A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XII
“Sam, have you ever been in the country?” It was Michael who asked the question. They were sitting in a small dismal room that Michael had found he could afford to rent in a house on the edge of the alley. Not that he had moved there, oh, no! He could not have endured life if all of it that he could call his own had to be spent in that atmosphere.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “It was Michael who asked the question.”
the past participle of “be”
From this reading ““Sam, have you ever been in the country?””
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading “They were sitting in a small dismal room that Michael had found he could afford to rent in a house on the edge of the alley.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading ““Sam, have you ever been in the country?””
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “They were sitting in a small dismal room that Michael had found he could afford to rent in a house on the edge of the alley.”
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading ““Sam, have you ever been in the country?””
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “He could not have endured life if all of it that he could call his own had to be spent in that atmosphere.”
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “It was Michael who asked the question.”
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 They were sitting in a small dismal room that Michael had found he could afford to rent in a house on the edge of the alley.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were sitting in a small dismal room that Michael had found he could afford to rent in a house on the edge of the alley.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could not have endured life if all of it that he could call his own had to be spent in that atmosphere.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were sitting in a small dismal room that Michael had found he could afford to rent in a house on the edge of the alley.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was Michael who asked the question.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could not have endured life if all of it that he could call his own had to be spent in that atmosphere.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He could not have endured life if all of it that he could call his own had to be spent in that atmosphere.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading “Sam, have you ever been in the country?”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could not have endured life if all of it that he could call his own had to be spent in that atmosphere.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading They were sitting in a small dismal room that Michael had found he could afford to rent in a house on the edge of the alley.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Sam, have you ever been in the country?”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were sitting in a small dismal room that Michael had found he could afford to rent in a house on the edge of the alley.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were sitting in a small dismal room that Michael had found he could afford to rent in a house on the edge of the alley.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could not have endured life if all of it that he could call his own had to be spent in that atmosphere.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Sam, have you ever been in the country?”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading They were sitting in a small dismal room that Michael had found he could afford to rent in a house on the edge of the alley.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading They were sitting in a small dismal room that Michael had found he could afford to rent in a house on the edge of the alley.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “Sam, have you ever been in the country?”
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were sitting in a small dismal room that Michael had found he could afford to rent in a house on the edge of the alley.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He could not have endured life if all of it that he could call his own had to be spent in that atmosphere.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were sitting in a small dismal room that Michael had found he could afford to rent in a house on the edge of the alley.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading He could not have endured life if all of it that he could call his own had to be spent in that atmosphere.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “Sam, have you ever been in the country?”
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was Michael who asked the question.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He could not have endured life if all of it that he could call his own had to be spent in that atmosphere.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was Michael who asked the question.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Not that he had moved there, oh, no!
not any; not one
From this reading Not that he had moved there, oh, no!
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Not that he had moved there, oh, no!
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading They were sitting in a small dismal room that Michael had found he could afford to rent in a house on the edge of the alley.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Not that he had moved there, oh, no!
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading They were sitting in a small dismal room that Michael had found he could afford to rent in a house on the edge of the alley.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could not have endured life if all of it that he could call his own had to be spent in that atmosphere.
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading It was Michael who asked the question.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were sitting in a small dismal room that Michael had found he could afford to rent in a house on the edge of the alley.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were sitting in a small dismal room that Michael had found he could afford to rent in a house on the edge of the alley.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Sam, have you ever been in the country?”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were sitting in a small dismal room that Michael had found he could afford to rent in a house on the edge of the alley.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were sitting in a small dismal room that Michael had found he could afford to rent in a house on the edge of the alley.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could not have endured life if all of it that he could call his own had to be spent in that atmosphere.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading They were sitting in a small dismal room that Michael had found he could afford to rent in a house on the edge of the alley.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “Sam, have you ever been in the country?”
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Not that he had moved there, oh, no!
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were sitting in a small dismal room that Michael had found he could afford to rent in a house on the edge of the alley.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They were sitting in a small dismal room that Michael had found he could afford to rent in a house on the edge of the alley.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was Michael who asked the question.
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were sitting in a small dismal room that Michael had found he could afford to rent in a house on the edge of the alley.
which person or people
From this reading It was Michael who asked the question.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Sam, have you ever been in the country?”
