A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter III
THERE was one merit (if merit it was) of my mother's establishment. No skeletons lurked in cupboards. They flaunted their grimness all over the place. Such letters as she received trailed about the kitchen, for all who chose to read, until they were caught up to cleanse a frying-pan. As she possessed no private papers their sanctity was never inculcated; and I could have rummaged, had I so desired, in every drawer or box in the house without fear of correction.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading “Such letters as she received trailed about the kitchen, for all who chose to read, until they were caught up to cleanse a frying-pan.”
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading “As she possessed no private papers their sanctity was never inculcated; and I could have rummaged, had I so desired, in every drawer or box in the house without fear of correction.”
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading “As she possessed no private papers their sanctity was never inculcated; and I could have rummaged, had I so desired, in every drawer or box in the house without fear of correction.”
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “As she possessed no private papers their sanctity was never inculcated; and I could have rummaged, had I so desired, in every drawer or box in the house without fear of correction.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “As she possessed no private papers their sanctity was never inculcated; and I could have rummaged, had I so desired, in every drawer or box in the house without fear of correction.”
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading “THERE was one merit (if merit it was) of my mother's establishment.”
above and across; more than
From this reading “They flaunted their grimness all over the place.”
up to a particular time
From this reading “Such letters as she received trailed about the kitchen, for all who chose to read, until they were caught up to cleanse a frying-pan.”
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading “As she possessed no private papers their sanctity was never inculcated; and I could have rummaged, had I so desired, in every drawer or box in the house without fear of correction.”
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 Such letters as she received trailed about the kitchen, for all who chose to read, until they were caught up to cleanse a frying-pan.
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Such letters as she received trailed about the kitchen, for all who chose to read, until they were caught up to cleanse a frying-pan.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They flaunted their grimness all over the place.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading As she possessed no private papers their sanctity was never inculcated; and I could have rummaged, had I so desired, in every drawer or box in the house without fear of correction.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Such letters as she received trailed about the kitchen, for all who chose to read, until they were caught up to cleanse a frying-pan.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she possessed no private papers their sanctity was never inculcated; and I could have rummaged, had I so desired, in every drawer or box in the house without fear of correction.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Such letters as she received trailed about the kitchen, for all who chose to read, until they were caught up to cleanse a frying-pan.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Such letters as she received trailed about the kitchen, for all who chose to read, until they were caught up to cleanse a frying-pan.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Such letters as she received trailed about the kitchen, for all who chose to read, until they were caught up to cleanse a frying-pan.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she possessed no private papers their sanctity was never inculcated; and I could have rummaged, had I so desired, in every drawer or box in the house without fear of correction.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading As she possessed no private papers their sanctity was never inculcated; and I could have rummaged, had I so desired, in every drawer or box in the house without fear of correction.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No skeletons lurked in cupboards.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she possessed no private papers their sanctity was never inculcated; and I could have rummaged, had I so desired, in every drawer or box in the house without fear of correction.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she possessed no private papers their sanctity was never inculcated; and I could have rummaged, had I so desired, in every drawer or box in the house without fear of correction.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THERE was one merit (if merit it was) of my mother's establishment.
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading As she possessed no private papers their sanctity was never inculcated; and I could have rummaged, had I so desired, in every drawer or box in the house without fear of correction.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she possessed no private papers their sanctity was never inculcated; and I could have rummaged, had I so desired, in every drawer or box in the house without fear of correction.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They flaunted their grimness all over the place.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Such letters as she received trailed about the kitchen, for all who chose to read, until they were caught up to cleanse a frying-pan.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Such letters as she received trailed about the kitchen, for all who chose to read, until they were caught up to cleanse a frying-pan.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They flaunted their grimness all over the place.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading As she possessed no private papers their sanctity was never inculcated; and I could have rummaged, had I so desired, in every drawer or box in the house without fear of correction.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading As she possessed no private papers their sanctity was never inculcated; and I could have rummaged, had I so desired, in every drawer or box in the house without fear of correction.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she possessed no private papers their sanctity was never inculcated; and I could have rummaged, had I so desired, in every drawer or box in the house without fear of correction.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading As she possessed no private papers their sanctity was never inculcated; and I could have rummaged, had I so desired, in every drawer or box in the house without fear of correction.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading THERE was one merit (if merit it was) of my mother's establishment.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading No skeletons lurked in cupboards.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she possessed no private papers their sanctity was never inculcated; and I could have rummaged, had I so desired, in every drawer or box in the house without fear of correction.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading THERE was one merit (if merit it was) of my mother's establishment.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Such letters as she received trailed about the kitchen, for all who chose to read, until they were caught up to cleanse a frying-pan.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Such letters as she received trailed about the kitchen, for all who chose to read, until they were caught up to cleanse a frying-pan.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No skeletons lurked in cupboards.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THERE was one merit (if merit it was) of my mother's establishment.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THERE was one merit (if merit it was) of my mother's establishment.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading THERE was one merit (if merit it was) of my mother's establishment.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading As she possessed no private papers their sanctity was never inculcated; and I could have rummaged, had I so desired, in every drawer or box in the house without fear of correction.
not any; not one
From this reading No skeletons lurked in cupboards.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THERE was one merit (if merit it was) of my mother's establishment.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading THERE was one merit (if merit it was) of my mother's establishment.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading As she possessed no private papers their sanctity was never inculcated; and I could have rummaged, had I so desired, in every drawer or box in the house without fear of correction.
above and across; more than
From this reading They flaunted their grimness all over the place.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she possessed no private papers their sanctity was never inculcated; and I could have rummaged, had I so desired, in every drawer or box in the house without fear of correction.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They flaunted their grimness all over the place.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she possessed no private papers their sanctity was never inculcated; and I could have rummaged, had I so desired, in every drawer or box in the house without fear of correction.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she possessed no private papers their sanctity was never inculcated; and I could have rummaged, had I so desired, in every drawer or box in the house without fear of correction.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Such letters as she received trailed about the kitchen, for all who chose to read, until they were caught up to cleanse a frying-pan.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Such letters as she received trailed about the kitchen, for all who chose to read, until they were caught up to cleanse a frying-pan.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she possessed no private papers their sanctity was never inculcated; and I could have rummaged, had I so desired, in every drawer or box in the house without fear of correction.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she possessed no private papers their sanctity was never inculcated; and I could have rummaged, had I so desired, in every drawer or box in the house without fear of correction.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Such letters as she received trailed about the kitchen, for all who chose to read, until they were caught up to cleanse a frying-pan.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No skeletons lurked in cupboards.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading As she possessed no private papers their sanctity was never inculcated; and I could have rummaged, had I so desired, in every drawer or box in the house without fear of correction.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading Such letters as she received trailed about the kitchen, for all who chose to read, until they were caught up to cleanse a frying-pan.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading They flaunted their grimness all over the place.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading They flaunted their grimness all over the place.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THERE was one merit (if merit it was) of my mother's establishment.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They flaunted their grimness all over the place.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Such letters as she received trailed about the kitchen, for all who chose to read, until they were caught up to cleanse a frying-pan.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Such letters as she received trailed about the kitchen, for all who chose to read, until they were caught up to cleanse a frying-pan.
up to a particular time
From this reading Such letters as she received trailed about the kitchen, for all who chose to read, until they were caught up to cleanse a frying-pan.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Such letters as she received trailed about the kitchen, for all who chose to read, until they were caught up to cleanse a frying-pan.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THERE was one merit (if merit it was) of my mother's establishment.
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Such letters as she received trailed about the kitchen, for all who chose to read, until they were caught up to cleanse a frying-pan.
which person or people
From this reading Such letters as she received trailed about the kitchen, for all who chose to read, until they were caught up to cleanse a frying-pan.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading As she possessed no private papers their sanctity was never inculcated; and I could have rummaged, had I so desired, in every drawer or box in the house without fear of correction.
