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Little Dorrit
Little Dorrit

Chapter II · Home

Cover illustration for Little Dorrit
Context Illustration Reading 1/76 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
It was a Sunday evening in London, gloomy, close, and stale.
Maddening church bells of all degrees of dissonance, sharp and flat, cracked and clear, fast and slow, made the brick-and-mortar echoes hideous.
Melancholy streets, in a penitential garb of soot, steeped the souls of the people who were condemned to look at them out of windows, in dire despondency.
In every thoroughfare, up almost every alley, and down almost every turning, some doleful bell was throbbing, jerking, tolling, as if the Plague were in the city and the dead-carts were going round.
Everything was bolted and barred that could by possibility furnish relief to an overworked people.
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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.

Little Dorrit

Chapter II · Home

Reading 1/76 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
It was a Sunday evening in London, gloomy, close, and stale.
Line 2
Maddening church bells of all degrees of dissonance, sharp and flat, cracked and clear, fast and slow, made the brick-and-mortar echoes hideous.
Line 3
Melancholy streets, in a penitential garb of soot, steeped the souls of the people who were condemned to look at them out of windows, in dire despondency.
Line 4
In every thoroughfare, up almost every alley, and down almost every turning, some doleful bell was throbbing, jerking, tolling, as if the Plague were in the city and the dead-carts were going round.
Line 5
Everything was bolted and barred that could by possibility furnish relief to an overworked people.

Learner Dictionary

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

Could modal verb US /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading “Everything was bolted and barred that could by possibility furnish relief to an overworked people.”

Every determiner US /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading “In every thoroughfare, up almost every alley, and down almost every turning, some doleful bell was throbbing, jerking, tolling, as if the Plague were in the city and the dead-carts were going round.”

Everything pronoun US /ˈevriθɪŋ/

all things; all of a situation

From this reading “Everything was bolted and barred that could by possibility furnish relief to an overworked people.”

Look noun US /look/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Melancholy streets, in a penitential garb of soot, steeped the souls of the people who were condemned to look at them out of windows, in dire despondency.”

Relief noun US /rɪˈliːf/

a feeling of comfort after worry or pain

From this reading “Everything was bolted and barred that could by possibility furnish relief to an overworked people.”

All words in this reading · 79

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 It was a Sunday evening in London, gloomy, close, and stale.

all

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

From this reading Maddening church bells of all degrees of dissonance, sharp and flat, cracked and clear, fast and slow, made the brick-and-mortar echoes hideous.

alley

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

From this reading In every thoroughfare, up almost every alley, and down almost every turning, some doleful bell was throbbing, jerking, tolling, as if the Plague were in the city and the dead-carts were going round.

almost

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

From this reading In every thoroughfare, up almost every alley, and down almost every turning, some doleful bell was throbbing, jerking, tolling, as if the Plague were in the city and the dead-carts were going round.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading Everything was bolted and barred that could by possibility furnish relief to an overworked people.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading It was a Sunday evening in London, gloomy, close, and stale.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading In every thoroughfare, up almost every alley, and down almost every turning, some doleful bell was throbbing, jerking, tolling, as if the Plague were in the city and the dead-carts were going round.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Melancholy streets, in a penitential garb of soot, steeped the souls of the people who were condemned to look at them out of windows, in dire despondency.

barred

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

From this reading Everything was bolted and barred that could by possibility furnish relief to an overworked people.

bell

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

From this reading In every thoroughfare, up almost every alley, and down almost every turning, some doleful bell was throbbing, jerking, tolling, as if the Plague were in the city and the dead-carts were going round.

bells

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

From this reading Maddening church bells of all degrees of dissonance, sharp and flat, cracked and clear, fast and slow, made the brick-and-mortar echoes hideous.

bolted

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

From this reading Everything was bolted and barred that could by possibility furnish relief to an overworked people.

brick-and-mortar

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

From this reading Maddening church bells of all degrees of dissonance, sharp and flat, cracked and clear, fast and slow, made the brick-and-mortar echoes hideous.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Everything was bolted and barred that could by possibility furnish relief to an overworked people.

church

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

From this reading Maddening church bells of all degrees of dissonance, sharp and flat, cracked and clear, fast and slow, made the brick-and-mortar echoes hideous.

city

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

From this reading In every thoroughfare, up almost every alley, and down almost every turning, some doleful bell was throbbing, jerking, tolling, as if the Plague were in the city and the dead-carts were going round.

clear

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

From this reading Maddening church bells of all degrees of dissonance, sharp and flat, cracked and clear, fast and slow, made the brick-and-mortar echoes hideous.

close

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

From this reading It was a Sunday evening in London, gloomy, close, and stale.

condemned

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

From this reading Melancholy streets, in a penitential garb of soot, steeped the souls of the people who were condemned to look at them out of windows, in dire despondency.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading Everything was bolted and barred that could by possibility furnish relief to an overworked people.

cracked

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

From this reading Maddening church bells of all degrees of dissonance, sharp and flat, cracked and clear, fast and slow, made the brick-and-mortar echoes hideous.

dead-carts

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

From this reading In every thoroughfare, up almost every alley, and down almost every turning, some doleful bell was throbbing, jerking, tolling, as if the Plague were in the city and the dead-carts were going round.

degrees

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

From this reading Maddening church bells of all degrees of dissonance, sharp and flat, cracked and clear, fast and slow, made the brick-and-mortar echoes hideous.

despondency

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

From this reading Melancholy streets, in a penitential garb of soot, steeped the souls of the people who were condemned to look at them out of windows, in dire despondency.

dire

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

From this reading Melancholy streets, in a penitential garb of soot, steeped the souls of the people who were condemned to look at them out of windows, in dire despondency.

dissonance

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

From this reading Maddening church bells of all degrees of dissonance, sharp and flat, cracked and clear, fast and slow, made the brick-and-mortar echoes hideous.

doleful

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

From this reading In every thoroughfare, up almost every alley, and down almost every turning, some doleful bell was throbbing, jerking, tolling, as if the Plague were in the city and the dead-carts were going round.

down

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

From this reading In every thoroughfare, up almost every alley, and down almost every turning, some doleful bell was throbbing, jerking, tolling, as if the Plague were in the city and the dead-carts were going round.

echoes

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

From this reading Maddening church bells of all degrees of dissonance, sharp and flat, cracked and clear, fast and slow, made the brick-and-mortar echoes hideous.

evening

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

From this reading It was a Sunday evening in London, gloomy, close, and stale.

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading In every thoroughfare, up almost every alley, and down almost every turning, some doleful bell was throbbing, jerking, tolling, as if the Plague were in the city and the dead-carts were going round.

EverythingpronounUS /ˈevriθɪŋ/

all things; all of a situation

From this reading Everything was bolted and barred that could by possibility furnish relief to an overworked people.

fast

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

From this reading Maddening church bells of all degrees of dissonance, sharp and flat, cracked and clear, fast and slow, made the brick-and-mortar echoes hideous.

flat

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

From this reading Maddening church bells of all degrees of dissonance, sharp and flat, cracked and clear, fast and slow, made the brick-and-mortar echoes hideous.

furnish

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

From this reading Everything was bolted and barred that could by possibility furnish relief to an overworked people.

garb

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

From this reading Melancholy streets, in a penitential garb of soot, steeped the souls of the people who were condemned to look at them out of windows, in dire despondency.

gloomy

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

From this reading It was a Sunday evening in London, gloomy, close, and stale.

going

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

From this reading In every thoroughfare, up almost every alley, and down almost every turning, some doleful bell was throbbing, jerking, tolling, as if the Plague were in the city and the dead-carts were going round.

hideous

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

From this reading Maddening church bells of all degrees of dissonance, sharp and flat, cracked and clear, fast and slow, made the brick-and-mortar echoes hideous.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading In every thoroughfare, up almost every alley, and down almost every turning, some doleful bell was throbbing, jerking, tolling, as if the Plague were in the city and the dead-carts were going round.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading It was a Sunday evening in London, gloomy, close, and stale.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was a Sunday evening in London, gloomy, close, and stale.

jerking

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

From this reading In every thoroughfare, up almost every alley, and down almost every turning, some doleful bell was throbbing, jerking, tolling, as if the Plague were in the city and the dead-carts were going round.

London

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

From this reading It was a Sunday evening in London, gloomy, close, and stale.

looknounUS /look/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Melancholy streets, in a penitential garb of soot, steeped the souls of the people who were condemned to look at them out of windows, in dire despondency.

Maddening

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

From this reading Maddening church bells of all degrees of dissonance, sharp and flat, cracked and clear, fast and slow, made the brick-and-mortar echoes hideous.

made

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

From this reading Maddening church bells of all degrees of dissonance, sharp and flat, cracked and clear, fast and slow, made the brick-and-mortar echoes hideous.

Melancholy

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

From this reading Melancholy streets, in a penitential garb of soot, steeped the souls of the people who were condemned to look at them out of windows, in dire despondency.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Maddening church bells of all degrees of dissonance, sharp and flat, cracked and clear, fast and slow, made the brick-and-mortar echoes hideous.

out

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

From this reading Melancholy streets, in a penitential garb of soot, steeped the souls of the people who were condemned to look at them out of windows, in dire despondency.

overworked

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

From this reading Everything was bolted and barred that could by possibility furnish relief to an overworked people.

penitential

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

From this reading Melancholy streets, in a penitential garb of soot, steeped the souls of the people who were condemned to look at them out of windows, in dire despondency.

people

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

From this reading Melancholy streets, in a penitential garb of soot, steeped the souls of the people who were condemned to look at them out of windows, in dire despondency.

Plague

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

From this reading In every thoroughfare, up almost every alley, and down almost every turning, some doleful bell was throbbing, jerking, tolling, as if the Plague were in the city and the dead-carts were going round.

possibility

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

From this reading Everything was bolted and barred that could by possibility furnish relief to an overworked people.

reliefnounUS /rɪˈliːf/

a feeling of comfort after worry or pain

From this reading Everything was bolted and barred that could by possibility furnish relief to an overworked people.

round

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

From this reading In every thoroughfare, up almost every alley, and down almost every turning, some doleful bell was throbbing, jerking, tolling, as if the Plague were in the city and the dead-carts were going round.

sharp

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

From this reading Maddening church bells of all degrees of dissonance, sharp and flat, cracked and clear, fast and slow, made the brick-and-mortar echoes hideous.

slow

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

From this reading Maddening church bells of all degrees of dissonance, sharp and flat, cracked and clear, fast and slow, made the brick-and-mortar echoes hideous.

some

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

From this reading In every thoroughfare, up almost every alley, and down almost every turning, some doleful bell was throbbing, jerking, tolling, as if the Plague were in the city and the dead-carts were going round.

soot

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

From this reading Melancholy streets, in a penitential garb of soot, steeped the souls of the people who were condemned to look at them out of windows, in dire despondency.

souls

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

From this reading Melancholy streets, in a penitential garb of soot, steeped the souls of the people who were condemned to look at them out of windows, in dire despondency.

stale

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

From this reading It was a Sunday evening in London, gloomy, close, and stale.

steeped

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

From this reading Melancholy streets, in a penitential garb of soot, steeped the souls of the people who were condemned to look at them out of windows, in dire despondency.

streets

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

From this reading Melancholy streets, in a penitential garb of soot, steeped the souls of the people who were condemned to look at them out of windows, in dire despondency.

Sunday

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

From this reading It was a Sunday evening in London, gloomy, close, and stale.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Everything was bolted and barred that could by possibility furnish relief to an overworked people.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Maddening church bells of all degrees of dissonance, sharp and flat, cracked and clear, fast and slow, made the brick-and-mortar echoes hideous.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Melancholy streets, in a penitential garb of soot, steeped the souls of the people who were condemned to look at them out of windows, in dire despondency.

thoroughfare

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

From this reading In every thoroughfare, up almost every alley, and down almost every turning, some doleful bell was throbbing, jerking, tolling, as if the Plague were in the city and the dead-carts were going round.

throbbing

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

From this reading In every thoroughfare, up almost every alley, and down almost every turning, some doleful bell was throbbing, jerking, tolling, as if the Plague were in the city and the dead-carts were going round.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Melancholy streets, in a penitential garb of soot, steeped the souls of the people who were condemned to look at them out of windows, in dire despondency.

tolling

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

From this reading In every thoroughfare, up almost every alley, and down almost every turning, some doleful bell was throbbing, jerking, tolling, as if the Plague were in the city and the dead-carts were going round.

turning

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

From this reading In every thoroughfare, up almost every alley, and down almost every turning, some doleful bell was throbbing, jerking, tolling, as if the Plague were in the city and the dead-carts were going round.

up

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

From this reading In every thoroughfare, up almost every alley, and down almost every turning, some doleful bell was throbbing, jerking, tolling, as if the Plague were in the city and the dead-carts were going round.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It was a Sunday evening in London, gloomy, close, and stale.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading Melancholy streets, in a penitential garb of soot, steeped the souls of the people who were condemned to look at them out of windows, in dire despondency.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Melancholy streets, in a penitential garb of soot, steeped the souls of the people who were condemned to look at them out of windows, in dire despondency.

windows

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

From this reading Melancholy streets, in a penitential garb of soot, steeped the souls of the people who were condemned to look at them out of windows, in dire despondency.