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Chapter VI
Leonard opened his door and stole towards that of the room adjoining; for his first natural impulse had been to enter and console. But when his touch was on the handle, he drew back. Child though the mourner was, her sorrows were rendered yet more sacred from intrusion by her sex. Something, he knew not what, in his young ignorance, withheld him from the threshold. To have crossed it then would have seemed to him profanation.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading “Leonard opened his door and stole towards that of the room adjoining; for his first natural impulse had been to enter and console.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “But when his touch was on the handle, he drew back.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Leonard opened his door and stole towards that of the room adjoining; for his first natural impulse had been to enter and console.”
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “To have crossed it then would have seemed to him profanation.”
a sudden strong desire to act
From this reading “Leonard opened his door and stole towards that of the room adjoining; for his first natural impulse had been to enter and console.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “To have crossed it then would have seemed to him profanation.”
a thing, without saying which
From this reading “Something, he knew not what, in his young ignorance, withheld him from the threshold.”
in spite of the fact that
From this reading “Child though the mourner was, her sorrows were rendered yet more sacred from intrusion by her sex.”
in the direction of
From this reading “Leonard opened his door and stole towards that of the room adjoining; for his first natural impulse had been to enter and console.”
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading “To have crossed it then would have seemed to him profanation.”
but in spite of that
From this reading “Child though the mourner was, her sorrows were rendered yet more sacred from intrusion by her sex.”
Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Leonard opened his door and stole towards that of the room adjoining; for his first natural impulse had been to enter and console.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Leonard opened his door and stole towards that of the room adjoining; for his first natural impulse had been to enter and console.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But when his touch was on the handle, he drew back.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Leonard opened his door and stole towards that of the room adjoining; for his first natural impulse had been to enter and console.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But when his touch was on the handle, he drew back.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Child though the mourner was, her sorrows were rendered yet more sacred from intrusion by her sex.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Child though the mourner was, her sorrows were rendered yet more sacred from intrusion by her sex.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Leonard opened his door and stole towards that of the room adjoining; for his first natural impulse had been to enter and console.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To have crossed it then would have seemed to him profanation.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Leonard opened his door and stole towards that of the room adjoining; for his first natural impulse had been to enter and console.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But when his touch was on the handle, he drew back.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Leonard opened his door and stole towards that of the room adjoining; for his first natural impulse had been to enter and console.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Leonard opened his door and stole towards that of the room adjoining; for his first natural impulse had been to enter and console.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Leonard opened his door and stole towards that of the room adjoining; for his first natural impulse had been to enter and console.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Child though the mourner was, her sorrows were rendered yet more sacred from intrusion by her sex.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Leonard opened his door and stole towards that of the room adjoining; for his first natural impulse had been to enter and console.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But when his touch was on the handle, he drew back.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading To have crossed it then would have seemed to him profanation.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But when his touch was on the handle, he drew back.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Child though the mourner was, her sorrows were rendered yet more sacred from intrusion by her sex.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Something, he knew not what, in his young ignorance, withheld him from the threshold.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Leonard opened his door and stole towards that of the room adjoining; for his first natural impulse had been to enter and console.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Something, he knew not what, in his young ignorance, withheld him from the threshold.
a sudden strong desire to act
From this reading Leonard opened his door and stole towards that of the room adjoining; for his first natural impulse had been to enter and console.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Something, he knew not what, in his young ignorance, withheld him from the threshold.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Child though the mourner was, her sorrows were rendered yet more sacred from intrusion by her sex.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading To have crossed it then would have seemed to him profanation.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Something, he knew not what, in his young ignorance, withheld him from the threshold.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Leonard opened his door and stole towards that of the room adjoining; for his first natural impulse had been to enter and console.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Child though the mourner was, her sorrows were rendered yet more sacred from intrusion by her sex.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Child though the mourner was, her sorrows were rendered yet more sacred from intrusion by her sex.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Leonard opened his door and stole towards that of the room adjoining; for his first natural impulse had been to enter and console.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Something, he knew not what, in his young ignorance, withheld him from the threshold.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Leonard opened his door and stole towards that of the room adjoining; for his first natural impulse had been to enter and console.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading But when his touch was on the handle, he drew back.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Leonard opened his door and stole towards that of the room adjoining; for his first natural impulse had been to enter and console.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To have crossed it then would have seemed to him profanation.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Child though the mourner was, her sorrows were rendered yet more sacred from intrusion by her sex.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Leonard opened his door and stole towards that of the room adjoining; for his first natural impulse had been to enter and console.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Child though the mourner was, her sorrows were rendered yet more sacred from intrusion by her sex.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading To have crossed it then would have seemed to him profanation.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Child though the mourner was, her sorrows were rendered yet more sacred from intrusion by her sex.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading Something, he knew not what, in his young ignorance, withheld him from the threshold.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Child though the mourner was, her sorrows were rendered yet more sacred from intrusion by her sex.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Leonard opened his door and stole towards that of the room adjoining; for his first natural impulse had been to enter and console.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Leonard opened his door and stole towards that of the room adjoining; for his first natural impulse had been to enter and console.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Leonard opened his door and stole towards that of the room adjoining; for his first natural impulse had been to enter and console.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To have crossed it then would have seemed to him profanation.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Child though the mourner was, her sorrows were rendered yet more sacred from intrusion by her sex.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Something, he knew not what, in his young ignorance, withheld him from the threshold.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Leonard opened his door and stole towards that of the room adjoining; for his first natural impulse had been to enter and console.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But when his touch was on the handle, he drew back.
in the direction of
From this reading Leonard opened his door and stole towards that of the room adjoining; for his first natural impulse had been to enter and console.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But when his touch was on the handle, he drew back.
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Child though the mourner was, her sorrows were rendered yet more sacred from intrusion by her sex.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Something, he knew not what, in his young ignorance, withheld him from the threshold.
at the time that
From this reading But when his touch was on the handle, he drew back.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Something, he knew not what, in his young ignorance, withheld him from the threshold.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading To have crossed it then would have seemed to him profanation.
but in spite of that
From this reading Child though the mourner was, her sorrows were rendered yet more sacred from intrusion by her sex.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Something, he knew not what, in his young ignorance, withheld him from the threshold.
