked out the right eye.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Oscar gave in the letter with a hand that did not tremble, and turned away with the thought, “I _have_ plucked out the right eye.”
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Oscar gave in the letter with a hand that did not tremble, and turned away with the thought, “I _have_ plucked out the right eye.”
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He went to his study, and, after long fervent prayer, took out the large sealed letter and carried it himself to the post.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He went to his study, and, after long fervent prayer, took out the large sealed letter and carried it himself to the post.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Oscar arose very early, before his wife was awake.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Oscar gave in the letter with a hand that did not tremble, and turned away with the thought, “I _have_ plucked out the right eye.”
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Oscar gave in the letter with a hand that did not tremble, and turned away with the thought, “I _have_ plucked out the right eye.”
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He went to his study, and, after long fervent prayer, took out the large sealed letter and carried it himself to the post.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He went to his study, and, after long fervent prayer, took out the large sealed letter and carried it himself to the post.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He went to his study, and, after long fervent prayer, took out the large sealed letter and carried it himself to the post.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The postmaster was making up the bag for the Calcutta mail, whistling a light air as he did so.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He went to his study, and, after long fervent prayer, took out the large sealed letter and carried it himself to the post.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The postmaster was making up the bag for the Calcutta mail, whistling a light air as he did so.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The postmaster was making up the bag for the Calcutta mail, whistling a light air as he did so.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Oscar gave in the letter with a hand that did not tremble, and turned away with the thought, “I _have_ plucked out the right eye.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN ORDEAL.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Oscar arose very early, before his wife was awake.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He went to his study, and, after long fervent prayer, took out the large sealed letter and carried it himself to the post.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Oscar gave in the letter with a hand that did not tremble, and turned away with the thought, “I _have_ plucked out the right eye.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He went to his study, and, after long fervent prayer, took out the large sealed letter and carried it himself to the post.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The postmaster was making up the bag for the Calcutta mail, whistling a light air as he did so.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He went to his study, and, after long fervent prayer, took out the large sealed letter and carried it himself to the post.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Oscar gave in the letter with a hand that did not tremble, and turned away with the thought, “I _have_ plucked out the right eye.”
closed and kept secret in this chapter’s sailing situation
From this reading He went to his study, and, after long fervent prayer, took out the large sealed letter and carried it himself to the post.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The postmaster was making up the bag for the Calcutta mail, whistling a light air as he did so.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He went to his study, and, after long fervent prayer, took out the large sealed letter and carried it himself to the post.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Oscar gave in the letter with a hand that did not tremble, and turned away with the thought, “I _have_ plucked out the right eye.”
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He went to his study, and, after long fervent prayer, took out the large sealed letter and carried it himself to the post.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Oscar gave in the letter with a hand that did not tremble, and turned away with the thought, “I _have_ plucked out the right eye.”
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He went to his study, and, after long fervent prayer, took out the large sealed letter and carried it himself to the post.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He went to his study, and, after long fervent prayer, took out the large sealed letter and carried it himself to the post.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Oscar gave in the letter with a hand that did not tremble, and turned away with the thought, “I _have_ plucked out the right eye.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Oscar gave in the letter with a hand that did not tremble, and turned away with the thought, “I _have_ plucked out the right eye.”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The postmaster was making up the bag for the Calcutta mail, whistling a light air as he did so.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Oscar arose very early, before his wife was awake.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Oscar arose very early, before his wife was awake.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He went to his study, and, after long fervent prayer, took out the large sealed letter and carried it himself to the post.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The postmaster was making up the bag for the Calcutta mail, whistling a light air as he did so.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Oscar arose very early, before his wife was awake.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Oscar gave in the letter with a hand that did not tremble, and turned away with the thought, “I _have_ plucked out the right eye.”
