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Madelon: A Novel
Madelon: A Novel

Chapter XX

Cover illustration for Madelon: A Novel
Context Illustration Reading 1/47 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
When the mind has been strained up and held to the furthering of some painful end and then suddenly released, it sinks back for a time, alive to nothing but the consciousness of freedom and rest.
Even the thought for the future, which is its one weapon against fate, is laid down.
Madelon, for a few days after the postponement of her marriage, went about in a kind of negative happiness.
There are few who have so much to bear that there is not left to them at least the joy of escape from another trial.
Madelon had lost her lover indeed, but she was let loose for a while from a worse trouble than that.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Madelon: A Novel

Chapter XX

Reading 1/47 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
When the mind has been strained up and held to the furthering of some painful end and then suddenly released, it sinks back for a time, alive to nothing but the consciousness of freedom and rest.
Line 2
Even the thought for the future, which is its one weapon against fate, is laid down.
Line 3
Madelon, for a few days after the postponement of her marriage, went about in a kind of negative happiness.
Line 4
There are few who have so much to bear that there is not left to them at least the joy of escape from another trial.
Line 5
Madelon had lost her lover indeed, but she was let loose for a while from a worse trouble than that.

Learner Dictionary

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

About preposition US /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading “Madelon, for a few days after the postponement of her marriage, went about in a kind of negative happiness.”

After preposition US /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading “Madelon, for a few days after the postponement of her marriage, went about in a kind of negative happiness.”

Against preposition US /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading “Even the thought for the future, which is its one weapon against fate, is laid down.”

Another noun US /ˈanother/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading “There are few who have so much to bear that there is not left to them at least the joy of escape from another trial.”

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “When the mind has been strained up and held to the furthering of some painful end and then suddenly released, it sinks back for a time, alive to nothing but the consciousness of freedom and rest.”

Even noun US /even/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Even the thought for the future, which is its one weapon against fate, is laid down.”

Has auxiliary verb US /hæz/

the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading “When the mind has been strained up and held to the furthering of some painful end and then suddenly released, it sinks back for a time, alive to nothing but the consciousness of freedom and rest.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “There are few who have so much to bear that there is not left to them at least the joy of escape from another trial.”

Least noun US /least/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “There are few who have so much to bear that there is not left to them at least the joy of escape from another trial.”

Left noun US /left/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “There are few who have so much to bear that there is not left to them at least the joy of escape from another trial.”

Let auxiliary verb US /let/

used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker

From this reading “Madelon had lost her lover indeed, but she was let loose for a while from a worse trouble than that.”

Mind noun US /mind/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “When the mind has been strained up and held to the furthering of some painful end and then suddenly released, it sinks back for a time, alive to nothing but the consciousness of freedom and rest.”

Nothing pronoun US /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading “When the mind has been strained up and held to the furthering of some painful end and then suddenly released, it sinks back for a time, alive to nothing but the consciousness of freedom and rest.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “Even the thought for the future, which is its one weapon against fate, is laid down.”

Rest noun US /rest/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “When the mind has been strained up and held to the furthering of some painful end and then suddenly released, it sinks back for a time, alive to nothing but the consciousness of freedom and rest.”

Suddenly noun US /ˈsuddenly/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading “When the mind has been strained up and held to the furthering of some painful end and then suddenly released, it sinks back for a time, alive to nothing but the consciousness of freedom and rest.”

Thought noun US /thought/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Even the thought for the future, which is its one weapon against fate, is laid down.”

Time noun US /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “When the mind has been strained up and held to the furthering of some painful end and then suddenly released, it sinks back for a time, alive to nothing but the consciousness of freedom and rest.”

Went noun US /went/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Madelon, for a few days after the postponement of her marriage, went about in a kind of negative happiness.”

While conjunction US /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading “Madelon had lost her lover indeed, but she was let loose for a while from a worse trouble than that.”

All words in this reading · 85

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 When the mind has been strained up and held to the furthering of some painful end and then suddenly released, it sinks back for a time, alive to nothing but the consciousness of freedom and rest.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading Madelon, for a few days after the postponement of her marriage, went about in a kind of negative happiness.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading Madelon, for a few days after the postponement of her marriage, went about in a kind of negative happiness.

againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading Even the thought for the future, which is its one weapon against fate, is laid down.

alive

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

From this reading When the mind has been strained up and held to the furthering of some painful end and then suddenly released, it sinks back for a time, alive to nothing but the consciousness of freedom and rest.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading When the mind has been strained up and held to the furthering of some painful end and then suddenly released, it sinks back for a time, alive to nothing but the consciousness of freedom and rest.

anothernounUS /ˈanother/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading There are few who have so much to bear that there is not left to them at least the joy of escape from another trial.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading There are few who have so much to bear that there is not left to them at least the joy of escape from another trial.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading There are few who have so much to bear that there is not left to them at least the joy of escape from another trial.

back

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

From this reading When the mind has been strained up and held to the furthering of some painful end and then suddenly released, it sinks back for a time, alive to nothing but the consciousness of freedom and rest.

bear

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

From this reading There are few who have so much to bear that there is not left to them at least the joy of escape from another trial.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading When the mind has been strained up and held to the furthering of some painful end and then suddenly released, it sinks back for a time, alive to nothing but the consciousness of freedom and rest.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading When the mind has been strained up and held to the furthering of some painful end and then suddenly released, it sinks back for a time, alive to nothing but the consciousness of freedom and rest.

consciousness

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

From this reading When the mind has been strained up and held to the furthering of some painful end and then suddenly released, it sinks back for a time, alive to nothing but the consciousness of freedom and rest.

days

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

From this reading Madelon, for a few days after the postponement of her marriage, went about in a kind of negative happiness.

down

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

From this reading Even the thought for the future, which is its one weapon against fate, is laid down.

end

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

From this reading When the mind has been strained up and held to the furthering of some painful end and then suddenly released, it sinks back for a time, alive to nothing but the consciousness of freedom and rest.

escape

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

From this reading There are few who have so much to bear that there is not left to them at least the joy of escape from another trial.

EvennounUS /even/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Even the thought for the future, which is its one weapon against fate, is laid down.

fate

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

From this reading Even the thought for the future, which is its one weapon against fate, is laid down.

few

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

From this reading Madelon, for a few days after the postponement of her marriage, went about in a kind of negative happiness.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading When the mind has been strained up and held to the furthering of some painful end and then suddenly released, it sinks back for a time, alive to nothing but the consciousness of freedom and rest.

freedom

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

From this reading When the mind has been strained up and held to the furthering of some painful end and then suddenly released, it sinks back for a time, alive to nothing but the consciousness of freedom and rest.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading There are few who have so much to bear that there is not left to them at least the joy of escape from another trial.

furthering

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

From this reading When the mind has been strained up and held to the furthering of some painful end and then suddenly released, it sinks back for a time, alive to nothing but the consciousness of freedom and rest.

future

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

From this reading Even the thought for the future, which is its one weapon against fate, is laid down.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading Madelon had lost her lover indeed, but she was let loose for a while from a worse trouble than that.

happiness

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

From this reading Madelon, for a few days after the postponement of her marriage, went about in a kind of negative happiness.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading When the mind has been strained up and held to the furthering of some painful end and then suddenly released, it sinks back for a time, alive to nothing but the consciousness of freedom and rest.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading There are few who have so much to bear that there is not left to them at least the joy of escape from another trial.

held

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

From this reading When the mind has been strained up and held to the furthering of some painful end and then suddenly released, it sinks back for a time, alive to nothing but the consciousness of freedom and rest.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading Madelon, for a few days after the postponement of her marriage, went about in a kind of negative happiness.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Madelon, for a few days after the postponement of her marriage, went about in a kind of negative happiness.

indeed

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

From this reading Madelon had lost her lover indeed, but she was let loose for a while from a worse trouble than that.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading Even the thought for the future, which is its one weapon against fate, is laid down.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading When the mind has been strained up and held to the furthering of some painful end and then suddenly released, it sinks back for a time, alive to nothing but the consciousness of freedom and rest.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Even the thought for the future, which is its one weapon against fate, is laid down.

joy

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

From this reading There are few who have so much to bear that there is not left to them at least the joy of escape from another trial.

kind

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

From this reading Madelon, for a few days after the postponement of her marriage, went about in a kind of negative happiness.

laid

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

From this reading Even the thought for the future, which is its one weapon against fate, is laid down.

leastnounUS /least/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading There are few who have so much to bear that there is not left to them at least the joy of escape from another trial.

leftnounUS /left/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading There are few who have so much to bear that there is not left to them at least the joy of escape from another trial.

letauxiliary verbUS /let/

used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker

From this reading Madelon had lost her lover indeed, but she was let loose for a while from a worse trouble than that.

loose

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

From this reading Madelon had lost her lover indeed, but she was let loose for a while from a worse trouble than that.

lost

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

From this reading Madelon had lost her lover indeed, but she was let loose for a while from a worse trouble than that.

lover

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

From this reading Madelon had lost her lover indeed, but she was let loose for a while from a worse trouble than that.

Madelon

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

From this reading Madelon, for a few days after the postponement of her marriage, went about in a kind of negative happiness.

marriage

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

From this reading Madelon, for a few days after the postponement of her marriage, went about in a kind of negative happiness.

mindnounUS /mind/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading When the mind has been strained up and held to the furthering of some painful end and then suddenly released, it sinks back for a time, alive to nothing but the consciousness of freedom and rest.

much

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

From this reading There are few who have so much to bear that there is not left to them at least the joy of escape from another trial.

negative

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

From this reading Madelon, for a few days after the postponement of her marriage, went about in a kind of negative happiness.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading There are few who have so much to bear that there is not left to them at least the joy of escape from another trial.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading When the mind has been strained up and held to the furthering of some painful end and then suddenly released, it sinks back for a time, alive to nothing but the consciousness of freedom and rest.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading When the mind has been strained up and held to the furthering of some painful end and then suddenly released, it sinks back for a time, alive to nothing but the consciousness of freedom and rest.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Even the thought for the future, which is its one weapon against fate, is laid down.

painful

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

From this reading When the mind has been strained up and held to the furthering of some painful end and then suddenly released, it sinks back for a time, alive to nothing but the consciousness of freedom and rest.

postponement

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

From this reading Madelon, for a few days after the postponement of her marriage, went about in a kind of negative happiness.

released

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

From this reading When the mind has been strained up and held to the furthering of some painful end and then suddenly released, it sinks back for a time, alive to nothing but the consciousness of freedom and rest.

restnounUS /rest/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading When the mind has been strained up and held to the furthering of some painful end and then suddenly released, it sinks back for a time, alive to nothing but the consciousness of freedom and rest.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Madelon had lost her lover indeed, but she was let loose for a while from a worse trouble than that.

sinks

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

From this reading When the mind has been strained up and held to the furthering of some painful end and then suddenly released, it sinks back for a time, alive to nothing but the consciousness of freedom and rest.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading There are few who have so much to bear that there is not left to them at least the joy of escape from another trial.

some

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

From this reading When the mind has been strained up and held to the furthering of some painful end and then suddenly released, it sinks back for a time, alive to nothing but the consciousness of freedom and rest.

strained

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

From this reading When the mind has been strained up and held to the furthering of some painful end and then suddenly released, it sinks back for a time, alive to nothing but the consciousness of freedom and rest.

suddenlynounUS /ˈsuddenly/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading When the mind has been strained up and held to the furthering of some painful end and then suddenly released, it sinks back for a time, alive to nothing but the consciousness of freedom and rest.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading Madelon had lost her lover indeed, but she was let loose for a while from a worse trouble than that.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading There are few who have so much to bear that there is not left to them at least the joy of escape from another trial.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading When the mind has been strained up and held to the furthering of some painful end and then suddenly released, it sinks back for a time, alive to nothing but the consciousness of freedom and rest.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading There are few who have so much to bear that there is not left to them at least the joy of escape from another trial.

then

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

From this reading When the mind has been strained up and held to the furthering of some painful end and then suddenly released, it sinks back for a time, alive to nothing but the consciousness of freedom and rest.

There

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

From this reading There are few who have so much to bear that there is not left to them at least the joy of escape from another trial.

thoughtnounUS /thought/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Even the thought for the future, which is its one weapon against fate, is laid down.

timenounUS /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading When the mind has been strained up and held to the furthering of some painful end and then suddenly released, it sinks back for a time, alive to nothing but the consciousness of freedom and rest.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading When the mind has been strained up and held to the furthering of some painful end and then suddenly released, it sinks back for a time, alive to nothing but the consciousness of freedom and rest.

trial

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

From this reading There are few who have so much to bear that there is not left to them at least the joy of escape from another trial.

trouble

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

From this reading Madelon had lost her lover indeed, but she was let loose for a while from a worse trouble than that.

up

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

From this reading When the mind has been strained up and held to the furthering of some painful end and then suddenly released, it sinks back for a time, alive to nothing but the consciousness of freedom and rest.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Madelon had lost her lover indeed, but she was let loose for a while from a worse trouble than that.

weapon

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

From this reading Even the thought for the future, which is its one weapon against fate, is laid down.

wentnounUS /went/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Madelon, for a few days after the postponement of her marriage, went about in a kind of negative happiness.

WhenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading When the mind has been strained up and held to the furthering of some painful end and then suddenly released, it sinks back for a time, alive to nothing but the consciousness of freedom and rest.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading Even the thought for the future, which is its one weapon against fate, is laid down.

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading Madelon had lost her lover indeed, but she was let loose for a while from a worse trouble than that.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading There are few who have so much to bear that there is not left to them at least the joy of escape from another trial.

worse

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

From this reading Madelon had lost her lover indeed, but she was let loose for a while from a worse trouble than that.