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Doctor Grimshawe's Secret — a Romance
Doctor Grimshawe's Secret — a Romance

Chapter XIX

Cover illustration for Doctor Grimshawe's Secret — a Romance
Context Illustration Reading 1/31 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Redclyffe was now established in the great house which had been so long and so singularly an object of interest with him.
With his customary impressibility by the influences around him, he begun to take in the circumstances, and to understand them by more subtile tokens than he could well explain to himself.
There was the steward, [Endnote: 1] or whatever was his precise office; so quiet, so subdued, so nervous, so strange!
What had been this man’s history?
What was now the secret of his daily life?
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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.

Doctor Grimshawe's Secret — a Romance

Chapter XIX

Reading 1/31 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Redclyffe was now established in the great house which had been so long and so singularly an object of interest with him.
Line 2
With his customary impressibility by the influences around him, he begun to take in the circumstances, and to understand them by more subtile tokens than he could well explain to himself.
Line 3
There was the steward, [Endnote: 1] or whatever was his precise office; so quiet, so subdued, so nervous, so strange!
Line 4
What had been this man’s history?
Line 5
What was now the secret of his daily life?

Learner Dictionary

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

Around preposition US /ərˈaʊnd/

surrounding, or on every side of, something

From this reading “With his customary impressibility by the influences around him, he begun to take in the circumstances, and to understand them by more subtile tokens than he could well explain to himself.”

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “Redclyffe was now established in the great house which had been so long and so singularly an object of interest with him.”

Could modal verb US /kʊd/

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

From this reading “With his customary impressibility by the influences around him, he begun to take in the circumstances, and to understand them by more subtile tokens than he could well explain to himself.”

Great noun US /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Redclyffe was now established in the great house which had been so long and so singularly an object of interest with him.”

Himself pronoun US /hɪmˈself/

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

From this reading “With his customary impressibility by the influences around him, he begun to take in the circumstances, and to understand them by more subtile tokens than he could well explain to himself.”

Life noun US /life/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “What was now the secret of his daily life?”

Long noun US /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Redclyffe was now established in the great house which had been so long and so singularly an object of interest with him.”

Secret noun US /ˈsiː.krət/

Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.

From this reading “What was now the secret of his daily life?”

Take noun US /take/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “With his customary impressibility by the influences around him, he begun to take in the circumstances, and to understand them by more subtile tokens than he could well explain to himself.”

Understand noun US /understand/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “With his customary impressibility by the influences around him, he begun to take in the circumstances, and to understand them by more subtile tokens than he could well explain to himself.”

Well noun US /well/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “With his customary impressibility by the influences around him, he begun to take in the circumstances, and to understand them by more subtile tokens than he could well explain to himself.”

Whatever determiner US /ˌwʌˈtevər/

any or all of a kind, it does not matter which

From this reading “There was the steward, [Endnote: 1] or whatever was his precise office; so quiet, so subdued, so nervous, so strange!”

All words in this reading · 61

Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

1

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

From this reading There was the steward, [Endnote: 1] or whatever was his precise office; so quiet, so subdued, so nervous, so strange!

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading Redclyffe was now established in the great house which had been so long and so singularly an object of interest with him.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Redclyffe was now established in the great house which had been so long and so singularly an object of interest with him.

aroundprepositionUS /ərˈaʊnd/

surrounding, or on every side of, something

From this reading With his customary impressibility by the influences around him, he begun to take in the circumstances, and to understand them by more subtile tokens than he could well explain to himself.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Redclyffe was now established in the great house which had been so long and so singularly an object of interest with him.

begun

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

From this reading With his customary impressibility by the influences around him, he begun to take in the circumstances, and to understand them by more subtile tokens than he could well explain to himself.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading With his customary impressibility by the influences around him, he begun to take in the circumstances, and to understand them by more subtile tokens than he could well explain to himself.

circumstances

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

From this reading With his customary impressibility by the influences around him, he begun to take in the circumstances, and to understand them by more subtile tokens than he could well explain to himself.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading With his customary impressibility by the influences around him, he begun to take in the circumstances, and to understand them by more subtile tokens than he could well explain to himself.

customary

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

From this reading With his customary impressibility by the influences around him, he begun to take in the circumstances, and to understand them by more subtile tokens than he could well explain to himself.

daily

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

From this reading What was now the secret of his daily life?

Endnote

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

From this reading There was the steward, [Endnote: 1] or whatever was his precise office; so quiet, so subdued, so nervous, so strange!

established

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

From this reading Redclyffe was now established in the great house which had been so long and so singularly an object of interest with him.

explain

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

From this reading With his customary impressibility by the influences around him, he begun to take in the circumstances, and to understand them by more subtile tokens than he could well explain to himself.

greatnounUS /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Redclyffe was now established in the great house which had been so long and so singularly an object of interest with him.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Redclyffe was now established in the great house which had been so long and so singularly an object of interest with him.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading With his customary impressibility by the influences around him, he begun to take in the circumstances, and to understand them by more subtile tokens than he could well explain to himself.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading Redclyffe was now established in the great house which had been so long and so singularly an object of interest with him.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

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

From this reading With his customary impressibility by the influences around him, he begun to take in the circumstances, and to understand them by more subtile tokens than he could well explain to himself.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading With his customary impressibility by the influences around him, he begun to take in the circumstances, and to understand them by more subtile tokens than he could well explain to himself.

history

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

From this reading What had been this man’s history?

house

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

From this reading Redclyffe was now established in the great house which had been so long and so singularly an object of interest with him.

impressibility

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

From this reading With his customary impressibility by the influences around him, he begun to take in the circumstances, and to understand them by more subtile tokens than he could well explain to himself.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Redclyffe was now established in the great house which had been so long and so singularly an object of interest with him.

influences

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

From this reading With his customary impressibility by the influences around him, he begun to take in the circumstances, and to understand them by more subtile tokens than he could well explain to himself.

interest

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

From this reading Redclyffe was now established in the great house which had been so long and so singularly an object of interest with him.

lifenounUS /life/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading What was now the secret of his daily life?

longnounUS /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Redclyffe was now established in the great house which had been so long and so singularly an object of interest with him.

man's

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

From this reading What had been this man’s history?

more

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

From this reading With his customary impressibility by the influences around him, he begun to take in the circumstances, and to understand them by more subtile tokens than he could well explain to himself.

nervous

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

From this reading There was the steward, [Endnote: 1] or whatever was his precise office; so quiet, so subdued, so nervous, so strange!

now

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

From this reading Redclyffe was now established in the great house which had been so long and so singularly an object of interest with him.

object

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

From this reading Redclyffe was now established in the great house which had been so long and so singularly an object of interest with him.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Redclyffe was now established in the great house which had been so long and so singularly an object of interest with him.

office

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

From this reading There was the steward, [Endnote: 1] or whatever was his precise office; so quiet, so subdued, so nervous, so strange!

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading There was the steward, [Endnote: 1] or whatever was his precise office; so quiet, so subdued, so nervous, so strange!

precise

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

From this reading There was the steward, [Endnote: 1] or whatever was his precise office; so quiet, so subdued, so nervous, so strange!

quiet

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

From this reading There was the steward, [Endnote: 1] or whatever was his precise office; so quiet, so subdued, so nervous, so strange!

Redclyffe

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

From this reading Redclyffe was now established in the great house which had been so long and so singularly an object of interest with him.

secretnounUS /ˈsiː.krət/

Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.

From this reading What was now the secret of his daily life?

singularly

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

From this reading Redclyffe was now established in the great house which had been so long and so singularly an object of interest with him.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Redclyffe was now established in the great house which had been so long and so singularly an object of interest with him.

steward

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

From this reading There was the steward, [Endnote: 1] or whatever was his precise office; so quiet, so subdued, so nervous, so strange!

strange

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

From this reading There was the steward, [Endnote: 1] or whatever was his precise office; so quiet, so subdued, so nervous, so strange!

subdued

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

From this reading There was the steward, [Endnote: 1] or whatever was his precise office; so quiet, so subdued, so nervous, so strange!

subtile

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

From this reading With his customary impressibility by the influences around him, he begun to take in the circumstances, and to understand them by more subtile tokens than he could well explain to himself.

takenounUS /take/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading With his customary impressibility by the influences around him, he begun to take in the circumstances, and to understand them by more subtile tokens than he could well explain to himself.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading With his customary impressibility by the influences around him, he begun to take in the circumstances, and to understand them by more subtile tokens than he could well explain to himself.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Redclyffe was now established in the great house which had been so long and so singularly an object of interest with him.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading With his customary impressibility by the influences around him, he begun to take in the circumstances, and to understand them by more subtile tokens than he could well explain to himself.

There

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

From this reading There was the steward, [Endnote: 1] or whatever was his precise office; so quiet, so subdued, so nervous, so strange!

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading What had been this man’s history?

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading With his customary impressibility by the influences around him, he begun to take in the circumstances, and to understand them by more subtile tokens than he could well explain to himself.

tokens

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

From this reading With his customary impressibility by the influences around him, he begun to take in the circumstances, and to understand them by more subtile tokens than he could well explain to himself.

understandnounUS /understand/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading With his customary impressibility by the influences around him, he begun to take in the circumstances, and to understand them by more subtile tokens than he could well explain to himself.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Redclyffe was now established in the great house which had been so long and so singularly an object of interest with him.

well

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

From this reading With his customary impressibility by the influences around him, he begun to take in the circumstances, and to understand them by more subtile tokens than he could well explain to himself.

WhatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading What had been this man’s history?

whateverdeterminerUS /ˌwʌˈtevər/

any or all of a kind, it does not matter which

From this reading There was the steward, [Endnote: 1] or whatever was his precise office; so quiet, so subdued, so nervous, so strange!

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading Redclyffe was now established in the great house which had been so long and so singularly an object of interest with him.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Redclyffe was now established in the great house which had been so long and so singularly an object of interest with him.