Chapter VII
"Soft!" ejaculated Mr. Spenlove, looking round into the darkness and feeling for a fresh cigarette. "You have said it. I was soft. But when you come to think of it, what else could I have been? I am confessing myself before you.
Captain Macedoine's Daughter
Chapter VII
English subtitles · tap any word to listen
1 / 5
"Soft!"
ejaculated
Mr.
Spenlove,
looking
round
into
the
darkness
and
feeling
for
a
fresh
cigarette.
"You
have
said
it.
I
was
soft.
But
when
you
come
to
think
of
it,
what
else
could
I
have
been?
I
am
confessing
myself
before
you.
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Line 1
"Soft!"
ejaculated
Mr.
Spenlove,
looking
round
into
the
darkness
and
feeling
for
a
fresh
cigarette.
Line 2
"You
have
said
it.
Line 3
I
was
soft.
Line 4
But
when
you
come
to
think
of
it,
what
else
could
I
have
been?
Line 5
I
am
confessing
myself
before
you.
Learner Dictionary
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
Been
auxiliary verb
US /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading “But when you come to think of it, what else could I have been?”
Before
preposition
US /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading “I am confessing myself before you.”
Come
noun
US /come/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “But when you come to think of it, what else could I have been?”
Could
modal verb
US /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading “But when you come to think of it, what else could I have been?”
Feeling
noun
US /ˈfeeling/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “"Soft!" ejaculated Mr. Spenlove, looking round into the darkness and feeling for a fresh cigarette.”
Have
auxiliary verb
US /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “"You have said it.”
Myself
pronoun
US /ˌmaɪˈself/
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading “I am confessing myself before you.”
Think
noun
US /think/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “But when you come to think of it, what else could I have been?”
All words in this reading · 35
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 "Soft!" ejaculated Mr. Spenlove, looking round into the darkness and feeling for a fresh cigarette.
amauxiliary verbUS /æm/
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading I am confessing myself before you.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "Soft!" ejaculated Mr. Spenlove, looking round into the darkness and feeling for a fresh cigarette.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading But when you come to think of it, what else could I have been?
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading I am confessing myself before you.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But when you come to think of it, what else could I have been?
cigarette
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Soft!" ejaculated Mr. Spenlove, looking round into the darkness and feeling for a fresh cigarette.
comenounUS /come/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But when you come to think of it, what else could I have been?
confessing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I am confessing myself before you.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading But when you come to think of it, what else could I have been?
darkness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Soft!" ejaculated Mr. Spenlove, looking round into the darkness and feeling for a fresh cigarette.
ejaculated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Soft!" ejaculated Mr. Spenlove, looking round into the darkness and feeling for a fresh cigarette.
else
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But when you come to think of it, what else could I have been?
feelingnounUS /ˈfeeling/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading "Soft!" ejaculated Mr. Spenlove, looking round into the darkness and feeling for a fresh cigarette.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "Soft!" ejaculated Mr. Spenlove, looking round into the darkness and feeling for a fresh cigarette.
fresh
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Soft!" ejaculated Mr. Spenlove, looking round into the darkness and feeling for a fresh cigarette.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "You have said it.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I was soft.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading "Soft!" ejaculated Mr. Spenlove, looking round into the darkness and feeling for a fresh cigarette.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "You have said it.
looking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Soft!" ejaculated Mr. Spenlove, looking round into the darkness and feeling for a fresh cigarette.
Mr
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Soft!" ejaculated Mr. Spenlove, looking round into the darkness and feeling for a fresh cigarette.
myselfpronounUS /ˌmaɪˈself/
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading I am confessing myself before you.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading But when you come to think of it, what else could I have been?
round
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Soft!" ejaculated Mr. Spenlove, looking round into the darkness and feeling for a fresh cigarette.
said
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "You have said it.
Soft
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Soft!" ejaculated Mr. Spenlove, looking round into the darkness and feeling for a fresh cigarette.
Spenlove
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Soft!" ejaculated Mr. Spenlove, looking round into the darkness and feeling for a fresh cigarette.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "Soft!" ejaculated Mr. Spenlove, looking round into the darkness and feeling for a fresh cigarette.
thinknounUS /think/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But when you come to think of it, what else could I have been?
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading But when you come to think of it, what else could I have been?
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I was soft.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading But when you come to think of it, what else could I have been?
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading But when you come to think of it, what else could I have been?
YoupronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "You have said it.