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Dorian
Dorian

Chapter VIII

Cover illustration for Dorian
Context Illustration Reading 1/82 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The next day Dorian made inquiries as to how he could reach the place indicated by the address, and he learned that it was a ranch house well up in the mountains.
There was a daily mail in that direction, except when the roads and the weather hindered; and it seemed that these would now be hinderances.
The threatened storm came, and with it high wind which piled the snow into deep, hard drifts, making the mountain road nearly impassible.
Dorian found the mail-carrier who told him that it would be impossible to make a start until the storm had ceased.
All day the snow fell, and all day Dorian fretted impatiently, and was tempted to once more go out to Mr. and Mrs. Whitman; but he did not.
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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.

Dorian

Chapter VIII

Reading 1/82 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
The next day Dorian made inquiries as to how he could reach the place indicated by the address, and he learned that it was a ranch house well up in the mountains.
Line 2
There was a daily mail in that direction, except when the roads and the weather hindered; and it seemed that these would now be hinderances.
Line 3
The threatened storm came, and with it high wind which piled the snow into deep, hard drifts, making the mountain road nearly impassible.
Line 4
Dorian found the mail-carrier who told him that it would be impossible to make a start until the storm had ceased.
Line 5
All day the snow fell, and all day Dorian fretted impatiently, and was tempted to once more go out to Mr. and Mrs. Whitman; but he did not.

Learner Dictionary

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

Could modal verb US /kʊd/

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

From this reading “The next day Dorian made inquiries as to how he could reach the place indicated by the address, and he learned that it was a ranch house well up in the mountains.”

Except preposition US /ɪkˈsept/

apart from; not including

From this reading “There was a daily mail in that direction, except when the roads and the weather hindered; and it seemed that these would now be hinderances.”

Found noun US /found/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Dorian found the mail-carrier who told him that it would be impossible to make a start until the storm had ceased.”

Make noun US /make/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Dorian found the mail-carrier who told him that it would be impossible to make a start until the storm had ceased.”

Next noun US /next/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The next day Dorian made inquiries as to how he could reach the place indicated by the address, and he learned that it was a ranch house well up in the mountains.”

Once noun US /once/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “All day the snow fell, and all day Dorian fretted impatiently, and was tempted to once more go out to Mr. and Mrs. Whitman; but he did not.”

Seemed noun US /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “There was a daily mail in that direction, except when the roads and the weather hindered; and it seemed that these would now be hinderances.”

Start noun US /start/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Dorian found the mail-carrier who told him that it would be impossible to make a start until the storm had ceased.”

These determiner US /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading “There was a daily mail in that direction, except when the roads and the weather hindered; and it seemed that these would now be hinderances.”

Told noun US /told/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Dorian found the mail-carrier who told him that it would be impossible to make a start until the storm had ceased.”

Until preposition US /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading “Dorian found the mail-carrier who told him that it would be impossible to make a start until the storm had ceased.”

Well noun US /well/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The next day Dorian made inquiries as to how he could reach the place indicated by the address, and he learned that it was a ranch house well up in the mountains.”

Wind noun US /wind/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The threatened storm came, and with it high wind which piled the snow into deep, hard drifts, making the mountain road nearly impassible.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

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

From this reading “There was a daily mail in that direction, except when the roads and the weather hindered; and it seemed that these would now be hinderances.”

All words in this reading · 87

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 next day Dorian made inquiries as to how he could reach the place indicated by the address, and he learned that it was a ranch house well up in the mountains.

address

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

From this reading The next day Dorian made inquiries as to how he could reach the place indicated by the address, and he learned that it was a ranch house well up in the mountains.

All

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

From this reading All day the snow fell, and all day Dorian fretted impatiently, and was tempted to once more go out to Mr. and Mrs. Whitman; but he did not.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The next day Dorian made inquiries as to how he could reach the place indicated by the address, and he learned that it was a ranch house well up in the mountains.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading The next day Dorian made inquiries as to how he could reach the place indicated by the address, and he learned that it was a ranch house well up in the mountains.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading There was a daily mail in that direction, except when the roads and the weather hindered; and it seemed that these would now be hinderances.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading All day the snow fell, and all day Dorian fretted impatiently, and was tempted to once more go out to Mr. and Mrs. Whitman; but he did not.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading The next day Dorian made inquiries as to how he could reach the place indicated by the address, and he learned that it was a ranch house well up in the mountains.

came

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

From this reading The threatened storm came, and with it high wind which piled the snow into deep, hard drifts, making the mountain road nearly impassible.

ceased

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

From this reading Dorian found the mail-carrier who told him that it would be impossible to make a start until the storm had ceased.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading The next day Dorian made inquiries as to how he could reach the place indicated by the address, and he learned that it was a ranch house well up in the mountains.

daily

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

From this reading There was a daily mail in that direction, except when the roads and the weather hindered; and it seemed that these would now be hinderances.

day

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

From this reading The next day Dorian made inquiries as to how he could reach the place indicated by the address, and he learned that it was a ranch house well up in the mountains.

deep

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

From this reading The threatened storm came, and with it high wind which piled the snow into deep, hard drifts, making the mountain road nearly impassible.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading All day the snow fell, and all day Dorian fretted impatiently, and was tempted to once more go out to Mr. and Mrs. Whitman; but he did not.

direction

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

From this reading There was a daily mail in that direction, except when the roads and the weather hindered; and it seemed that these would now be hinderances.

Dorian

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

From this reading The next day Dorian made inquiries as to how he could reach the place indicated by the address, and he learned that it was a ranch house well up in the mountains.

drifts

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

From this reading The threatened storm came, and with it high wind which piled the snow into deep, hard drifts, making the mountain road nearly impassible.

exceptprepositionUS /ɪkˈsept/

apart from; not including

From this reading There was a daily mail in that direction, except when the roads and the weather hindered; and it seemed that these would now be hinderances.

fell

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

From this reading All day the snow fell, and all day Dorian fretted impatiently, and was tempted to once more go out to Mr. and Mrs. Whitman; but he did not.

foundnounUS /found/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Dorian found the mail-carrier who told him that it would be impossible to make a start until the storm had ceased.

fretted

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

From this reading All day the snow fell, and all day Dorian fretted impatiently, and was tempted to once more go out to Mr. and Mrs. Whitman; but he did not.

go

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

From this reading All day the snow fell, and all day Dorian fretted impatiently, and was tempted to once more go out to Mr. and Mrs. Whitman; but he did not.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Dorian found the mail-carrier who told him that it would be impossible to make a start until the storm had ceased.

hard

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

From this reading The threatened storm came, and with it high wind which piled the snow into deep, hard drifts, making the mountain road nearly impassible.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading The next day Dorian made inquiries as to how he could reach the place indicated by the address, and he learned that it was a ranch house well up in the mountains.

high

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

From this reading The threatened storm came, and with it high wind which piled the snow into deep, hard drifts, making the mountain road nearly impassible.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading Dorian found the mail-carrier who told him that it would be impossible to make a start until the storm had ceased.

hinderances

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

From this reading There was a daily mail in that direction, except when the roads and the weather hindered; and it seemed that these would now be hinderances.

hindered

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

From this reading There was a daily mail in that direction, except when the roads and the weather hindered; and it seemed that these would now be hinderances.

house

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

From this reading The next day Dorian made inquiries as to how he could reach the place indicated by the address, and he learned that it was a ranch house well up in the mountains.

how

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

From this reading The next day Dorian made inquiries as to how he could reach the place indicated by the address, and he learned that it was a ranch house well up in the mountains.

impassible

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

From this reading The threatened storm came, and with it high wind which piled the snow into deep, hard drifts, making the mountain road nearly impassible.

impatiently

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

From this reading All day the snow fell, and all day Dorian fretted impatiently, and was tempted to once more go out to Mr. and Mrs. Whitman; but he did not.

impossible

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

From this reading Dorian found the mail-carrier who told him that it would be impossible to make a start until the storm had ceased.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The next day Dorian made inquiries as to how he could reach the place indicated by the address, and he learned that it was a ranch house well up in the mountains.

indicated

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

From this reading The next day Dorian made inquiries as to how he could reach the place indicated by the address, and he learned that it was a ranch house well up in the mountains.

inquiries

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

From this reading The next day Dorian made inquiries as to how he could reach the place indicated by the address, and he learned that it was a ranch house well up in the mountains.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading The threatened storm came, and with it high wind which piled the snow into deep, hard drifts, making the mountain road nearly impassible.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading The next day Dorian made inquiries as to how he could reach the place indicated by the address, and he learned that it was a ranch house well up in the mountains.

learned

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

From this reading The next day Dorian made inquiries as to how he could reach the place indicated by the address, and he learned that it was a ranch house well up in the mountains.

made

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

From this reading The next day Dorian made inquiries as to how he could reach the place indicated by the address, and he learned that it was a ranch house well up in the mountains.

mail

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

From this reading There was a daily mail in that direction, except when the roads and the weather hindered; and it seemed that these would now be hinderances.

mail-carrier

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

From this reading Dorian found the mail-carrier who told him that it would be impossible to make a start until the storm had ceased.

makenounUS /make/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Dorian found the mail-carrier who told him that it would be impossible to make a start until the storm had ceased.

making

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

From this reading The threatened storm came, and with it high wind which piled the snow into deep, hard drifts, making the mountain road nearly impassible.

more

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

From this reading All day the snow fell, and all day Dorian fretted impatiently, and was tempted to once more go out to Mr. and Mrs. Whitman; but he did not.

mountain

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

From this reading The threatened storm came, and with it high wind which piled the snow into deep, hard drifts, making the mountain road nearly impassible.

mountains

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

From this reading The next day Dorian made inquiries as to how he could reach the place indicated by the address, and he learned that it was a ranch house well up in the mountains.

Mr

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

From this reading All day the snow fell, and all day Dorian fretted impatiently, and was tempted to once more go out to Mr. and Mrs. Whitman; but he did not.

Mrs

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

From this reading All day the snow fell, and all day Dorian fretted impatiently, and was tempted to once more go out to Mr. and Mrs. Whitman; but he did not.

nearly

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

From this reading The threatened storm came, and with it high wind which piled the snow into deep, hard drifts, making the mountain road nearly impassible.

nextnounUS /next/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The next day Dorian made inquiries as to how he could reach the place indicated by the address, and he learned that it was a ranch house well up in the mountains.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading All day the snow fell, and all day Dorian fretted impatiently, and was tempted to once more go out to Mr. and Mrs. Whitman; but he did not.

now

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

From this reading There was a daily mail in that direction, except when the roads and the weather hindered; and it seemed that these would now be hinderances.

once

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

From this reading All day the snow fell, and all day Dorian fretted impatiently, and was tempted to once more go out to Mr. and Mrs. Whitman; but he did not.

out

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

From this reading All day the snow fell, and all day Dorian fretted impatiently, and was tempted to once more go out to Mr. and Mrs. Whitman; but he did not.

piled

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

From this reading The threatened storm came, and with it high wind which piled the snow into deep, hard drifts, making the mountain road nearly impassible.

place

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

From this reading The next day Dorian made inquiries as to how he could reach the place indicated by the address, and he learned that it was a ranch house well up in the mountains.

ranch

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

From this reading The next day Dorian made inquiries as to how he could reach the place indicated by the address, and he learned that it was a ranch house well up in the mountains.

reach

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

From this reading The next day Dorian made inquiries as to how he could reach the place indicated by the address, and he learned that it was a ranch house well up in the mountains.

road

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

From this reading The threatened storm came, and with it high wind which piled the snow into deep, hard drifts, making the mountain road nearly impassible.

roads

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

From this reading There was a daily mail in that direction, except when the roads and the weather hindered; and it seemed that these would now be hinderances.

seemednounUS /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading There was a daily mail in that direction, except when the roads and the weather hindered; and it seemed that these would now be hinderances.

snow

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

From this reading The threatened storm came, and with it high wind which piled the snow into deep, hard drifts, making the mountain road nearly impassible.

startnounUS /start/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Dorian found the mail-carrier who told him that it would be impossible to make a start until the storm had ceased.

storm

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

From this reading The threatened storm came, and with it high wind which piled the snow into deep, hard drifts, making the mountain road nearly impassible.

tempted

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

From this reading All day the snow fell, and all day Dorian fretted impatiently, and was tempted to once more go out to Mr. and Mrs. Whitman; but he did not.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The next day Dorian made inquiries as to how he could reach the place indicated by the address, and he learned that it was a ranch house well up in the mountains.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The next day Dorian made inquiries as to how he could reach the place indicated by the address, and he learned that it was a ranch house well up in the mountains.

There

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

From this reading There was a daily mail in that direction, except when the roads and the weather hindered; and it seemed that these would now be hinderances.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading There was a daily mail in that direction, except when the roads and the weather hindered; and it seemed that these would now be hinderances.

threatened

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

From this reading The threatened storm came, and with it high wind which piled the snow into deep, hard drifts, making the mountain road nearly impassible.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The next day Dorian made inquiries as to how he could reach the place indicated by the address, and he learned that it was a ranch house well up in the mountains.

toldnounUS /told/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Dorian found the mail-carrier who told him that it would be impossible to make a start until the storm had ceased.

untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading Dorian found the mail-carrier who told him that it would be impossible to make a start until the storm had ceased.

up

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

From this reading The next day Dorian made inquiries as to how he could reach the place indicated by the address, and he learned that it was a ranch house well up in the mountains.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The next day Dorian made inquiries as to how he could reach the place indicated by the address, and he learned that it was a ranch house well up in the mountains.

weather

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

From this reading There was a daily mail in that direction, except when the roads and the weather hindered; and it seemed that these would now be hinderances.

well

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

From this reading The next day Dorian made inquiries as to how he could reach the place indicated by the address, and he learned that it was a ranch house well up in the mountains.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading There was a daily mail in that direction, except when the roads and the weather hindered; and it seemed that these would now be hinderances.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading The threatened storm came, and with it high wind which piled the snow into deep, hard drifts, making the mountain road nearly impassible.

Whitman

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

From this reading All day the snow fell, and all day Dorian fretted impatiently, and was tempted to once more go out to Mr. and Mrs. Whitman; but he did not.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Dorian found the mail-carrier who told him that it would be impossible to make a start until the storm had ceased.

windnounUS /wind/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The threatened storm came, and with it high wind which piled the snow into deep, hard drifts, making the mountain road nearly impassible.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The threatened storm came, and with it high wind which piled the snow into deep, hard drifts, making the mountain road nearly impassible.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading There was a daily mail in that direction, except when the roads and the weather hindered; and it seemed that these would now be hinderances.