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Ethan Frome
Ethan Frome

Chapter I

Cover illustration for Ethan Frome
Context Illustration Reading 1/89 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
I had the story, bit by bit, from various people, and, as generally happens in such cases, each time it was a different story.
If you know Starkfield, Massachusetts, you know the post-office.
If you know the post-office you must have seen Ethan Frome drive up to it, drop the reins on his hollow-backed bay and drag himself across the brick pavement to the white colonnade; and you must have asked who he was.
It was there that, several years ago, I saw him for the first time; and the sight pulled me up sharp.
Even then he was the most striking figure in Starkfield, though he was but the ruin of a man.
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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.

Ethan Frome

Chapter I

Reading 1/89 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
I had the story, bit by bit, from various people, and, as generally happens in such cases, each time it was a different story.
Line 2
If you know Starkfield, Massachusetts, you know the post-office.
Line 3
If you know the post-office you must have seen Ethan Frome drive up to it, drop the reins on his hollow-backed bay and drag himself across the brick pavement to the white colonnade; and you must have asked who he was.
Line 4
It was there that, several years ago, I saw him for the first time; and the sight pulled me up sharp.
Line 5
Even then he was the most striking figure in Starkfield, though he was but the ruin of a man.

Learner Dictionary

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

Across preposition US /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading “If you know the post-office you must have seen Ethan Frome drive up to it, drop the reins on his hollow-backed bay and drag himself across the brick pavement to the white colonnade; and you must have asked who he was.”

Asked noun US /asked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “If you know the post-office you must have seen Ethan Frome drive up to it, drop the reins on his hollow-backed bay and drag himself across the brick pavement to the white colonnade; and you must have asked who he was.”

Different noun US /ˈdifferent/

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

From this reading “I had the story, bit by bit, from various people, and, as generally happens in such cases, each time it was a different story.”

Even noun US /even/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Even then he was the most striking figure in Starkfield, though he was but the ruin of a man.”

First noun US /first/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It was there that, several years ago, I saw him for the first time; and the sight pulled me up sharp.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “If you know the post-office you must have seen Ethan Frome drive up to it, drop the reins on his hollow-backed bay and drag himself across the brick pavement to the white colonnade; and you must have asked who he was.”

Himself pronoun US /hɪmˈself/

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

From this reading “If you know the post-office you must have seen Ethan Frome drive up to it, drop the reins on his hollow-backed bay and drag himself across the brick pavement to the white colonnade; and you must have asked who he was.”

Know noun US /know/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “If you know Starkfield, Massachusetts, you know the post-office.”

Must modal verb US /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading “If you know the post-office you must have seen Ethan Frome drive up to it, drop the reins on his hollow-backed bay and drag himself across the brick pavement to the white colonnade; and you must have asked who he was.”

Pulled noun US /pulled/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It was there that, several years ago, I saw him for the first time; and the sight pulled me up sharp.”

Several noun US /ˈseveral/

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

From this reading “It was there that, several years ago, I saw him for the first time; and the sight pulled me up sharp.”

Though conjunction US /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading “Even then he was the most striking figure in Starkfield, though he was but the ruin of a man.”

Time noun US /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “I had the story, bit by bit, from various people, and, as generally happens in such cases, each time it was a different story.”

All words in this reading · 75

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 I had the story, bit by bit, from various people, and, as generally happens in such cases, each time it was a different story.

acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading If you know the post-office you must have seen Ethan Frome drive up to it, drop the reins on his hollow-backed bay and drag himself across the brick pavement to the white colonnade; and you must have asked who he was.

ago

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

From this reading It was there that, several years ago, I saw him for the first time; and the sight pulled me up sharp.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading I had the story, bit by bit, from various people, and, as generally happens in such cases, each time it was a different story.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading I had the story, bit by bit, from various people, and, as generally happens in such cases, each time it was a different story.

askednounUS /asked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading If you know the post-office you must have seen Ethan Frome drive up to it, drop the reins on his hollow-backed bay and drag himself across the brick pavement to the white colonnade; and you must have asked who he was.

bay

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

From this reading If you know the post-office you must have seen Ethan Frome drive up to it, drop the reins on his hollow-backed bay and drag himself across the brick pavement to the white colonnade; and you must have asked who he was.

bit

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

From this reading I had the story, bit by bit, from various people, and, as generally happens in such cases, each time it was a different story.

brick

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

From this reading If you know the post-office you must have seen Ethan Frome drive up to it, drop the reins on his hollow-backed bay and drag himself across the brick pavement to the white colonnade; and you must have asked who he was.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Even then he was the most striking figure in Starkfield, though he was but the ruin of a man.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading I had the story, bit by bit, from various people, and, as generally happens in such cases, each time it was a different story.

cases

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

From this reading I had the story, bit by bit, from various people, and, as generally happens in such cases, each time it was a different story.

colonnade

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

From this reading If you know the post-office you must have seen Ethan Frome drive up to it, drop the reins on his hollow-backed bay and drag himself across the brick pavement to the white colonnade; and you must have asked who he was.

differentnounUS /ˈdifferent/

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

From this reading I had the story, bit by bit, from various people, and, as generally happens in such cases, each time it was a different story.

drag

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

From this reading If you know the post-office you must have seen Ethan Frome drive up to it, drop the reins on his hollow-backed bay and drag himself across the brick pavement to the white colonnade; and you must have asked who he was.

drive

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

From this reading If you know the post-office you must have seen Ethan Frome drive up to it, drop the reins on his hollow-backed bay and drag himself across the brick pavement to the white colonnade; and you must have asked who he was.

drop

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

From this reading If you know the post-office you must have seen Ethan Frome drive up to it, drop the reins on his hollow-backed bay and drag himself across the brick pavement to the white colonnade; and you must have asked who he was.

eachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/

every one of two or more people or things, taken separately

From this reading I had the story, bit by bit, from various people, and, as generally happens in such cases, each time it was a different story.

Ethan

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

From this reading If you know the post-office you must have seen Ethan Frome drive up to it, drop the reins on his hollow-backed bay and drag himself across the brick pavement to the white colonnade; and you must have asked who he was.

EvennounUS /even/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Even then he was the most striking figure in Starkfield, though he was but the ruin of a man.

figure

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

From this reading Even then he was the most striking figure in Starkfield, though he was but the ruin of a man.

firstnounUS /first/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading It was there that, several years ago, I saw him for the first time; and the sight pulled me up sharp.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading It was there that, several years ago, I saw him for the first time; and the sight pulled me up sharp.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading I had the story, bit by bit, from various people, and, as generally happens in such cases, each time it was a different story.

Frome

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

From this reading If you know the post-office you must have seen Ethan Frome drive up to it, drop the reins on his hollow-backed bay and drag himself across the brick pavement to the white colonnade; and you must have asked who he was.

generally

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

From this reading I had the story, bit by bit, from various people, and, as generally happens in such cases, each time it was a different story.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading I had the story, bit by bit, from various people, and, as generally happens in such cases, each time it was a different story.

happens

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

From this reading I had the story, bit by bit, from various people, and, as generally happens in such cases, each time it was a different story.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading If you know the post-office you must have seen Ethan Frome drive up to it, drop the reins on his hollow-backed bay and drag himself across the brick pavement to the white colonnade; and you must have asked who he was.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading If you know the post-office you must have seen Ethan Frome drive up to it, drop the reins on his hollow-backed bay and drag himself across the brick pavement to the white colonnade; and you must have asked who he was.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading It was there that, several years ago, I saw him for the first time; and the sight pulled me up sharp.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

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

From this reading If you know the post-office you must have seen Ethan Frome drive up to it, drop the reins on his hollow-backed bay and drag himself across the brick pavement to the white colonnade; and you must have asked who he was.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading If you know the post-office you must have seen Ethan Frome drive up to it, drop the reins on his hollow-backed bay and drag himself across the brick pavement to the white colonnade; and you must have asked who he was.

hollow-backed

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

From this reading If you know the post-office you must have seen Ethan Frome drive up to it, drop the reins on his hollow-backed bay and drag himself across the brick pavement to the white colonnade; and you must have asked who he was.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading I had the story, bit by bit, from various people, and, as generally happens in such cases, each time it was a different story.

IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading If you know Starkfield, Massachusetts, you know the post-office.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading I had the story, bit by bit, from various people, and, as generally happens in such cases, each time it was a different story.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading I had the story, bit by bit, from various people, and, as generally happens in such cases, each time it was a different story.

knownounUS /know/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading If you know Starkfield, Massachusetts, you know the post-office.

man

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

From this reading Even then he was the most striking figure in Starkfield, though he was but the ruin of a man.

Massachusetts

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

From this reading If you know Starkfield, Massachusetts, you know the post-office.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading It was there that, several years ago, I saw him for the first time; and the sight pulled me up sharp.

most

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

From this reading Even then he was the most striking figure in Starkfield, though he was but the ruin of a man.

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading If you know the post-office you must have seen Ethan Frome drive up to it, drop the reins on his hollow-backed bay and drag himself across the brick pavement to the white colonnade; and you must have asked who he was.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Even then he was the most striking figure in Starkfield, though he was but the ruin of a man.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading If you know the post-office you must have seen Ethan Frome drive up to it, drop the reins on his hollow-backed bay and drag himself across the brick pavement to the white colonnade; and you must have asked who he was.

pavement

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

From this reading If you know the post-office you must have seen Ethan Frome drive up to it, drop the reins on his hollow-backed bay and drag himself across the brick pavement to the white colonnade; and you must have asked who he was.

people

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

From this reading I had the story, bit by bit, from various people, and, as generally happens in such cases, each time it was a different story.

post-office

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

From this reading If you know Starkfield, Massachusetts, you know the post-office.

pullednounUS /pulled/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading It was there that, several years ago, I saw him for the first time; and the sight pulled me up sharp.

reins

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

From this reading If you know the post-office you must have seen Ethan Frome drive up to it, drop the reins on his hollow-backed bay and drag himself across the brick pavement to the white colonnade; and you must have asked who he was.

ruin

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

From this reading Even then he was the most striking figure in Starkfield, though he was but the ruin of a man.

saw

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

From this reading It was there that, several years ago, I saw him for the first time; and the sight pulled me up sharp.

seen

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

From this reading If you know the post-office you must have seen Ethan Frome drive up to it, drop the reins on his hollow-backed bay and drag himself across the brick pavement to the white colonnade; and you must have asked who he was.

several

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

From this reading It was there that, several years ago, I saw him for the first time; and the sight pulled me up sharp.

sharp

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

From this reading It was there that, several years ago, I saw him for the first time; and the sight pulled me up sharp.

sight

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

From this reading It was there that, several years ago, I saw him for the first time; and the sight pulled me up sharp.

Starkfield

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

From this reading If you know Starkfield, Massachusetts, you know the post-office.

story

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

From this reading I had the story, bit by bit, from various people, and, as generally happens in such cases, each time it was a different story.

striking

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

From this reading Even then he was the most striking figure in Starkfield, though he was but the ruin of a man.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading I had the story, bit by bit, from various people, and, as generally happens in such cases, each time it was a different story.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It was there that, several years ago, I saw him for the first time; and the sight pulled me up sharp.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading I had the story, bit by bit, from various people, and, as generally happens in such cases, each time it was a different story.

then

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

From this reading Even then he was the most striking figure in Starkfield, though he was but the ruin of a man.

there

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

From this reading It was there that, several years ago, I saw him for the first time; and the sight pulled me up sharp.

thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading Even then he was the most striking figure in Starkfield, though he was but the ruin of a man.

timenounUS /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading I had the story, bit by bit, from various people, and, as generally happens in such cases, each time it was a different story.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading If you know the post-office you must have seen Ethan Frome drive up to it, drop the reins on his hollow-backed bay and drag himself across the brick pavement to the white colonnade; and you must have asked who he was.

up

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

From this reading If you know the post-office you must have seen Ethan Frome drive up to it, drop the reins on his hollow-backed bay and drag himself across the brick pavement to the white colonnade; and you must have asked who he was.

various

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

From this reading I had the story, bit by bit, from various people, and, as generally happens in such cases, each time it was a different story.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading I had the story, bit by bit, from various people, and, as generally happens in such cases, each time it was a different story.

white

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

From this reading If you know the post-office you must have seen Ethan Frome drive up to it, drop the reins on his hollow-backed bay and drag himself across the brick pavement to the white colonnade; and you must have asked who he was.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading If you know the post-office you must have seen Ethan Frome drive up to it, drop the reins on his hollow-backed bay and drag himself across the brick pavement to the white colonnade; and you must have asked who he was.

years

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

From this reading It was there that, several years ago, I saw him for the first time; and the sight pulled me up sharp.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading If you know Starkfield, Massachusetts, you know the post-office.