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Five Nights: A Novel
Five Nights: A Novel

Chapter VIII

Cover illustration for Five Nights: A Novel
Context Illustration Reading 1/70 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
LOSS We had left town and come down to the country.
Viola had not seemed quite so well in the last three months since the night of our reconciliation, and even here in the country she did not seem to regain her colour and her usual spirits.
She declared, however, there was nothing the matter with her, and we had been intensely happy.
One morning when we came down to our rather late breakfast I found a long, thin, curiously addressed letter lying by my plate.
Viola took it up laughingly, and then I saw her suddenly turn pale, and she laid it back on the table as if the touch of it hurt her.
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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.

Five Nights: A Novel

Chapter VIII

Reading 1/70 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
LOSS We had left town and come down to the country.
Line 2
Viola had not seemed quite so well in the last three months since the night of our reconciliation, and even here in the country she did not seem to regain her colour and her usual spirits.
Line 3
She declared, however, there was nothing the matter with her, and we had been intensely happy.
Line 4
One morning when we came down to our rather late breakfast I found a long, thin, curiously addressed letter lying by my plate.
Line 5
Viola took it up laughingly, and then I saw her suddenly turn pale, and she laid it back on the table as if the touch of it hurt her.

Learner Dictionary

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

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “She declared, however, there was nothing the matter with her, and we had been intensely happy.”

Come noun US /come/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “LOSS We had left town and come down to the country.”

Even noun US /even/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Viola had not seemed quite so well in the last three months since the night of our reconciliation, and even here in the country she did not seem to regain her colour and her usual spirits.”

Found noun US /found/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “One morning when we came down to our rather late breakfast I found a long, thin, curiously addressed letter lying by my plate.”

Here noun US /here/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Viola had not seemed quite so well in the last three months since the night of our reconciliation, and even here in the country she did not seem to regain her colour and her usual spirits.”

However adverb US /ˌhaʊˈevər/

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading “She declared, however, there was nothing the matter with her, and we had been intensely happy.”

Last noun US /last/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Viola had not seemed quite so well in the last three months since the night of our reconciliation, and even here in the country she did not seem to regain her colour and her usual spirits.”

Left noun US /left/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “LOSS We had left town and come down to the country.”

Long noun US /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “One morning when we came down to our rather late breakfast I found a long, thin, curiously addressed letter lying by my plate.”

Morning noun US /morning/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “One morning when we came down to our rather late breakfast I found a long, thin, curiously addressed letter lying by my plate.”

Nothing pronoun US /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading “She declared, however, there was nothing the matter with her, and we had been intensely happy.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “One morning when we came down to our rather late breakfast I found a long, thin, curiously addressed letter lying by my plate.”

Quite noun US /quite/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Viola had not seemed quite so well in the last three months since the night of our reconciliation, and even here in the country she did not seem to regain her colour and her usual spirits.”

Seemed noun US /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Viola had not seemed quite so well in the last three months since the night of our reconciliation, and even here in the country she did not seem to regain her colour and her usual spirits.”

Since preposition US /sɪns/

from a time in the past until now

From this reading “Viola had not seemed quite so well in the last three months since the night of our reconciliation, and even here in the country she did not seem to regain her colour and her usual spirits.”

Suddenly noun US /ˈsuddenly/

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

From this reading “Viola took it up laughingly, and then I saw her suddenly turn pale, and she laid it back on the table as if the touch of it hurt her.”

Thin adjective US /θɪn/

Having little thickness or extent.

From this reading “One morning when we came down to our rather late breakfast I found a long, thin, curiously addressed letter lying by my plate.”

Took noun US /took/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Viola took it up laughingly, and then I saw her suddenly turn pale, and she laid it back on the table as if the touch of it hurt her.”

Well noun US /well/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Viola had not seemed quite so well in the last three months since the night of our reconciliation, and even here in the country she did not seem to regain her colour and her usual spirits.”

All words in this reading · 82

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 One morning when we came down to our rather late breakfast I found a long, thin, curiously addressed letter lying by my plate.

addressed

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

From this reading One morning when we came down to our rather late breakfast I found a long, thin, curiously addressed letter lying by my plate.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading LOSS We had left town and come down to the country.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading Viola took it up laughingly, and then I saw her suddenly turn pale, and she laid it back on the table as if the touch of it hurt her.

back

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

From this reading Viola took it up laughingly, and then I saw her suddenly turn pale, and she laid it back on the table as if the touch of it hurt her.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading She declared, however, there was nothing the matter with her, and we had been intensely happy.

breakfast

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

From this reading One morning when we came down to our rather late breakfast I found a long, thin, curiously addressed letter lying by my plate.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading One morning when we came down to our rather late breakfast I found a long, thin, curiously addressed letter lying by my plate.

came

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

From this reading One morning when we came down to our rather late breakfast I found a long, thin, curiously addressed letter lying by my plate.

colour

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

From this reading Viola had not seemed quite so well in the last three months since the night of our reconciliation, and even here in the country she did not seem to regain her colour and her usual spirits.

comenounUS /come/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading LOSS We had left town and come down to the country.

country

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

From this reading LOSS We had left town and come down to the country.

curiously

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

From this reading One morning when we came down to our rather late breakfast I found a long, thin, curiously addressed letter lying by my plate.

declared

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

From this reading She declared, however, there was nothing the matter with her, and we had been intensely happy.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

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

From this reading Viola had not seemed quite so well in the last three months since the night of our reconciliation, and even here in the country she did not seem to regain her colour and her usual spirits.

down

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

From this reading LOSS We had left town and come down to the country.

evennounUS /even/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Viola had not seemed quite so well in the last three months since the night of our reconciliation, and even here in the country she did not seem to regain her colour and her usual spirits.

foundnounUS /found/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading One morning when we came down to our rather late breakfast I found a long, thin, curiously addressed letter lying by my plate.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading LOSS We had left town and come down to the country.

happy

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

From this reading She declared, however, there was nothing the matter with her, and we had been intensely happy.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading Viola had not seemed quite so well in the last three months since the night of our reconciliation, and even here in the country she did not seem to regain her colour and her usual spirits.

herenounUS /here/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Viola had not seemed quite so well in the last three months since the night of our reconciliation, and even here in the country she did not seem to regain her colour and her usual spirits.

howeveradverbUS /ˌhaʊˈevər/

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading She declared, however, there was nothing the matter with her, and we had been intensely happy.

hurt

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

From this reading Viola took it up laughingly, and then I saw her suddenly turn pale, and she laid it back on the table as if the touch of it hurt her.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading One morning when we came down to our rather late breakfast I found a long, thin, curiously addressed letter lying by my plate.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading Viola took it up laughingly, and then I saw her suddenly turn pale, and she laid it back on the table as if the touch of it hurt her.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Viola had not seemed quite so well in the last three months since the night of our reconciliation, and even here in the country she did not seem to regain her colour and her usual spirits.

intensely

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

From this reading She declared, however, there was nothing the matter with her, and we had been intensely happy.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Viola took it up laughingly, and then I saw her suddenly turn pale, and she laid it back on the table as if the touch of it hurt her.

laid

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

From this reading Viola took it up laughingly, and then I saw her suddenly turn pale, and she laid it back on the table as if the touch of it hurt her.

lastnounUS /last/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Viola had not seemed quite so well in the last three months since the night of our reconciliation, and even here in the country she did not seem to regain her colour and her usual spirits.

late

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

From this reading One morning when we came down to our rather late breakfast I found a long, thin, curiously addressed letter lying by my plate.

laughingly

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

From this reading Viola took it up laughingly, and then I saw her suddenly turn pale, and she laid it back on the table as if the touch of it hurt her.

leftnounUS /left/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading LOSS We had left town and come down to the country.

letter

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

From this reading One morning when we came down to our rather late breakfast I found a long, thin, curiously addressed letter lying by my plate.

longnounUS /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading One morning when we came down to our rather late breakfast I found a long, thin, curiously addressed letter lying by my plate.

LOSS

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

From this reading LOSS We had left town and come down to the country.

lying

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

From this reading One morning when we came down to our rather late breakfast I found a long, thin, curiously addressed letter lying by my plate.

matter

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

From this reading She declared, however, there was nothing the matter with her, and we had been intensely happy.

months

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

From this reading Viola had not seemed quite so well in the last three months since the night of our reconciliation, and even here in the country she did not seem to regain her colour and her usual spirits.

morningnounUS /morning/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading One morning when we came down to our rather late breakfast I found a long, thin, curiously addressed letter lying by my plate.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading One morning when we came down to our rather late breakfast I found a long, thin, curiously addressed letter lying by my plate.

night

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

From this reading Viola had not seemed quite so well in the last three months since the night of our reconciliation, and even here in the country she did not seem to regain her colour and her usual spirits.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Viola had not seemed quite so well in the last three months since the night of our reconciliation, and even here in the country she did not seem to regain her colour and her usual spirits.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading She declared, however, there was nothing the matter with her, and we had been intensely happy.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Viola had not seemed quite so well in the last three months since the night of our reconciliation, and even here in the country she did not seem to regain her colour and her usual spirits.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Viola took it up laughingly, and then I saw her suddenly turn pale, and she laid it back on the table as if the touch of it hurt her.

OnepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading One morning when we came down to our rather late breakfast I found a long, thin, curiously addressed letter lying by my plate.

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading Viola had not seemed quite so well in the last three months since the night of our reconciliation, and even here in the country she did not seem to regain her colour and her usual spirits.

pale

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

From this reading Viola took it up laughingly, and then I saw her suddenly turn pale, and she laid it back on the table as if the touch of it hurt her.

plate

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

From this reading One morning when we came down to our rather late breakfast I found a long, thin, curiously addressed letter lying by my plate.

quitenounUS /quite/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Viola had not seemed quite so well in the last three months since the night of our reconciliation, and even here in the country she did not seem to regain her colour and her usual spirits.

rather

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

From this reading One morning when we came down to our rather late breakfast I found a long, thin, curiously addressed letter lying by my plate.

reconciliation

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

From this reading Viola had not seemed quite so well in the last three months since the night of our reconciliation, and even here in the country she did not seem to regain her colour and her usual spirits.

regain

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

From this reading Viola had not seemed quite so well in the last three months since the night of our reconciliation, and even here in the country she did not seem to regain her colour and her usual spirits.

saw

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

From this reading Viola took it up laughingly, and then I saw her suddenly turn pale, and she laid it back on the table as if the touch of it hurt her.

seem

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

From this reading Viola had not seemed quite so well in the last three months since the night of our reconciliation, and even here in the country she did not seem to regain her colour and her usual spirits.

seemednounUS /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Viola had not seemed quite so well in the last three months since the night of our reconciliation, and even here in the country she did not seem to regain her colour and her usual spirits.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Viola had not seemed quite so well in the last three months since the night of our reconciliation, and even here in the country she did not seem to regain her colour and her usual spirits.

sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/

from a time in the past until now

From this reading Viola had not seemed quite so well in the last three months since the night of our reconciliation, and even here in the country she did not seem to regain her colour and her usual spirits.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Viola had not seemed quite so well in the last three months since the night of our reconciliation, and even here in the country she did not seem to regain her colour and her usual spirits.

spirits

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

From this reading Viola had not seemed quite so well in the last three months since the night of our reconciliation, and even here in the country she did not seem to regain her colour and her usual spirits.

suddenlynounUS /ˈsuddenly/

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

From this reading Viola took it up laughingly, and then I saw her suddenly turn pale, and she laid it back on the table as if the touch of it hurt her.

table

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

From this reading Viola took it up laughingly, and then I saw her suddenly turn pale, and she laid it back on the table as if the touch of it hurt her.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading LOSS We had left town and come down to the country.

then

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

From this reading Viola took it up laughingly, and then I saw her suddenly turn pale, and she laid it back on the table as if the touch of it hurt her.

there

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

From this reading She declared, however, there was nothing the matter with her, and we had been intensely happy.

thinadjectiveUS /θɪn/

Having little thickness or extent.

From this reading One morning when we came down to our rather late breakfast I found a long, thin, curiously addressed letter lying by my plate.

three

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

From this reading Viola had not seemed quite so well in the last three months since the night of our reconciliation, and even here in the country she did not seem to regain her colour and her usual spirits.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading LOSS We had left town and come down to the country.

tooknounUS /took/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Viola took it up laughingly, and then I saw her suddenly turn pale, and she laid it back on the table as if the touch of it hurt her.

touch

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

From this reading Viola took it up laughingly, and then I saw her suddenly turn pale, and she laid it back on the table as if the touch of it hurt her.

town

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

From this reading LOSS We had left town and come down to the country.

turn

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

From this reading Viola took it up laughingly, and then I saw her suddenly turn pale, and she laid it back on the table as if the touch of it hurt her.

up

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

From this reading Viola took it up laughingly, and then I saw her suddenly turn pale, and she laid it back on the table as if the touch of it hurt her.

usual

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

From this reading Viola had not seemed quite so well in the last three months since the night of our reconciliation, and even here in the country she did not seem to regain her colour and her usual spirits.

Viola

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

From this reading Viola had not seemed quite so well in the last three months since the night of our reconciliation, and even here in the country she did not seem to regain her colour and her usual spirits.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading She declared, however, there was nothing the matter with her, and we had been intensely happy.

WepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading LOSS We had left town and come down to the country.

well

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

From this reading Viola had not seemed quite so well in the last three months since the night of our reconciliation, and even here in the country she did not seem to regain her colour and her usual spirits.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading One morning when we came down to our rather late breakfast I found a long, thin, curiously addressed letter lying by my plate.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading She declared, however, there was nothing the matter with her, and we had been intensely happy.