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Chapter II
I had been having considerable trouble with my wings. The day after I helped the choir I made a dash or two with them, but was not lucky. First off, I flew thirty yards, and then fouled an Irishman and brought him down—brought us both down, in fact. Next, I had a collision with a Bishop—and bowled him down, of course. We had some sharp words, and I felt pretty cheap, to come banging into a grave old person like that, with a million strangers looking on and smiling to themselves.
Reading 1/78 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
later than; following
From this reading “The day after I helped the choir I made a dash or two with them, but was not lucky.”
the past participle of “be”
From this reading “I had been having considerable trouble with my wings.”
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “First off, I flew thirty yards, and then fouled an Irishman and brought him down—brought us both down, in fact.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “We had some sharp words, and I felt pretty cheap, to come banging into a grave old person like that, with a million strangers looking on and smiling to themselves.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Next, I had a collision with a Bishop—and bowled him down, of course.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “First off, I flew thirty yards, and then fouled an Irishman and brought him down—brought us both down, in fact.”
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading “I had been having considerable trouble with my wings.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Next, I had a collision with a Bishop—and bowled him down, of course.”
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading “We had some sharp words, and I felt pretty cheap, to come banging into a grave old person like that, with a million strangers looking on and smiling to themselves.”
Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The day after I helped the choir I made a dash or two with them, but was not lucky.
later than; following
From this reading The day after I helped the choir I made a dash or two with them, but was not lucky.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading First off, I flew thirty yards, and then fouled an Irishman and brought him down—brought us both down, in fact.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading First off, I flew thirty yards, and then fouled an Irishman and brought him down—brought us both down, in fact.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We had some sharp words, and I felt pretty cheap, to come banging into a grave old person like that, with a million strangers looking on and smiling to themselves.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading I had been having considerable trouble with my wings.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Next, I had a collision with a Bishop—and bowled him down, of course.
the two together, not just one
From this reading First off, I flew thirty yards, and then fouled an Irishman and brought him down—brought us both down, in fact.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Next, I had a collision with a Bishop—and bowled him down, of course.
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading First off, I flew thirty yards, and then fouled an Irishman and brought him down—brought us both down, in fact.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The day after I helped the choir I made a dash or two with them, but was not lucky.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We had some sharp words, and I felt pretty cheap, to come banging into a grave old person like that, with a million strangers looking on and smiling to themselves.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The day after I helped the choir I made a dash or two with them, but was not lucky.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Next, I had a collision with a Bishop—and bowled him down, of course.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading We had some sharp words, and I felt pretty cheap, to come banging into a grave old person like that, with a million strangers looking on and smiling to themselves.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had been having considerable trouble with my wings.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Next, I had a collision with a Bishop—and bowled him down, of course.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The day after I helped the choir I made a dash or two with them, but was not lucky.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The day after I helped the choir I made a dash or two with them, but was not lucky.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading First off, I flew thirty yards, and then fouled an Irishman and brought him down—brought us both down, in fact.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading First off, I flew thirty yards, and then fouled an Irishman and brought him down—brought us both down, in fact.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We had some sharp words, and I felt pretty cheap, to come banging into a grave old person like that, with a million strangers looking on and smiling to themselves.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading First off, I flew thirty yards, and then fouled an Irishman and brought him down—brought us both down, in fact.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading First off, I flew thirty yards, and then fouled an Irishman and brought him down—brought us both down, in fact.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading First off, I flew thirty yards, and then fouled an Irishman and brought him down—brought us both down, in fact.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We had some sharp words, and I felt pretty cheap, to come banging into a grave old person like that, with a million strangers looking on and smiling to themselves.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I had been having considerable trouble with my wings.
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading I had been having considerable trouble with my wings.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The day after I helped the choir I made a dash or two with them, but was not lucky.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading First off, I flew thirty yards, and then fouled an Irishman and brought him down—brought us both down, in fact.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I had been having considerable trouble with my wings.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading First off, I flew thirty yards, and then fouled an Irishman and brought him down—brought us both down, in fact.
moving to the inside of something
From this reading We had some sharp words, and I felt pretty cheap, to come banging into a grave old person like that, with a million strangers looking on and smiling to themselves.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading First off, I flew thirty yards, and then fouled an Irishman and brought him down—brought us both down, in fact.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We had some sharp words, and I felt pretty cheap, to come banging into a grave old person like that, with a million strangers looking on and smiling to themselves.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We had some sharp words, and I felt pretty cheap, to come banging into a grave old person like that, with a million strangers looking on and smiling to themselves.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The day after I helped the choir I made a dash or two with them, but was not lucky.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The day after I helped the choir I made a dash or two with them, but was not lucky.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We had some sharp words, and I felt pretty cheap, to come banging into a grave old person like that, with a million strangers looking on and smiling to themselves.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading I had been having considerable trouble with my wings.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Next, I had a collision with a Bishop—and bowled him down, of course.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The day after I helped the choir I made a dash or two with them, but was not lucky.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Next, I had a collision with a Bishop—and bowled him down, of course.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading First off, I flew thirty yards, and then fouled an Irishman and brought him down—brought us both down, in fact.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We had some sharp words, and I felt pretty cheap, to come banging into a grave old person like that, with a million strangers looking on and smiling to themselves.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading We had some sharp words, and I felt pretty cheap, to come banging into a grave old person like that, with a million strangers looking on and smiling to themselves.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The day after I helped the choir I made a dash or two with them, but was not lucky.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We had some sharp words, and I felt pretty cheap, to come banging into a grave old person like that, with a million strangers looking on and smiling to themselves.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We had some sharp words, and I felt pretty cheap, to come banging into a grave old person like that, with a million strangers looking on and smiling to themselves.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We had some sharp words, and I felt pretty cheap, to come banging into a grave old person like that, with a million strangers looking on and smiling to themselves.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We had some sharp words, and I felt pretty cheap, to come banging into a grave old person like that, with a million strangers looking on and smiling to themselves.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We had some sharp words, and I felt pretty cheap, to come banging into a grave old person like that, with a million strangers looking on and smiling to themselves.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We had some sharp words, and I felt pretty cheap, to come banging into a grave old person like that, with a million strangers looking on and smiling to themselves.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading We had some sharp words, and I felt pretty cheap, to come banging into a grave old person like that, with a million strangers looking on and smiling to themselves.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The day after I helped the choir I made a dash or two with them, but was not lucky.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The day after I helped the choir I made a dash or two with them, but was not lucky.
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading We had some sharp words, and I felt pretty cheap, to come banging into a grave old person like that, with a million strangers looking on and smiling to themselves.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading First off, I flew thirty yards, and then fouled an Irishman and brought him down—brought us both down, in fact.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading First off, I flew thirty yards, and then fouled an Irishman and brought him down—brought us both down, in fact.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading We had some sharp words, and I felt pretty cheap, to come banging into a grave old person like that, with a million strangers looking on and smiling to themselves.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had been having considerable trouble with my wings.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The day after I helped the choir I made a dash or two with them, but was not lucky.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading First off, I flew thirty yards, and then fouled an Irishman and brought him down—brought us both down, in fact.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The day after I helped the choir I made a dash or two with them, but was not lucky.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We had some sharp words, and I felt pretty cheap, to come banging into a grave old person like that, with a million strangers looking on and smiling to themselves.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had been having considerable trouble with my wings.
in the company of; together with
From this reading I had been having considerable trouble with my wings.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We had some sharp words, and I felt pretty cheap, to come banging into a grave old person like that, with a million strangers looking on and smiling to themselves.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading First off, I flew thirty yards, and then fouled an Irishman and brought him down—brought us both down, in fact.
