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Robinetta
Robinetta

Chapter VI

Cover illustration for Robinetta
Context Illustration Reading 1/83 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"Carnaby's wife!" thought Robinette.
"Why! she mayn't be born!
He may never have a wife!
And to think of all those precious stones hiding their brightness in these boxes like prisoners in a dungeon for years and years, only to be let out now and then by Bates and Benson, jingling their keys like jailers!
And this house is a prison too!" she said to herself; "a prison for souls!" and the thought of its hoarded wealth made her indignant; all this hidden treasure in a house where there was never enough to eat, where guests shivered in fireless bedrooms, where servants would not stay because they were starved!
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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.

Robinetta

Chapter VI

Reading 1/83 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
"Carnaby's wife!" thought Robinette.
Line 2
"Why! she mayn't be born!
Line 3
He may never have a wife!
Line 4
And to think of all those precious stones hiding their brightness in these boxes like prisoners in a dungeon for years and years, only to be let out now and then by Bates and Benson, jingling their keys like jailers!
Line 5
And this house is a prison too!" she said to herself; "a prison for souls!" and the thought of its hoarded wealth made her indignant; all this hidden treasure in a house where there was never enough to eat, where guests shivered in fireless bedrooms, where servants would not stay because they were starved!

Learner Dictionary

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

Because conjunction US /bɪˈkɔːz/

for the reason that

From this reading “And this house is a prison too!" she said to herself; "a prison for souls!" and the thought of its hoarded wealth made her indignant; all this hidden treasure in a house where there was never enough to eat, where guests shivered in fireless bedrooms, where servants would not stay because they were starved!”

Born noun US /born/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “"Why! she mayn't be born!”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “He may never have a wife!”

Herself pronoun US /hərˈself/

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

From this reading “And this house is a prison too!" she said to herself; "a prison for souls!" and the thought of its hoarded wealth made her indignant; all this hidden treasure in a house where there was never enough to eat, where guests shivered in fireless bedrooms, where servants would not stay because they were starved!”

Let auxiliary verb US /let/

used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker

From this reading “And to think of all those precious stones hiding their brightness in these boxes like prisoners in a dungeon for years and years, only to be let out now and then by Bates and Benson, jingling their keys like jailers!”

May modal verb US /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading “He may never have a wife!”

Never noun US /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He may never have a wife!”

Precious adjective US /ˈpreʃəs/

rare and worth a great deal

From this reading “And to think of all those precious stones hiding their brightness in these boxes like prisoners in a dungeon for years and years, only to be let out now and then by Bates and Benson, jingling their keys like jailers!”

These determiner US /ðiːz/

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

From this reading “And to think of all those precious stones hiding their brightness in these boxes like prisoners in a dungeon for years and years, only to be let out now and then by Bates and Benson, jingling their keys like jailers!”

Think noun US /think/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “And to think of all those precious stones hiding their brightness in these boxes like prisoners in a dungeon for years and years, only to be let out now and then by Bates and Benson, jingling their keys like jailers!”

Those determiner US /ðoʊz/

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

From this reading “And to think of all those precious stones hiding their brightness in these boxes like prisoners in a dungeon for years and years, only to be let out now and then by Bates and Benson, jingling their keys like jailers!”

Thought noun US /thought/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “"Carnaby's wife!" thought Robinette.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

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

From this reading “And this house is a prison too!" she said to herself; "a prison for souls!" and the thought of its hoarded wealth made her indignant; all this hidden treasure in a house where there was never enough to eat, where guests shivered in fireless bedrooms, where servants would not stay because they were starved!”

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 He may never have a wife!

all

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

From this reading And to think of all those precious stones hiding their brightness in these boxes like prisoners in a dungeon for years and years, only to be let out now and then by Bates and Benson, jingling their keys like jailers!

AndconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading And to think of all those precious stones hiding their brightness in these boxes like prisoners in a dungeon for years and years, only to be let out now and then by Bates and Benson, jingling their keys like jailers!

Bates

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

From this reading And to think of all those precious stones hiding their brightness in these boxes like prisoners in a dungeon for years and years, only to be let out now and then by Bates and Benson, jingling their keys like jailers!

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading "Why! she mayn't be born!

becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/

for the reason that

From this reading And this house is a prison too!" she said to herself; "a prison for souls!" and the thought of its hoarded wealth made her indignant; all this hidden treasure in a house where there was never enough to eat, where guests shivered in fireless bedrooms, where servants would not stay because they were starved!

bedrooms

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

From this reading And this house is a prison too!" she said to herself; "a prison for souls!" and the thought of its hoarded wealth made her indignant; all this hidden treasure in a house where there was never enough to eat, where guests shivered in fireless bedrooms, where servants would not stay because they were starved!

Benson

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

From this reading And to think of all those precious stones hiding their brightness in these boxes like prisoners in a dungeon for years and years, only to be let out now and then by Bates and Benson, jingling their keys like jailers!

bornnounUS /born/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading "Why! she mayn't be born!

boxes

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

From this reading And to think of all those precious stones hiding their brightness in these boxes like prisoners in a dungeon for years and years, only to be let out now and then by Bates and Benson, jingling their keys like jailers!

brightness

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

From this reading And to think of all those precious stones hiding their brightness in these boxes like prisoners in a dungeon for years and years, only to be let out now and then by Bates and Benson, jingling their keys like jailers!

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading And to think of all those precious stones hiding their brightness in these boxes like prisoners in a dungeon for years and years, only to be let out now and then by Bates and Benson, jingling their keys like jailers!

Carnaby's

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

From this reading "Carnaby's wife!" thought Robinette.

dungeon

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

From this reading And to think of all those precious stones hiding their brightness in these boxes like prisoners in a dungeon for years and years, only to be let out now and then by Bates and Benson, jingling their keys like jailers!

eat

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

From this reading And this house is a prison too!" she said to herself; "a prison for souls!" and the thought of its hoarded wealth made her indignant; all this hidden treasure in a house where there was never enough to eat, where guests shivered in fireless bedrooms, where servants would not stay because they were starved!

enough

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

From this reading And this house is a prison too!" she said to herself; "a prison for souls!" and the thought of its hoarded wealth made her indignant; all this hidden treasure in a house where there was never enough to eat, where guests shivered in fireless bedrooms, where servants would not stay because they were starved!

fireless

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

From this reading And this house is a prison too!" she said to herself; "a prison for souls!" and the thought of its hoarded wealth made her indignant; all this hidden treasure in a house where there was never enough to eat, where guests shivered in fireless bedrooms, where servants would not stay because they were starved!

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading And to think of all those precious stones hiding their brightness in these boxes like prisoners in a dungeon for years and years, only to be let out now and then by Bates and Benson, jingling their keys like jailers!

guests

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

From this reading And this house is a prison too!" she said to herself; "a prison for souls!" and the thought of its hoarded wealth made her indignant; all this hidden treasure in a house where there was never enough to eat, where guests shivered in fireless bedrooms, where servants would not stay because they were starved!

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading He may never have a wife!

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He may never have a wife!

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading And this house is a prison too!" she said to herself; "a prison for souls!" and the thought of its hoarded wealth made her indignant; all this hidden treasure in a house where there was never enough to eat, where guests shivered in fireless bedrooms, where servants would not stay because they were starved!

herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/

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

From this reading And this house is a prison too!" she said to herself; "a prison for souls!" and the thought of its hoarded wealth made her indignant; all this hidden treasure in a house where there was never enough to eat, where guests shivered in fireless bedrooms, where servants would not stay because they were starved!

hidden

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

From this reading And this house is a prison too!" she said to herself; "a prison for souls!" and the thought of its hoarded wealth made her indignant; all this hidden treasure in a house where there was never enough to eat, where guests shivered in fireless bedrooms, where servants would not stay because they were starved!

hiding

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

From this reading And to think of all those precious stones hiding their brightness in these boxes like prisoners in a dungeon for years and years, only to be let out now and then by Bates and Benson, jingling their keys like jailers!

hoarded

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

From this reading And this house is a prison too!" she said to herself; "a prison for souls!" and the thought of its hoarded wealth made her indignant; all this hidden treasure in a house where there was never enough to eat, where guests shivered in fireless bedrooms, where servants would not stay because they were starved!

house

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

From this reading And this house is a prison too!" she said to herself; "a prison for souls!" and the thought of its hoarded wealth made her indignant; all this hidden treasure in a house where there was never enough to eat, where guests shivered in fireless bedrooms, where servants would not stay because they were starved!

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading And to think of all those precious stones hiding their brightness in these boxes like prisoners in a dungeon for years and years, only to be let out now and then by Bates and Benson, jingling their keys like jailers!

indignant

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

From this reading And this house is a prison too!" she said to herself; "a prison for souls!" and the thought of its hoarded wealth made her indignant; all this hidden treasure in a house where there was never enough to eat, where guests shivered in fireless bedrooms, where servants would not stay because they were starved!

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading And this house is a prison too!" she said to herself; "a prison for souls!" and the thought of its hoarded wealth made her indignant; all this hidden treasure in a house where there was never enough to eat, where guests shivered in fireless bedrooms, where servants would not stay because they were starved!

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading And this house is a prison too!" she said to herself; "a prison for souls!" and the thought of its hoarded wealth made her indignant; all this hidden treasure in a house where there was never enough to eat, where guests shivered in fireless bedrooms, where servants would not stay because they were starved!

jailers

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

From this reading And to think of all those precious stones hiding their brightness in these boxes like prisoners in a dungeon for years and years, only to be let out now and then by Bates and Benson, jingling their keys like jailers!

jingling

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

From this reading And to think of all those precious stones hiding their brightness in these boxes like prisoners in a dungeon for years and years, only to be let out now and then by Bates and Benson, jingling their keys like jailers!

keys

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

From this reading And to think of all those precious stones hiding their brightness in these boxes like prisoners in a dungeon for years and years, only to be let out now and then by Bates and Benson, jingling their keys like jailers!

letauxiliary verbUS /let/

used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker

From this reading And to think of all those precious stones hiding their brightness in these boxes like prisoners in a dungeon for years and years, only to be let out now and then by Bates and Benson, jingling their keys like jailers!

like

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

From this reading And to think of all those precious stones hiding their brightness in these boxes like prisoners in a dungeon for years and years, only to be let out now and then by Bates and Benson, jingling their keys like jailers!

made

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

From this reading And this house is a prison too!" she said to herself; "a prison for souls!" and the thought of its hoarded wealth made her indignant; all this hidden treasure in a house where there was never enough to eat, where guests shivered in fireless bedrooms, where servants would not stay because they were starved!

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading He may never have a wife!

mayn't

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

From this reading "Why! she mayn't be born!

nevernounUS /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He may never have a wife!

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading And this house is a prison too!" she said to herself; "a prison for souls!" and the thought of its hoarded wealth made her indignant; all this hidden treasure in a house where there was never enough to eat, where guests shivered in fireless bedrooms, where servants would not stay because they were starved!

now

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

From this reading And to think of all those precious stones hiding their brightness in these boxes like prisoners in a dungeon for years and years, only to be let out now and then by Bates and Benson, jingling their keys like jailers!

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading And to think of all those precious stones hiding their brightness in these boxes like prisoners in a dungeon for years and years, only to be let out now and then by Bates and Benson, jingling their keys like jailers!

only

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

From this reading And to think of all those precious stones hiding their brightness in these boxes like prisoners in a dungeon for years and years, only to be let out now and then by Bates and Benson, jingling their keys like jailers!

out

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

From this reading And to think of all those precious stones hiding their brightness in these boxes like prisoners in a dungeon for years and years, only to be let out now and then by Bates and Benson, jingling their keys like jailers!

preciousadjectiveUS /ˈpreʃəs/

rare and worth a great deal

From this reading And to think of all those precious stones hiding their brightness in these boxes like prisoners in a dungeon for years and years, only to be let out now and then by Bates and Benson, jingling their keys like jailers!

prison

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

From this reading And this house is a prison too!" she said to herself; "a prison for souls!" and the thought of its hoarded wealth made her indignant; all this hidden treasure in a house where there was never enough to eat, where guests shivered in fireless bedrooms, where servants would not stay because they were starved!

prisoners

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

From this reading And to think of all those precious stones hiding their brightness in these boxes like prisoners in a dungeon for years and years, only to be let out now and then by Bates and Benson, jingling their keys like jailers!

Robinette

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

From this reading "Carnaby's wife!" thought Robinette.

said

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

From this reading And this house is a prison too!" she said to herself; "a prison for souls!" and the thought of its hoarded wealth made her indignant; all this hidden treasure in a house where there was never enough to eat, where guests shivered in fireless bedrooms, where servants would not stay because they were starved!

servants

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

From this reading And this house is a prison too!" she said to herself; "a prison for souls!" and the thought of its hoarded wealth made her indignant; all this hidden treasure in a house where there was never enough to eat, where guests shivered in fireless bedrooms, where servants would not stay because they were starved!

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading "Why! she mayn't be born!

shivered

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

From this reading And this house is a prison too!" she said to herself; "a prison for souls!" and the thought of its hoarded wealth made her indignant; all this hidden treasure in a house where there was never enough to eat, where guests shivered in fireless bedrooms, where servants would not stay because they were starved!

souls

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

From this reading And this house is a prison too!" she said to herself; "a prison for souls!" and the thought of its hoarded wealth made her indignant; all this hidden treasure in a house where there was never enough to eat, where guests shivered in fireless bedrooms, where servants would not stay because they were starved!

starved

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

From this reading And this house is a prison too!" she said to herself; "a prison for souls!" and the thought of its hoarded wealth made her indignant; all this hidden treasure in a house where there was never enough to eat, where guests shivered in fireless bedrooms, where servants would not stay because they were starved!

stay

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

From this reading And this house is a prison too!" she said to herself; "a prison for souls!" and the thought of its hoarded wealth made her indignant; all this hidden treasure in a house where there was never enough to eat, where guests shivered in fireless bedrooms, where servants would not stay because they were starved!

stones

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

From this reading And to think of all those precious stones hiding their brightness in these boxes like prisoners in a dungeon for years and years, only to be let out now and then by Bates and Benson, jingling their keys like jailers!

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading And this house is a prison too!" she said to herself; "a prison for souls!" and the thought of its hoarded wealth made her indignant; all this hidden treasure in a house where there was never enough to eat, where guests shivered in fireless bedrooms, where servants would not stay because they were starved!

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading And to think of all those precious stones hiding their brightness in these boxes like prisoners in a dungeon for years and years, only to be let out now and then by Bates and Benson, jingling their keys like jailers!

then

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

From this reading And to think of all those precious stones hiding their brightness in these boxes like prisoners in a dungeon for years and years, only to be let out now and then by Bates and Benson, jingling their keys like jailers!

there

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

From this reading And this house is a prison too!" she said to herself; "a prison for souls!" and the thought of its hoarded wealth made her indignant; all this hidden treasure in a house where there was never enough to eat, where guests shivered in fireless bedrooms, where servants would not stay because they were starved!

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

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

From this reading And to think of all those precious stones hiding their brightness in these boxes like prisoners in a dungeon for years and years, only to be let out now and then by Bates and Benson, jingling their keys like jailers!

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading And this house is a prison too!" she said to herself; "a prison for souls!" and the thought of its hoarded wealth made her indignant; all this hidden treasure in a house where there was never enough to eat, where guests shivered in fireless bedrooms, where servants would not stay because they were starved!

thinknounUS /think/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading And to think of all those precious stones hiding their brightness in these boxes like prisoners in a dungeon for years and years, only to be let out now and then by Bates and Benson, jingling their keys like jailers!

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

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

From this reading And this house is a prison too!" she said to herself; "a prison for souls!" and the thought of its hoarded wealth made her indignant; all this hidden treasure in a house where there was never enough to eat, where guests shivered in fireless bedrooms, where servants would not stay because they were starved!

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

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

From this reading And to think of all those precious stones hiding their brightness in these boxes like prisoners in a dungeon for years and years, only to be let out now and then by Bates and Benson, jingling their keys like jailers!

thoughtnounUS /thought/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading "Carnaby's wife!" thought Robinette.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading And to think of all those precious stones hiding their brightness in these boxes like prisoners in a dungeon for years and years, only to be let out now and then by Bates and Benson, jingling their keys like jailers!

too

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

From this reading And this house is a prison too!" she said to herself; "a prison for souls!" and the thought of its hoarded wealth made her indignant; all this hidden treasure in a house where there was never enough to eat, where guests shivered in fireless bedrooms, where servants would not stay because they were starved!

treasure

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

From this reading And this house is a prison too!" she said to herself; "a prison for souls!" and the thought of its hoarded wealth made her indignant; all this hidden treasure in a house where there was never enough to eat, where guests shivered in fireless bedrooms, where servants would not stay because they were starved!

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading And this house is a prison too!" she said to herself; "a prison for souls!" and the thought of its hoarded wealth made her indignant; all this hidden treasure in a house where there was never enough to eat, where guests shivered in fireless bedrooms, where servants would not stay because they were starved!

wealth

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

From this reading And this house is a prison too!" she said to herself; "a prison for souls!" and the thought of its hoarded wealth made her indignant; all this hidden treasure in a house where there was never enough to eat, where guests shivered in fireless bedrooms, where servants would not stay because they were starved!

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading And this house is a prison too!" she said to herself; "a prison for souls!" and the thought of its hoarded wealth made her indignant; all this hidden treasure in a house where there was never enough to eat, where guests shivered in fireless bedrooms, where servants would not stay because they were starved!

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading And this house is a prison too!" she said to herself; "a prison for souls!" and the thought of its hoarded wealth made her indignant; all this hidden treasure in a house where there was never enough to eat, where guests shivered in fireless bedrooms, where servants would not stay because they were starved!

Why

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

From this reading "Why! she mayn't be born!

wife

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

From this reading "Carnaby's wife!" thought Robinette.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading And this house is a prison too!" she said to herself; "a prison for souls!" and the thought of its hoarded wealth made her indignant; all this hidden treasure in a house where there was never enough to eat, where guests shivered in fireless bedrooms, where servants would not stay because they were starved!

years

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

From this reading And to think of all those precious stones hiding their brightness in these boxes like prisoners in a dungeon for years and years, only to be let out now and then by Bates and Benson, jingling their keys like jailers!