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Frank Oldfield: Lost and Found
Frank Oldfield: Lost and Found

Chapter V

Cover illustration for Frank Oldfield: Lost and Found
Context Illustration Reading 1/83 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"Dearest mother," he said, throwing himself down beside her, clasping her knees, and looking up imploringly into her face, "I'm a miserable creature, on the road to ruin, body and soul, unless something comes to stop me."
"Oh, my boy, my boy!" cried his mother, bursting into tears; "do not say so.
You have gone astray; but so have we all, one way or other.
There is hope for you if you return.
Surely the evil habit cannot be already so strong upon you that you cannot summon strength and resolution to break through it."
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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.

Frank Oldfield: Lost and Found

Chapter V

Reading 1/83 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
"Dearest mother," he said, throwing himself down beside her, clasping her knees, and looking up imploringly into her face, "I'm a miserable creature, on the road to ruin, body and soul, unless something comes to stop me."
Line 2
"Oh, my boy, my boy!" cried his mother, bursting into tears; "do not say so.
Line 3
You have gone astray; but so have we all, one way or other.
Line 4
There is hope for you if you return.
Line 5
Surely the evil habit cannot be already so strong upon you that you cannot summon strength and resolution to break through it."

Learner Dictionary

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

Already noun US /already/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Surely the evil habit cannot be already so strong upon you that you cannot summon strength and resolution to break through it."”

Beside preposition US /bɪˈsaɪd/

next to; at the side of

From this reading “"Dearest mother," he said, throwing himself down beside her, clasping her knees, and looking up imploringly into her face, "I'm a miserable creature, on the road to ruin, body and soul, unless something comes to stop me."”

Body noun US /body/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “"Dearest mother," he said, throwing himself down beside her, clasping her knees, and looking up imploringly into her face, "I'm a miserable creature, on the road to ruin, body and soul, unless something comes to stop me."”

Creature noun US /ˈcreature/

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

From this reading “"Dearest mother," he said, throwing himself down beside her, clasping her knees, and looking up imploringly into her face, "I'm a miserable creature, on the road to ruin, body and soul, unless something comes to stop me."”

Cried noun US /cried/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “"Oh, my boy, my boy!" cried his mother, bursting into tears; "do not say so.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “You have gone astray; but so have we all, one way or other.”

Himself pronoun US /hɪmˈself/

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

From this reading “"Dearest mother," he said, throwing himself down beside her, clasping her knees, and looking up imploringly into her face, "I'm a miserable creature, on the road to ruin, body and soul, unless something comes to stop me."”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “You have gone astray; but so have we all, one way or other.”

Something pronoun US /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading “"Dearest mother," he said, throwing himself down beside her, clasping her knees, and looking up imploringly into her face, "I'm a miserable creature, on the road to ruin, body and soul, unless something comes to stop me."”

Strength noun US /ˈstrength/

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

From this reading “Surely the evil habit cannot be already so strong upon you that you cannot summon strength and resolution to break through it."”

Through noun US /ˈthrough/

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

From this reading “Surely the evil habit cannot be already so strong upon you that you cannot summon strength and resolution to break through it."”

Unless conjunction US /ənˈles/

except if; if not

From this reading “"Dearest mother," he said, throwing himself down beside her, clasping her knees, and looking up imploringly into her face, "I'm a miserable creature, on the road to ruin, body and soul, unless something comes to stop me."”

Upon preposition US /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading “Surely the evil habit cannot be already so strong upon you that you cannot summon strength and resolution to break through it."”

All words in this reading · 76

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 "Dearest mother," he said, throwing himself down beside her, clasping her knees, and looking up imploringly into her face, "I'm a miserable creature, on the road to ruin, body and soul, unless something comes to stop me."

all

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

From this reading You have gone astray; but so have we all, one way or other.

alreadynounUS /already/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Surely the evil habit cannot be already so strong upon you that you cannot summon strength and resolution to break through it."

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading "Dearest mother," he said, throwing himself down beside her, clasping her knees, and looking up imploringly into her face, "I'm a miserable creature, on the road to ruin, body and soul, unless something comes to stop me."

astray

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

From this reading You have gone astray; but so have we all, one way or other.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading Surely the evil habit cannot be already so strong upon you that you cannot summon strength and resolution to break through it."

besideprepositionUS /bɪˈsaɪd/

next to; at the side of

From this reading "Dearest mother," he said, throwing himself down beside her, clasping her knees, and looking up imploringly into her face, "I'm a miserable creature, on the road to ruin, body and soul, unless something comes to stop me."

bodynounUS /body/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading "Dearest mother," he said, throwing himself down beside her, clasping her knees, and looking up imploringly into her face, "I'm a miserable creature, on the road to ruin, body and soul, unless something comes to stop me."

boy

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

From this reading "Oh, my boy, my boy!" cried his mother, bursting into tears; "do not say so.

break

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

From this reading Surely the evil habit cannot be already so strong upon you that you cannot summon strength and resolution to break through it."

bursting

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

From this reading "Oh, my boy, my boy!" cried his mother, bursting into tears; "do not say so.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading You have gone astray; but so have we all, one way or other.

cannot

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

From this reading Surely the evil habit cannot be already so strong upon you that you cannot summon strength and resolution to break through it."

clasping

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

From this reading "Dearest mother," he said, throwing himself down beside her, clasping her knees, and looking up imploringly into her face, "I'm a miserable creature, on the road to ruin, body and soul, unless something comes to stop me."

comes

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

From this reading "Dearest mother," he said, throwing himself down beside her, clasping her knees, and looking up imploringly into her face, "I'm a miserable creature, on the road to ruin, body and soul, unless something comes to stop me."

creaturenounUS /ˈcreature/

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

From this reading "Dearest mother," he said, throwing himself down beside her, clasping her knees, and looking up imploringly into her face, "I'm a miserable creature, on the road to ruin, body and soul, unless something comes to stop me."

criednounUS /cried/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading "Oh, my boy, my boy!" cried his mother, bursting into tears; "do not say so.

Dearest

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

From this reading "Dearest mother," he said, throwing himself down beside her, clasping her knees, and looking up imploringly into her face, "I'm a miserable creature, on the road to ruin, body and soul, unless something comes to stop me."

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading "Oh, my boy, my boy!" cried his mother, bursting into tears; "do not say so.

down

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

From this reading "Dearest mother," he said, throwing himself down beside her, clasping her knees, and looking up imploringly into her face, "I'm a miserable creature, on the road to ruin, body and soul, unless something comes to stop me."

evil

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

From this reading Surely the evil habit cannot be already so strong upon you that you cannot summon strength and resolution to break through it."

face

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

From this reading "Dearest mother," he said, throwing himself down beside her, clasping her knees, and looking up imploringly into her face, "I'm a miserable creature, on the road to ruin, body and soul, unless something comes to stop me."

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading There is hope for you if you return.

gone

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

From this reading You have gone astray; but so have we all, one way or other.

habit

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

From this reading Surely the evil habit cannot be already so strong upon you that you cannot summon strength and resolution to break through it."

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading You have gone astray; but so have we all, one way or other.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading "Dearest mother," he said, throwing himself down beside her, clasping her knees, and looking up imploringly into her face, "I'm a miserable creature, on the road to ruin, body and soul, unless something comes to stop me."

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading "Dearest mother," he said, throwing himself down beside her, clasping her knees, and looking up imploringly into her face, "I'm a miserable creature, on the road to ruin, body and soul, unless something comes to stop me."

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

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

From this reading "Dearest mother," he said, throwing himself down beside her, clasping her knees, and looking up imploringly into her face, "I'm a miserable creature, on the road to ruin, body and soul, unless something comes to stop me."

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading "Oh, my boy, my boy!" cried his mother, bursting into tears; "do not say so.

hope

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

From this reading There is hope for you if you return.

I'm

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

From this reading "Dearest mother," he said, throwing himself down beside her, clasping her knees, and looking up imploringly into her face, "I'm a miserable creature, on the road to ruin, body and soul, unless something comes to stop me."

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading There is hope for you if you return.

imploringly

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

From this reading "Dearest mother," he said, throwing himself down beside her, clasping her knees, and looking up imploringly into her face, "I'm a miserable creature, on the road to ruin, body and soul, unless something comes to stop me."

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading "Dearest mother," he said, throwing himself down beside her, clasping her knees, and looking up imploringly into her face, "I'm a miserable creature, on the road to ruin, body and soul, unless something comes to stop me."

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading There is hope for you if you return.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Surely the evil habit cannot be already so strong upon you that you cannot summon strength and resolution to break through it."

knees

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

From this reading "Dearest mother," he said, throwing himself down beside her, clasping her knees, and looking up imploringly into her face, "I'm a miserable creature, on the road to ruin, body and soul, unless something comes to stop me."

looking

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

From this reading "Dearest mother," he said, throwing himself down beside her, clasping her knees, and looking up imploringly into her face, "I'm a miserable creature, on the road to ruin, body and soul, unless something comes to stop me."

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading "Dearest mother," he said, throwing himself down beside her, clasping her knees, and looking up imploringly into her face, "I'm a miserable creature, on the road to ruin, body and soul, unless something comes to stop me."

miserable

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

From this reading "Dearest mother," he said, throwing himself down beside her, clasping her knees, and looking up imploringly into her face, "I'm a miserable creature, on the road to ruin, body and soul, unless something comes to stop me."

mother

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

From this reading "Dearest mother," he said, throwing himself down beside her, clasping her knees, and looking up imploringly into her face, "I'm a miserable creature, on the road to ruin, body and soul, unless something comes to stop me."

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading "Oh, my boy, my boy!" cried his mother, bursting into tears; "do not say so.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading "Oh, my boy, my boy!" cried his mother, bursting into tears; "do not say so.

Oh

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

From this reading "Oh, my boy, my boy!" cried his mother, bursting into tears; "do not say so.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading "Dearest mother," he said, throwing himself down beside her, clasping her knees, and looking up imploringly into her face, "I'm a miserable creature, on the road to ruin, body and soul, unless something comes to stop me."

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading You have gone astray; but so have we all, one way or other.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading You have gone astray; but so have we all, one way or other.

other

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

From this reading You have gone astray; but so have we all, one way or other.

resolution

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

From this reading Surely the evil habit cannot be already so strong upon you that you cannot summon strength and resolution to break through it."

return

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

From this reading There is hope for you if you return.

road

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

From this reading "Dearest mother," he said, throwing himself down beside her, clasping her knees, and looking up imploringly into her face, "I'm a miserable creature, on the road to ruin, body and soul, unless something comes to stop me."

ruin

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

From this reading "Dearest mother," he said, throwing himself down beside her, clasping her knees, and looking up imploringly into her face, "I'm a miserable creature, on the road to ruin, body and soul, unless something comes to stop me."

said

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

From this reading "Dearest mother," he said, throwing himself down beside her, clasping her knees, and looking up imploringly into her face, "I'm a miserable creature, on the road to ruin, body and soul, unless something comes to stop me."

say

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

From this reading "Oh, my boy, my boy!" cried his mother, bursting into tears; "do not say so.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading "Oh, my boy, my boy!" cried his mother, bursting into tears; "do not say so.

somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading "Dearest mother," he said, throwing himself down beside her, clasping her knees, and looking up imploringly into her face, "I'm a miserable creature, on the road to ruin, body and soul, unless something comes to stop me."

soul

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

From this reading "Dearest mother," he said, throwing himself down beside her, clasping her knees, and looking up imploringly into her face, "I'm a miserable creature, on the road to ruin, body and soul, unless something comes to stop me."

stop

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

From this reading "Dearest mother," he said, throwing himself down beside her, clasping her knees, and looking up imploringly into her face, "I'm a miserable creature, on the road to ruin, body and soul, unless something comes to stop me."

strengthnounUS /ˈstrength/

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

From this reading Surely the evil habit cannot be already so strong upon you that you cannot summon strength and resolution to break through it."

strong

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

From this reading Surely the evil habit cannot be already so strong upon you that you cannot summon strength and resolution to break through it."

summon

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

From this reading Surely the evil habit cannot be already so strong upon you that you cannot summon strength and resolution to break through it."

Surely

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

From this reading Surely the evil habit cannot be already so strong upon you that you cannot summon strength and resolution to break through it."

tears

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

From this reading "Oh, my boy, my boy!" cried his mother, bursting into tears; "do not say so.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Surely the evil habit cannot be already so strong upon you that you cannot summon strength and resolution to break through it."

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading "Dearest mother," he said, throwing himself down beside her, clasping her knees, and looking up imploringly into her face, "I'm a miserable creature, on the road to ruin, body and soul, unless something comes to stop me."

There

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

From this reading There is hope for you if you return.

throughnounUS /ˈthrough/

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

From this reading Surely the evil habit cannot be already so strong upon you that you cannot summon strength and resolution to break through it."

throwing

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

From this reading "Dearest mother," he said, throwing himself down beside her, clasping her knees, and looking up imploringly into her face, "I'm a miserable creature, on the road to ruin, body and soul, unless something comes to stop me."

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading "Dearest mother," he said, throwing himself down beside her, clasping her knees, and looking up imploringly into her face, "I'm a miserable creature, on the road to ruin, body and soul, unless something comes to stop me."

unlessconjunctionUS /ənˈles/

except if; if not

From this reading "Dearest mother," he said, throwing himself down beside her, clasping her knees, and looking up imploringly into her face, "I'm a miserable creature, on the road to ruin, body and soul, unless something comes to stop me."

up

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

From this reading "Dearest mother," he said, throwing himself down beside her, clasping her knees, and looking up imploringly into her face, "I'm a miserable creature, on the road to ruin, body and soul, unless something comes to stop me."

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading Surely the evil habit cannot be already so strong upon you that you cannot summon strength and resolution to break through it."

way

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

From this reading You have gone astray; but so have we all, one way or other.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading You have gone astray; but so have we all, one way or other.

YoupronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading You have gone astray; but so have we all, one way or other.