A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
Wrayson sat up with a sudden and violent start. His pipe had fallen on to the floor, leaving a long trail of grey ash upon his waistcoat and trousers. The electric lights were still burning, but of the fire nothing remained but a pile of ashes. As soon as he could be said to be conscious of anything, he was conscious of two things. One was that he was shivering with cold, the other that he was afraid.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
any thing at all
From this reading “As soon as he could be said to be conscious of anything, he was conscious of two things.”
The powdery residue left after the burning of a substance.
From this reading “The electric lights were still burning, but of the fire nothing remained but a pile of ashes.”
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading “As soon as he could be said to be conscious of anything, he was conscious of two things.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “His pipe had fallen on to the floor, leaving a long trail of grey ash upon his waistcoat and trousers.”
not one thing; not anything
From this reading “The electric lights were still burning, but of the fire nothing remained but a pile of ashes.”
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading “One was that he was shivering with cold, the other that he was afraid.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “His pipe had fallen on to the floor, leaving a long trail of grey ash upon his waistcoat and trousers.”
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “The electric lights were still burning, but of the fire nothing remained but a pile of ashes.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “As soon as he could be said to be conscious of anything, he was conscious of two things.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Wrayson sat up with a sudden and violent start.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “The electric lights were still burning, but of the fire nothing remained but a pile of ashes.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Wrayson sat up with a sudden and violent start.”
a formal word for “on”
From this reading “His pipe had fallen on to the floor, leaving a long trail of grey ash upon his waistcoat and trousers.”
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “Wrayson sat up with a sudden and violent start.”
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 Wrayson sat up with a sudden and violent start.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One was that he was shivering with cold, the other that he was afraid.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Wrayson sat up with a sudden and violent start.
any thing at all
From this reading As soon as he could be said to be conscious of anything, he was conscious of two things.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As soon as he could be said to be conscious of anything, he was conscious of two things.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His pipe had fallen on to the floor, leaving a long trail of grey ash upon his waistcoat and trousers.
The powdery residue left after the burning of a substance.
From this reading The electric lights were still burning, but of the fire nothing remained but a pile of ashes.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading As soon as he could be said to be conscious of anything, he was conscious of two things.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The electric lights were still burning, but of the fire nothing remained but a pile of ashes.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The electric lights were still burning, but of the fire nothing remained but a pile of ashes.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One was that he was shivering with cold, the other that he was afraid.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As soon as he could be said to be conscious of anything, he was conscious of two things.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading As soon as he could be said to be conscious of anything, he was conscious of two things.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The electric lights were still burning, but of the fire nothing remained but a pile of ashes.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His pipe had fallen on to the floor, leaving a long trail of grey ash upon his waistcoat and trousers.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The electric lights were still burning, but of the fire nothing remained but a pile of ashes.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His pipe had fallen on to the floor, leaving a long trail of grey ash upon his waistcoat and trousers.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His pipe had fallen on to the floor, leaving a long trail of grey ash upon his waistcoat and trousers.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading His pipe had fallen on to the floor, leaving a long trail of grey ash upon his waistcoat and trousers.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading As soon as he could be said to be conscious of anything, he was conscious of two things.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading His pipe had fallen on to the floor, leaving a long trail of grey ash upon his waistcoat and trousers.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His pipe had fallen on to the floor, leaving a long trail of grey ash upon his waistcoat and trousers.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The electric lights were still burning, but of the fire nothing remained but a pile of ashes.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading His pipe had fallen on to the floor, leaving a long trail of grey ash upon his waistcoat and trousers.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading The electric lights were still burning, but of the fire nothing remained but a pile of ashes.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading His pipe had fallen on to the floor, leaving a long trail of grey ash upon his waistcoat and trousers.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading His pipe had fallen on to the floor, leaving a long trail of grey ash upon his waistcoat and trousers.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One was that he was shivering with cold, the other that he was afraid.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One was that he was shivering with cold, the other that he was afraid.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The electric lights were still burning, but of the fire nothing remained but a pile of ashes.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His pipe had fallen on to the floor, leaving a long trail of grey ash upon his waistcoat and trousers.
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading The electric lights were still burning, but of the fire nothing remained but a pile of ashes.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As soon as he could be said to be conscious of anything, he was conscious of two things.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Wrayson sat up with a sudden and violent start.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One was that he was shivering with cold, the other that he was afraid.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As soon as he could be said to be conscious of anything, he was conscious of two things.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Wrayson sat up with a sudden and violent start.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The electric lights were still burning, but of the fire nothing remained but a pile of ashes.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Wrayson sat up with a sudden and violent start.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading One was that he was shivering with cold, the other that he was afraid.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading His pipe had fallen on to the floor, leaving a long trail of grey ash upon his waistcoat and trousers.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As soon as he could be said to be conscious of anything, he was conscious of two things.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading His pipe had fallen on to the floor, leaving a long trail of grey ash upon his waistcoat and trousers.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His pipe had fallen on to the floor, leaving a long trail of grey ash upon his waistcoat and trousers.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His pipe had fallen on to the floor, leaving a long trail of grey ash upon his waistcoat and trousers.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As soon as he could be said to be conscious of anything, he was conscious of two things.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Wrayson sat up with a sudden and violent start.
a formal word for “on”
From this reading His pipe had fallen on to the floor, leaving a long trail of grey ash upon his waistcoat and trousers.
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Wrayson sat up with a sudden and violent start.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His pipe had fallen on to the floor, leaving a long trail of grey ash upon his waistcoat and trousers.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading As soon as he could be said to be conscious of anything, he was conscious of two things.
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The electric lights were still burning, but of the fire nothing remained but a pile of ashes.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Wrayson sat up with a sudden and violent start.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Wrayson sat up with a sudden and violent start.
