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The champion
The champion

Chapter X

Cover illustration for The champion
Context Illustration Reading 1/34 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The step on the stairs was an unsteady step.
The foreman reeled into the room.
Ned's eyes brightened.
Would not Bob Platt's opportune spree seem the explanation of any difficulty that might arise on account of the lost copy, and also of any deficiency in the type-setting?
Still he hardly felt secure from detection until he saw the foreman with the quoins and the shooting-stick in his hand.
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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 champion

Chapter X

Reading 1/34 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
The step on the stairs was an unsteady step.
Line 2
The foreman reeled into the room.
Line 3
Ned's eyes brightened.
Line 4
Would not Bob Platt's opportune spree seem the explanation of any difficulty that might arise on account of the lost copy, and also of any deficiency in the type-setting?
Line 5
Still he hardly felt secure from detection until he saw the foreman with the quoins and the shooting-stick in his hand.

Learner Dictionary

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

Hand noun US /hand/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Still he hardly felt secure from detection until he saw the foreman with the quoins and the shooting-stick in his hand.”

Might modal verb US /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading “Would not Bob Platt's opportune spree seem the explanation of any difficulty that might arise on account of the lost copy, and also of any deficiency in the type-setting?”

Reeled verb US /riːld/

moved unsteadily as if about to fall

From this reading “The foreman reeled into the room.”

Step noun US /step/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The step on the stairs was an unsteady step.”

Still noun US /still/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Still he hardly felt secure from detection until he saw the foreman with the quoins and the shooting-stick in his hand.”

Until preposition US /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading “Still he hardly felt secure from detection until he saw the foreman with the quoins and the shooting-stick in his hand.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

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

From this reading “Would not Bob Platt's opportune spree seem the explanation of any difficulty that might arise on account of the lost copy, and also of any deficiency in the type-setting?”

All words in this reading · 50

Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

account

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

From this reading Would not Bob Platt's opportune spree seem the explanation of any difficulty that might arise on account of the lost copy, and also of any deficiency in the type-setting?

also

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

From this reading Would not Bob Platt's opportune spree seem the explanation of any difficulty that might arise on account of the lost copy, and also of any deficiency in the type-setting?

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading The step on the stairs was an unsteady step.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Would not Bob Platt's opportune spree seem the explanation of any difficulty that might arise on account of the lost copy, and also of any deficiency in the type-setting?

any

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

From this reading Would not Bob Platt's opportune spree seem the explanation of any difficulty that might arise on account of the lost copy, and also of any deficiency in the type-setting?

arise

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

From this reading Would not Bob Platt's opportune spree seem the explanation of any difficulty that might arise on account of the lost copy, and also of any deficiency in the type-setting?

Bob

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

From this reading Would not Bob Platt's opportune spree seem the explanation of any difficulty that might arise on account of the lost copy, and also of any deficiency in the type-setting?

brightened

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

From this reading Ned's eyes brightened.

copy

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

From this reading Would not Bob Platt's opportune spree seem the explanation of any difficulty that might arise on account of the lost copy, and also of any deficiency in the type-setting?

deficiency

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

From this reading Would not Bob Platt's opportune spree seem the explanation of any difficulty that might arise on account of the lost copy, and also of any deficiency in the type-setting?

detection

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

From this reading Still he hardly felt secure from detection until he saw the foreman with the quoins and the shooting-stick in his hand.

difficulty

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

From this reading Would not Bob Platt's opportune spree seem the explanation of any difficulty that might arise on account of the lost copy, and also of any deficiency in the type-setting?

explanation

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

From this reading Would not Bob Platt's opportune spree seem the explanation of any difficulty that might arise on account of the lost copy, and also of any deficiency in the type-setting?

eyes

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

From this reading Ned's eyes brightened.

felt

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

From this reading Still he hardly felt secure from detection until he saw the foreman with the quoins and the shooting-stick in his hand.

foreman

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

From this reading The foreman reeled into the room.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Still he hardly felt secure from detection until he saw the foreman with the quoins and the shooting-stick in his hand.

hand

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

From this reading Still he hardly felt secure from detection until he saw the foreman with the quoins and the shooting-stick in his hand.

hardly

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

From this reading Still he hardly felt secure from detection until he saw the foreman with the quoins and the shooting-stick in his hand.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Still he hardly felt secure from detection until he saw the foreman with the quoins and the shooting-stick in his hand.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Still he hardly felt secure from detection until he saw the foreman with the quoins and the shooting-stick in his hand.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Would not Bob Platt's opportune spree seem the explanation of any difficulty that might arise on account of the lost copy, and also of any deficiency in the type-setting?

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading The foreman reeled into the room.

lost

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

From this reading Would not Bob Platt's opportune spree seem the explanation of any difficulty that might arise on account of the lost copy, and also of any deficiency in the type-setting?

mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/

used to say something is possible but not certain

From this reading Would not Bob Platt's opportune spree seem the explanation of any difficulty that might arise on account of the lost copy, and also of any deficiency in the type-setting?

Ned's

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

From this reading Ned's eyes brightened.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Would not Bob Platt's opportune spree seem the explanation of any difficulty that might arise on account of the lost copy, and also of any deficiency in the type-setting?

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Would not Bob Platt's opportune spree seem the explanation of any difficulty that might arise on account of the lost copy, and also of any deficiency in the type-setting?

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading The step on the stairs was an unsteady step.

opportune

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

From this reading Would not Bob Platt's opportune spree seem the explanation of any difficulty that might arise on account of the lost copy, and also of any deficiency in the type-setting?

Platt's

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

From this reading Would not Bob Platt's opportune spree seem the explanation of any difficulty that might arise on account of the lost copy, and also of any deficiency in the type-setting?

quoins

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

From this reading Still he hardly felt secure from detection until he saw the foreman with the quoins and the shooting-stick in his hand.

reeledverbUS /riːld/

moved unsteadily as if about to fall

From this reading The foreman reeled into the room.

room

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

From this reading The foreman reeled into the room.

saw

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

From this reading Still he hardly felt secure from detection until he saw the foreman with the quoins and the shooting-stick in his hand.

secure

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

From this reading Still he hardly felt secure from detection until he saw the foreman with the quoins and the shooting-stick in his hand.

seem

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

From this reading Would not Bob Platt's opportune spree seem the explanation of any difficulty that might arise on account of the lost copy, and also of any deficiency in the type-setting?

shooting-stick

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

From this reading Still he hardly felt secure from detection until he saw the foreman with the quoins and the shooting-stick in his hand.

spree

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

From this reading Would not Bob Platt's opportune spree seem the explanation of any difficulty that might arise on account of the lost copy, and also of any deficiency in the type-setting?

stairs

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

From this reading The step on the stairs was an unsteady step.

stepnounUS /step/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The step on the stairs was an unsteady step.

StillnounUS /still/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Still he hardly felt secure from detection until he saw the foreman with the quoins and the shooting-stick in his hand.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Would not Bob Platt's opportune spree seem the explanation of any difficulty that might arise on account of the lost copy, and also of any deficiency in the type-setting?

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The step on the stairs was an unsteady step.

type-setting

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

From this reading Would not Bob Platt's opportune spree seem the explanation of any difficulty that might arise on account of the lost copy, and also of any deficiency in the type-setting?

unsteady

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

From this reading The step on the stairs was an unsteady step.

untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading Still he hardly felt secure from detection until he saw the foreman with the quoins and the shooting-stick in his hand.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The step on the stairs was an unsteady step.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Still he hardly felt secure from detection until he saw the foreman with the quoins and the shooting-stick in his hand.

Wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading Would not Bob Platt's opportune spree seem the explanation of any difficulty that might arise on account of the lost copy, and also of any deficiency in the type-setting?