A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
_By all the laws of nature, he should have been dead. But if he were alive ... then there was something he had to find._ Above him eighty feet of torpid, black water hung like a shroud of Death, and still he heard his ragged breathing. And something else. Cully concentrated on that sound, and the rhythmic pulsing of his heart. Somehow he had to retain a hold on his sanity ... or his soul.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
higher than, or over, something
From this reading “But if he were alive ... then there was something he had to find._ Above him eighty feet of torpid, black water hung like a shroud of Death, and still he heard his ragged breathing.”
the past participle of “be”
From this reading “_By all the laws of nature, he should have been dead.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “_By all the laws of nature, he should have been dead.”
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “_By all the laws of nature, he should have been dead.”
a thing, without saying which
From this reading “But if he were alive ... then there was something he had to find._ Above him eighty feet of torpid, black water hung like a shroud of Death, and still he heard his ragged breathing.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “But if he were alive ... then there was something he had to find._ Above him eighty feet of torpid, black water hung like a shroud of Death, and still he heard his ragged breathing.”
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 But if he were alive ... then there was something he had to find._ Above him eighty feet of torpid, black water hung like a shroud of Death, and still he heard his ragged breathing.
higher than, or over, something
From this reading But if he were alive ... then there was something he had to find._ Above him eighty feet of torpid, black water hung like a shroud of Death, and still he heard his ragged breathing.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But if he were alive ... then there was something he had to find._ Above him eighty feet of torpid, black water hung like a shroud of Death, and still he heard his ragged breathing.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _By all the laws of nature, he should have been dead.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading But if he were alive ... then there was something he had to find._ Above him eighty feet of torpid, black water hung like a shroud of Death, and still he heard his ragged breathing.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading _By all the laws of nature, he should have been dead.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But if he were alive ... then there was something he had to find._ Above him eighty feet of torpid, black water hung like a shroud of Death, and still he heard his ragged breathing.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But if he were alive ... then there was something he had to find._ Above him eighty feet of torpid, black water hung like a shroud of Death, and still he heard his ragged breathing.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But if he were alive ... then there was something he had to find._ Above him eighty feet of torpid, black water hung like a shroud of Death, and still he heard his ragged breathing.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading _By all the laws of nature, he should have been dead.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cully concentrated on that sound, and the rhythmic pulsing of his heart.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cully concentrated on that sound, and the rhythmic pulsing of his heart.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading _By all the laws of nature, he should have been dead.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But if he were alive ... then there was something he had to find._ Above him eighty feet of torpid, black water hung like a shroud of Death, and still he heard his ragged breathing.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But if he were alive ... then there was something he had to find._ Above him eighty feet of torpid, black water hung like a shroud of Death, and still he heard his ragged breathing.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And something else.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But if he were alive ... then there was something he had to find._ Above him eighty feet of torpid, black water hung like a shroud of Death, and still he heard his ragged breathing.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But if he were alive ... then there was something he had to find._ Above him eighty feet of torpid, black water hung like a shroud of Death, and still he heard his ragged breathing.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading But if he were alive ... then there was something he had to find._ Above him eighty feet of torpid, black water hung like a shroud of Death, and still he heard his ragged breathing.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading _By all the laws of nature, he should have been dead.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading _By all the laws of nature, he should have been dead.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But if he were alive ... then there was something he had to find._ Above him eighty feet of torpid, black water hung like a shroud of Death, and still he heard his ragged breathing.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cully concentrated on that sound, and the rhythmic pulsing of his heart.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading But if he were alive ... then there was something he had to find._ Above him eighty feet of torpid, black water hung like a shroud of Death, and still he heard his ragged breathing.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading But if he were alive ... then there was something he had to find._ Above him eighty feet of torpid, black water hung like a shroud of Death, and still he heard his ragged breathing.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Somehow he had to retain a hold on his sanity ... or his soul.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But if he were alive ... then there was something he had to find._ Above him eighty feet of torpid, black water hung like a shroud of Death, and still he heard his ragged breathing.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading But if he were alive ... then there was something he had to find._ Above him eighty feet of torpid, black water hung like a shroud of Death, and still he heard his ragged breathing.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _By all the laws of nature, he should have been dead.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But if he were alive ... then there was something he had to find._ Above him eighty feet of torpid, black water hung like a shroud of Death, and still he heard his ragged breathing.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _By all the laws of nature, he should have been dead.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading _By all the laws of nature, he should have been dead.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Cully concentrated on that sound, and the rhythmic pulsing of his heart.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Somehow he had to retain a hold on his sanity ... or his soul.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cully concentrated on that sound, and the rhythmic pulsing of his heart.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But if he were alive ... then there was something he had to find._ Above him eighty feet of torpid, black water hung like a shroud of Death, and still he heard his ragged breathing.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Somehow he had to retain a hold on his sanity ... or his soul.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cully concentrated on that sound, and the rhythmic pulsing of his heart.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Somehow he had to retain a hold on his sanity ... or his soul.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading _By all the laws of nature, he should have been dead.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But if he were alive ... then there was something he had to find._ Above him eighty feet of torpid, black water hung like a shroud of Death, and still he heard his ragged breathing.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Somehow he had to retain a hold on his sanity ... or his soul.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading But if he were alive ... then there was something he had to find._ Above him eighty feet of torpid, black water hung like a shroud of Death, and still he heard his ragged breathing.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Somehow he had to retain a hold on his sanity ... or his soul.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cully concentrated on that sound, and the rhythmic pulsing of his heart.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But if he were alive ... then there was something he had to find._ Above him eighty feet of torpid, black water hung like a shroud of Death, and still he heard his ragged breathing.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Cully concentrated on that sound, and the rhythmic pulsing of his heart.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading _By all the laws of nature, he should have been dead.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But if he were alive ... then there was something he had to find._ Above him eighty feet of torpid, black water hung like a shroud of Death, and still he heard his ragged breathing.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But if he were alive ... then there was something he had to find._ Above him eighty feet of torpid, black water hung like a shroud of Death, and still he heard his ragged breathing.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading But if he were alive ... then there was something he had to find._ Above him eighty feet of torpid, black water hung like a shroud of Death, and still he heard his ragged breathing.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But if he were alive ... then there was something he had to find._ Above him eighty feet of torpid, black water hung like a shroud of Death, and still he heard his ragged breathing.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But if he were alive ... then there was something he had to find._ Above him eighty feet of torpid, black water hung like a shroud of Death, and still he heard his ragged breathing.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But if he were alive ... then there was something he had to find._ Above him eighty feet of torpid, black water hung like a shroud of Death, and still he heard his ragged breathing.
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading But if he were alive ... then there was something he had to find._ Above him eighty feet of torpid, black water hung like a shroud of Death, and still he heard his ragged breathing.
