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Nobody's Man
Nobody's Man

Chapter XXXII

Cover illustration for Nobody's Man
Context Illustration Reading 1/15 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
There followed days of sullen battle for Tallente, a battle with luck against him, with his back to the wall, with despair more than once yawning at his feet.
The house in Charles Street was closed.
There had come no word to him from Jane, no news even of her departure except the somewhat surprised reply of Parkins, when he had called on the following afternoon.
"Her ladyship left for Devonshire, sir, by the ten-fifty train."
Tallente went back to the fight with those words ringing in his ears.
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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.

Nobody's Man

Chapter XXXII

Reading 1/15 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
There followed days of sullen battle for Tallente, a battle with luck against him, with his back to the wall, with despair more than once yawning at his feet.
Line 2
The house in Charles Street was closed.
Line 3
There had come no word to him from Jane, no news even of her departure except the somewhat surprised reply of Parkins, when he had called on the following afternoon.
Line 4
"Her ladyship left for Devonshire, sir, by the ten-fifty train."
Line 5
Tallente went back to the fight with those words ringing in his ears.

Learner Dictionary

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

Afternoon noun US /ˈafternoon/

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

From this reading “There had come no word to him from Jane, no news even of her departure except the somewhat surprised reply of Parkins, when he had called on the following afternoon.”

Against preposition US /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading “There followed days of sullen battle for Tallente, a battle with luck against him, with his back to the wall, with despair more than once yawning at his feet.”

Come noun US /come/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “There had come no word to him from Jane, no news even of her departure except the somewhat surprised reply of Parkins, when he had called on the following afternoon.”

Even noun US /even/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “There had come no word to him from Jane, no news even of her departure except the somewhat surprised reply of Parkins, when he had called on the following afternoon.”

Except preposition US /ɪkˈsept/

apart from; not including

From this reading “There had come no word to him from Jane, no news even of her departure except the somewhat surprised reply of Parkins, when he had called on the following afternoon.”

Left noun US /left/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “"Her ladyship left for Devonshire, sir, by the ten-fifty train."”

Once noun US /once/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “There followed days of sullen battle for Tallente, a battle with luck against him, with his back to the wall, with despair more than once yawning at his feet.”

Surprised noun US /surprised/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “There had come no word to him from Jane, no news even of her departure except the somewhat surprised reply of Parkins, when he had called on the following afternoon.”

Those determiner US /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading “Tallente went back to the fight with those words ringing in his ears.”

Went noun US /went/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Tallente went back to the fight with those words ringing in his ears.”

All words in this reading · 65

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 There followed days of sullen battle for Tallente, a battle with luck against him, with his back to the wall, with despair more than once yawning at his feet.

afternoonnounUS /ˈafternoon/

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

From this reading There had come no word to him from Jane, no news even of her departure except the somewhat surprised reply of Parkins, when he had called on the following afternoon.

againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading There followed days of sullen battle for Tallente, a battle with luck against him, with his back to the wall, with despair more than once yawning at his feet.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading There followed days of sullen battle for Tallente, a battle with luck against him, with his back to the wall, with despair more than once yawning at his feet.

back

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

From this reading There followed days of sullen battle for Tallente, a battle with luck against him, with his back to the wall, with despair more than once yawning at his feet.

battle

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

From this reading There followed days of sullen battle for Tallente, a battle with luck against him, with his back to the wall, with despair more than once yawning at his feet.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading "Her ladyship left for Devonshire, sir, by the ten-fifty train."

called

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

From this reading There had come no word to him from Jane, no news even of her departure except the somewhat surprised reply of Parkins, when he had called on the following afternoon.

Charles

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

From this reading The house in Charles Street was closed.

closed

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

From this reading The house in Charles Street was closed.

comenounUS /come/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading There had come no word to him from Jane, no news even of her departure except the somewhat surprised reply of Parkins, when he had called on the following afternoon.

days

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

From this reading There followed days of sullen battle for Tallente, a battle with luck against him, with his back to the wall, with despair more than once yawning at his feet.

departure

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

From this reading There had come no word to him from Jane, no news even of her departure except the somewhat surprised reply of Parkins, when he had called on the following afternoon.

despair

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

From this reading There followed days of sullen battle for Tallente, a battle with luck against him, with his back to the wall, with despair more than once yawning at his feet.

Devonshire

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

From this reading "Her ladyship left for Devonshire, sir, by the ten-fifty train."

ears

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

From this reading Tallente went back to the fight with those words ringing in his ears.

evennounUS /even/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading There had come no word to him from Jane, no news even of her departure except the somewhat surprised reply of Parkins, when he had called on the following afternoon.

exceptprepositionUS /ɪkˈsept/

apart from; not including

From this reading There had come no word to him from Jane, no news even of her departure except the somewhat surprised reply of Parkins, when he had called on the following afternoon.

feet

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

From this reading There followed days of sullen battle for Tallente, a battle with luck against him, with his back to the wall, with despair more than once yawning at his feet.

fight

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

From this reading Tallente went back to the fight with those words ringing in his ears.

followed

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

From this reading There followed days of sullen battle for Tallente, a battle with luck against him, with his back to the wall, with despair more than once yawning at his feet.

following

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

From this reading There had come no word to him from Jane, no news even of her departure except the somewhat surprised reply of Parkins, when he had called on the following afternoon.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading There followed days of sullen battle for Tallente, a battle with luck against him, with his back to the wall, with despair more than once yawning at his feet.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading There had come no word to him from Jane, no news even of her departure except the somewhat surprised reply of Parkins, when he had called on the following afternoon.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading There had come no word to him from Jane, no news even of her departure except the somewhat surprised reply of Parkins, when he had called on the following afternoon.

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading There had come no word to him from Jane, no news even of her departure except the somewhat surprised reply of Parkins, when he had called on the following afternoon.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading There had come no word to him from Jane, no news even of her departure except the somewhat surprised reply of Parkins, when he had called on the following afternoon.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading There followed days of sullen battle for Tallente, a battle with luck against him, with his back to the wall, with despair more than once yawning at his feet.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading There followed days of sullen battle for Tallente, a battle with luck against him, with his back to the wall, with despair more than once yawning at his feet.

house

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

From this reading The house in Charles Street was closed.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The house in Charles Street was closed.

Jane

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

From this reading There had come no word to him from Jane, no news even of her departure except the somewhat surprised reply of Parkins, when he had called on the following afternoon.

ladyship

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

From this reading "Her ladyship left for Devonshire, sir, by the ten-fifty train."

leftnounUS /left/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading "Her ladyship left for Devonshire, sir, by the ten-fifty train."

luck

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

From this reading There followed days of sullen battle for Tallente, a battle with luck against him, with his back to the wall, with despair more than once yawning at his feet.

more

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

From this reading There followed days of sullen battle for Tallente, a battle with luck against him, with his back to the wall, with despair more than once yawning at his feet.

news

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

From this reading There had come no word to him from Jane, no news even of her departure except the somewhat surprised reply of Parkins, when he had called on the following afternoon.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading There had come no word to him from Jane, no news even of her departure except the somewhat surprised reply of Parkins, when he had called on the following afternoon.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading There followed days of sullen battle for Tallente, a battle with luck against him, with his back to the wall, with despair more than once yawning at his feet.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading There had come no word to him from Jane, no news even of her departure except the somewhat surprised reply of Parkins, when he had called on the following afternoon.

once

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

From this reading There followed days of sullen battle for Tallente, a battle with luck against him, with his back to the wall, with despair more than once yawning at his feet.

Parkins

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

From this reading There had come no word to him from Jane, no news even of her departure except the somewhat surprised reply of Parkins, when he had called on the following afternoon.

reply

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

From this reading There had come no word to him from Jane, no news even of her departure except the somewhat surprised reply of Parkins, when he had called on the following afternoon.

ringing

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

From this reading Tallente went back to the fight with those words ringing in his ears.

sir

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

From this reading "Her ladyship left for Devonshire, sir, by the ten-fifty train."

somewhat

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

From this reading There had come no word to him from Jane, no news even of her departure except the somewhat surprised reply of Parkins, when he had called on the following afternoon.

Street

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

From this reading The house in Charles Street was closed.

sullen

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

From this reading There followed days of sullen battle for Tallente, a battle with luck against him, with his back to the wall, with despair more than once yawning at his feet.

surprisednounUS /surprised/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading There had come no word to him from Jane, no news even of her departure except the somewhat surprised reply of Parkins, when he had called on the following afternoon.

Tallente

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

From this reading There followed days of sullen battle for Tallente, a battle with luck against him, with his back to the wall, with despair more than once yawning at his feet.

ten-fifty

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

From this reading "Her ladyship left for Devonshire, sir, by the ten-fifty train."

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading There followed days of sullen battle for Tallente, a battle with luck against him, with his back to the wall, with despair more than once yawning at his feet.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading There followed days of sullen battle for Tallente, a battle with luck against him, with his back to the wall, with despair more than once yawning at his feet.

There

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

From this reading There followed days of sullen battle for Tallente, a battle with luck against him, with his back to the wall, with despair more than once yawning at his feet.

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading Tallente went back to the fight with those words ringing in his ears.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading There followed days of sullen battle for Tallente, a battle with luck against him, with his back to the wall, with despair more than once yawning at his feet.

train

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

From this reading "Her ladyship left for Devonshire, sir, by the ten-fifty train."

wall

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

From this reading There followed days of sullen battle for Tallente, a battle with luck against him, with his back to the wall, with despair more than once yawning at his feet.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The house in Charles Street was closed.

wentnounUS /went/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Tallente went back to the fight with those words ringing in his ears.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading There had come no word to him from Jane, no news even of her departure except the somewhat surprised reply of Parkins, when he had called on the following afternoon.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading There followed days of sullen battle for Tallente, a battle with luck against him, with his back to the wall, with despair more than once yawning at his feet.

word

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

From this reading There had come no word to him from Jane, no news even of her departure except the somewhat surprised reply of Parkins, when he had called on the following afternoon.

words

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

From this reading Tallente went back to the fight with those words ringing in his ears.

yawning

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

From this reading There followed days of sullen battle for Tallente, a battle with luck against him, with his back to the wall, with despair more than once yawning at his feet.