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Helena
Helena

Chapter VI

Cover illustration for Helena
Context Illustration Reading 1/69 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"Buntingford looks twice as old as he need!" said Geoffrey French, lighting a cigarette as he and Helena stepped out of the drawing-room window after dinner into the May world outside--a world which lay steeped in an after-glow of magical beauty.
"What's wrong, I wonder!
Have you been plaguing him, Helena?"
The laughing shot was fired purely at random.
But the slight start and flush it produced in Helena struck him.
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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.

Helena

Chapter VI

Reading 1/69 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
"Buntingford looks twice as old as he need!" said Geoffrey French, lighting a cigarette as he and Helena stepped out of the drawing-room window after dinner into the May world outside--a world which lay steeped in an after-glow of magical beauty.
Line 2
"What's wrong, I wonder!
Line 3
Have you been plaguing him, Helena?"
Line 4
The laughing shot was fired purely at random.
Line 5
But the slight start and flush it produced in Helena struck him.

Learner Dictionary

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

After preposition US /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading “"Buntingford looks twice as old as he need!" said Geoffrey French, lighting a cigarette as he and Helena stepped out of the drawing-room window after dinner into the May world outside--a world which lay steeped in an after-glow of magical beauty.”

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “Have you been plaguing him, Helena?"”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “Have you been plaguing him, Helena?"”

May modal verb US /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading “"Buntingford looks twice as old as he need!" said Geoffrey French, lighting a cigarette as he and Helena stepped out of the drawing-room window after dinner into the May world outside--a world which lay steeped in an after-glow of magical beauty.”

Need noun US /need/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “"Buntingford looks twice as old as he need!" said Geoffrey French, lighting a cigarette as he and Helena stepped out of the drawing-room window after dinner into the May world outside--a world which lay steeped in an after-glow of magical beauty.”

Outside noun US /ˈoutside/

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

From this reading “"Buntingford looks twice as old as he need!" said Geoffrey French, lighting a cigarette as he and Helena stepped out of the drawing-room window after dinner into the May world outside--a world which lay steeped in an after-glow of magical beauty.”

Start noun US /start/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “But the slight start and flush it produced in Helena struck him.”

Struck noun US /struck/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “But the slight start and flush it produced in Helena struck him.”

All words in this reading · 58

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 "Buntingford looks twice as old as he need!" said Geoffrey French, lighting a cigarette as he and Helena stepped out of the drawing-room window after dinner into the May world outside--a world which lay steeped in an after-glow of magical beauty.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading "Buntingford looks twice as old as he need!" said Geoffrey French, lighting a cigarette as he and Helena stepped out of the drawing-room window after dinner into the May world outside--a world which lay steeped in an after-glow of magical beauty.

after-glow

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

From this reading "Buntingford looks twice as old as he need!" said Geoffrey French, lighting a cigarette as he and Helena stepped out of the drawing-room window after dinner into the May world outside--a world which lay steeped in an after-glow of magical beauty.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading "Buntingford looks twice as old as he need!" said Geoffrey French, lighting a cigarette as he and Helena stepped out of the drawing-room window after dinner into the May world outside--a world which lay steeped in an after-glow of magical beauty.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading "Buntingford looks twice as old as he need!" said Geoffrey French, lighting a cigarette as he and Helena stepped out of the drawing-room window after dinner into the May world outside--a world which lay steeped in an after-glow of magical beauty.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading "Buntingford looks twice as old as he need!" said Geoffrey French, lighting a cigarette as he and Helena stepped out of the drawing-room window after dinner into the May world outside--a world which lay steeped in an after-glow of magical beauty.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The laughing shot was fired purely at random.

beauty

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

From this reading "Buntingford looks twice as old as he need!" said Geoffrey French, lighting a cigarette as he and Helena stepped out of the drawing-room window after dinner into the May world outside--a world which lay steeped in an after-glow of magical beauty.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Have you been plaguing him, Helena?"

Buntingford

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

From this reading "Buntingford looks twice as old as he need!" said Geoffrey French, lighting a cigarette as he and Helena stepped out of the drawing-room window after dinner into the May world outside--a world which lay steeped in an after-glow of magical beauty.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But the slight start and flush it produced in Helena struck him.

cigarette

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

From this reading "Buntingford looks twice as old as he need!" said Geoffrey French, lighting a cigarette as he and Helena stepped out of the drawing-room window after dinner into the May world outside--a world which lay steeped in an after-glow of magical beauty.

dinner

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

From this reading "Buntingford looks twice as old as he need!" said Geoffrey French, lighting a cigarette as he and Helena stepped out of the drawing-room window after dinner into the May world outside--a world which lay steeped in an after-glow of magical beauty.

drawing-room

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

From this reading "Buntingford looks twice as old as he need!" said Geoffrey French, lighting a cigarette as he and Helena stepped out of the drawing-room window after dinner into the May world outside--a world which lay steeped in an after-glow of magical beauty.

fired

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

From this reading The laughing shot was fired purely at random.

flush

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

From this reading But the slight start and flush it produced in Helena struck him.

French

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

From this reading "Buntingford looks twice as old as he need!" said Geoffrey French, lighting a cigarette as he and Helena stepped out of the drawing-room window after dinner into the May world outside--a world which lay steeped in an after-glow of magical beauty.

Geoffrey

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

From this reading "Buntingford looks twice as old as he need!" said Geoffrey French, lighting a cigarette as he and Helena stepped out of the drawing-room window after dinner into the May world outside--a world which lay steeped in an after-glow of magical beauty.

Haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Have you been plaguing him, Helena?"

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading "Buntingford looks twice as old as he need!" said Geoffrey French, lighting a cigarette as he and Helena stepped out of the drawing-room window after dinner into the May world outside--a world which lay steeped in an after-glow of magical beauty.

Helena

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

From this reading "Buntingford looks twice as old as he need!" said Geoffrey French, lighting a cigarette as he and Helena stepped out of the drawing-room window after dinner into the May world outside--a world which lay steeped in an after-glow of magical beauty.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading Have you been plaguing him, Helena?"

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading "What's wrong, I wonder!

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading "Buntingford looks twice as old as he need!" said Geoffrey French, lighting a cigarette as he and Helena stepped out of the drawing-room window after dinner into the May world outside--a world which lay steeped in an after-glow of magical beauty.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading "Buntingford looks twice as old as he need!" said Geoffrey French, lighting a cigarette as he and Helena stepped out of the drawing-room window after dinner into the May world outside--a world which lay steeped in an after-glow of magical beauty.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading But the slight start and flush it produced in Helena struck him.

laughing

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

From this reading The laughing shot was fired purely at random.

lay

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

From this reading "Buntingford looks twice as old as he need!" said Geoffrey French, lighting a cigarette as he and Helena stepped out of the drawing-room window after dinner into the May world outside--a world which lay steeped in an after-glow of magical beauty.

lighting

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

From this reading "Buntingford looks twice as old as he need!" said Geoffrey French, lighting a cigarette as he and Helena stepped out of the drawing-room window after dinner into the May world outside--a world which lay steeped in an after-glow of magical beauty.

looks

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

From this reading "Buntingford looks twice as old as he need!" said Geoffrey French, lighting a cigarette as he and Helena stepped out of the drawing-room window after dinner into the May world outside--a world which lay steeped in an after-glow of magical beauty.

magical

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

From this reading "Buntingford looks twice as old as he need!" said Geoffrey French, lighting a cigarette as he and Helena stepped out of the drawing-room window after dinner into the May world outside--a world which lay steeped in an after-glow of magical beauty.

Maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading "Buntingford looks twice as old as he need!" said Geoffrey French, lighting a cigarette as he and Helena stepped out of the drawing-room window after dinner into the May world outside--a world which lay steeped in an after-glow of magical beauty.

neednounUS /need/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading "Buntingford looks twice as old as he need!" said Geoffrey French, lighting a cigarette as he and Helena stepped out of the drawing-room window after dinner into the May world outside--a world which lay steeped in an after-glow of magical beauty.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading "Buntingford looks twice as old as he need!" said Geoffrey French, lighting a cigarette as he and Helena stepped out of the drawing-room window after dinner into the May world outside--a world which lay steeped in an after-glow of magical beauty.

old

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

From this reading "Buntingford looks twice as old as he need!" said Geoffrey French, lighting a cigarette as he and Helena stepped out of the drawing-room window after dinner into the May world outside--a world which lay steeped in an after-glow of magical beauty.

out

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

From this reading "Buntingford looks twice as old as he need!" said Geoffrey French, lighting a cigarette as he and Helena stepped out of the drawing-room window after dinner into the May world outside--a world which lay steeped in an after-glow of magical beauty.

outsidenounUS /ˈoutside/

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

From this reading "Buntingford looks twice as old as he need!" said Geoffrey French, lighting a cigarette as he and Helena stepped out of the drawing-room window after dinner into the May world outside--a world which lay steeped in an after-glow of magical beauty.

plaguing

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

From this reading Have you been plaguing him, Helena?"

produced

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

From this reading But the slight start and flush it produced in Helena struck him.

purely

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

From this reading The laughing shot was fired purely at random.

random

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

From this reading The laughing shot was fired purely at random.

said

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

From this reading "Buntingford looks twice as old as he need!" said Geoffrey French, lighting a cigarette as he and Helena stepped out of the drawing-room window after dinner into the May world outside--a world which lay steeped in an after-glow of magical beauty.

shot

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

From this reading The laughing shot was fired purely at random.

slight

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

From this reading But the slight start and flush it produced in Helena struck him.

startnounUS /start/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading But the slight start and flush it produced in Helena struck him.

steeped

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

From this reading "Buntingford looks twice as old as he need!" said Geoffrey French, lighting a cigarette as he and Helena stepped out of the drawing-room window after dinner into the May world outside--a world which lay steeped in an after-glow of magical beauty.

stepped

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

From this reading "Buntingford looks twice as old as he need!" said Geoffrey French, lighting a cigarette as he and Helena stepped out of the drawing-room window after dinner into the May world outside--a world which lay steeped in an after-glow of magical beauty.

strucknounUS /struck/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading But the slight start and flush it produced in Helena struck him.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading "Buntingford looks twice as old as he need!" said Geoffrey French, lighting a cigarette as he and Helena stepped out of the drawing-room window after dinner into the May world outside--a world which lay steeped in an after-glow of magical beauty.

twice

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

From this reading "Buntingford looks twice as old as he need!" said Geoffrey French, lighting a cigarette as he and Helena stepped out of the drawing-room window after dinner into the May world outside--a world which lay steeped in an after-glow of magical beauty.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The laughing shot was fired purely at random.

What's

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

From this reading "What's wrong, I wonder!

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading "Buntingford looks twice as old as he need!" said Geoffrey French, lighting a cigarette as he and Helena stepped out of the drawing-room window after dinner into the May world outside--a world which lay steeped in an after-glow of magical beauty.

window

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

From this reading "Buntingford looks twice as old as he need!" said Geoffrey French, lighting a cigarette as he and Helena stepped out of the drawing-room window after dinner into the May world outside--a world which lay steeped in an after-glow of magical beauty.

wonder

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

From this reading "What's wrong, I wonder!

world

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

From this reading "Buntingford looks twice as old as he need!" said Geoffrey French, lighting a cigarette as he and Helena stepped out of the drawing-room window after dinner into the May world outside--a world which lay steeped in an after-glow of magical beauty.

wrong

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

From this reading "What's wrong, I wonder!

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Have you been plaguing him, Helena?"