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The Iron Heel
The Iron Heel

Chapter XXV · The Terrorists

Cover illustration for The Iron Heel
Context Illustration Reading 1/6 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
It was not until Ernest and I were back in New York, and after weeks had elapsed, that we were able to comprehend thoroughly the full sweep of the disaster that had befallen the Cause.
The situation was bitter and bloody.
In many places, scattered over the country, slave revolts and massacres had occurred.
The roll of the martyrs increased mightily.
Countless executions took place everywhere.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
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A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Iron Heel

Chapter XXV · The Terrorists

Reading 1/6 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
It was not until Ernest and I were back in New York, and after weeks had elapsed, that we were able to comprehend thoroughly the full sweep of the disaster that had befallen the Cause.
Line 2
The situation was bitter and bloody.
Line 3
In many places, scattered over the country, slave revolts and massacres had occurred.
Line 4
The roll of the martyrs increased mightily.
Line 5
Countless executions took place everywhere.

Learner Dictionary

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

After preposition US /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading “It was not until Ernest and I were back in New York, and after weeks had elapsed, that we were able to comprehend thoroughly the full sweep of the disaster that had befallen the Cause.”

Over preposition US /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading “In many places, scattered over the country, slave revolts and massacres had occurred.”

Took noun US /took/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Countless executions took place everywhere.”

Until preposition US /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading “It was not until Ernest and I were back in New York, and after weeks had elapsed, that we were able to comprehend thoroughly the full sweep of the disaster that had befallen the Cause.”

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.

able

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

From this reading It was not until Ernest and I were back in New York, and after weeks had elapsed, that we were able to comprehend thoroughly the full sweep of the disaster that had befallen the Cause.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading It was not until Ernest and I were back in New York, and after weeks had elapsed, that we were able to comprehend thoroughly the full sweep of the disaster that had befallen the Cause.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading It was not until Ernest and I were back in New York, and after weeks had elapsed, that we were able to comprehend thoroughly the full sweep of the disaster that had befallen the Cause.

back

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

From this reading It was not until Ernest and I were back in New York, and after weeks had elapsed, that we were able to comprehend thoroughly the full sweep of the disaster that had befallen the Cause.

befallen

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

From this reading It was not until Ernest and I were back in New York, and after weeks had elapsed, that we were able to comprehend thoroughly the full sweep of the disaster that had befallen the Cause.

bitter

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

From this reading The situation was bitter and bloody.

bloody

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

From this reading The situation was bitter and bloody.

Cause

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

From this reading It was not until Ernest and I were back in New York, and after weeks had elapsed, that we were able to comprehend thoroughly the full sweep of the disaster that had befallen the Cause.

comprehend

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

From this reading It was not until Ernest and I were back in New York, and after weeks had elapsed, that we were able to comprehend thoroughly the full sweep of the disaster that had befallen the Cause.

Countless

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

From this reading Countless executions took place everywhere.

country

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

From this reading In many places, scattered over the country, slave revolts and massacres had occurred.

disaster

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

From this reading It was not until Ernest and I were back in New York, and after weeks had elapsed, that we were able to comprehend thoroughly the full sweep of the disaster that had befallen the Cause.

elapsed

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

From this reading It was not until Ernest and I were back in New York, and after weeks had elapsed, that we were able to comprehend thoroughly the full sweep of the disaster that had befallen the Cause.

Ernest

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

From this reading It was not until Ernest and I were back in New York, and after weeks had elapsed, that we were able to comprehend thoroughly the full sweep of the disaster that had befallen the Cause.

everywhere

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

From this reading Countless executions took place everywhere.

executions

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

From this reading Countless executions took place everywhere.

full

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

From this reading It was not until Ernest and I were back in New York, and after weeks had elapsed, that we were able to comprehend thoroughly the full sweep of the disaster that had befallen the Cause.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading It was not until Ernest and I were back in New York, and after weeks had elapsed, that we were able to comprehend thoroughly the full sweep of the disaster that had befallen the Cause.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading It was not until Ernest and I were back in New York, and after weeks had elapsed, that we were able to comprehend thoroughly the full sweep of the disaster that had befallen the Cause.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading It was not until Ernest and I were back in New York, and after weeks had elapsed, that we were able to comprehend thoroughly the full sweep of the disaster that had befallen the Cause.

increased

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

From this reading The roll of the martyrs increased mightily.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was not until Ernest and I were back in New York, and after weeks had elapsed, that we were able to comprehend thoroughly the full sweep of the disaster that had befallen the Cause.

many

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

From this reading In many places, scattered over the country, slave revolts and massacres had occurred.

martyrs

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

From this reading The roll of the martyrs increased mightily.

massacres

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

From this reading In many places, scattered over the country, slave revolts and massacres had occurred.

mightily

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

From this reading The roll of the martyrs increased mightily.

New

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

From this reading It was not until Ernest and I were back in New York, and after weeks had elapsed, that we were able to comprehend thoroughly the full sweep of the disaster that had befallen the Cause.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading It was not until Ernest and I were back in New York, and after weeks had elapsed, that we were able to comprehend thoroughly the full sweep of the disaster that had befallen the Cause.

occurred

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

From this reading In many places, scattered over the country, slave revolts and massacres had occurred.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading It was not until Ernest and I were back in New York, and after weeks had elapsed, that we were able to comprehend thoroughly the full sweep of the disaster that had befallen the Cause.

overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/

above and across; more than

From this reading In many places, scattered over the country, slave revolts and massacres had occurred.

place

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

From this reading Countless executions took place everywhere.

places

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

From this reading In many places, scattered over the country, slave revolts and massacres had occurred.

revolts

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

From this reading In many places, scattered over the country, slave revolts and massacres had occurred.

roll

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

From this reading The roll of the martyrs increased mightily.

scattered

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

From this reading In many places, scattered over the country, slave revolts and massacres had occurred.

situation

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

From this reading The situation was bitter and bloody.

slave

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

From this reading In many places, scattered over the country, slave revolts and massacres had occurred.

sweep

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

From this reading It was not until Ernest and I were back in New York, and after weeks had elapsed, that we were able to comprehend thoroughly the full sweep of the disaster that had befallen the Cause.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It was not until Ernest and I were back in New York, and after weeks had elapsed, that we were able to comprehend thoroughly the full sweep of the disaster that had befallen the Cause.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading It was not until Ernest and I were back in New York, and after weeks had elapsed, that we were able to comprehend thoroughly the full sweep of the disaster that had befallen the Cause.

thoroughly

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

From this reading It was not until Ernest and I were back in New York, and after weeks had elapsed, that we were able to comprehend thoroughly the full sweep of the disaster that had befallen the Cause.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading It was not until Ernest and I were back in New York, and after weeks had elapsed, that we were able to comprehend thoroughly the full sweep of the disaster that had befallen the Cause.

tooknounUS /took/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Countless executions took place everywhere.

untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading It was not until Ernest and I were back in New York, and after weeks had elapsed, that we were able to comprehend thoroughly the full sweep of the disaster that had befallen the Cause.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It was not until Ernest and I were back in New York, and after weeks had elapsed, that we were able to comprehend thoroughly the full sweep of the disaster that had befallen the Cause.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading It was not until Ernest and I were back in New York, and after weeks had elapsed, that we were able to comprehend thoroughly the full sweep of the disaster that had befallen the Cause.

weeks

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

From this reading It was not until Ernest and I were back in New York, and after weeks had elapsed, that we were able to comprehend thoroughly the full sweep of the disaster that had befallen the Cause.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading It was not until Ernest and I were back in New York, and after weeks had elapsed, that we were able to comprehend thoroughly the full sweep of the disaster that had befallen the Cause.

York

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

From this reading It was not until Ernest and I were back in New York, and after weeks had elapsed, that we were able to comprehend thoroughly the full sweep of the disaster that had befallen the Cause.