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Blind Man's Lantern
Blind Man's Lantern

Chapter II

Cover illustration for Blind Man's Lantern
Context Illustration Reading 1/81 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
* * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.
The Murnan laborers seemed to think midwinter as appropriate as any other time for building; they said the Mother slept, and would not be disturbed.
Martha served coffee and buttermilk-pop at break-time, and presided over noontime feasts, served in several sittings, in the tent.
Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.
There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.
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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.

Blind Man's Lantern

Chapter II

Reading 1/81 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
* * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.
Line 2
The Murnan laborers seemed to think midwinter as appropriate as any other time for building; they said the Mother slept, and would not be disturbed.
Line 3
Martha served coffee and buttermilk-pop at break-time, and presided over noontime feasts, served in several sittings, in the tent.
Line 4
Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.
Line 5
There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.

Learner Dictionary

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

Before preposition US /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading “Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.”

Drink noun US /drink/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.”

Feeling noun US /ˈfeeling/

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

From this reading “Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.”

Left noun US /left/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.”

Over preposition US /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading “Martha served coffee and buttermilk-pop at break-time, and presided over noontime feasts, served in several sittings, in the tent.”

Seemed noun US /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The Murnan laborers seemed to think midwinter as appropriate as any other time for building; they said the Mother slept, and would not be disturbed.”

Several noun US /ˈseveral/

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

From this reading “Martha served coffee and buttermilk-pop at break-time, and presided over noontime feasts, served in several sittings, in the tent.”

Something pronoun US /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading “Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.”

Think noun US /think/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The Murnan laborers seemed to think midwinter as appropriate as any other time for building; they said the Mother slept, and would not be disturbed.”

Time noun US /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The Murnan laborers seemed to think midwinter as appropriate as any other time for building; they said the Mother slept, and would not be disturbed.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

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

From this reading “The Murnan laborers seemed to think midwinter as appropriate as any other time for building; they said the Mother slept, and would not be disturbed.”

All words in this reading · 103

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 Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.

Aaron

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

From this reading Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.

any

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

From this reading The Murnan laborers seemed to think midwinter as appropriate as any other time for building; they said the Mother slept, and would not be disturbed.

appropriate

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

From this reading The Murnan laborers seemed to think midwinter as appropriate as any other time for building; they said the Mother slept, and would not be disturbed.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading The Murnan laborers seemed to think midwinter as appropriate as any other time for building; they said the Mother slept, and would not be disturbed.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Martha served coffee and buttermilk-pop at break-time, and presided over noontime feasts, served in several sittings, in the tent.

back

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

From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.

bank

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

From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.

barn

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

From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.

beard

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

From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.

BeforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.

bishop

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

From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.

bit

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

From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.

blink

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

From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.

break-time

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

From this reading Martha served coffee and buttermilk-pop at break-time, and presided over noontime feasts, served in several sittings, in the tent.

building

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

From this reading The Murnan laborers seemed to think midwinter as appropriate as any other time for building; they said the Mother slept, and would not be disturbed.

buttermilk-pop

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

From this reading Martha served coffee and buttermilk-pop at break-time, and presided over noontime feasts, served in several sittings, in the tent.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.

cider

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

From this reading Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.

coffee

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

From this reading Martha served coffee and buttermilk-pop at break-time, and presided over noontime feasts, served in several sittings, in the tent.

cold

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

From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.

common

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

From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.

disturbed

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

From this reading The Murnan laborers seemed to think midwinter as appropriate as any other time for building; they said the Mother slept, and would not be disturbed.

drink

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

From this reading Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.

eachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/

every one of two or more people or things, taken separately

From this reading Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.

earn

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

From this reading Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.

earth

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

From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.

enough

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

From this reading Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.

evening

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

From this reading Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.

example

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

From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.

feasts

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

From this reading Martha served coffee and buttermilk-pop at break-time, and presided over noontime feasts, served in several sittings, in the tent.

feelingnounUS /ˈfeeling/

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

From this reading Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading The Murnan laborers seemed to think midwinter as appropriate as any other time for building; they said the Mother slept, and would not be disturbed.

frozen

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

From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.

give

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

From this reading Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.

gouging

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

From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.

guitar

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

From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.

hard

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

From this reading Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.

heaped

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

From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.

heavy

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

From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Martha served coffee and buttermilk-pop at break-time, and presided over noontime feasts, served in several sittings, in the tent.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.

keep

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

From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.

laborers

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

From this reading The Murnan laborers seemed to think midwinter as appropriate as any other time for building; they said the Mother slept, and would not be disturbed.

leading

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

From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.

leftnounUS /left/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.

Martha

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

From this reading Martha served coffee and buttermilk-pop at break-time, and presided over noontime feasts, served in several sittings, in the tent.

matters

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

From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.

mattocks

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

From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.

midwinter

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

From this reading The Murnan laborers seemed to think midwinter as appropriate as any other time for building; they said the Mother slept, and would not be disturbed.

Mother

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

From this reading The Murnan laborers seemed to think midwinter as appropriate as any other time for building; they said the Mother slept, and would not be disturbed.

Murnan

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

From this reading The Murnan laborers seemed to think midwinter as appropriate as any other time for building; they said the Mother slept, and would not be disturbed.

mused

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

From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.

noontime

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

From this reading Martha served coffee and buttermilk-pop at break-time, and presided over noontime feasts, served in several sittings, in the tent.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading The Murnan laborers seemed to think midwinter as appropriate as any other time for building; they said the Mother slept, and would not be disturbed.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.

one's

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

From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.

other

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

From this reading The Murnan laborers seemed to think midwinter as appropriate as any other time for building; they said the Mother slept, and would not be disturbed.

out

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

From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading Martha served coffee and buttermilk-pop at break-time, and presided over noontime feasts, served in several sittings, in the tent.

plucking

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

From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.

presided

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

From this reading Martha served coffee and buttermilk-pop at break-time, and presided over noontime feasts, served in several sittings, in the tent.

raise

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

From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.

raised

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

From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.

said

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

From this reading The Murnan laborers seemed to think midwinter as appropriate as any other time for building; they said the Mother slept, and would not be disturbed.

scharifer

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

From this reading Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.

secretly

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

From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.

seemednounUS /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The Murnan laborers seemed to think midwinter as appropriate as any other time for building; they said the Mother slept, and would not be disturbed.

sense

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

From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.

served

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

From this reading Martha served coffee and buttermilk-pop at break-time, and presided over noontime feasts, served in several sittings, in the tent.

several

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

From this reading Martha served coffee and buttermilk-pop at break-time, and presided over noontime feasts, served in several sittings, in the tent.

sip

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

From this reading Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.

sittings

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

From this reading Martha served coffee and buttermilk-pop at break-time, and presided over noontime feasts, served in several sittings, in the tent.

slept

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

From this reading The Murnan laborers seemed to think midwinter as appropriate as any other time for building; they said the Mother slept, and would not be disturbed.

somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.

soup

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

From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.

spirits

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

From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.

steamed

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

From this reading Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.

tent

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

From this reading Martha served coffee and buttermilk-pop at break-time, and presided over noontime feasts, served in several sittings, in the tent.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.

There

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

From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading The Murnan laborers seemed to think midwinter as appropriate as any other time for building; they said the Mother slept, and would not be disturbed.

they'd

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

From this reading Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.

thinknounUS /think/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The Murnan laborers seemed to think midwinter as appropriate as any other time for building; they said the Mother slept, and would not be disturbed.

timenounUS /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The Murnan laborers seemed to think midwinter as appropriate as any other time for building; they said the Mother slept, and would not be disturbed.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.

trimming

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

From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.

up

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

From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.

volatile

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

From this reading Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.

week

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

From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.

work

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

From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.

workers

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

From this reading Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading The Murnan laborers seemed to think midwinter as appropriate as any other time for building; they said the Mother slept, and would not be disturbed.