Chapter II
It was night. Stillness reigned in the grand old feudal castle of Klugenstein. The year 1222 was drawing to a close. Far away up in the tallest of the castle's towers a single light glimmered. A secret council was being held there.
Mark Twain's Burlesque Autobiography
Chapter II
English subtitles · tap any word to listen
1 / 5
It
was
night.
Stillness
reigned
in
the
grand
old
feudal
castle
of
Klugenstein.
The
year
1222
was
drawing
to
a
close.
Far
away
up
in
the
tallest
of
the
castle's
towers
a
single
light
glimmered.
A
secret
council
was
being
held
there.
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Line 1
It
was
night.
Line 2
Stillness
reigned
in
the
grand
old
feudal
castle
of
Klugenstein.
Line 3
The
year
1222
was
drawing
to
a
close.
Line 4
Far
away
up
in
the
tallest
of
the
castle's
towers
a
single
light
glimmered.
Line 5
A
secret
council
was
being
held
there.
Learner Dictionary
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
Being
auxiliary verb
US /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading “A secret council was being held there.”
Council
noun
US /council/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “A secret council was being held there.”
Secret
noun
US /ˈsiː.krət/
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading “A secret council was being held there.”
All words in this reading · 33
Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
1222
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The year 1222 was drawing to a close.
adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The year 1222 was drawing to a close.
away
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Far away up in the tallest of the castle's towers a single light glimmered.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading A secret council was being held there.
castle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Stillness reigned in the grand old feudal castle of Klugenstein.
castle's
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From this reading Far away up in the tallest of the castle's towers a single light glimmered.
close
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The year 1222 was drawing to a close.
councilnounUS /council/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading A secret council was being held there.
drawing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The year 1222 was drawing to a close.
Far
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Far away up in the tallest of the castle's towers a single light glimmered.
feudal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Stillness reigned in the grand old feudal castle of Klugenstein.
glimmered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Far away up in the tallest of the castle's towers a single light glimmered.
grand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Stillness reigned in the grand old feudal castle of Klugenstein.
held
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A secret council was being held there.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Stillness reigned in the grand old feudal castle of Klugenstein.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was night.
Klugenstein
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Stillness reigned in the grand old feudal castle of Klugenstein.
light
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Far away up in the tallest of the castle's towers a single light glimmered.
night
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was night.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Stillness reigned in the grand old feudal castle of Klugenstein.
old
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Stillness reigned in the grand old feudal castle of Klugenstein.
reigned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Stillness reigned in the grand old feudal castle of Klugenstein.
secretnounUS /ˈsiː.krət/
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading A secret council was being held there.
single
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Far away up in the tallest of the castle's towers a single light glimmered.
Stillness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Stillness reigned in the grand old feudal castle of Klugenstein.
tallest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Far away up in the tallest of the castle's towers a single light glimmered.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Stillness reigned in the grand old feudal castle of Klugenstein.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A secret council was being held there.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The year 1222 was drawing to a close.
towers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Far away up in the tallest of the castle's towers a single light glimmered.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Far away up in the tallest of the castle's towers a single light glimmered.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was night.
year
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The year 1222 was drawing to a close.