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The Black Arrow: A Tale of the Two Roses
The Black Arrow: A Tale of the Two Roses

Chapter XXVII · The Battle of Shoreby

Cover illustration for The Black Arrow: A Tale of the Two Roses
Context Illustration Reading 1/20 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.
But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.
Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.
The young duke ground his teeth together.
By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.
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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.

The Black Arrow: A Tale of the Two Roses

Chapter XXVII · The Battle of Shoreby

Reading 1/20 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.
Line 2
But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.
Line 3
Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.
Line 4
The young duke ground his teeth together.
Line 5
By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

Learner Dictionary

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

Above preposition US /əˈbʌv/

higher than, or over, something

From this reading “The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.”

Before preposition US /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading “Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.”

Began noun US /began/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.”

Beyond preposition US /bɪˈɑːnd/

on the far side of; further than

From this reading “But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.”

Broken noun US /broken/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.”

Either determiner US /ˈiːðər/

one or the other of two

From this reading “But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.”

Great noun US /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.”

Hand noun US /hand/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.”

Open verb US /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading “By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.”

Party noun US /party/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.”

Same noun US /same/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.”

Soon noun US /soon/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.”

These determiner US /ðiːz/

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

From this reading “By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.”

Upon preposition US /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading “But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

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

From this reading “By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.”

Yet conjunction US /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading “Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.”

All words in this reading · 88

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 The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.

aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/

higher than, or over, something

From this reading The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.

alarm

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

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

Almost

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

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.

arise

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

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

aware

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

From this reading But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.

backward

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

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

begannounUS /began/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

bells

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

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

beyondprepositionUS /bɪˈɑːnd/

on the far side of; further than

From this reading But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.

brokennounUS /broken/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.

ByprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

continually

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

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

cover

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

From this reading But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.

crossed

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

From this reading The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.

debauched

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

From this reading But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.

distance

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

From this reading The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.

duke

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

From this reading The young duke ground his teeth together.

early

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

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

eitherdeterminerUS /ˈiːðər/

one or the other of two

From this reading But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.

enemies

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

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

exterminated

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

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

failed

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

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

feared

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

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

find

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

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

fleeing

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

From this reading But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.

footing

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

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

gain

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

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

greatnounUS /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

ground

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

From this reading The young duke ground his teeth together.

grow

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

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.

halfway

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

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

hand

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

From this reading But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading The young duke ground his teeth together.

house

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

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.

knew

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

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

louder

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

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

meadows

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

From this reading But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.

mile

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

From this reading The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.

moment

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

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

nearest

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

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.

openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

partynounUS /party/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

people

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

From this reading But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.

prepared

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

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

quarter

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

From this reading The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.

ring

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

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

rumour

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

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

samenounUS /same/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

screaming

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

From this reading But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.

signals

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

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

small

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

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

snowy

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

From this reading But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

soon

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

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

sooner

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

From this reading But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.

spread

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

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

steeple

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

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

teeth

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

From this reading The young duke ground his teeth together.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

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

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.

together

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

From this reading The young duke ground his teeth together.

town

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

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

trees

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

From this reading But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand.

whole

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

From this reading The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town, he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise, and spread and grow continually louder in the town; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple.

young

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

From this reading The young duke ground his teeth together.