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The Nameless Castle
The Nameless Castle

Chapter XII

Cover illustration for The Nameless Castle
Context Illustration Reading 1/22 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Count Vavel (thus he was addressed on his letters) had arranged an observatory in the tower of the Nameless Castle.
Here was his telescope, by the aid of which he viewed the heavens by night, and by day observed the doings of his fellow-men.
He noticed everything that went on about him.
He peered into the neighboring farm-yards and cottages, was a spectator of the community's disputes as well as its diversions.
Of late, the chief object of his telescopic observations during the day were the doings at the neighboring manor.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Nameless Castle

Chapter XII

Reading 1/22 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Count Vavel (thus he was addressed on his letters) had arranged an observatory in the tower of the Nameless Castle.
Line 2
Here was his telescope, by the aid of which he viewed the heavens by night, and by day observed the doings of his fellow-men.
Line 3
He noticed everything that went on about him.
Line 4
He peered into the neighboring farm-yards and cottages, was a spectator of the community's disputes as well as its diversions.
Line 5
Of late, the chief object of his telescopic observations during the day were the doings at the neighboring manor.

Learner Dictionary

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

About preposition US /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading “He noticed everything that went on about him.”

During preposition US /ˈdʊrɪŋ/

all through a period, or at some point within it

From this reading “Of late, the chief object of his telescopic observations during the day were the doings at the neighboring manor.”

Everything pronoun US /ˈevriθɪŋ/

all things; all of a situation

From this reading “He noticed everything that went on about him.”

Here noun US /here/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Here was his telescope, by the aid of which he viewed the heavens by night, and by day observed the doings of his fellow-men.”

Nameless adjective US /ˈneɪm.ləs/

Having no name, or having a name that is kept secret or unknown.

From this reading “Count Vavel (thus he was addressed on his letters) had arranged an observatory in the tower of the Nameless Castle.”

Well noun US /well/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He peered into the neighboring farm-yards and cottages, was a spectator of the community's disputes as well as its diversions.”

Went noun US /went/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “He noticed everything that went on about him.”

All words in this reading · 60

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 peered into the neighboring farm-yards and cottages, was a spectator of the community's disputes as well as its diversions.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading He noticed everything that went on about him.

addressed

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

From this reading Count Vavel (thus he was addressed on his letters) had arranged an observatory in the tower of the Nameless Castle.

aid

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

From this reading Here was his telescope, by the aid of which he viewed the heavens by night, and by day observed the doings of his fellow-men.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading Count Vavel (thus he was addressed on his letters) had arranged an observatory in the tower of the Nameless Castle.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Here was his telescope, by the aid of which he viewed the heavens by night, and by day observed the doings of his fellow-men.

arranged

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

From this reading Count Vavel (thus he was addressed on his letters) had arranged an observatory in the tower of the Nameless Castle.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading He peered into the neighboring farm-yards and cottages, was a spectator of the community's disputes as well as its diversions.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Of late, the chief object of his telescopic observations during the day were the doings at the neighboring manor.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Here was his telescope, by the aid of which he viewed the heavens by night, and by day observed the doings of his fellow-men.

Castle

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

From this reading Count Vavel (thus he was addressed on his letters) had arranged an observatory in the tower of the Nameless Castle.

chief

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

From this reading Of late, the chief object of his telescopic observations during the day were the doings at the neighboring manor.

community's

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

From this reading He peered into the neighboring farm-yards and cottages, was a spectator of the community's disputes as well as its diversions.

cottages

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

From this reading He peered into the neighboring farm-yards and cottages, was a spectator of the community's disputes as well as its diversions.

Count

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

From this reading Count Vavel (thus he was addressed on his letters) had arranged an observatory in the tower of the Nameless Castle.

day

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

From this reading Here was his telescope, by the aid of which he viewed the heavens by night, and by day observed the doings of his fellow-men.

disputes

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

From this reading He peered into the neighboring farm-yards and cottages, was a spectator of the community's disputes as well as its diversions.

diversions

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

From this reading He peered into the neighboring farm-yards and cottages, was a spectator of the community's disputes as well as its diversions.

doings

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

From this reading Here was his telescope, by the aid of which he viewed the heavens by night, and by day observed the doings of his fellow-men.

duringprepositionUS /ˈdʊrɪŋ/

all through a period, or at some point within it

From this reading Of late, the chief object of his telescopic observations during the day were the doings at the neighboring manor.

everythingpronounUS /ˈevriθɪŋ/

all things; all of a situation

From this reading He noticed everything that went on about him.

farm-yards

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

From this reading He peered into the neighboring farm-yards and cottages, was a spectator of the community's disputes as well as its diversions.

fellow-men

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

From this reading Here was his telescope, by the aid of which he viewed the heavens by night, and by day observed the doings of his fellow-men.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Count Vavel (thus he was addressed on his letters) had arranged an observatory in the tower of the Nameless Castle.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Count Vavel (thus he was addressed on his letters) had arranged an observatory in the tower of the Nameless Castle.

heavens

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

From this reading Here was his telescope, by the aid of which he viewed the heavens by night, and by day observed the doings of his fellow-men.

HerenounUS /here/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Here was his telescope, by the aid of which he viewed the heavens by night, and by day observed the doings of his fellow-men.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading He noticed everything that went on about him.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Count Vavel (thus he was addressed on his letters) had arranged an observatory in the tower of the Nameless Castle.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Count Vavel (thus he was addressed on his letters) had arranged an observatory in the tower of the Nameless Castle.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading He peered into the neighboring farm-yards and cottages, was a spectator of the community's disputes as well as its diversions.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading He peered into the neighboring farm-yards and cottages, was a spectator of the community's disputes as well as its diversions.

late

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

From this reading Of late, the chief object of his telescopic observations during the day were the doings at the neighboring manor.

letters

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

From this reading Count Vavel (thus he was addressed on his letters) had arranged an observatory in the tower of the Nameless Castle.

manor

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

From this reading Of late, the chief object of his telescopic observations during the day were the doings at the neighboring manor.

NamelessadjectiveUS /ˈneɪm.ləs/

Having no name, or having a name that is kept secret or unknown.

From this reading Count Vavel (thus he was addressed on his letters) had arranged an observatory in the tower of the Nameless Castle.

neighboring

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

From this reading He peered into the neighboring farm-yards and cottages, was a spectator of the community's disputes as well as its diversions.

night

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

From this reading Here was his telescope, by the aid of which he viewed the heavens by night, and by day observed the doings of his fellow-men.

noticed

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

From this reading He noticed everything that went on about him.

object

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

From this reading Of late, the chief object of his telescopic observations during the day were the doings at the neighboring manor.

observations

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

From this reading Of late, the chief object of his telescopic observations during the day were the doings at the neighboring manor.

observatory

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

From this reading Count Vavel (thus he was addressed on his letters) had arranged an observatory in the tower of the Nameless Castle.

observed

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

From this reading Here was his telescope, by the aid of which he viewed the heavens by night, and by day observed the doings of his fellow-men.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Count Vavel (thus he was addressed on his letters) had arranged an observatory in the tower of the Nameless Castle.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Count Vavel (thus he was addressed on his letters) had arranged an observatory in the tower of the Nameless Castle.

peered

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

From this reading He peered into the neighboring farm-yards and cottages, was a spectator of the community's disputes as well as its diversions.

spectator

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

From this reading He peered into the neighboring farm-yards and cottages, was a spectator of the community's disputes as well as its diversions.

telescope

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

From this reading Here was his telescope, by the aid of which he viewed the heavens by night, and by day observed the doings of his fellow-men.

telescopic

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

From this reading Of late, the chief object of his telescopic observations during the day were the doings at the neighboring manor.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading He noticed everything that went on about him.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Count Vavel (thus he was addressed on his letters) had arranged an observatory in the tower of the Nameless Castle.

thus

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

From this reading Count Vavel (thus he was addressed on his letters) had arranged an observatory in the tower of the Nameless Castle.

tower

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

From this reading Count Vavel (thus he was addressed on his letters) had arranged an observatory in the tower of the Nameless Castle.

Vavel

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

From this reading Count Vavel (thus he was addressed on his letters) had arranged an observatory in the tower of the Nameless Castle.

viewed

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

From this reading Here was his telescope, by the aid of which he viewed the heavens by night, and by day observed the doings of his fellow-men.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Count Vavel (thus he was addressed on his letters) had arranged an observatory in the tower of the Nameless Castle.

well

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

From this reading He peered into the neighboring farm-yards and cottages, was a spectator of the community's disputes as well as its diversions.

wentnounUS /went/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He noticed everything that went on about him.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading Of late, the chief object of his telescopic observations during the day were the doings at the neighboring manor.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading Here was his telescope, by the aid of which he viewed the heavens by night, and by day observed the doings of his fellow-men.