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Olive: A Novel
Olive: A Novel

Chapter III

Cover illustration for Olive: A Novel
Context Illustration Reading 1/33 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
It was many days before Mrs. Rothesay recovered from the shock occasioned by the tidings--to her almost more fearful than her child's death--that it was doomed for life to suffer the curse of hopeless deformity.
For a curse, a bitter curse, this seemed to the young and beautiful creature, who had learned since her birth to consider beauty as the greatest good.
She was, so to speak, in love with loveliness; not merely in herself, but in every human creature.
This feeling sprang more from enthusiasm than from personal vanity, the borders of which meanness she had just touched, but never crossed.
Perhaps, also, she was too conscious of her own loveliness, and admired herself too ardently to care for attracting the petty admiration of others.
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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.

Olive: A Novel

Chapter III

Reading 1/33 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
It was many days before Mrs. Rothesay recovered from the shock occasioned by the tidings--to her almost more fearful than her child's death--that it was doomed for life to suffer the curse of hopeless deformity.
Line 2
For a curse, a bitter curse, this seemed to the young and beautiful creature, who had learned since her birth to consider beauty as the greatest good.
Line 3
She was, so to speak, in love with loveliness; not merely in herself, but in every human creature.
Line 4
This feeling sprang more from enthusiasm than from personal vanity, the borders of which meanness she had just touched, but never crossed.
Line 5
Perhaps, also, she was too conscious of her own loveliness, and admired herself too ardently to care for attracting the petty admiration of others.

Learner Dictionary

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

Before preposition US /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading “It was many days before Mrs. Rothesay recovered from the shock occasioned by the tidings--to her almost more fearful than her child's death--that it was doomed for life to suffer the curse of hopeless deformity.”

Creature noun US /ˈcreature/

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

From this reading “For a curse, a bitter curse, this seemed to the young and beautiful creature, who had learned since her birth to consider beauty as the greatest good.”

Every determiner US /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading “She was, so to speak, in love with loveliness; not merely in herself, but in every human creature.”

Feeling noun US /ˈfeeling/

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

From this reading “This feeling sprang more from enthusiasm than from personal vanity, the borders of which meanness she had just touched, but never crossed.”

Good noun US /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “For a curse, a bitter curse, this seemed to the young and beautiful creature, who had learned since her birth to consider beauty as the greatest good.”

Herself pronoun US /hərˈself/

used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object

From this reading “She was, so to speak, in love with loveliness; not merely in herself, but in every human creature.”

Life noun US /life/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It was many days before Mrs. Rothesay recovered from the shock occasioned by the tidings--to her almost more fearful than her child's death--that it was doomed for life to suffer the curse of hopeless deformity.”

Never noun US /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “This feeling sprang more from enthusiasm than from personal vanity, the borders of which meanness she had just touched, but never crossed.”

Perhaps noun US /perhaps/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Perhaps, also, she was too conscious of her own loveliness, and admired herself too ardently to care for attracting the petty admiration of others.”

Seemed noun US /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “For a curse, a bitter curse, this seemed to the young and beautiful creature, who had learned since her birth to consider beauty as the greatest good.”

Since preposition US /sɪns/

from a time in the past until now

From this reading “For a curse, a bitter curse, this seemed to the young and beautiful creature, who had learned since her birth to consider beauty as the greatest good.”

Speak noun US /speak/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “She was, so to speak, in love with loveliness; not merely in herself, but in every human creature.”

All words in this reading · 86

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 For a curse, a bitter curse, this seemed to the young and beautiful creature, who had learned since her birth to consider beauty as the greatest good.

admiration

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

From this reading Perhaps, also, she was too conscious of her own loveliness, and admired herself too ardently to care for attracting the petty admiration of others.

admired

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

From this reading Perhaps, also, she was too conscious of her own loveliness, and admired herself too ardently to care for attracting the petty admiration of others.

almost

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

From this reading It was many days before Mrs. Rothesay recovered from the shock occasioned by the tidings--to her almost more fearful than her child's death--that it was doomed for life to suffer the curse of hopeless deformity.

also

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

From this reading Perhaps, also, she was too conscious of her own loveliness, and admired herself too ardently to care for attracting the petty admiration of others.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading For a curse, a bitter curse, this seemed to the young and beautiful creature, who had learned since her birth to consider beauty as the greatest good.

ardently

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

From this reading Perhaps, also, she was too conscious of her own loveliness, and admired herself too ardently to care for attracting the petty admiration of others.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading For a curse, a bitter curse, this seemed to the young and beautiful creature, who had learned since her birth to consider beauty as the greatest good.

attracting

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

From this reading Perhaps, also, she was too conscious of her own loveliness, and admired herself too ardently to care for attracting the petty admiration of others.

beautiful

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

From this reading For a curse, a bitter curse, this seemed to the young and beautiful creature, who had learned since her birth to consider beauty as the greatest good.

beauty

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

From this reading For a curse, a bitter curse, this seemed to the young and beautiful creature, who had learned since her birth to consider beauty as the greatest good.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading It was many days before Mrs. Rothesay recovered from the shock occasioned by the tidings--to her almost more fearful than her child's death--that it was doomed for life to suffer the curse of hopeless deformity.

birth

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

From this reading For a curse, a bitter curse, this seemed to the young and beautiful creature, who had learned since her birth to consider beauty as the greatest good.

bitter

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

From this reading For a curse, a bitter curse, this seemed to the young and beautiful creature, who had learned since her birth to consider beauty as the greatest good.

borders

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

From this reading This feeling sprang more from enthusiasm than from personal vanity, the borders of which meanness she had just touched, but never crossed.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading She was, so to speak, in love with loveliness; not merely in herself, but in every human creature.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading It was many days before Mrs. Rothesay recovered from the shock occasioned by the tidings--to her almost more fearful than her child's death--that it was doomed for life to suffer the curse of hopeless deformity.

care

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

From this reading Perhaps, also, she was too conscious of her own loveliness, and admired herself too ardently to care for attracting the petty admiration of others.

child's

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

From this reading It was many days before Mrs. Rothesay recovered from the shock occasioned by the tidings--to her almost more fearful than her child's death--that it was doomed for life to suffer the curse of hopeless deformity.

conscious

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

From this reading Perhaps, also, she was too conscious of her own loveliness, and admired herself too ardently to care for attracting the petty admiration of others.

consider

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

From this reading For a curse, a bitter curse, this seemed to the young and beautiful creature, who had learned since her birth to consider beauty as the greatest good.

creaturenounUS /ˈcreature/

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

From this reading For a curse, a bitter curse, this seemed to the young and beautiful creature, who had learned since her birth to consider beauty as the greatest good.

crossed

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

From this reading This feeling sprang more from enthusiasm than from personal vanity, the borders of which meanness she had just touched, but never crossed.

curse

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

From this reading It was many days before Mrs. Rothesay recovered from the shock occasioned by the tidings--to her almost more fearful than her child's death--that it was doomed for life to suffer the curse of hopeless deformity.

days

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

From this reading It was many days before Mrs. Rothesay recovered from the shock occasioned by the tidings--to her almost more fearful than her child's death--that it was doomed for life to suffer the curse of hopeless deformity.

death

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

From this reading It was many days before Mrs. Rothesay recovered from the shock occasioned by the tidings--to her almost more fearful than her child's death--that it was doomed for life to suffer the curse of hopeless deformity.

deformity

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

From this reading It was many days before Mrs. Rothesay recovered from the shock occasioned by the tidings--to her almost more fearful than her child's death--that it was doomed for life to suffer the curse of hopeless deformity.

doomed

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

From this reading It was many days before Mrs. Rothesay recovered from the shock occasioned by the tidings--to her almost more fearful than her child's death--that it was doomed for life to suffer the curse of hopeless deformity.

enthusiasm

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

From this reading This feeling sprang more from enthusiasm than from personal vanity, the borders of which meanness she had just touched, but never crossed.

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading She was, so to speak, in love with loveliness; not merely in herself, but in every human creature.

fearful

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

From this reading It was many days before Mrs. Rothesay recovered from the shock occasioned by the tidings--to her almost more fearful than her child's death--that it was doomed for life to suffer the curse of hopeless deformity.

feelingnounUS /ˈfeeling/

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

From this reading This feeling sprang more from enthusiasm than from personal vanity, the borders of which meanness she had just touched, but never crossed.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading It was many days before Mrs. Rothesay recovered from the shock occasioned by the tidings--to her almost more fearful than her child's death--that it was doomed for life to suffer the curse of hopeless deformity.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading It was many days before Mrs. Rothesay recovered from the shock occasioned by the tidings--to her almost more fearful than her child's death--that it was doomed for life to suffer the curse of hopeless deformity.

goodnounUS /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading For a curse, a bitter curse, this seemed to the young and beautiful creature, who had learned since her birth to consider beauty as the greatest good.

greatest

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

From this reading For a curse, a bitter curse, this seemed to the young and beautiful creature, who had learned since her birth to consider beauty as the greatest good.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading For a curse, a bitter curse, this seemed to the young and beautiful creature, who had learned since her birth to consider beauty as the greatest good.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading It was many days before Mrs. Rothesay recovered from the shock occasioned by the tidings--to her almost more fearful than her child's death--that it was doomed for life to suffer the curse of hopeless deformity.

herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/

used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object

From this reading She was, so to speak, in love with loveliness; not merely in herself, but in every human creature.

hopeless

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

From this reading It was many days before Mrs. Rothesay recovered from the shock occasioned by the tidings--to her almost more fearful than her child's death--that it was doomed for life to suffer the curse of hopeless deformity.

human

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

From this reading She was, so to speak, in love with loveliness; not merely in herself, but in every human creature.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading She was, so to speak, in love with loveliness; not merely in herself, but in every human creature.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was many days before Mrs. Rothesay recovered from the shock occasioned by the tidings--to her almost more fearful than her child's death--that it was doomed for life to suffer the curse of hopeless deformity.

just

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

From this reading This feeling sprang more from enthusiasm than from personal vanity, the borders of which meanness she had just touched, but never crossed.

learned

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

From this reading For a curse, a bitter curse, this seemed to the young and beautiful creature, who had learned since her birth to consider beauty as the greatest good.

lifenounUS /life/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading It was many days before Mrs. Rothesay recovered from the shock occasioned by the tidings--to her almost more fearful than her child's death--that it was doomed for life to suffer the curse of hopeless deformity.

love

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

From this reading She was, so to speak, in love with loveliness; not merely in herself, but in every human creature.

loveliness

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

From this reading She was, so to speak, in love with loveliness; not merely in herself, but in every human creature.

many

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

From this reading It was many days before Mrs. Rothesay recovered from the shock occasioned by the tidings--to her almost more fearful than her child's death--that it was doomed for life to suffer the curse of hopeless deformity.

meanness

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

From this reading This feeling sprang more from enthusiasm than from personal vanity, the borders of which meanness she had just touched, but never crossed.

merely

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

From this reading She was, so to speak, in love with loveliness; not merely in herself, but in every human creature.

more

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

From this reading It was many days before Mrs. Rothesay recovered from the shock occasioned by the tidings--to her almost more fearful than her child's death--that it was doomed for life to suffer the curse of hopeless deformity.

Mrs

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

From this reading It was many days before Mrs. Rothesay recovered from the shock occasioned by the tidings--to her almost more fearful than her child's death--that it was doomed for life to suffer the curse of hopeless deformity.

nevernounUS /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading This feeling sprang more from enthusiasm than from personal vanity, the borders of which meanness she had just touched, but never crossed.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading She was, so to speak, in love with loveliness; not merely in herself, but in every human creature.

occasioned

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

From this reading It was many days before Mrs. Rothesay recovered from the shock occasioned by the tidings--to her almost more fearful than her child's death--that it was doomed for life to suffer the curse of hopeless deformity.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading It was many days before Mrs. Rothesay recovered from the shock occasioned by the tidings--to her almost more fearful than her child's death--that it was doomed for life to suffer the curse of hopeless deformity.

others

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

From this reading Perhaps, also, she was too conscious of her own loveliness, and admired herself too ardently to care for attracting the petty admiration of others.

own

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

From this reading Perhaps, also, she was too conscious of her own loveliness, and admired herself too ardently to care for attracting the petty admiration of others.

Perhaps

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

From this reading Perhaps, also, she was too conscious of her own loveliness, and admired herself too ardently to care for attracting the petty admiration of others.

personal

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

From this reading This feeling sprang more from enthusiasm than from personal vanity, the borders of which meanness she had just touched, but never crossed.

petty

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

From this reading Perhaps, also, she was too conscious of her own loveliness, and admired herself too ardently to care for attracting the petty admiration of others.

recovered

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

From this reading It was many days before Mrs. Rothesay recovered from the shock occasioned by the tidings--to her almost more fearful than her child's death--that it was doomed for life to suffer the curse of hopeless deformity.

Rothesay

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

From this reading It was many days before Mrs. Rothesay recovered from the shock occasioned by the tidings--to her almost more fearful than her child's death--that it was doomed for life to suffer the curse of hopeless deformity.

seemednounUS /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading For a curse, a bitter curse, this seemed to the young and beautiful creature, who had learned since her birth to consider beauty as the greatest good.

ShepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading She was, so to speak, in love with loveliness; not merely in herself, but in every human creature.

shock

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

From this reading It was many days before Mrs. Rothesay recovered from the shock occasioned by the tidings--to her almost more fearful than her child's death--that it was doomed for life to suffer the curse of hopeless deformity.

sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/

from a time in the past until now

From this reading For a curse, a bitter curse, this seemed to the young and beautiful creature, who had learned since her birth to consider beauty as the greatest good.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading She was, so to speak, in love with loveliness; not merely in herself, but in every human creature.

speak

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

From this reading She was, so to speak, in love with loveliness; not merely in herself, but in every human creature.

sprang

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

From this reading This feeling sprang more from enthusiasm than from personal vanity, the borders of which meanness she had just touched, but never crossed.

suffer

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

From this reading It was many days before Mrs. Rothesay recovered from the shock occasioned by the tidings--to her almost more fearful than her child's death--that it was doomed for life to suffer the curse of hopeless deformity.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading It was many days before Mrs. Rothesay recovered from the shock occasioned by the tidings--to her almost more fearful than her child's death--that it was doomed for life to suffer the curse of hopeless deformity.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It was many days before Mrs. Rothesay recovered from the shock occasioned by the tidings--to her almost more fearful than her child's death--that it was doomed for life to suffer the curse of hopeless deformity.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading It was many days before Mrs. Rothesay recovered from the shock occasioned by the tidings--to her almost more fearful than her child's death--that it was doomed for life to suffer the curse of hopeless deformity.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading For a curse, a bitter curse, this seemed to the young and beautiful creature, who had learned since her birth to consider beauty as the greatest good.

tidings

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

From this reading It was many days before Mrs. Rothesay recovered from the shock occasioned by the tidings--to her almost more fearful than her child's death--that it was doomed for life to suffer the curse of hopeless deformity.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It was many days before Mrs. Rothesay recovered from the shock occasioned by the tidings--to her almost more fearful than her child's death--that it was doomed for life to suffer the curse of hopeless deformity.

too

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

From this reading Perhaps, also, she was too conscious of her own loveliness, and admired herself too ardently to care for attracting the petty admiration of others.

touched

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

From this reading This feeling sprang more from enthusiasm than from personal vanity, the borders of which meanness she had just touched, but never crossed.

vanity

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

From this reading This feeling sprang more from enthusiasm than from personal vanity, the borders of which meanness she had just touched, but never crossed.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It was many days before Mrs. Rothesay recovered from the shock occasioned by the tidings--to her almost more fearful than her child's death--that it was doomed for life to suffer the curse of hopeless deformity.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading This feeling sprang more from enthusiasm than from personal vanity, the borders of which meanness she had just touched, but never crossed.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading For a curse, a bitter curse, this seemed to the young and beautiful creature, who had learned since her birth to consider beauty as the greatest good.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading She was, so to speak, in love with loveliness; not merely in herself, but in every human creature.

young

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

From this reading For a curse, a bitter curse, this seemed to the young and beautiful creature, who had learned since her birth to consider beauty as the greatest good.