A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXIV
In the moment of stillness between them, when their hearts seemed to have stopped beating that they might not lose the faintest whispering of the twilight, a sound came to Alan, and he knew it was the toe of a boot striking against stone. Not a foot in his tribe would have made that sound; none but Stampede Smith’s or his own. “Were they many?” he asked. “I could not see. The sun was darkening.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading “In the moment of stillness between them, when their hearts seemed to have stopped beating that they might not lose the faintest whispering of the twilight, a sound came to Alan, and he knew it was the toe of a boot striking against stone.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading ““Were they many?” he asked.”
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading “In the moment of stillness between them, when their hearts seemed to have stopped beating that they might not lose the faintest whispering of the twilight, a sound came to Alan, and he knew it was the toe of a boot striking against stone.”
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading ““I could not see.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Not a foot in his tribe would have made that sound; none but Stampede Smith’s or his own.”
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “In the moment of stillness between them, when their hearts seemed to have stopped beating that they might not lose the faintest whispering of the twilight, a sound came to Alan, and he knew it was the toe of a boot striking against stone.”
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading “In the moment of stillness between them, when their hearts seemed to have stopped beating that they might not lose the faintest whispering of the twilight, a sound came to Alan, and he knew it was the toe of a boot striking against stone.”
not one, and not any
From this reading “Not a foot in his tribe would have made that sound; none but Stampede Smith’s or his own.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “In the moment of stillness between them, when their hearts seemed to have stopped beating that they might not lose the faintest whispering of the twilight, a sound came to Alan, and he knew it was the toe of a boot striking against stone.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “In the moment of stillness between them, when their hearts seemed to have stopped beating that they might not lose the faintest whispering of the twilight, a sound came to Alan, and he knew it was the toe of a boot striking against stone.”
the dim light before night or sunrise
From this reading “In the moment of stillness between them, when their hearts seemed to have stopped beating that they might not lose the faintest whispering of the twilight, a sound came to Alan, and he knew it was the toe of a boot striking against stone.”
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading “Not a foot in his tribe would have made that sound; none but Stampede Smith’s or his own.”
Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading In the moment of stillness between them, when their hearts seemed to have stopped beating that they might not lose the faintest whispering of the twilight, a sound came to Alan, and he knew it was the toe of a boot striking against stone.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading In the moment of stillness between them, when their hearts seemed to have stopped beating that they might not lose the faintest whispering of the twilight, a sound came to Alan, and he knew it was the toe of a boot striking against stone.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the moment of stillness between them, when their hearts seemed to have stopped beating that they might not lose the faintest whispering of the twilight, a sound came to Alan, and he knew it was the toe of a boot striking against stone.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading In the moment of stillness between them, when their hearts seemed to have stopped beating that they might not lose the faintest whispering of the twilight, a sound came to Alan, and he knew it was the toe of a boot striking against stone.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Were they many?” he asked.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the moment of stillness between them, when their hearts seemed to have stopped beating that they might not lose the faintest whispering of the twilight, a sound came to Alan, and he knew it was the toe of a boot striking against stone.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading In the moment of stillness between them, when their hearts seemed to have stopped beating that they might not lose the faintest whispering of the twilight, a sound came to Alan, and he knew it was the toe of a boot striking against stone.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the moment of stillness between them, when their hearts seemed to have stopped beating that they might not lose the faintest whispering of the twilight, a sound came to Alan, and he knew it was the toe of a boot striking against stone.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Not a foot in his tribe would have made that sound; none but Stampede Smith’s or his own.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the moment of stillness between them, when their hearts seemed to have stopped beating that they might not lose the faintest whispering of the twilight, a sound came to Alan, and he knew it was the toe of a boot striking against stone.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading “I could not see.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sun was darkening.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the moment of stillness between them, when their hearts seemed to have stopped beating that they might not lose the faintest whispering of the twilight, a sound came to Alan, and he knew it was the toe of a boot striking against stone.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Not a foot in his tribe would have made that sound; none but Stampede Smith’s or his own.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading In the moment of stillness between them, when their hearts seemed to have stopped beating that they might not lose the faintest whispering of the twilight, a sound came to Alan, and he knew it was the toe of a boot striking against stone.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading In the moment of stillness between them, when their hearts seemed to have stopped beating that they might not lose the faintest whispering of the twilight, a sound came to Alan, and he knew it was the toe of a boot striking against stone.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the moment of stillness between them, when their hearts seemed to have stopped beating that they might not lose the faintest whispering of the twilight, a sound came to Alan, and he knew it was the toe of a boot striking against stone.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Not a foot in his tribe would have made that sound; none but Stampede Smith’s or his own.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I could not see.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the moment of stillness between them, when their hearts seemed to have stopped beating that they might not lose the faintest whispering of the twilight, a sound came to Alan, and he knew it was the toe of a boot striking against stone.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading In the moment of stillness between them, when their hearts seemed to have stopped beating that they might not lose the faintest whispering of the twilight, a sound came to Alan, and he knew it was the toe of a boot striking against stone.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the moment of stillness between them, when their hearts seemed to have stopped beating that they might not lose the faintest whispering of the twilight, a sound came to Alan, and he knew it was the toe of a boot striking against stone.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the moment of stillness between them, when their hearts seemed to have stopped beating that they might not lose the faintest whispering of the twilight, a sound came to Alan, and he knew it was the toe of a boot striking against stone.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Not a foot in his tribe would have made that sound; none but Stampede Smith’s or his own.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Were they many?” he asked.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading In the moment of stillness between them, when their hearts seemed to have stopped beating that they might not lose the faintest whispering of the twilight, a sound came to Alan, and he knew it was the toe of a boot striking against stone.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the moment of stillness between them, when their hearts seemed to have stopped beating that they might not lose the faintest whispering of the twilight, a sound came to Alan, and he knew it was the toe of a boot striking against stone.
not one, and not any
From this reading Not a foot in his tribe would have made that sound; none but Stampede Smith’s or his own.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading In the moment of stillness between them, when their hearts seemed to have stopped beating that they might not lose the faintest whispering of the twilight, a sound came to Alan, and he knew it was the toe of a boot striking against stone.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading In the moment of stillness between them, when their hearts seemed to have stopped beating that they might not lose the faintest whispering of the twilight, a sound came to Alan, and he knew it was the toe of a boot striking against stone.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Not a foot in his tribe would have made that sound; none but Stampede Smith’s or his own.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Not a foot in his tribe would have made that sound; none but Stampede Smith’s or his own.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I could not see.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading In the moment of stillness between them, when their hearts seemed to have stopped beating that they might not lose the faintest whispering of the twilight, a sound came to Alan, and he knew it was the toe of a boot striking against stone.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Not a foot in his tribe would have made that sound; none but Stampede Smith’s or his own.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the moment of stillness between them, when their hearts seemed to have stopped beating that they might not lose the faintest whispering of the twilight, a sound came to Alan, and he knew it was the toe of a boot striking against stone.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Not a foot in his tribe would have made that sound; none but Stampede Smith’s or his own.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the moment of stillness between them, when their hearts seemed to have stopped beating that they might not lose the faintest whispering of the twilight, a sound came to Alan, and he knew it was the toe of a boot striking against stone.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the moment of stillness between them, when their hearts seemed to have stopped beating that they might not lose the faintest whispering of the twilight, a sound came to Alan, and he knew it was the toe of a boot striking against stone.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading In the moment of stillness between them, when their hearts seemed to have stopped beating that they might not lose the faintest whispering of the twilight, a sound came to Alan, and he knew it was the toe of a boot striking against stone.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the moment of stillness between them, when their hearts seemed to have stopped beating that they might not lose the faintest whispering of the twilight, a sound came to Alan, and he knew it was the toe of a boot striking against stone.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sun was darkening.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading In the moment of stillness between them, when their hearts seemed to have stopped beating that they might not lose the faintest whispering of the twilight, a sound came to Alan, and he knew it was the toe of a boot striking against stone.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading In the moment of stillness between them, when their hearts seemed to have stopped beating that they might not lose the faintest whispering of the twilight, a sound came to Alan, and he knew it was the toe of a boot striking against stone.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading In the moment of stillness between them, when their hearts seemed to have stopped beating that they might not lose the faintest whispering of the twilight, a sound came to Alan, and he knew it was the toe of a boot striking against stone.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading In the moment of stillness between them, when their hearts seemed to have stopped beating that they might not lose the faintest whispering of the twilight, a sound came to Alan, and he knew it was the toe of a boot striking against stone.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading In the moment of stillness between them, when their hearts seemed to have stopped beating that they might not lose the faintest whispering of the twilight, a sound came to Alan, and he knew it was the toe of a boot striking against stone.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading In the moment of stillness between them, when their hearts seemed to have stopped beating that they might not lose the faintest whispering of the twilight, a sound came to Alan, and he knew it was the toe of a boot striking against stone.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the moment of stillness between them, when their hearts seemed to have stopped beating that they might not lose the faintest whispering of the twilight, a sound came to Alan, and he knew it was the toe of a boot striking against stone.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Not a foot in his tribe would have made that sound; none but Stampede Smith’s or his own.
the dim light before night or sunrise
From this reading In the moment of stillness between them, when their hearts seemed to have stopped beating that they might not lose the faintest whispering of the twilight, a sound came to Alan, and he knew it was the toe of a boot striking against stone.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading In the moment of stillness between them, when their hearts seemed to have stopped beating that they might not lose the faintest whispering of the twilight, a sound came to Alan, and he knew it was the toe of a boot striking against stone.
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading “Were they many?” he asked.
at the time that
From this reading In the moment of stillness between them, when their hearts seemed to have stopped beating that they might not lose the faintest whispering of the twilight, a sound came to Alan, and he knew it was the toe of a boot striking against stone.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the moment of stillness between them, when their hearts seemed to have stopped beating that they might not lose the faintest whispering of the twilight, a sound came to Alan, and he knew it was the toe of a boot striking against stone.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Not a foot in his tribe would have made that sound; none but Stampede Smith’s or his own.
