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Simon Dale
Simon Dale

Chapter XIII

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Context Illustration Reading 1/59 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE KING'S CUP At least the Vicar would be pleased!
A whimsical joy in the anticipation of his delight shot across my gloomy meditations as the sunset rays threaded their way through the narrow window of the chamber that was my cell.
The thought of him stayed with me, amusing my idleness and entertaining my fancy.
I could imagine his wise, contented nod, far from surprise as the poles are apart, full of self-approval as an egg of meat.
For his vision had been clear, in him faith had never wavered.
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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.

Simon Dale

Chapter XIII

Reading 1/59 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE KING'S CUP At least the Vicar would be pleased!
Line 2
A whimsical joy in the anticipation of his delight shot across my gloomy meditations as the sunset rays threaded their way through the narrow window of the chamber that was my cell.
Line 3
The thought of him stayed with me, amusing my idleness and entertaining my fancy.
Line 4
I could imagine his wise, contented nod, far from surprise as the poles are apart, full of self-approval as an egg of meat.
Line 5
For his vision had been clear, in him faith had never wavered.

Learner Dictionary

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

Across preposition US /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading “A whimsical joy in the anticipation of his delight shot across my gloomy meditations as the sunset rays threaded their way through the narrow window of the chamber that was my cell.”

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “For his vision had been clear, in him faith had never wavered.”

Cell noun US /sel/

A small stone room in a prison where an inmate is locked behind iron bars.

From this reading “A whimsical joy in the anticipation of his delight shot across my gloomy meditations as the sunset rays threaded their way through the narrow window of the chamber that was my cell.”

Could modal verb US /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading “I could imagine his wise, contented nod, far from surprise as the poles are apart, full of self-approval as an egg of meat.”

Imagine noun US /ˈimagine/

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

From this reading “I could imagine his wise, contented nod, far from surprise as the poles are apart, full of self-approval as an egg of meat.”

Least noun US /least/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “THE KING'S CUP At least the Vicar would be pleased!”

Never noun US /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “For his vision had been clear, in him faith had never wavered.”

Pleased noun US /ˈpleased/

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

From this reading “THE KING'S CUP At least the Vicar would be pleased!”

Thought noun US /thought/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The thought of him stayed with me, amusing my idleness and entertaining my fancy.”

Through noun US /ˈthrough/

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

From this reading “A whimsical joy in the anticipation of his delight shot across my gloomy meditations as the sunset rays threaded their way through the narrow window of the chamber that was my cell.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

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

From this reading “THE KING'S CUP At least the Vicar would be pleased!”

All words in this reading · 70

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 A whimsical joy in the anticipation of his delight shot across my gloomy meditations as the sunset rays threaded their way through the narrow window of the chamber that was my cell.

acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading A whimsical joy in the anticipation of his delight shot across my gloomy meditations as the sunset rays threaded their way through the narrow window of the chamber that was my cell.

amusing

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

From this reading The thought of him stayed with me, amusing my idleness and entertaining my fancy.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading I could imagine his wise, contented nod, far from surprise as the poles are apart, full of self-approval as an egg of meat.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The thought of him stayed with me, amusing my idleness and entertaining my fancy.

anticipation

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

From this reading A whimsical joy in the anticipation of his delight shot across my gloomy meditations as the sunset rays threaded their way through the narrow window of the chamber that was my cell.

apart

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

From this reading I could imagine his wise, contented nod, far from surprise as the poles are apart, full of self-approval as an egg of meat.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading I could imagine his wise, contented nod, far from surprise as the poles are apart, full of self-approval as an egg of meat.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading A whimsical joy in the anticipation of his delight shot across my gloomy meditations as the sunset rays threaded their way through the narrow window of the chamber that was my cell.

AtprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading THE KING'S CUP At least the Vicar would be pleased!

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading THE KING'S CUP At least the Vicar would be pleased!

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading For his vision had been clear, in him faith had never wavered.

cellnounUS /sel/

A small stone room in a prison where an inmate is locked behind iron bars.

From this reading A whimsical joy in the anticipation of his delight shot across my gloomy meditations as the sunset rays threaded their way through the narrow window of the chamber that was my cell.

chamber

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

From this reading A whimsical joy in the anticipation of his delight shot across my gloomy meditations as the sunset rays threaded their way through the narrow window of the chamber that was my cell.

clear

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

From this reading For his vision had been clear, in him faith had never wavered.

contented

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

From this reading I could imagine his wise, contented nod, far from surprise as the poles are apart, full of self-approval as an egg of meat.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading I could imagine his wise, contented nod, far from surprise as the poles are apart, full of self-approval as an egg of meat.

CUP

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

From this reading THE KING'S CUP At least the Vicar would be pleased!

delight

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

From this reading A whimsical joy in the anticipation of his delight shot across my gloomy meditations as the sunset rays threaded their way through the narrow window of the chamber that was my cell.

egg

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

From this reading I could imagine his wise, contented nod, far from surprise as the poles are apart, full of self-approval as an egg of meat.

entertaining

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

From this reading The thought of him stayed with me, amusing my idleness and entertaining my fancy.

faith

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

From this reading For his vision had been clear, in him faith had never wavered.

fancy

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

From this reading The thought of him stayed with me, amusing my idleness and entertaining my fancy.

far

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

From this reading I could imagine his wise, contented nod, far from surprise as the poles are apart, full of self-approval as an egg of meat.

ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading For his vision had been clear, in him faith had never wavered.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading I could imagine his wise, contented nod, far from surprise as the poles are apart, full of self-approval as an egg of meat.

full

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

From this reading I could imagine his wise, contented nod, far from surprise as the poles are apart, full of self-approval as an egg of meat.

gloomy

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

From this reading A whimsical joy in the anticipation of his delight shot across my gloomy meditations as the sunset rays threaded their way through the narrow window of the chamber that was my cell.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading For his vision had been clear, in him faith had never wavered.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading The thought of him stayed with me, amusing my idleness and entertaining my fancy.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading A whimsical joy in the anticipation of his delight shot across my gloomy meditations as the sunset rays threaded their way through the narrow window of the chamber that was my cell.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading I could imagine his wise, contented nod, far from surprise as the poles are apart, full of self-approval as an egg of meat.

idleness

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

From this reading The thought of him stayed with me, amusing my idleness and entertaining my fancy.

imaginenounUS /ˈimagine/

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

From this reading I could imagine his wise, contented nod, far from surprise as the poles are apart, full of self-approval as an egg of meat.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading A whimsical joy in the anticipation of his delight shot across my gloomy meditations as the sunset rays threaded their way through the narrow window of the chamber that was my cell.

joy

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

From this reading A whimsical joy in the anticipation of his delight shot across my gloomy meditations as the sunset rays threaded their way through the narrow window of the chamber that was my cell.

KING'S

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

From this reading THE KING'S CUP At least the Vicar would be pleased!

leastnounUS /least/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading THE KING'S CUP At least the Vicar would be pleased!

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading The thought of him stayed with me, amusing my idleness and entertaining my fancy.

meat

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

From this reading I could imagine his wise, contented nod, far from surprise as the poles are apart, full of self-approval as an egg of meat.

meditations

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

From this reading A whimsical joy in the anticipation of his delight shot across my gloomy meditations as the sunset rays threaded their way through the narrow window of the chamber that was my cell.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading A whimsical joy in the anticipation of his delight shot across my gloomy meditations as the sunset rays threaded their way through the narrow window of the chamber that was my cell.

narrow

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

From this reading A whimsical joy in the anticipation of his delight shot across my gloomy meditations as the sunset rays threaded their way through the narrow window of the chamber that was my cell.

nevernounUS /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading For his vision had been clear, in him faith had never wavered.

nod

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

From this reading I could imagine his wise, contented nod, far from surprise as the poles are apart, full of self-approval as an egg of meat.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading A whimsical joy in the anticipation of his delight shot across my gloomy meditations as the sunset rays threaded their way through the narrow window of the chamber that was my cell.

pleasednounUS /ˈpleased/

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

From this reading THE KING'S CUP At least the Vicar would be pleased!

poles

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

From this reading I could imagine his wise, contented nod, far from surprise as the poles are apart, full of self-approval as an egg of meat.

rays

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

From this reading A whimsical joy in the anticipation of his delight shot across my gloomy meditations as the sunset rays threaded their way through the narrow window of the chamber that was my cell.

self-approval

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

From this reading I could imagine his wise, contented nod, far from surprise as the poles are apart, full of self-approval as an egg of meat.

shot

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

From this reading A whimsical joy in the anticipation of his delight shot across my gloomy meditations as the sunset rays threaded their way through the narrow window of the chamber that was my cell.

stayed

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

From this reading The thought of him stayed with me, amusing my idleness and entertaining my fancy.

sunset

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

From this reading A whimsical joy in the anticipation of his delight shot across my gloomy meditations as the sunset rays threaded their way through the narrow window of the chamber that was my cell.

surprise

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

From this reading I could imagine his wise, contented nod, far from surprise as the poles are apart, full of self-approval as an egg of meat.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading A whimsical joy in the anticipation of his delight shot across my gloomy meditations as the sunset rays threaded their way through the narrow window of the chamber that was my cell.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE KING'S CUP At least the Vicar would be pleased!

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading A whimsical joy in the anticipation of his delight shot across my gloomy meditations as the sunset rays threaded their way through the narrow window of the chamber that was my cell.

thoughtnounUS /thought/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The thought of him stayed with me, amusing my idleness and entertaining my fancy.

threaded

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

From this reading A whimsical joy in the anticipation of his delight shot across my gloomy meditations as the sunset rays threaded their way through the narrow window of the chamber that was my cell.

throughnounUS /ˈthrough/

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

From this reading A whimsical joy in the anticipation of his delight shot across my gloomy meditations as the sunset rays threaded their way through the narrow window of the chamber that was my cell.

Vicar

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

From this reading THE KING'S CUP At least the Vicar would be pleased!

vision

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

From this reading For his vision had been clear, in him faith had never wavered.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading A whimsical joy in the anticipation of his delight shot across my gloomy meditations as the sunset rays threaded their way through the narrow window of the chamber that was my cell.

wavered

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

From this reading For his vision had been clear, in him faith had never wavered.

way

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

From this reading A whimsical joy in the anticipation of his delight shot across my gloomy meditations as the sunset rays threaded their way through the narrow window of the chamber that was my cell.

whimsical

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

From this reading A whimsical joy in the anticipation of his delight shot across my gloomy meditations as the sunset rays threaded their way through the narrow window of the chamber that was my cell.

window

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

From this reading A whimsical joy in the anticipation of his delight shot across my gloomy meditations as the sunset rays threaded their way through the narrow window of the chamber that was my cell.

wise

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

From this reading I could imagine his wise, contented nod, far from surprise as the poles are apart, full of self-approval as an egg of meat.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading The thought of him stayed with me, amusing my idleness and entertaining my fancy.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading THE KING'S CUP At least the Vicar would be pleased!