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Paul Ralston
Paul Ralston

Chapter IV · The Percys

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Context Illustration Reading 1/23 · 5 lines
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They were a very old Virginian family whose line of ancestry stretched backward quite as far as that of Miss Hansford, and touched the days of Cromwell, when white people were sent to Virginia and sold as slaves for a longer or shorter period of years.
Among them came Samuel Percy, a Royalist, transported for some offense against the government and condemned to servitude for five years.
Just what he did during the five years was not certainly known.
Some said he was a blacksmith, some a tailor, and others a common field laborer, or at best an overseer of the negroes.
That he was a bondman was sure and he worked out his time and then, unbroken in spirit, resolved to make for himself a name and a fortune and a family.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Paul Ralston

Chapter IV · The Percys

Reading 1/23 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
They were a very old Virginian family whose line of ancestry stretched backward quite as far as that of Miss Hansford, and touched the days of Cromwell, when white people were sent to Virginia and sold as slaves for a longer or shorter period of years.
Line 2
Among them came Samuel Percy, a Royalist, transported for some offense against the government and condemned to servitude for five years.
Line 3
Just what he did during the five years was not certainly known.
Line 4
Some said he was a blacksmith, some a tailor, and others a common field laborer, or at best an overseer of the negroes.
Line 5
That he was a bondman was sure and he worked out his time and then, unbroken in spirit, resolved to make for himself a name and a fortune and a family.

Learner Dictionary

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

Against preposition US /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading “Among them came Samuel Percy, a Royalist, transported for some offense against the government and condemned to servitude for five years.”

Among preposition US /əˈmʌŋ/

surrounded by; in the middle of a group

From this reading “Among them came Samuel Percy, a Royalist, transported for some offense against the government and condemned to servitude for five years.”

During preposition US /ˈdʊrɪŋ/

all through a period, or at some point within it

From this reading “Just what he did during the five years was not certainly known.”

Fortune noun US /ˈfortune/

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

From this reading “That he was a bondman was sure and he worked out his time and then, unbroken in spirit, resolved to make for himself a name and a fortune and a family.”

Himself pronoun US /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading “That he was a bondman was sure and he worked out his time and then, unbroken in spirit, resolved to make for himself a name and a fortune and a family.”

Make noun US /make/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “That he was a bondman was sure and he worked out his time and then, unbroken in spirit, resolved to make for himself a name and a fortune and a family.”

Name noun US /name/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “That he was a bondman was sure and he worked out his time and then, unbroken in spirit, resolved to make for himself a name and a fortune and a family.”

Quite noun US /quite/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “They were a very old Virginian family whose line of ancestry stretched backward quite as far as that of Miss Hansford, and touched the days of Cromwell, when white people were sent to Virginia and sold as slaves for a longer or shorter period of years.”

Sure noun US /sure/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “That he was a bondman was sure and he worked out his time and then, unbroken in spirit, resolved to make for himself a name and a fortune and a family.”

Time noun US /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “That he was a bondman was sure and he worked out his time and then, unbroken in spirit, resolved to make for himself a name and a fortune and a family.”

Whose determiner US /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading “They were a very old Virginian family whose line of ancestry stretched backward quite as far as that of Miss Hansford, and touched the days of Cromwell, when white people were sent to Virginia and sold as slaves for a longer or shorter period of years.”

All words in this reading · 88

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 They were a very old Virginian family whose line of ancestry stretched backward quite as far as that of Miss Hansford, and touched the days of Cromwell, when white people were sent to Virginia and sold as slaves for a longer or shorter period of years.

againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading Among them came Samuel Percy, a Royalist, transported for some offense against the government and condemned to servitude for five years.

AmongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/

surrounded by; in the middle of a group

From this reading Among them came Samuel Percy, a Royalist, transported for some offense against the government and condemned to servitude for five years.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading Some said he was a blacksmith, some a tailor, and others a common field laborer, or at best an overseer of the negroes.

ancestry

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

From this reading They were a very old Virginian family whose line of ancestry stretched backward quite as far as that of Miss Hansford, and touched the days of Cromwell, when white people were sent to Virginia and sold as slaves for a longer or shorter period of years.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading They were a very old Virginian family whose line of ancestry stretched backward quite as far as that of Miss Hansford, and touched the days of Cromwell, when white people were sent to Virginia and sold as slaves for a longer or shorter period of years.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading They were a very old Virginian family whose line of ancestry stretched backward quite as far as that of Miss Hansford, and touched the days of Cromwell, when white people were sent to Virginia and sold as slaves for a longer or shorter period of years.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Some said he was a blacksmith, some a tailor, and others a common field laborer, or at best an overseer of the negroes.

backward

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

From this reading They were a very old Virginian family whose line of ancestry stretched backward quite as far as that of Miss Hansford, and touched the days of Cromwell, when white people were sent to Virginia and sold as slaves for a longer or shorter period of years.

best

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

From this reading Some said he was a blacksmith, some a tailor, and others a common field laborer, or at best an overseer of the negroes.

blacksmith

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

From this reading Some said he was a blacksmith, some a tailor, and others a common field laborer, or at best an overseer of the negroes.

bondman

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

From this reading That he was a bondman was sure and he worked out his time and then, unbroken in spirit, resolved to make for himself a name and a fortune and a family.

came

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

From this reading Among them came Samuel Percy, a Royalist, transported for some offense against the government and condemned to servitude for five years.

certainly

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

From this reading Just what he did during the five years was not certainly known.

common

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

From this reading Some said he was a blacksmith, some a tailor, and others a common field laborer, or at best an overseer of the negroes.

condemned

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

From this reading Among them came Samuel Percy, a Royalist, transported for some offense against the government and condemned to servitude for five years.

Cromwell

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

From this reading They were a very old Virginian family whose line of ancestry stretched backward quite as far as that of Miss Hansford, and touched the days of Cromwell, when white people were sent to Virginia and sold as slaves for a longer or shorter period of years.

days

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

From this reading They were a very old Virginian family whose line of ancestry stretched backward quite as far as that of Miss Hansford, and touched the days of Cromwell, when white people were sent to Virginia and sold as slaves for a longer or shorter period of years.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

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

From this reading Just what he did during the five years was not certainly known.

duringprepositionUS /ˈdʊrɪŋ/

all through a period, or at some point within it

From this reading Just what he did during the five years was not certainly known.

family

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

From this reading They were a very old Virginian family whose line of ancestry stretched backward quite as far as that of Miss Hansford, and touched the days of Cromwell, when white people were sent to Virginia and sold as slaves for a longer or shorter period of years.

far

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

From this reading They were a very old Virginian family whose line of ancestry stretched backward quite as far as that of Miss Hansford, and touched the days of Cromwell, when white people were sent to Virginia and sold as slaves for a longer or shorter period of years.

field

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

From this reading Some said he was a blacksmith, some a tailor, and others a common field laborer, or at best an overseer of the negroes.

five

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

From this reading Among them came Samuel Percy, a Royalist, transported for some offense against the government and condemned to servitude for five years.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading They were a very old Virginian family whose line of ancestry stretched backward quite as far as that of Miss Hansford, and touched the days of Cromwell, when white people were sent to Virginia and sold as slaves for a longer or shorter period of years.

fortunenounUS /ˈfortune/

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

From this reading That he was a bondman was sure and he worked out his time and then, unbroken in spirit, resolved to make for himself a name and a fortune and a family.

government

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

From this reading Among them came Samuel Percy, a Royalist, transported for some offense against the government and condemned to servitude for five years.

Hansford

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

From this reading They were a very old Virginian family whose line of ancestry stretched backward quite as far as that of Miss Hansford, and touched the days of Cromwell, when white people were sent to Virginia and sold as slaves for a longer or shorter period of years.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Just what he did during the five years was not certainly known.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading That he was a bondman was sure and he worked out his time and then, unbroken in spirit, resolved to make for himself a name and a fortune and a family.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading That he was a bondman was sure and he worked out his time and then, unbroken in spirit, resolved to make for himself a name and a fortune and a family.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading That he was a bondman was sure and he worked out his time and then, unbroken in spirit, resolved to make for himself a name and a fortune and a family.

Just

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

From this reading Just what he did during the five years was not certainly known.

known

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

From this reading Just what he did during the five years was not certainly known.

laborer

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

From this reading Some said he was a blacksmith, some a tailor, and others a common field laborer, or at best an overseer of the negroes.

line

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

From this reading They were a very old Virginian family whose line of ancestry stretched backward quite as far as that of Miss Hansford, and touched the days of Cromwell, when white people were sent to Virginia and sold as slaves for a longer or shorter period of years.

longer

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

From this reading They were a very old Virginian family whose line of ancestry stretched backward quite as far as that of Miss Hansford, and touched the days of Cromwell, when white people were sent to Virginia and sold as slaves for a longer or shorter period of years.

makenounUS /make/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading That he was a bondman was sure and he worked out his time and then, unbroken in spirit, resolved to make for himself a name and a fortune and a family.

Miss

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

From this reading They were a very old Virginian family whose line of ancestry stretched backward quite as far as that of Miss Hansford, and touched the days of Cromwell, when white people were sent to Virginia and sold as slaves for a longer or shorter period of years.

namenounUS /name/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading That he was a bondman was sure and he worked out his time and then, unbroken in spirit, resolved to make for himself a name and a fortune and a family.

negroes

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

From this reading Some said he was a blacksmith, some a tailor, and others a common field laborer, or at best an overseer of the negroes.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Just what he did during the five years was not certainly known.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading They were a very old Virginian family whose line of ancestry stretched backward quite as far as that of Miss Hansford, and touched the days of Cromwell, when white people were sent to Virginia and sold as slaves for a longer or shorter period of years.

offense

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

From this reading Among them came Samuel Percy, a Royalist, transported for some offense against the government and condemned to servitude for five years.

old

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

From this reading They were a very old Virginian family whose line of ancestry stretched backward quite as far as that of Miss Hansford, and touched the days of Cromwell, when white people were sent to Virginia and sold as slaves for a longer or shorter period of years.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading They were a very old Virginian family whose line of ancestry stretched backward quite as far as that of Miss Hansford, and touched the days of Cromwell, when white people were sent to Virginia and sold as slaves for a longer or shorter period of years.

others

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

From this reading Some said he was a blacksmith, some a tailor, and others a common field laborer, or at best an overseer of the negroes.

out

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

From this reading That he was a bondman was sure and he worked out his time and then, unbroken in spirit, resolved to make for himself a name and a fortune and a family.

overseer

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

From this reading Some said he was a blacksmith, some a tailor, and others a common field laborer, or at best an overseer of the negroes.

people

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

From this reading They were a very old Virginian family whose line of ancestry stretched backward quite as far as that of Miss Hansford, and touched the days of Cromwell, when white people were sent to Virginia and sold as slaves for a longer or shorter period of years.

Percy

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

From this reading Among them came Samuel Percy, a Royalist, transported for some offense against the government and condemned to servitude for five years.

period

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

From this reading They were a very old Virginian family whose line of ancestry stretched backward quite as far as that of Miss Hansford, and touched the days of Cromwell, when white people were sent to Virginia and sold as slaves for a longer or shorter period of years.

quitenounUS /quite/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading They were a very old Virginian family whose line of ancestry stretched backward quite as far as that of Miss Hansford, and touched the days of Cromwell, when white people were sent to Virginia and sold as slaves for a longer or shorter period of years.

resolved

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

From this reading That he was a bondman was sure and he worked out his time and then, unbroken in spirit, resolved to make for himself a name and a fortune and a family.

Royalist

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

From this reading Among them came Samuel Percy, a Royalist, transported for some offense against the government and condemned to servitude for five years.

said

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

From this reading Some said he was a blacksmith, some a tailor, and others a common field laborer, or at best an overseer of the negroes.

Samuel

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

From this reading Among them came Samuel Percy, a Royalist, transported for some offense against the government and condemned to servitude for five years.

sent

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

From this reading They were a very old Virginian family whose line of ancestry stretched backward quite as far as that of Miss Hansford, and touched the days of Cromwell, when white people were sent to Virginia and sold as slaves for a longer or shorter period of years.

servitude

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

From this reading Among them came Samuel Percy, a Royalist, transported for some offense against the government and condemned to servitude for five years.

shorter

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

From this reading They were a very old Virginian family whose line of ancestry stretched backward quite as far as that of Miss Hansford, and touched the days of Cromwell, when white people were sent to Virginia and sold as slaves for a longer or shorter period of years.

slaves

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

From this reading They were a very old Virginian family whose line of ancestry stretched backward quite as far as that of Miss Hansford, and touched the days of Cromwell, when white people were sent to Virginia and sold as slaves for a longer or shorter period of years.

sold

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

From this reading They were a very old Virginian family whose line of ancestry stretched backward quite as far as that of Miss Hansford, and touched the days of Cromwell, when white people were sent to Virginia and sold as slaves for a longer or shorter period of years.

some

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

From this reading Among them came Samuel Percy, a Royalist, transported for some offense against the government and condemned to servitude for five years.

spirit

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

From this reading That he was a bondman was sure and he worked out his time and then, unbroken in spirit, resolved to make for himself a name and a fortune and a family.

stretched

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

From this reading They were a very old Virginian family whose line of ancestry stretched backward quite as far as that of Miss Hansford, and touched the days of Cromwell, when white people were sent to Virginia and sold as slaves for a longer or shorter period of years.

surenounUS /sure/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading That he was a bondman was sure and he worked out his time and then, unbroken in spirit, resolved to make for himself a name and a fortune and a family.

tailor

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

From this reading Some said he was a blacksmith, some a tailor, and others a common field laborer, or at best an overseer of the negroes.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading They were a very old Virginian family whose line of ancestry stretched backward quite as far as that of Miss Hansford, and touched the days of Cromwell, when white people were sent to Virginia and sold as slaves for a longer or shorter period of years.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading They were a very old Virginian family whose line of ancestry stretched backward quite as far as that of Miss Hansford, and touched the days of Cromwell, when white people were sent to Virginia and sold as slaves for a longer or shorter period of years.

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Among them came Samuel Percy, a Royalist, transported for some offense against the government and condemned to servitude for five years.

then

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

From this reading That he was a bondman was sure and he worked out his time and then, unbroken in spirit, resolved to make for himself a name and a fortune and a family.

TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading They were a very old Virginian family whose line of ancestry stretched backward quite as far as that of Miss Hansford, and touched the days of Cromwell, when white people were sent to Virginia and sold as slaves for a longer or shorter period of years.

timenounUS /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading That he was a bondman was sure and he worked out his time and then, unbroken in spirit, resolved to make for himself a name and a fortune and a family.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading They were a very old Virginian family whose line of ancestry stretched backward quite as far as that of Miss Hansford, and touched the days of Cromwell, when white people were sent to Virginia and sold as slaves for a longer or shorter period of years.

touched

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

From this reading They were a very old Virginian family whose line of ancestry stretched backward quite as far as that of Miss Hansford, and touched the days of Cromwell, when white people were sent to Virginia and sold as slaves for a longer or shorter period of years.

transported

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

From this reading Among them came Samuel Percy, a Royalist, transported for some offense against the government and condemned to servitude for five years.

unbroken

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

From this reading That he was a bondman was sure and he worked out his time and then, unbroken in spirit, resolved to make for himself a name and a fortune and a family.

very

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

From this reading They were a very old Virginian family whose line of ancestry stretched backward quite as far as that of Miss Hansford, and touched the days of Cromwell, when white people were sent to Virginia and sold as slaves for a longer or shorter period of years.

Virginia

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

From this reading They were a very old Virginian family whose line of ancestry stretched backward quite as far as that of Miss Hansford, and touched the days of Cromwell, when white people were sent to Virginia and sold as slaves for a longer or shorter period of years.

Virginian

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

From this reading They were a very old Virginian family whose line of ancestry stretched backward quite as far as that of Miss Hansford, and touched the days of Cromwell, when white people were sent to Virginia and sold as slaves for a longer or shorter period of years.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Just what he did during the five years was not certainly known.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading They were a very old Virginian family whose line of ancestry stretched backward quite as far as that of Miss Hansford, and touched the days of Cromwell, when white people were sent to Virginia and sold as slaves for a longer or shorter period of years.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading Just what he did during the five years was not certainly known.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading They were a very old Virginian family whose line of ancestry stretched backward quite as far as that of Miss Hansford, and touched the days of Cromwell, when white people were sent to Virginia and sold as slaves for a longer or shorter period of years.

white

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

From this reading They were a very old Virginian family whose line of ancestry stretched backward quite as far as that of Miss Hansford, and touched the days of Cromwell, when white people were sent to Virginia and sold as slaves for a longer or shorter period of years.

whosedeterminerUS /huːz/

belonging to which person

From this reading They were a very old Virginian family whose line of ancestry stretched backward quite as far as that of Miss Hansford, and touched the days of Cromwell, when white people were sent to Virginia and sold as slaves for a longer or shorter period of years.

worked

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

From this reading That he was a bondman was sure and he worked out his time and then, unbroken in spirit, resolved to make for himself a name and a fortune and a family.

years

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

From this reading They were a very old Virginian family whose line of ancestry stretched backward quite as far as that of Miss Hansford, and touched the days of Cromwell, when white people were sent to Virginia and sold as slaves for a longer or shorter period of years.