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Old Ebenezer
Old Ebenezer

Chapter V

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Context Illustration Reading 1/18 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE BELLE OF THE TOWN.
Once in a long while Banker McElwin made it a policy to gather up a number of his boastful relations, reinforced by a number of friends, and then conduct the party to the house of another kinsman, where he would give them an evening of delight.
He did not give notice of these gracious recognitions, preferring to make the event sweeter with surprise.
On his part it was a generous forgetfulness of self-importance--it was as if a placid and beneficent moon had come to beam upon a cluster of stars.
To the men he would quote stocks, as if, a lover of letters, he were giving a poem to a "mite society."
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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.

Old Ebenezer

Chapter V

Reading 1/18 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE BELLE OF THE TOWN.
Line 2
Once in a long while Banker McElwin made it a policy to gather up a number of his boastful relations, reinforced by a number of friends, and then conduct the party to the house of another kinsman, where he would give them an evening of delight.
Line 3
He did not give notice of these gracious recognitions, preferring to make the event sweeter with surprise.
Line 4
On his part it was a generous forgetfulness of self-importance--it was as if a placid and beneficent moon had come to beam upon a cluster of stars.
Line 5
To the men he would quote stocks, as if, a lover of letters, he were giving a poem to a "mite society."

Learner Dictionary

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

Another noun US /ˈanother/

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

From this reading “Once in a long while Banker McElwin made it a policy to gather up a number of his boastful relations, reinforced by a number of friends, and then conduct the party to the house of another kinsman, where he would give them an evening of delight.”

Come noun US /come/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “On his part it was a generous forgetfulness of self-importance--it was as if a placid and beneficent moon had come to beam upon a cluster of stars.”

Long noun US /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Once in a long while Banker McElwin made it a policy to gather up a number of his boastful relations, reinforced by a number of friends, and then conduct the party to the house of another kinsman, where he would give them an evening of delight.”

Make noun US /make/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He did not give notice of these gracious recognitions, preferring to make the event sweeter with surprise.”

Once noun US /once/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Once in a long while Banker McElwin made it a policy to gather up a number of his boastful relations, reinforced by a number of friends, and then conduct the party to the house of another kinsman, where he would give them an evening of delight.”

Part noun US /part/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “On his part it was a generous forgetfulness of self-importance--it was as if a placid and beneficent moon had come to beam upon a cluster of stars.”

Party noun US /party/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Once in a long while Banker McElwin made it a policy to gather up a number of his boastful relations, reinforced by a number of friends, and then conduct the party to the house of another kinsman, where he would give them an evening of delight.”

These determiner US /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading “He did not give notice of these gracious recognitions, preferring to make the event sweeter with surprise.”

Upon preposition US /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading “On his part it was a generous forgetfulness of self-importance--it was as if a placid and beneficent moon had come to beam upon a cluster of stars.”

While conjunction US /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading “Once in a long while Banker McElwin made it a policy to gather up a number of his boastful relations, reinforced by a number of friends, and then conduct the party to the house of another kinsman, where he would give them an evening of delight.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading “Once in a long while Banker McElwin made it a policy to gather up a number of his boastful relations, reinforced by a number of friends, and then conduct the party to the house of another kinsman, where he would give them an evening of delight.”

All words in this reading · 78

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 Once in a long while Banker McElwin made it a policy to gather up a number of his boastful relations, reinforced by a number of friends, and then conduct the party to the house of another kinsman, where he would give them an evening of delight.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading Once in a long while Banker McElwin made it a policy to gather up a number of his boastful relations, reinforced by a number of friends, and then conduct the party to the house of another kinsman, where he would give them an evening of delight.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Once in a long while Banker McElwin made it a policy to gather up a number of his boastful relations, reinforced by a number of friends, and then conduct the party to the house of another kinsman, where he would give them an evening of delight.

anothernounUS /ˈanother/

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

From this reading Once in a long while Banker McElwin made it a policy to gather up a number of his boastful relations, reinforced by a number of friends, and then conduct the party to the house of another kinsman, where he would give them an evening of delight.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading On his part it was a generous forgetfulness of self-importance--it was as if a placid and beneficent moon had come to beam upon a cluster of stars.

Banker

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

From this reading Once in a long while Banker McElwin made it a policy to gather up a number of his boastful relations, reinforced by a number of friends, and then conduct the party to the house of another kinsman, where he would give them an evening of delight.

beam

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

From this reading On his part it was a generous forgetfulness of self-importance--it was as if a placid and beneficent moon had come to beam upon a cluster of stars.

BELLE

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

From this reading THE BELLE OF THE TOWN.

beneficent

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

From this reading On his part it was a generous forgetfulness of self-importance--it was as if a placid and beneficent moon had come to beam upon a cluster of stars.

boastful

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

From this reading Once in a long while Banker McElwin made it a policy to gather up a number of his boastful relations, reinforced by a number of friends, and then conduct the party to the house of another kinsman, where he would give them an evening of delight.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Once in a long while Banker McElwin made it a policy to gather up a number of his boastful relations, reinforced by a number of friends, and then conduct the party to the house of another kinsman, where he would give them an evening of delight.

cluster

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

From this reading On his part it was a generous forgetfulness of self-importance--it was as if a placid and beneficent moon had come to beam upon a cluster of stars.

comenounUS /come/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading On his part it was a generous forgetfulness of self-importance--it was as if a placid and beneficent moon had come to beam upon a cluster of stars.

conduct

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

From this reading Once in a long while Banker McElwin made it a policy to gather up a number of his boastful relations, reinforced by a number of friends, and then conduct the party to the house of another kinsman, where he would give them an evening of delight.

delight

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

From this reading Once in a long while Banker McElwin made it a policy to gather up a number of his boastful relations, reinforced by a number of friends, and then conduct the party to the house of another kinsman, where he would give them an evening of delight.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading He did not give notice of these gracious recognitions, preferring to make the event sweeter with surprise.

evening

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

From this reading Once in a long while Banker McElwin made it a policy to gather up a number of his boastful relations, reinforced by a number of friends, and then conduct the party to the house of another kinsman, where he would give them an evening of delight.

event

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

From this reading He did not give notice of these gracious recognitions, preferring to make the event sweeter with surprise.

forgetfulness

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

From this reading On his part it was a generous forgetfulness of self-importance--it was as if a placid and beneficent moon had come to beam upon a cluster of stars.

friends

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

From this reading Once in a long while Banker McElwin made it a policy to gather up a number of his boastful relations, reinforced by a number of friends, and then conduct the party to the house of another kinsman, where he would give them an evening of delight.

gather

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

From this reading Once in a long while Banker McElwin made it a policy to gather up a number of his boastful relations, reinforced by a number of friends, and then conduct the party to the house of another kinsman, where he would give them an evening of delight.

generous

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

From this reading On his part it was a generous forgetfulness of self-importance--it was as if a placid and beneficent moon had come to beam upon a cluster of stars.

give

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

From this reading Once in a long while Banker McElwin made it a policy to gather up a number of his boastful relations, reinforced by a number of friends, and then conduct the party to the house of another kinsman, where he would give them an evening of delight.

giving

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

From this reading To the men he would quote stocks, as if, a lover of letters, he were giving a poem to a "mite society."

gracious

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

From this reading He did not give notice of these gracious recognitions, preferring to make the event sweeter with surprise.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading On his part it was a generous forgetfulness of self-importance--it was as if a placid and beneficent moon had come to beam upon a cluster of stars.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Once in a long while Banker McElwin made it a policy to gather up a number of his boastful relations, reinforced by a number of friends, and then conduct the party to the house of another kinsman, where he would give them an evening of delight.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Once in a long while Banker McElwin made it a policy to gather up a number of his boastful relations, reinforced by a number of friends, and then conduct the party to the house of another kinsman, where he would give them an evening of delight.

house

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

From this reading Once in a long while Banker McElwin made it a policy to gather up a number of his boastful relations, reinforced by a number of friends, and then conduct the party to the house of another kinsman, where he would give them an evening of delight.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading On his part it was a generous forgetfulness of self-importance--it was as if a placid and beneficent moon had come to beam upon a cluster of stars.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Once in a long while Banker McElwin made it a policy to gather up a number of his boastful relations, reinforced by a number of friends, and then conduct the party to the house of another kinsman, where he would give them an evening of delight.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Once in a long while Banker McElwin made it a policy to gather up a number of his boastful relations, reinforced by a number of friends, and then conduct the party to the house of another kinsman, where he would give them an evening of delight.

kinsman

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

From this reading Once in a long while Banker McElwin made it a policy to gather up a number of his boastful relations, reinforced by a number of friends, and then conduct the party to the house of another kinsman, where he would give them an evening of delight.

letters

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

From this reading To the men he would quote stocks, as if, a lover of letters, he were giving a poem to a "mite society."

longnounUS /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Once in a long while Banker McElwin made it a policy to gather up a number of his boastful relations, reinforced by a number of friends, and then conduct the party to the house of another kinsman, where he would give them an evening of delight.

lover

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

From this reading To the men he would quote stocks, as if, a lover of letters, he were giving a poem to a "mite society."

made

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

From this reading Once in a long while Banker McElwin made it a policy to gather up a number of his boastful relations, reinforced by a number of friends, and then conduct the party to the house of another kinsman, where he would give them an evening of delight.

makenounUS /make/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He did not give notice of these gracious recognitions, preferring to make the event sweeter with surprise.

McElwin

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

From this reading Once in a long while Banker McElwin made it a policy to gather up a number of his boastful relations, reinforced by a number of friends, and then conduct the party to the house of another kinsman, where he would give them an evening of delight.

men

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

From this reading To the men he would quote stocks, as if, a lover of letters, he were giving a poem to a "mite society."

mite

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

From this reading To the men he would quote stocks, as if, a lover of letters, he were giving a poem to a "mite society."

moon

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

From this reading On his part it was a generous forgetfulness of self-importance--it was as if a placid and beneficent moon had come to beam upon a cluster of stars.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading He did not give notice of these gracious recognitions, preferring to make the event sweeter with surprise.

notice

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

From this reading He did not give notice of these gracious recognitions, preferring to make the event sweeter with surprise.

number

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

From this reading Once in a long while Banker McElwin made it a policy to gather up a number of his boastful relations, reinforced by a number of friends, and then conduct the party to the house of another kinsman, where he would give them an evening of delight.

OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE BELLE OF THE TOWN.

OnprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading On his part it was a generous forgetfulness of self-importance--it was as if a placid and beneficent moon had come to beam upon a cluster of stars.

Once

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

From this reading Once in a long while Banker McElwin made it a policy to gather up a number of his boastful relations, reinforced by a number of friends, and then conduct the party to the house of another kinsman, where he would give them an evening of delight.

partnounUS /part/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading On his part it was a generous forgetfulness of self-importance--it was as if a placid and beneficent moon had come to beam upon a cluster of stars.

partynounUS /party/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Once in a long while Banker McElwin made it a policy to gather up a number of his boastful relations, reinforced by a number of friends, and then conduct the party to the house of another kinsman, where he would give them an evening of delight.

placid

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

From this reading On his part it was a generous forgetfulness of self-importance--it was as if a placid and beneficent moon had come to beam upon a cluster of stars.

poem

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

From this reading To the men he would quote stocks, as if, a lover of letters, he were giving a poem to a "mite society."

policy

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

From this reading Once in a long while Banker McElwin made it a policy to gather up a number of his boastful relations, reinforced by a number of friends, and then conduct the party to the house of another kinsman, where he would give them an evening of delight.

preferring

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

From this reading He did not give notice of these gracious recognitions, preferring to make the event sweeter with surprise.

quote

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

From this reading To the men he would quote stocks, as if, a lover of letters, he were giving a poem to a "mite society."

recognitions

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

From this reading He did not give notice of these gracious recognitions, preferring to make the event sweeter with surprise.

reinforced

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

From this reading Once in a long while Banker McElwin made it a policy to gather up a number of his boastful relations, reinforced by a number of friends, and then conduct the party to the house of another kinsman, where he would give them an evening of delight.

relations

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

From this reading Once in a long while Banker McElwin made it a policy to gather up a number of his boastful relations, reinforced by a number of friends, and then conduct the party to the house of another kinsman, where he would give them an evening of delight.

self-importance

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

From this reading On his part it was a generous forgetfulness of self-importance--it was as if a placid and beneficent moon had come to beam upon a cluster of stars.

society

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

From this reading To the men he would quote stocks, as if, a lover of letters, he were giving a poem to a "mite society."

stars

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

From this reading On his part it was a generous forgetfulness of self-importance--it was as if a placid and beneficent moon had come to beam upon a cluster of stars.

stocks

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

From this reading To the men he would quote stocks, as if, a lover of letters, he were giving a poem to a "mite society."

surprise

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

From this reading He did not give notice of these gracious recognitions, preferring to make the event sweeter with surprise.

sweeter

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

From this reading He did not give notice of these gracious recognitions, preferring to make the event sweeter with surprise.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE BELLE OF THE TOWN.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Once in a long while Banker McElwin made it a policy to gather up a number of his boastful relations, reinforced by a number of friends, and then conduct the party to the house of another kinsman, where he would give them an evening of delight.

then

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

From this reading Once in a long while Banker McElwin made it a policy to gather up a number of his boastful relations, reinforced by a number of friends, and then conduct the party to the house of another kinsman, where he would give them an evening of delight.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading He did not give notice of these gracious recognitions, preferring to make the event sweeter with surprise.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Once in a long while Banker McElwin made it a policy to gather up a number of his boastful relations, reinforced by a number of friends, and then conduct the party to the house of another kinsman, where he would give them an evening of delight.

TOWN

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

From this reading THE BELLE OF THE TOWN.

up

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

From this reading Once in a long while Banker McElwin made it a policy to gather up a number of his boastful relations, reinforced by a number of friends, and then conduct the party to the house of another kinsman, where he would give them an evening of delight.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading On his part it was a generous forgetfulness of self-importance--it was as if a placid and beneficent moon had come to beam upon a cluster of stars.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading On his part it was a generous forgetfulness of self-importance--it was as if a placid and beneficent moon had come to beam upon a cluster of stars.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading To the men he would quote stocks, as if, a lover of letters, he were giving a poem to a "mite society."

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading Once in a long while Banker McElwin made it a policy to gather up a number of his boastful relations, reinforced by a number of friends, and then conduct the party to the house of another kinsman, where he would give them an evening of delight.

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading Once in a long while Banker McElwin made it a policy to gather up a number of his boastful relations, reinforced by a number of friends, and then conduct the party to the house of another kinsman, where he would give them an evening of delight.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading He did not give notice of these gracious recognitions, preferring to make the event sweeter with surprise.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading Once in a long while Banker McElwin made it a policy to gather up a number of his boastful relations, reinforced by a number of friends, and then conduct the party to the house of another kinsman, where he would give them an evening of delight.