A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XVII
THE ASIUT AFFAIR Nothing could be less appropriate to the Spirit of the Nile than our spirit in setting out. We had turned our backs upon medieval Cairo, and our faces toward Ethiopia. Our minds should have teemed with thoughts of early gods, and the mysteries of their great temples. But not at all. Medieval or prehistoric, it was all one to us in our secret hearts, which throbbed with passionate excitement over our own small affairs of to-day, and to-morrow.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading “THE ASIUT AFFAIR Nothing could be less appropriate to the Spirit of the Nile than our spirit in setting out.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Our minds should have teemed with thoughts of early gods, and the mysteries of their great temples.”
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “Our minds should have teemed with thoughts of early gods, and the mysteries of their great temples.”
not one thing; not anything
From this reading “THE ASIUT AFFAIR Nothing could be less appropriate to the Spirit of the Nile than our spirit in setting out.”
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading “Medieval or prehistoric, it was all one to us in our secret hearts, which throbbed with passionate excitement over our own small affairs of to-day, and to-morrow.”
above and across; more than
From this reading “Medieval or prehistoric, it was all one to us in our secret hearts, which throbbed with passionate excitement over our own small affairs of to-day, and to-morrow.”
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading “Medieval or prehistoric, it was all one to us in our secret hearts, which throbbed with passionate excitement over our own small affairs of to-day, and to-morrow.”
in the direction of
From this reading “We had turned our backs upon medieval Cairo, and our faces toward Ethiopia.”
a formal word for “on”
From this reading “We had turned our backs upon medieval Cairo, and our faces toward Ethiopia.”
Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE ASIUT AFFAIR Nothing could be less appropriate to the Spirit of the Nile than our spirit in setting out.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Medieval or prehistoric, it was all one to us in our secret hearts, which throbbed with passionate excitement over our own small affairs of to-day, and to-morrow.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But not at all.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading We had turned our backs upon medieval Cairo, and our faces toward Ethiopia.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE ASIUT AFFAIR Nothing could be less appropriate to the Spirit of the Nile than our spirit in setting out.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE ASIUT AFFAIR Nothing could be less appropriate to the Spirit of the Nile than our spirit in setting out.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading But not at all.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We had turned our backs upon medieval Cairo, and our faces toward Ethiopia.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading THE ASIUT AFFAIR Nothing could be less appropriate to the Spirit of the Nile than our spirit in setting out.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But not at all.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We had turned our backs upon medieval Cairo, and our faces toward Ethiopia.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading THE ASIUT AFFAIR Nothing could be less appropriate to the Spirit of the Nile than our spirit in setting out.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Our minds should have teemed with thoughts of early gods, and the mysteries of their great temples.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We had turned our backs upon medieval Cairo, and our faces toward Ethiopia.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Medieval or prehistoric, it was all one to us in our secret hearts, which throbbed with passionate excitement over our own small affairs of to-day, and to-morrow.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We had turned our backs upon medieval Cairo, and our faces toward Ethiopia.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Our minds should have teemed with thoughts of early gods, and the mysteries of their great temples.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Our minds should have teemed with thoughts of early gods, and the mysteries of their great temples.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading We had turned our backs upon medieval Cairo, and our faces toward Ethiopia.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Our minds should have teemed with thoughts of early gods, and the mysteries of their great temples.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Medieval or prehistoric, it was all one to us in our secret hearts, which throbbed with passionate excitement over our own small affairs of to-day, and to-morrow.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE ASIUT AFFAIR Nothing could be less appropriate to the Spirit of the Nile than our spirit in setting out.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Medieval or prehistoric, it was all one to us in our secret hearts, which throbbed with passionate excitement over our own small affairs of to-day, and to-morrow.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE ASIUT AFFAIR Nothing could be less appropriate to the Spirit of the Nile than our spirit in setting out.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We had turned our backs upon medieval Cairo, and our faces toward Ethiopia.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Our minds should have teemed with thoughts of early gods, and the mysteries of their great temples.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Our minds should have teemed with thoughts of early gods, and the mysteries of their great temples.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE ASIUT AFFAIR Nothing could be less appropriate to the Spirit of the Nile than our spirit in setting out.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But not at all.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading THE ASIUT AFFAIR Nothing could be less appropriate to the Spirit of the Nile than our spirit in setting out.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE ASIUT AFFAIR Nothing could be less appropriate to the Spirit of the Nile than our spirit in setting out.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Medieval or prehistoric, it was all one to us in our secret hearts, which throbbed with passionate excitement over our own small affairs of to-day, and to-morrow.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Medieval or prehistoric, it was all one to us in our secret hearts, which throbbed with passionate excitement over our own small affairs of to-day, and to-morrow.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading THE ASIUT AFFAIR Nothing could be less appropriate to the Spirit of the Nile than our spirit in setting out.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE ASIUT AFFAIR Nothing could be less appropriate to the Spirit of the Nile than our spirit in setting out.
above and across; more than
From this reading Medieval or prehistoric, it was all one to us in our secret hearts, which throbbed with passionate excitement over our own small affairs of to-day, and to-morrow.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Medieval or prehistoric, it was all one to us in our secret hearts, which throbbed with passionate excitement over our own small affairs of to-day, and to-morrow.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Medieval or prehistoric, it was all one to us in our secret hearts, which throbbed with passionate excitement over our own small affairs of to-day, and to-morrow.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Medieval or prehistoric, it was all one to us in our secret hearts, which throbbed with passionate excitement over our own small affairs of to-day, and to-morrow.
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading Medieval or prehistoric, it was all one to us in our secret hearts, which throbbed with passionate excitement over our own small affairs of to-day, and to-morrow.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE ASIUT AFFAIR Nothing could be less appropriate to the Spirit of the Nile than our spirit in setting out.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading Our minds should have teemed with thoughts of early gods, and the mysteries of their great temples.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Medieval or prehistoric, it was all one to us in our secret hearts, which throbbed with passionate excitement over our own small affairs of to-day, and to-morrow.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE ASIUT AFFAIR Nothing could be less appropriate to the Spirit of the Nile than our spirit in setting out.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Our minds should have teemed with thoughts of early gods, and the mysteries of their great temples.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Our minds should have teemed with thoughts of early gods, and the mysteries of their great temples.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading THE ASIUT AFFAIR Nothing could be less appropriate to the Spirit of the Nile than our spirit in setting out.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE ASIUT AFFAIR Nothing could be less appropriate to the Spirit of the Nile than our spirit in setting out.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Our minds should have teemed with thoughts of early gods, and the mysteries of their great temples.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Our minds should have teemed with thoughts of early gods, and the mysteries of their great temples.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Medieval or prehistoric, it was all one to us in our secret hearts, which throbbed with passionate excitement over our own small affairs of to-day, and to-morrow.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE ASIUT AFFAIR Nothing could be less appropriate to the Spirit of the Nile than our spirit in setting out.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Medieval or prehistoric, it was all one to us in our secret hearts, which throbbed with passionate excitement over our own small affairs of to-day, and to-morrow.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Medieval or prehistoric, it was all one to us in our secret hearts, which throbbed with passionate excitement over our own small affairs of to-day, and to-morrow.
in the direction of
From this reading We had turned our backs upon medieval Cairo, and our faces toward Ethiopia.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We had turned our backs upon medieval Cairo, and our faces toward Ethiopia.
a formal word for “on”
From this reading We had turned our backs upon medieval Cairo, and our faces toward Ethiopia.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Medieval or prehistoric, it was all one to us in our secret hearts, which throbbed with passionate excitement over our own small affairs of to-day, and to-morrow.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Medieval or prehistoric, it was all one to us in our secret hearts, which throbbed with passionate excitement over our own small affairs of to-day, and to-morrow.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We had turned our backs upon medieval Cairo, and our faces toward Ethiopia.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Medieval or prehistoric, it was all one to us in our secret hearts, which throbbed with passionate excitement over our own small affairs of to-day, and to-morrow.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Our minds should have teemed with thoughts of early gods, and the mysteries of their great temples.
