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The Elusive Pimpernel
The Elusive Pimpernel

Chapter III · Ex-Ambassador Chauvelin

Cover illustration for The Elusive Pimpernel
Context Illustration Reading 1/35 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Robespierre had quietly waited the while.
He was in no hurry: being a night-bird of very pronounced tastes, he was quite ready to sit here until the small hours of the morning watching Citizen Chauvelin mentally writhing in the throes of recollections of the past few months.
There was nothing that delighted the sea-green Incorruptible quite so much as the aspect of a man struggling with a hopeless situation and feeling a net of intrigue drawing gradually tighter and tighter around him.
Even now, when he saw Chauvelin's smooth forehead wrinkled into an anxious frown, and his thin hand nervously clutched upon the table, Robespierre heaved a pleasurable sigh, leaned back in his chair, and said with an amiable smile:
“You do agree with me, then, Citizen, that the situation has become intolerable?”
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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 Elusive Pimpernel

Chapter III · Ex-Ambassador Chauvelin

Reading 1/35 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Robespierre had quietly waited the while.
Line 2
He was in no hurry: being a night-bird of very pronounced tastes, he was quite ready to sit here until the small hours of the morning watching Citizen Chauvelin mentally writhing in the throes of recollections of the past few months.
Line 3
There was nothing that delighted the sea-green Incorruptible quite so much as the aspect of a man struggling with a hopeless situation and feeling a net of intrigue drawing gradually tighter and tighter around him.
Line 4
Even now, when he saw Chauvelin's smooth forehead wrinkled into an anxious frown, and his thin hand nervously clutched upon the table, Robespierre heaved a pleasurable sigh, leaned back in his chair, and said with an amiable smile:
Line 5
“You do agree with me, then, Citizen, that the situation has become intolerable?”

Learner Dictionary

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

Around preposition US /ərˈaʊnd/

surrounding, or on every side of, something

From this reading “There was nothing that delighted the sea-green Incorruptible quite so much as the aspect of a man struggling with a hopeless situation and feeling a net of intrigue drawing gradually tighter and tighter around him.”

Being auxiliary verb US /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading “He was in no hurry: being a night-bird of very pronounced tastes, he was quite ready to sit here until the small hours of the morning watching Citizen Chauvelin mentally writhing in the throes of recollections of the past few months.”

Even noun US /even/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Even now, when he saw Chauvelin's smooth forehead wrinkled into an anxious frown, and his thin hand nervously clutched upon the table, Robespierre heaved a pleasurable sigh, leaned back in his chair, and said with an amiable smile:”

Feeling noun US /ˈfeeling/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading “There was nothing that delighted the sea-green Incorruptible quite so much as the aspect of a man struggling with a hopeless situation and feeling a net of intrigue drawing gradually tighter and tighter around him.”

Hand noun US /hand/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Even now, when he saw Chauvelin's smooth forehead wrinkled into an anxious frown, and his thin hand nervously clutched upon the table, Robespierre heaved a pleasurable sigh, leaned back in his chair, and said with an amiable smile:”

Has auxiliary verb US /hæz/

the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading ““You do agree with me, then, Citizen, that the situation has become intolerable?””

Here noun US /here/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He was in no hurry: being a night-bird of very pronounced tastes, he was quite ready to sit here until the small hours of the morning watching Citizen Chauvelin mentally writhing in the throes of recollections of the past few months.”

Morning noun US /morning/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He was in no hurry: being a night-bird of very pronounced tastes, he was quite ready to sit here until the small hours of the morning watching Citizen Chauvelin mentally writhing in the throes of recollections of the past few months.”

Nothing pronoun US /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading “There was nothing that delighted the sea-green Incorruptible quite so much as the aspect of a man struggling with a hopeless situation and feeling a net of intrigue drawing gradually tighter and tighter around him.”

Quite noun US /quite/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He was in no hurry: being a night-bird of very pronounced tastes, he was quite ready to sit here until the small hours of the morning watching Citizen Chauvelin mentally writhing in the throes of recollections of the past few months.”

Thin adjective US /θɪn/

Having little thickness or extent.

From this reading “Even now, when he saw Chauvelin's smooth forehead wrinkled into an anxious frown, and his thin hand nervously clutched upon the table, Robespierre heaved a pleasurable sigh, leaned back in his chair, and said with an amiable smile:”

Until preposition US /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading “He was in no hurry: being a night-bird of very pronounced tastes, he was quite ready to sit here until the small hours of the morning watching Citizen Chauvelin mentally writhing in the throes of recollections of the past few months.”

Upon preposition US /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading “Even now, when he saw Chauvelin's smooth forehead wrinkled into an anxious frown, and his thin hand nervously clutched upon the table, Robespierre heaved a pleasurable sigh, leaned back in his chair, and said with an amiable smile:”

While conjunction US /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading “Robespierre had quietly waited the while.”

All words in this reading · 97

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 He was in no hurry: being a night-bird of very pronounced tastes, he was quite ready to sit here until the small hours of the morning watching Citizen Chauvelin mentally writhing in the throes of recollections of the past few months.

agree

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

From this reading “You do agree with me, then, Citizen, that the situation has become intolerable?”

amiable

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

From this reading Even now, when he saw Chauvelin's smooth forehead wrinkled into an anxious frown, and his thin hand nervously clutched upon the table, Robespierre heaved a pleasurable sigh, leaned back in his chair, and said with an amiable smile:

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading Even now, when he saw Chauvelin's smooth forehead wrinkled into an anxious frown, and his thin hand nervously clutched upon the table, Robespierre heaved a pleasurable sigh, leaned back in his chair, and said with an amiable smile:

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading There was nothing that delighted the sea-green Incorruptible quite so much as the aspect of a man struggling with a hopeless situation and feeling a net of intrigue drawing gradually tighter and tighter around him.

anxious

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

From this reading Even now, when he saw Chauvelin's smooth forehead wrinkled into an anxious frown, and his thin hand nervously clutched upon the table, Robespierre heaved a pleasurable sigh, leaned back in his chair, and said with an amiable smile:

aroundprepositionUS /ərˈaʊnd/

surrounding, or on every side of, something

From this reading There was nothing that delighted the sea-green Incorruptible quite so much as the aspect of a man struggling with a hopeless situation and feeling a net of intrigue drawing gradually tighter and tighter around him.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading There was nothing that delighted the sea-green Incorruptible quite so much as the aspect of a man struggling with a hopeless situation and feeling a net of intrigue drawing gradually tighter and tighter around him.

aspect

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

From this reading There was nothing that delighted the sea-green Incorruptible quite so much as the aspect of a man struggling with a hopeless situation and feeling a net of intrigue drawing gradually tighter and tighter around him.

back

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

From this reading Even now, when he saw Chauvelin's smooth forehead wrinkled into an anxious frown, and his thin hand nervously clutched upon the table, Robespierre heaved a pleasurable sigh, leaned back in his chair, and said with an amiable smile:

become

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

From this reading “You do agree with me, then, Citizen, that the situation has become intolerable?”

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading He was in no hurry: being a night-bird of very pronounced tastes, he was quite ready to sit here until the small hours of the morning watching Citizen Chauvelin mentally writhing in the throes of recollections of the past few months.

chair

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

From this reading Even now, when he saw Chauvelin's smooth forehead wrinkled into an anxious frown, and his thin hand nervously clutched upon the table, Robespierre heaved a pleasurable sigh, leaned back in his chair, and said with an amiable smile:

Chauvelin

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

From this reading He was in no hurry: being a night-bird of very pronounced tastes, he was quite ready to sit here until the small hours of the morning watching Citizen Chauvelin mentally writhing in the throes of recollections of the past few months.

Chauvelin's

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

From this reading Even now, when he saw Chauvelin's smooth forehead wrinkled into an anxious frown, and his thin hand nervously clutched upon the table, Robespierre heaved a pleasurable sigh, leaned back in his chair, and said with an amiable smile:

Citizen

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

From this reading He was in no hurry: being a night-bird of very pronounced tastes, he was quite ready to sit here until the small hours of the morning watching Citizen Chauvelin mentally writhing in the throes of recollections of the past few months.

clutched

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

From this reading Even now, when he saw Chauvelin's smooth forehead wrinkled into an anxious frown, and his thin hand nervously clutched upon the table, Robespierre heaved a pleasurable sigh, leaned back in his chair, and said with an amiable smile:

delighted

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

From this reading There was nothing that delighted the sea-green Incorruptible quite so much as the aspect of a man struggling with a hopeless situation and feeling a net of intrigue drawing gradually tighter and tighter around him.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading “You do agree with me, then, Citizen, that the situation has become intolerable?”

drawing

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

From this reading There was nothing that delighted the sea-green Incorruptible quite so much as the aspect of a man struggling with a hopeless situation and feeling a net of intrigue drawing gradually tighter and tighter around him.

EvennounUS /even/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Even now, when he saw Chauvelin's smooth forehead wrinkled into an anxious frown, and his thin hand nervously clutched upon the table, Robespierre heaved a pleasurable sigh, leaned back in his chair, and said with an amiable smile:

feelingnounUS /ˈfeeling/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading There was nothing that delighted the sea-green Incorruptible quite so much as the aspect of a man struggling with a hopeless situation and feeling a net of intrigue drawing gradually tighter and tighter around him.

few

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

From this reading He was in no hurry: being a night-bird of very pronounced tastes, he was quite ready to sit here until the small hours of the morning watching Citizen Chauvelin mentally writhing in the throes of recollections of the past few months.

forehead

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

From this reading Even now, when he saw Chauvelin's smooth forehead wrinkled into an anxious frown, and his thin hand nervously clutched upon the table, Robespierre heaved a pleasurable sigh, leaned back in his chair, and said with an amiable smile:

frown

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

From this reading Even now, when he saw Chauvelin's smooth forehead wrinkled into an anxious frown, and his thin hand nervously clutched upon the table, Robespierre heaved a pleasurable sigh, leaned back in his chair, and said with an amiable smile:

gradually

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

From this reading There was nothing that delighted the sea-green Incorruptible quite so much as the aspect of a man struggling with a hopeless situation and feeling a net of intrigue drawing gradually tighter and tighter around him.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Robespierre had quietly waited the while.

hand

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

From this reading Even now, when he saw Chauvelin's smooth forehead wrinkled into an anxious frown, and his thin hand nervously clutched upon the table, Robespierre heaved a pleasurable sigh, leaned back in his chair, and said with an amiable smile:

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading “You do agree with me, then, Citizen, that the situation has become intolerable?”

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He was in no hurry: being a night-bird of very pronounced tastes, he was quite ready to sit here until the small hours of the morning watching Citizen Chauvelin mentally writhing in the throes of recollections of the past few months.

heaved

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

From this reading Even now, when he saw Chauvelin's smooth forehead wrinkled into an anxious frown, and his thin hand nervously clutched upon the table, Robespierre heaved a pleasurable sigh, leaned back in his chair, and said with an amiable smile:

herenounUS /here/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He was in no hurry: being a night-bird of very pronounced tastes, he was quite ready to sit here until the small hours of the morning watching Citizen Chauvelin mentally writhing in the throes of recollections of the past few months.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading There was nothing that delighted the sea-green Incorruptible quite so much as the aspect of a man struggling with a hopeless situation and feeling a net of intrigue drawing gradually tighter and tighter around him.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Even now, when he saw Chauvelin's smooth forehead wrinkled into an anxious frown, and his thin hand nervously clutched upon the table, Robespierre heaved a pleasurable sigh, leaned back in his chair, and said with an amiable smile:

hopeless

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

From this reading There was nothing that delighted the sea-green Incorruptible quite so much as the aspect of a man struggling with a hopeless situation and feeling a net of intrigue drawing gradually tighter and tighter around him.

hours

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

From this reading He was in no hurry: being a night-bird of very pronounced tastes, he was quite ready to sit here until the small hours of the morning watching Citizen Chauvelin mentally writhing in the throes of recollections of the past few months.

hurry

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

From this reading He was in no hurry: being a night-bird of very pronounced tastes, he was quite ready to sit here until the small hours of the morning watching Citizen Chauvelin mentally writhing in the throes of recollections of the past few months.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading He was in no hurry: being a night-bird of very pronounced tastes, he was quite ready to sit here until the small hours of the morning watching Citizen Chauvelin mentally writhing in the throes of recollections of the past few months.

Incorruptible

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

From this reading There was nothing that delighted the sea-green Incorruptible quite so much as the aspect of a man struggling with a hopeless situation and feeling a net of intrigue drawing gradually tighter and tighter around him.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Even now, when he saw Chauvelin's smooth forehead wrinkled into an anxious frown, and his thin hand nervously clutched upon the table, Robespierre heaved a pleasurable sigh, leaned back in his chair, and said with an amiable smile:

intolerable

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

From this reading “You do agree with me, then, Citizen, that the situation has become intolerable?”

intrigue

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

From this reading There was nothing that delighted the sea-green Incorruptible quite so much as the aspect of a man struggling with a hopeless situation and feeling a net of intrigue drawing gradually tighter and tighter around him.

leaned

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

From this reading Even now, when he saw Chauvelin's smooth forehead wrinkled into an anxious frown, and his thin hand nervously clutched upon the table, Robespierre heaved a pleasurable sigh, leaned back in his chair, and said with an amiable smile:

man

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

From this reading There was nothing that delighted the sea-green Incorruptible quite so much as the aspect of a man struggling with a hopeless situation and feeling a net of intrigue drawing gradually tighter and tighter around him.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading “You do agree with me, then, Citizen, that the situation has become intolerable?”

mentally

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

From this reading He was in no hurry: being a night-bird of very pronounced tastes, he was quite ready to sit here until the small hours of the morning watching Citizen Chauvelin mentally writhing in the throes of recollections of the past few months.

months

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

From this reading He was in no hurry: being a night-bird of very pronounced tastes, he was quite ready to sit here until the small hours of the morning watching Citizen Chauvelin mentally writhing in the throes of recollections of the past few months.

morningnounUS /morning/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He was in no hurry: being a night-bird of very pronounced tastes, he was quite ready to sit here until the small hours of the morning watching Citizen Chauvelin mentally writhing in the throes of recollections of the past few months.

much

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

From this reading There was nothing that delighted the sea-green Incorruptible quite so much as the aspect of a man struggling with a hopeless situation and feeling a net of intrigue drawing gradually tighter and tighter around him.

nervously

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

From this reading Even now, when he saw Chauvelin's smooth forehead wrinkled into an anxious frown, and his thin hand nervously clutched upon the table, Robespierre heaved a pleasurable sigh, leaned back in his chair, and said with an amiable smile:

net

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

From this reading There was nothing that delighted the sea-green Incorruptible quite so much as the aspect of a man struggling with a hopeless situation and feeling a net of intrigue drawing gradually tighter and tighter around him.

night-bird

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

From this reading He was in no hurry: being a night-bird of very pronounced tastes, he was quite ready to sit here until the small hours of the morning watching Citizen Chauvelin mentally writhing in the throes of recollections of the past few months.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading He was in no hurry: being a night-bird of very pronounced tastes, he was quite ready to sit here until the small hours of the morning watching Citizen Chauvelin mentally writhing in the throes of recollections of the past few months.

nothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading There was nothing that delighted the sea-green Incorruptible quite so much as the aspect of a man struggling with a hopeless situation and feeling a net of intrigue drawing gradually tighter and tighter around him.

now

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

From this reading Even now, when he saw Chauvelin's smooth forehead wrinkled into an anxious frown, and his thin hand nervously clutched upon the table, Robespierre heaved a pleasurable sigh, leaned back in his chair, and said with an amiable smile:

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading He was in no hurry: being a night-bird of very pronounced tastes, he was quite ready to sit here until the small hours of the morning watching Citizen Chauvelin mentally writhing in the throes of recollections of the past few months.

past

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

From this reading He was in no hurry: being a night-bird of very pronounced tastes, he was quite ready to sit here until the small hours of the morning watching Citizen Chauvelin mentally writhing in the throes of recollections of the past few months.

pleasurable

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

From this reading Even now, when he saw Chauvelin's smooth forehead wrinkled into an anxious frown, and his thin hand nervously clutched upon the table, Robespierre heaved a pleasurable sigh, leaned back in his chair, and said with an amiable smile:

pronounced

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

From this reading He was in no hurry: being a night-bird of very pronounced tastes, he was quite ready to sit here until the small hours of the morning watching Citizen Chauvelin mentally writhing in the throes of recollections of the past few months.

quietly

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

From this reading Robespierre had quietly waited the while.

quitenounUS /quite/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He was in no hurry: being a night-bird of very pronounced tastes, he was quite ready to sit here until the small hours of the morning watching Citizen Chauvelin mentally writhing in the throes of recollections of the past few months.

ready

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

From this reading He was in no hurry: being a night-bird of very pronounced tastes, he was quite ready to sit here until the small hours of the morning watching Citizen Chauvelin mentally writhing in the throes of recollections of the past few months.

recollections

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

From this reading He was in no hurry: being a night-bird of very pronounced tastes, he was quite ready to sit here until the small hours of the morning watching Citizen Chauvelin mentally writhing in the throes of recollections of the past few months.

Robespierre

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

From this reading Robespierre had quietly waited the while.

said

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

From this reading Even now, when he saw Chauvelin's smooth forehead wrinkled into an anxious frown, and his thin hand nervously clutched upon the table, Robespierre heaved a pleasurable sigh, leaned back in his chair, and said with an amiable smile:

saw

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

From this reading Even now, when he saw Chauvelin's smooth forehead wrinkled into an anxious frown, and his thin hand nervously clutched upon the table, Robespierre heaved a pleasurable sigh, leaned back in his chair, and said with an amiable smile:

sea-green

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

From this reading There was nothing that delighted the sea-green Incorruptible quite so much as the aspect of a man struggling with a hopeless situation and feeling a net of intrigue drawing gradually tighter and tighter around him.

sigh

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

From this reading Even now, when he saw Chauvelin's smooth forehead wrinkled into an anxious frown, and his thin hand nervously clutched upon the table, Robespierre heaved a pleasurable sigh, leaned back in his chair, and said with an amiable smile:

sit

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

From this reading He was in no hurry: being a night-bird of very pronounced tastes, he was quite ready to sit here until the small hours of the morning watching Citizen Chauvelin mentally writhing in the throes of recollections of the past few months.

situation

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

From this reading There was nothing that delighted the sea-green Incorruptible quite so much as the aspect of a man struggling with a hopeless situation and feeling a net of intrigue drawing gradually tighter and tighter around him.

small

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

From this reading He was in no hurry: being a night-bird of very pronounced tastes, he was quite ready to sit here until the small hours of the morning watching Citizen Chauvelin mentally writhing in the throes of recollections of the past few months.

smile

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

From this reading Even now, when he saw Chauvelin's smooth forehead wrinkled into an anxious frown, and his thin hand nervously clutched upon the table, Robespierre heaved a pleasurable sigh, leaned back in his chair, and said with an amiable smile:

smooth

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

From this reading Even now, when he saw Chauvelin's smooth forehead wrinkled into an anxious frown, and his thin hand nervously clutched upon the table, Robespierre heaved a pleasurable sigh, leaned back in his chair, and said with an amiable smile:

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading There was nothing that delighted the sea-green Incorruptible quite so much as the aspect of a man struggling with a hopeless situation and feeling a net of intrigue drawing gradually tighter and tighter around him.

struggling

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

From this reading There was nothing that delighted the sea-green Incorruptible quite so much as the aspect of a man struggling with a hopeless situation and feeling a net of intrigue drawing gradually tighter and tighter around him.

table

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

From this reading Even now, when he saw Chauvelin's smooth forehead wrinkled into an anxious frown, and his thin hand nervously clutched upon the table, Robespierre heaved a pleasurable sigh, leaned back in his chair, and said with an amiable smile:

tastes

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

From this reading He was in no hurry: being a night-bird of very pronounced tastes, he was quite ready to sit here until the small hours of the morning watching Citizen Chauvelin mentally writhing in the throes of recollections of the past few months.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading There was nothing that delighted the sea-green Incorruptible quite so much as the aspect of a man struggling with a hopeless situation and feeling a net of intrigue drawing gradually tighter and tighter around him.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Robespierre had quietly waited the while.

then

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

From this reading “You do agree with me, then, Citizen, that the situation has become intolerable?”

There

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

From this reading There was nothing that delighted the sea-green Incorruptible quite so much as the aspect of a man struggling with a hopeless situation and feeling a net of intrigue drawing gradually tighter and tighter around him.

thinadjectiveUS /θɪn/

Having little thickness or extent.

From this reading Even now, when he saw Chauvelin's smooth forehead wrinkled into an anxious frown, and his thin hand nervously clutched upon the table, Robespierre heaved a pleasurable sigh, leaned back in his chair, and said with an amiable smile:

throes

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

From this reading He was in no hurry: being a night-bird of very pronounced tastes, he was quite ready to sit here until the small hours of the morning watching Citizen Chauvelin mentally writhing in the throes of recollections of the past few months.

tighter

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

From this reading There was nothing that delighted the sea-green Incorruptible quite so much as the aspect of a man struggling with a hopeless situation and feeling a net of intrigue drawing gradually tighter and tighter around him.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading He was in no hurry: being a night-bird of very pronounced tastes, he was quite ready to sit here until the small hours of the morning watching Citizen Chauvelin mentally writhing in the throes of recollections of the past few months.

untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading He was in no hurry: being a night-bird of very pronounced tastes, he was quite ready to sit here until the small hours of the morning watching Citizen Chauvelin mentally writhing in the throes of recollections of the past few months.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading Even now, when he saw Chauvelin's smooth forehead wrinkled into an anxious frown, and his thin hand nervously clutched upon the table, Robespierre heaved a pleasurable sigh, leaned back in his chair, and said with an amiable smile:

very

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

From this reading He was in no hurry: being a night-bird of very pronounced tastes, he was quite ready to sit here until the small hours of the morning watching Citizen Chauvelin mentally writhing in the throes of recollections of the past few months.

waited

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

From this reading Robespierre had quietly waited the while.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading He was in no hurry: being a night-bird of very pronounced tastes, he was quite ready to sit here until the small hours of the morning watching Citizen Chauvelin mentally writhing in the throes of recollections of the past few months.

watching

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

From this reading He was in no hurry: being a night-bird of very pronounced tastes, he was quite ready to sit here until the small hours of the morning watching Citizen Chauvelin mentally writhing in the throes of recollections of the past few months.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading Even now, when he saw Chauvelin's smooth forehead wrinkled into an anxious frown, and his thin hand nervously clutched upon the table, Robespierre heaved a pleasurable sigh, leaned back in his chair, and said with an amiable smile:

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading Robespierre had quietly waited the while.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading There was nothing that delighted the sea-green Incorruptible quite so much as the aspect of a man struggling with a hopeless situation and feeling a net of intrigue drawing gradually tighter and tighter around him.

wrinkled

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

From this reading Even now, when he saw Chauvelin's smooth forehead wrinkled into an anxious frown, and his thin hand nervously clutched upon the table, Robespierre heaved a pleasurable sigh, leaned back in his chair, and said with an amiable smile:

writhing

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

From this reading He was in no hurry: being a night-bird of very pronounced tastes, he was quite ready to sit here until the small hours of the morning watching Citizen Chauvelin mentally writhing in the throes of recollections of the past few months.

YoupronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “You do agree with me, then, Citizen, that the situation has become intolerable?”