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Frances Kane's Fortune
Frances Kane's Fortune

Chapter XVIII

Cover illustration for Frances Kane's Fortune
Context Illustration Reading 1/19 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
It was the year of grace 1779.
In one of the most beautiful corners of beautiful France stood a grand old chateau.
It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high pitched roofs and pointed towers, which, in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.
It stood (as became such a castle) upon an eminence, and looked down.
Very beautiful indeed was what it looked upon.
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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.

Frances Kane's Fortune

Chapter XVIII

Reading 1/19 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
It was the year of grace 1779.
Line 2
In one of the most beautiful corners of beautiful France stood a grand old chateau.
Line 3
It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high pitched roofs and pointed towers, which, in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.
Line 4
It stood (as became such a castle) upon an eminence, and looked down.
Line 5
Very beautiful indeed was what it looked upon.

Learner Dictionary

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

Fine noun US /fine/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high pitched roofs and pointed towers, which, in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.”

Good noun US /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high pitched roofs and pointed towers, which, in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.”

Long noun US /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high pitched roofs and pointed towers, which, in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.”

Looked noun US /looked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It stood (as became such a castle) upon an eminence, and looked down.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “In one of the most beautiful corners of beautiful France stood a grand old chateau.”

Pitched noun US /pitched/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high pitched roofs and pointed towers, which, in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.”

Stood noun US /stood/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “In one of the most beautiful corners of beautiful France stood a grand old chateau.”

Taste verb US /teɪst/

To perceive flavor through the mouth.

From this reading “It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high pitched roofs and pointed towers, which, in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.”

Upon preposition US /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading “It stood (as became such a castle) upon an eminence, and looked down.”

All words in this reading · 65

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

1779

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

From this reading It was the year of grace 1779.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading In one of the most beautiful corners of beautiful France stood a grand old chateau.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading It stood (as became such a castle) upon an eminence, and looked down.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high pitched roofs and pointed towers, which, in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading It stood (as became such a castle) upon an eminence, and looked down.

bad

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

From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high pitched roofs and pointed towers, which, in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high pitched roofs and pointed towers, which, in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.

beautiful

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

From this reading In one of the most beautiful corners of beautiful France stood a grand old chateau.

became

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

From this reading It stood (as became such a castle) upon an eminence, and looked down.

best

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

From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high pitched roofs and pointed towers, which, in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.

building

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

From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high pitched roofs and pointed towers, which, in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.

castle

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

From this reading It stood (as became such a castle) upon an eminence, and looked down.

chateau

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

From this reading In one of the most beautiful corners of beautiful France stood a grand old chateau.

corners

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

From this reading In one of the most beautiful corners of beautiful France stood a grand old chateau.

countless

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

From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high pitched roofs and pointed towers, which, in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

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

From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high pitched roofs and pointed towers, which, in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.

dovecotes

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

From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high pitched roofs and pointed towers, which, in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.

down

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

From this reading It stood (as became such a castle) upon an eminence, and looked down.

eminence

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

From this reading It stood (as became such a castle) upon an eminence, and looked down.

everywhere

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

From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high pitched roofs and pointed towers, which, in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.

fantastic

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

From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high pitched roofs and pointed towers, which, in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.

finenounUS /fine/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high pitched roofs and pointed towers, which, in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.

France

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

From this reading In one of the most beautiful corners of beautiful France stood a grand old chateau.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high pitched roofs and pointed towers, which, in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.

frowned

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

From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high pitched roofs and pointed towers, which, in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.

goodnounUS /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high pitched roofs and pointed towers, which, in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.

gorgon

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

From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high pitched roofs and pointed towers, which, in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.

grace

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

From this reading It was the year of grace 1779.

grand

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

From this reading In one of the most beautiful corners of beautiful France stood a grand old chateau.

heads

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

From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high pitched roofs and pointed towers, which, in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.

high

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

From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high pitched roofs and pointed towers, which, in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.

InprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading In one of the most beautiful corners of beautiful France stood a grand old chateau.

indeed

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

From this reading Very beautiful indeed was what it looked upon.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was the year of grace 1779.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high pitched roofs and pointed towers, which, in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.

large

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

From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high pitched roofs and pointed towers, which, in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.

longnounUS /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high pitched roofs and pointed towers, which, in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.

lookednounUS /looked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading It stood (as became such a castle) upon an eminence, and looked down.

most

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

From this reading In one of the most beautiful corners of beautiful France stood a grand old chateau.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading It was the year of grace 1779.

old

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

From this reading In one of the most beautiful corners of beautiful France stood a grand old chateau.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading In one of the most beautiful corners of beautiful France stood a grand old chateau.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high pitched roofs and pointed towers, which, in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.

ornamental

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

From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high pitched roofs and pointed towers, which, in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.

pitchednounUS /pitched/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high pitched roofs and pointed towers, which, in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.

pointed

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

From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high pitched roofs and pointed towers, which, in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.

roofs

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

From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high pitched roofs and pointed towers, which, in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.

row

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

From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high pitched roofs and pointed towers, which, in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.

small

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

From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high pitched roofs and pointed towers, which, in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.

stables

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

From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high pitched roofs and pointed towers, which, in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.

stoodnounUS /stood/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading In one of the most beautiful corners of beautiful France stood a grand old chateau.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading It stood (as became such a castle) upon an eminence, and looked down.

tasteverbUS /teɪst/

To perceive flavor through the mouth.

From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high pitched roofs and pointed towers, which, in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading It was the year of grace 1779.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high pitched roofs and pointed towers, which, in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.

towers

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

From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high pitched roofs and pointed towers, which, in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.

turrets

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

From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high pitched roofs and pointed towers, which, in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading It stood (as became such a castle) upon an eminence, and looked down.

Very

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

From this reading Very beautiful indeed was what it looked upon.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It was the year of grace 1779.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading Very beautiful indeed was what it looked upon.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high pitched roofs and pointed towers, which, in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.

windows

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

From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high pitched roofs and pointed towers, which, in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading It was a fine old building, with countless windows large and small, with high pitched roofs and pointed towers, which, in good taste or bad, did its best to be everywhere ornamental, from the gorgon heads which frowned from its turrets to the long row of stables and the fantastic dovecotes.

year

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

From this reading It was the year of grace 1779.