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Chapter XXXIV
John and I sat over the study fire till long after midnight. Many an anxious watch I had kept with him, but none sadder than this. Because now, for the first time, our house was divided against itself. A sorrow had entered it, not from without but from within--a sorrow which we could not meet and bear, as a family. Alas! darker and darker had the bitter truth forced itself upon us, that neither joy nor affliction would ever find us as a family again.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
later than; following
From this reading “John and I sat over the study fire till long after midnight.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Alas! darker and darker had the bitter truth forced itself upon us, that neither joy nor affliction would ever find us as a family again.”
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading “Because now, for the first time, our house was divided against itself.”
used to show sadness, pity, or regret
From this reading “Alas! darker and darker had the bitter truth forced itself upon us, that neither joy nor affliction would ever find us as a family again.”
for the reason that
From this reading “Because now, for the first time, our house was divided against itself.”
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading “A sorrow had entered it, not from without but from within--a sorrow which we could not meet and bear, as a family.”
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “Because now, for the first time, our house was divided against itself.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Alas! darker and darker had the bitter truth forced itself upon us, that neither joy nor affliction would ever find us as a family again.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Because now, for the first time, our house was divided against itself.”
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading “Because now, for the first time, our house was divided against itself.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “John and I sat over the study fire till long after midnight.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “John and I sat over the study fire till long after midnight.”
not one and not the other of two
From this reading “Alas! darker and darker had the bitter truth forced itself upon us, that neither joy nor affliction would ever find us as a family again.”
not one, and not any
From this reading “Many an anxious watch I had kept with him, but none sadder than this.”
above and across; more than
From this reading “John and I sat over the study fire till long after midnight.”
up to a particular time
From this reading “John and I sat over the study fire till long after midnight.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Because now, for the first time, our house was divided against itself.”
a formal word for “on”
From this reading “Alas! darker and darker had the bitter truth forced itself upon us, that neither joy nor affliction would ever find us as a family again.”
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading “A sorrow had entered it, not from without but from within--a sorrow which we could not meet and bear, as a family.”
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading “A sorrow had entered it, not from without but from within--a sorrow which we could not meet and bear, as a family.”
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading “Alas! darker and darker had the bitter truth forced itself upon us, that neither joy nor affliction would ever find us as a family again.”
Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A sorrow had entered it, not from without but from within--a sorrow which we could not meet and bear, as a family.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Alas! darker and darker had the bitter truth forced itself upon us, that neither joy nor affliction would ever find us as a family again.
later than; following
From this reading John and I sat over the study fire till long after midnight.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Alas! darker and darker had the bitter truth forced itself upon us, that neither joy nor affliction would ever find us as a family again.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading Because now, for the first time, our house was divided against itself.
used to show sadness, pity, or regret
From this reading Alas! darker and darker had the bitter truth forced itself upon us, that neither joy nor affliction would ever find us as a family again.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Many an anxious watch I had kept with him, but none sadder than this.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading John and I sat over the study fire till long after midnight.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Many an anxious watch I had kept with him, but none sadder than this.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading A sorrow had entered it, not from without but from within--a sorrow which we could not meet and bear, as a family.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A sorrow had entered it, not from without but from within--a sorrow which we could not meet and bear, as a family.
for the reason that
From this reading Because now, for the first time, our house was divided against itself.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Alas! darker and darker had the bitter truth forced itself upon us, that neither joy nor affliction would ever find us as a family again.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Many an anxious watch I had kept with him, but none sadder than this.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading A sorrow had entered it, not from without but from within--a sorrow which we could not meet and bear, as a family.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Alas! darker and darker had the bitter truth forced itself upon us, that neither joy nor affliction would ever find us as a family again.
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Because now, for the first time, our house was divided against itself.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A sorrow had entered it, not from without but from within--a sorrow which we could not meet and bear, as a family.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Alas! darker and darker had the bitter truth forced itself upon us, that neither joy nor affliction would ever find us as a family again.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A sorrow had entered it, not from without but from within--a sorrow which we could not meet and bear, as a family.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Alas! darker and darker had the bitter truth forced itself upon us, that neither joy nor affliction would ever find us as a family again.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading John and I sat over the study fire till long after midnight.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Because now, for the first time, our house was divided against itself.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Because now, for the first time, our house was divided against itself.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Alas! darker and darker had the bitter truth forced itself upon us, that neither joy nor affliction would ever find us as a family again.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading A sorrow had entered it, not from without but from within--a sorrow which we could not meet and bear, as a family.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Many an anxious watch I had kept with him, but none sadder than this.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Many an anxious watch I had kept with him, but none sadder than this.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Because now, for the first time, our house was divided against itself.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading John and I sat over the study fire till long after midnight.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading A sorrow had entered it, not from without but from within--a sorrow which we could not meet and bear, as a family.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading Because now, for the first time, our house was divided against itself.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading John and I sat over the study fire till long after midnight.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Alas! darker and darker had the bitter truth forced itself upon us, that neither joy nor affliction would ever find us as a family again.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Many an anxious watch I had kept with him, but none sadder than this.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading John and I sat over the study fire till long after midnight.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Many an anxious watch I had kept with him, but none sadder than this.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A sorrow had entered it, not from without but from within--a sorrow which we could not meet and bear, as a family.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading John and I sat over the study fire till long after midnight.
not one and not the other of two
From this reading Alas! darker and darker had the bitter truth forced itself upon us, that neither joy nor affliction would ever find us as a family again.
not one, and not any
From this reading Many an anxious watch I had kept with him, but none sadder than this.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading Alas! darker and darker had the bitter truth forced itself upon us, that neither joy nor affliction would ever find us as a family again.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading A sorrow had entered it, not from without but from within--a sorrow which we could not meet and bear, as a family.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Because now, for the first time, our house was divided against itself.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading Because now, for the first time, our house was divided against itself.
above and across; more than
From this reading John and I sat over the study fire till long after midnight.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Many an anxious watch I had kept with him, but none sadder than this.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading John and I sat over the study fire till long after midnight.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A sorrow had entered it, not from without but from within--a sorrow which we could not meet and bear, as a family.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading John and I sat over the study fire till long after midnight.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Many an anxious watch I had kept with him, but none sadder than this.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Alas! darker and darker had the bitter truth forced itself upon us, that neither joy nor affliction would ever find us as a family again.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading John and I sat over the study fire till long after midnight.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Many an anxious watch I had kept with him, but none sadder than this.
up to a particular time
From this reading John and I sat over the study fire till long after midnight.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Because now, for the first time, our house was divided against itself.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Alas! darker and darker had the bitter truth forced itself upon us, that neither joy nor affliction would ever find us as a family again.
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Alas! darker and darker had the bitter truth forced itself upon us, that neither joy nor affliction would ever find us as a family again.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Alas! darker and darker had the bitter truth forced itself upon us, that neither joy nor affliction would ever find us as a family again.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Because now, for the first time, our house was divided against itself.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Many an anxious watch I had kept with him, but none sadder than this.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading A sorrow had entered it, not from without but from within--a sorrow which we could not meet and bear, as a family.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading A sorrow had entered it, not from without but from within--a sorrow which we could not meet and bear, as a family.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Many an anxious watch I had kept with him, but none sadder than this.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading A sorrow had entered it, not from without but from within--a sorrow which we could not meet and bear, as a family.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading A sorrow had entered it, not from without but from within--a sorrow which we could not meet and bear, as a family.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Alas! darker and darker had the bitter truth forced itself upon us, that neither joy nor affliction would ever find us as a family again.
