A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter III
WILLIAM BELOW STAIRS William was feeling embittered with life in general. He was passing through one of his not infrequent periods of unpopularity. The climax had come with the gift of sixpence bestowed on him by a timid aunt, who hoped thus to purchase his goodwill. With the sixpence he had bought a balloon adorned with the legs and head of a duck fashioned in cardboard. This could be blown up to its fullest extent and then left to subside.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
at or to a lower level than something
From this reading “WILLIAM BELOW STAIRS William was feeling embittered with life in general.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “The climax had come with the gift of sixpence bestowed on him by a timid aunt, who hoped thus to purchase his goodwill.”
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading “This could be blown up to its fullest extent and then left to subside.”
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “WILLIAM BELOW STAIRS William was feeling embittered with life in general.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “This could be blown up to its fullest extent and then left to subside.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “WILLIAM BELOW STAIRS William was feeling embittered with life in general.”
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading “He was passing through one of his not infrequent periods of unpopularity.”
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “He was passing through one of his not infrequent periods of unpopularity.”
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 The climax had come with the gift of sixpence bestowed on him by a timid aunt, who hoped thus to purchase his goodwill.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With the sixpence he had bought a balloon adorned with the legs and head of a duck fashioned in cardboard.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading With the sixpence he had bought a balloon adorned with the legs and head of a duck fashioned in cardboard.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The climax had come with the gift of sixpence bestowed on him by a timid aunt, who hoped thus to purchase his goodwill.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With the sixpence he had bought a balloon adorned with the legs and head of a duck fashioned in cardboard.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading This could be blown up to its fullest extent and then left to subside.
at or to a lower level than something
From this reading WILLIAM BELOW STAIRS William was feeling embittered with life in general.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The climax had come with the gift of sixpence bestowed on him by a timid aunt, who hoped thus to purchase his goodwill.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This could be blown up to its fullest extent and then left to subside.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With the sixpence he had bought a balloon adorned with the legs and head of a duck fashioned in cardboard.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The climax had come with the gift of sixpence bestowed on him by a timid aunt, who hoped thus to purchase his goodwill.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With the sixpence he had bought a balloon adorned with the legs and head of a duck fashioned in cardboard.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The climax had come with the gift of sixpence bestowed on him by a timid aunt, who hoped thus to purchase his goodwill.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The climax had come with the gift of sixpence bestowed on him by a timid aunt, who hoped thus to purchase his goodwill.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading This could be blown up to its fullest extent and then left to subside.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With the sixpence he had bought a balloon adorned with the legs and head of a duck fashioned in cardboard.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading WILLIAM BELOW STAIRS William was feeling embittered with life in general.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This could be blown up to its fullest extent and then left to subside.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With the sixpence he had bought a balloon adorned with the legs and head of a duck fashioned in cardboard.
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading WILLIAM BELOW STAIRS William was feeling embittered with life in general.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This could be blown up to its fullest extent and then left to subside.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading WILLIAM BELOW STAIRS William was feeling embittered with life in general.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The climax had come with the gift of sixpence bestowed on him by a timid aunt, who hoped thus to purchase his goodwill.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The climax had come with the gift of sixpence bestowed on him by a timid aunt, who hoped thus to purchase his goodwill.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The climax had come with the gift of sixpence bestowed on him by a timid aunt, who hoped thus to purchase his goodwill.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was passing through one of his not infrequent periods of unpopularity.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With the sixpence he had bought a balloon adorned with the legs and head of a duck fashioned in cardboard.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The climax had come with the gift of sixpence bestowed on him by a timid aunt, who hoped thus to purchase his goodwill.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He was passing through one of his not infrequent periods of unpopularity.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The climax had come with the gift of sixpence bestowed on him by a timid aunt, who hoped thus to purchase his goodwill.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading WILLIAM BELOW STAIRS William was feeling embittered with life in general.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was passing through one of his not infrequent periods of unpopularity.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading This could be blown up to its fullest extent and then left to subside.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading This could be blown up to its fullest extent and then left to subside.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With the sixpence he had bought a balloon adorned with the legs and head of a duck fashioned in cardboard.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading WILLIAM BELOW STAIRS William was feeling embittered with life in general.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He was passing through one of his not infrequent periods of unpopularity.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He was passing through one of his not infrequent periods of unpopularity.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The climax had come with the gift of sixpence bestowed on him by a timid aunt, who hoped thus to purchase his goodwill.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading He was passing through one of his not infrequent periods of unpopularity.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was passing through one of his not infrequent periods of unpopularity.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was passing through one of his not infrequent periods of unpopularity.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The climax had come with the gift of sixpence bestowed on him by a timid aunt, who hoped thus to purchase his goodwill.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The climax had come with the gift of sixpence bestowed on him by a timid aunt, who hoped thus to purchase his goodwill.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading WILLIAM BELOW STAIRS William was feeling embittered with life in general.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This could be blown up to its fullest extent and then left to subside.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The climax had come with the gift of sixpence bestowed on him by a timid aunt, who hoped thus to purchase his goodwill.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This could be blown up to its fullest extent and then left to subside.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This could be blown up to its fullest extent and then left to subside.
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading He was passing through one of his not infrequent periods of unpopularity.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The climax had come with the gift of sixpence bestowed on him by a timid aunt, who hoped thus to purchase his goodwill.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The climax had come with the gift of sixpence bestowed on him by a timid aunt, who hoped thus to purchase his goodwill.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The climax had come with the gift of sixpence bestowed on him by a timid aunt, who hoped thus to purchase his goodwill.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was passing through one of his not infrequent periods of unpopularity.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This could be blown up to its fullest extent and then left to subside.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading WILLIAM BELOW STAIRS William was feeling embittered with life in general.
which person or people
From this reading The climax had come with the gift of sixpence bestowed on him by a timid aunt, who hoped thus to purchase his goodwill.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading WILLIAM BELOW STAIRS William was feeling embittered with life in general.
in the company of; together with
From this reading WILLIAM BELOW STAIRS William was feeling embittered with life in general.
