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The Blue Cross
The Blue Cross

Chapter VI

Chapter 6, section 1: “The late Archibald Ogilvie was the nearest approach to a good man ever born at Glengyle. But his bitter virtue took the turn of the misanthrope; he moped over the dishonesty of hi
Context Illustration Reading 1/84 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
“The late Archibald Ogilvie was the nearest approach to a good man ever born at Glengyle.
But his bitter virtue took the turn of the misanthrope; he moped over the dishonesty of his ancestors, from which, somehow, he generalised a dishonesty of all men.
More especially he distrusted philanthropy or free-giving; and he swore if he could find one man who took his exact rights he should have all the gold of Glengyle.
Having delivered this defiance to humanity he shut himself up, without the smallest expectation of its being answered.
One day, however, a deaf and seemingly senseless lad from a distant village brought him a belated telegram; and Glengyle, in his acrid pleasantry, gave him a new farthing.
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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.

The Blue Cross

Chapter VI

Reading 1/84 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
“The late Archibald Ogilvie was the nearest approach to a good man ever born at Glengyle.
Line 2
But his bitter virtue took the turn of the misanthrope; he moped over the dishonesty of his ancestors, from which, somehow, he generalised a dishonesty of all men.
Line 3
More especially he distrusted philanthropy or free-giving; and he swore if he could find one man who took his exact rights he should have all the gold of Glengyle.
Line 4
Having delivered this defiance to humanity he shut himself up, without the smallest expectation of its being answered.
Line 5
One day, however, a deaf and seemingly senseless lad from a distant village brought him a belated telegram; and Glengyle, in his acrid pleasantry, gave him a new farthing.

Learner Dictionary

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

Acrid adjective US /ˈæk.rɪd/

Having an unpleasantly bitter or pungent taste or smell.

From this reading “One day, however, a deaf and seemingly senseless lad from a distant village brought him a belated telegram; and Glengyle, in his acrid pleasantry, gave him a new farthing.”

Answered noun US /ˈanswered/

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

From this reading “Having delivered this defiance to humanity he shut himself up, without the smallest expectation of its being answered.”

Being auxiliary verb US /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading “Having delivered this defiance to humanity he shut himself up, without the smallest expectation of its being answered.”

Born noun US /born/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading ““The late Archibald Ogilvie was the nearest approach to a good man ever born at Glengyle.”

Brought noun US /ˈbrought/

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

From this reading “One day, however, a deaf and seemingly senseless lad from a distant village brought him a belated telegram; and Glengyle, in his acrid pleasantry, gave him a new farthing.”

Could modal verb US /kʊd/

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

From this reading “More especially he distrusted philanthropy or free-giving; and he swore if he could find one man who took his exact rights he should have all the gold of Glengyle.”

Distant adjective US /ˈdɪstənt/

not friendly or close

From this reading “One day, however, a deaf and seemingly senseless lad from a distant village brought him a belated telegram; and Glengyle, in his acrid pleasantry, gave him a new farthing.”

Ever noun US /ever/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading ““The late Archibald Ogilvie was the nearest approach to a good man ever born at Glengyle.”

Exact adjective US /ɪɡˈzækt/

Strictly particular and correct.

From this reading “More especially he distrusted philanthropy or free-giving; and he swore if he could find one man who took his exact rights he should have all the gold of Glengyle.”

Good noun US /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading ““The late Archibald Ogilvie was the nearest approach to a good man ever born at Glengyle.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “More especially he distrusted philanthropy or free-giving; and he swore if he could find one man who took his exact rights he should have all the gold of Glengyle.”

Having auxiliary verb US /ˈhævɪŋ/

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading “Having delivered this defiance to humanity he shut himself up, without the smallest expectation of its being answered.”

Himself pronoun US /hɪmˈself/

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

From this reading “Having delivered this defiance to humanity he shut himself up, without the smallest expectation of its being answered.”

However adverb US /ˌhaʊˈevər/

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading “One day, however, a deaf and seemingly senseless lad from a distant village brought him a belated telegram; and Glengyle, in his acrid pleasantry, gave him a new farthing.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “More especially he distrusted philanthropy or free-giving; and he swore if he could find one man who took his exact rights he should have all the gold of Glengyle.”

Over preposition US /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading “But his bitter virtue took the turn of the misanthrope; he moped over the dishonesty of his ancestors, from which, somehow, he generalised a dishonesty of all men.”

Took noun US /took/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “But his bitter virtue took the turn of the misanthrope; he moped over the dishonesty of his ancestors, from which, somehow, he generalised a dishonesty of all men.”

Virtue noun US /ˈvɝː.tʃuː/

Moral excellence and goodness of character; the highest human attainment in Stoic philosophy.

From this reading “But his bitter virtue took the turn of the misanthrope; he moped over the dishonesty of his ancestors, from which, somehow, he generalised a dishonesty of all men.”

Without preposition US /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading “Having delivered this defiance to humanity he shut himself up, without the smallest expectation of its being answered.”

All words in this reading · 84

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 “The late Archibald Ogilvie was the nearest approach to a good man ever born at Glengyle.

acridadjectiveUS /ˈæk.rɪd/

Having an unpleasantly bitter or pungent taste or smell.

From this reading One day, however, a deaf and seemingly senseless lad from a distant village brought him a belated telegram; and Glengyle, in his acrid pleasantry, gave him a new farthing.

all

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

From this reading But his bitter virtue took the turn of the misanthrope; he moped over the dishonesty of his ancestors, from which, somehow, he generalised a dishonesty of all men.

ancestors

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

From this reading But his bitter virtue took the turn of the misanthrope; he moped over the dishonesty of his ancestors, from which, somehow, he generalised a dishonesty of all men.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading More especially he distrusted philanthropy or free-giving; and he swore if he could find one man who took his exact rights he should have all the gold of Glengyle.

answerednounUS /ˈanswered/

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

From this reading Having delivered this defiance to humanity he shut himself up, without the smallest expectation of its being answered.

approach

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

From this reading “The late Archibald Ogilvie was the nearest approach to a good man ever born at Glengyle.

Archibald

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

From this reading “The late Archibald Ogilvie was the nearest approach to a good man ever born at Glengyle.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading “The late Archibald Ogilvie was the nearest approach to a good man ever born at Glengyle.

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading Having delivered this defiance to humanity he shut himself up, without the smallest expectation of its being answered.

belated

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

From this reading One day, however, a deaf and seemingly senseless lad from a distant village brought him a belated telegram; and Glengyle, in his acrid pleasantry, gave him a new farthing.

bitter

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

From this reading But his bitter virtue took the turn of the misanthrope; he moped over the dishonesty of his ancestors, from which, somehow, he generalised a dishonesty of all men.

bornnounUS /born/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The late Archibald Ogilvie was the nearest approach to a good man ever born at Glengyle.

broughtnounUS /ˈbrought/

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

From this reading One day, however, a deaf and seemingly senseless lad from a distant village brought him a belated telegram; and Glengyle, in his acrid pleasantry, gave him a new farthing.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But his bitter virtue took the turn of the misanthrope; he moped over the dishonesty of his ancestors, from which, somehow, he generalised a dishonesty of all men.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading More especially he distrusted philanthropy or free-giving; and he swore if he could find one man who took his exact rights he should have all the gold of Glengyle.

day

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

From this reading One day, however, a deaf and seemingly senseless lad from a distant village brought him a belated telegram; and Glengyle, in his acrid pleasantry, gave him a new farthing.

deaf

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

From this reading One day, however, a deaf and seemingly senseless lad from a distant village brought him a belated telegram; and Glengyle, in his acrid pleasantry, gave him a new farthing.

defiance

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

From this reading Having delivered this defiance to humanity he shut himself up, without the smallest expectation of its being answered.

delivered

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

From this reading Having delivered this defiance to humanity he shut himself up, without the smallest expectation of its being answered.

dishonesty

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

From this reading But his bitter virtue took the turn of the misanthrope; he moped over the dishonesty of his ancestors, from which, somehow, he generalised a dishonesty of all men.

distantadjectiveUS /ˈdɪstənt/

not friendly or close

From this reading One day, however, a deaf and seemingly senseless lad from a distant village brought him a belated telegram; and Glengyle, in his acrid pleasantry, gave him a new farthing.

distrusted

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

From this reading More especially he distrusted philanthropy or free-giving; and he swore if he could find one man who took his exact rights he should have all the gold of Glengyle.

especially

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

From this reading More especially he distrusted philanthropy or free-giving; and he swore if he could find one man who took his exact rights he should have all the gold of Glengyle.

evernounUS /ever/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The late Archibald Ogilvie was the nearest approach to a good man ever born at Glengyle.

exactadjectiveUS /ɪɡˈzækt/

Strictly particular and correct.

From this reading More especially he distrusted philanthropy or free-giving; and he swore if he could find one man who took his exact rights he should have all the gold of Glengyle.

expectation

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

From this reading Having delivered this defiance to humanity he shut himself up, without the smallest expectation of its being answered.

farthing

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

From this reading One day, however, a deaf and seemingly senseless lad from a distant village brought him a belated telegram; and Glengyle, in his acrid pleasantry, gave him a new farthing.

find

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

From this reading More especially he distrusted philanthropy or free-giving; and he swore if he could find one man who took his exact rights he should have all the gold of Glengyle.

free-giving

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

From this reading More especially he distrusted philanthropy or free-giving; and he swore if he could find one man who took his exact rights he should have all the gold of Glengyle.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading But his bitter virtue took the turn of the misanthrope; he moped over the dishonesty of his ancestors, from which, somehow, he generalised a dishonesty of all men.

gave

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

From this reading One day, however, a deaf and seemingly senseless lad from a distant village brought him a belated telegram; and Glengyle, in his acrid pleasantry, gave him a new farthing.

generalised

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

From this reading But his bitter virtue took the turn of the misanthrope; he moped over the dishonesty of his ancestors, from which, somehow, he generalised a dishonesty of all men.

Glengyle

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

From this reading “The late Archibald Ogilvie was the nearest approach to a good man ever born at Glengyle.

gold

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

From this reading More especially he distrusted philanthropy or free-giving; and he swore if he could find one man who took his exact rights he should have all the gold of Glengyle.

goodnounUS /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The late Archibald Ogilvie was the nearest approach to a good man ever born at Glengyle.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading More especially he distrusted philanthropy or free-giving; and he swore if he could find one man who took his exact rights he should have all the gold of Glengyle.

Havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/

the -ing form of “have”

From this reading Having delivered this defiance to humanity he shut himself up, without the smallest expectation of its being answered.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading But his bitter virtue took the turn of the misanthrope; he moped over the dishonesty of his ancestors, from which, somehow, he generalised a dishonesty of all men.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading One day, however, a deaf and seemingly senseless lad from a distant village brought him a belated telegram; and Glengyle, in his acrid pleasantry, gave him a new farthing.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

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

From this reading Having delivered this defiance to humanity he shut himself up, without the smallest expectation of its being answered.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading But his bitter virtue took the turn of the misanthrope; he moped over the dishonesty of his ancestors, from which, somehow, he generalised a dishonesty of all men.

howeveradverbUS /ˌhaʊˈevər/

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading One day, however, a deaf and seemingly senseless lad from a distant village brought him a belated telegram; and Glengyle, in his acrid pleasantry, gave him a new farthing.

humanity

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

From this reading Having delivered this defiance to humanity he shut himself up, without the smallest expectation of its being answered.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading More especially he distrusted philanthropy or free-giving; and he swore if he could find one man who took his exact rights he should have all the gold of Glengyle.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading One day, however, a deaf and seemingly senseless lad from a distant village brought him a belated telegram; and Glengyle, in his acrid pleasantry, gave him a new farthing.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Having delivered this defiance to humanity he shut himself up, without the smallest expectation of its being answered.

lad

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

From this reading One day, however, a deaf and seemingly senseless lad from a distant village brought him a belated telegram; and Glengyle, in his acrid pleasantry, gave him a new farthing.

late

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

From this reading “The late Archibald Ogilvie was the nearest approach to a good man ever born at Glengyle.

man

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

From this reading “The late Archibald Ogilvie was the nearest approach to a good man ever born at Glengyle.

men

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

From this reading But his bitter virtue took the turn of the misanthrope; he moped over the dishonesty of his ancestors, from which, somehow, he generalised a dishonesty of all men.

misanthrope

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

From this reading But his bitter virtue took the turn of the misanthrope; he moped over the dishonesty of his ancestors, from which, somehow, he generalised a dishonesty of all men.

moped

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

From this reading But his bitter virtue took the turn of the misanthrope; he moped over the dishonesty of his ancestors, from which, somehow, he generalised a dishonesty of all men.

More

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

From this reading More especially he distrusted philanthropy or free-giving; and he swore if he could find one man who took his exact rights he should have all the gold of Glengyle.

nearest

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

From this reading “The late Archibald Ogilvie was the nearest approach to a good man ever born at Glengyle.

new

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

From this reading One day, however, a deaf and seemingly senseless lad from a distant village brought him a belated telegram; and Glengyle, in his acrid pleasantry, gave him a new farthing.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading But his bitter virtue took the turn of the misanthrope; he moped over the dishonesty of his ancestors, from which, somehow, he generalised a dishonesty of all men.

Ogilvie

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

From this reading “The late Archibald Ogilvie was the nearest approach to a good man ever born at Glengyle.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading More especially he distrusted philanthropy or free-giving; and he swore if he could find one man who took his exact rights he should have all the gold of Glengyle.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading More especially he distrusted philanthropy or free-giving; and he swore if he could find one man who took his exact rights he should have all the gold of Glengyle.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading But his bitter virtue took the turn of the misanthrope; he moped over the dishonesty of his ancestors, from which, somehow, he generalised a dishonesty of all men.

philanthropy

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

From this reading More especially he distrusted philanthropy or free-giving; and he swore if he could find one man who took his exact rights he should have all the gold of Glengyle.

pleasantry

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

From this reading One day, however, a deaf and seemingly senseless lad from a distant village brought him a belated telegram; and Glengyle, in his acrid pleasantry, gave him a new farthing.

rights

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

From this reading More especially he distrusted philanthropy or free-giving; and he swore if he could find one man who took his exact rights he should have all the gold of Glengyle.

seemingly

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

From this reading One day, however, a deaf and seemingly senseless lad from a distant village brought him a belated telegram; and Glengyle, in his acrid pleasantry, gave him a new farthing.

senseless

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

From this reading One day, however, a deaf and seemingly senseless lad from a distant village brought him a belated telegram; and Glengyle, in his acrid pleasantry, gave him a new farthing.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading More especially he distrusted philanthropy or free-giving; and he swore if he could find one man who took his exact rights he should have all the gold of Glengyle.

shut

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

From this reading Having delivered this defiance to humanity he shut himself up, without the smallest expectation of its being answered.

smallest

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

From this reading Having delivered this defiance to humanity he shut himself up, without the smallest expectation of its being answered.

somehow

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

From this reading But his bitter virtue took the turn of the misanthrope; he moped over the dishonesty of his ancestors, from which, somehow, he generalised a dishonesty of all men.

swore

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

From this reading More especially he distrusted philanthropy or free-giving; and he swore if he could find one man who took his exact rights he should have all the gold of Glengyle.

telegram

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

From this reading One day, however, a deaf and seemingly senseless lad from a distant village brought him a belated telegram; and Glengyle, in his acrid pleasantry, gave him a new farthing.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading “The late Archibald Ogilvie was the nearest approach to a good man ever born at Glengyle.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading Having delivered this defiance to humanity he shut himself up, without the smallest expectation of its being answered.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading “The late Archibald Ogilvie was the nearest approach to a good man ever born at Glengyle.

tooknounUS /took/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading But his bitter virtue took the turn of the misanthrope; he moped over the dishonesty of his ancestors, from which, somehow, he generalised a dishonesty of all men.

turn

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

From this reading But his bitter virtue took the turn of the misanthrope; he moped over the dishonesty of his ancestors, from which, somehow, he generalised a dishonesty of all men.

up

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

From this reading Having delivered this defiance to humanity he shut himself up, without the smallest expectation of its being answered.

village

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

From this reading One day, however, a deaf and seemingly senseless lad from a distant village brought him a belated telegram; and Glengyle, in his acrid pleasantry, gave him a new farthing.

virtuenounUS /ˈvɝː.tʃuː/

Moral excellence and goodness of character; the highest human attainment in Stoic philosophy.

From this reading But his bitter virtue took the turn of the misanthrope; he moped over the dishonesty of his ancestors, from which, somehow, he generalised a dishonesty of all men.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading “The late Archibald Ogilvie was the nearest approach to a good man ever born at Glengyle.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading But his bitter virtue took the turn of the misanthrope; he moped over the dishonesty of his ancestors, from which, somehow, he generalised a dishonesty of all men.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading More especially he distrusted philanthropy or free-giving; and he swore if he could find one man who took his exact rights he should have all the gold of Glengyle.

withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading Having delivered this defiance to humanity he shut himself up, without the smallest expectation of its being answered.