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The Old Man in the Corner
The Old Man in the Corner

Chapter I

Cover illustration for The Old Man in the Corner
Context Illustration Reading 1/30 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The man in the corner had finished his glass of milk.
His watery blue eyes looked across at Miss Polly Burton's eager little face, from which all traces of severity had now been chased away by an obvious and intense excitement.
"It was only on the 31st," he resumed after a while, "that a body, decomposed past all recognition, was found by two lightermen in the bottom of a disused barge.
She had been moored at one time at the foot of one of those dark flights of steps which lead down between tall warehouses to the river in the East End of London.
I have a photograph of the place here," he added, selecting one out of his pocket, and placing it before Polly.
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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 Old Man in the Corner

Chapter I

Reading 1/30 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
The man in the corner had finished his glass of milk.
Line 2
His watery blue eyes looked across at Miss Polly Burton's eager little face, from which all traces of severity had now been chased away by an obvious and intense excitement.
Line 3
"It was only on the 31st," he resumed after a while, "that a body, decomposed past all recognition, was found by two lightermen in the bottom of a disused barge.
Line 4
She had been moored at one time at the foot of one of those dark flights of steps which lead down between tall warehouses to the river in the East End of London.
Line 5
I have a photograph of the place here," he added, selecting one out of his pocket, and placing it before Polly.

Learner Dictionary

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

Across preposition US /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading “His watery blue eyes looked across at Miss Polly Burton's eager little face, from which all traces of severity had now been chased away by an obvious and intense excitement.”

Added noun US /added/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “I have a photograph of the place here," he added, selecting one out of his pocket, and placing it before Polly.”

After preposition US /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading “"It was only on the 31st," he resumed after a while, "that a body, decomposed past all recognition, was found by two lightermen in the bottom of a disused barge.”

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “His watery blue eyes looked across at Miss Polly Burton's eager little face, from which all traces of severity had now been chased away by an obvious and intense excitement.”

Before preposition US /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading “I have a photograph of the place here," he added, selecting one out of his pocket, and placing it before Polly.”

Between preposition US /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading “She had been moored at one time at the foot of one of those dark flights of steps which lead down between tall warehouses to the river in the East End of London.”

Body noun US /body/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “"It was only on the 31st," he resumed after a while, "that a body, decomposed past all recognition, was found by two lightermen in the bottom of a disused barge.”

Foot noun US /foot/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “She had been moored at one time at the foot of one of those dark flights of steps which lead down between tall warehouses to the river in the East End of London.”

Found noun US /found/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “"It was only on the 31st," he resumed after a while, "that a body, decomposed past all recognition, was found by two lightermen in the bottom of a disused barge.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “I have a photograph of the place here," he added, selecting one out of his pocket, and placing it before Polly.”

Here noun US /here/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “I have a photograph of the place here," he added, selecting one out of his pocket, and placing it before Polly.”

Little noun US /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “His watery blue eyes looked across at Miss Polly Burton's eager little face, from which all traces of severity had now been chased away by an obvious and intense excitement.”

Looked noun US /looked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “His watery blue eyes looked across at Miss Polly Burton's eager little face, from which all traces of severity had now been chased away by an obvious and intense excitement.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “She had been moored at one time at the foot of one of those dark flights of steps which lead down between tall warehouses to the river in the East End of London.”

Resumed noun US /ˈresumed/

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

From this reading “"It was only on the 31st," he resumed after a while, "that a body, decomposed past all recognition, was found by two lightermen in the bottom of a disused barge.”

Those determiner US /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading “She had been moored at one time at the foot of one of those dark flights of steps which lead down between tall warehouses to the river in the East End of London.”

Time noun US /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “She had been moored at one time at the foot of one of those dark flights of steps which lead down between tall warehouses to the river in the East End of London.”

While conjunction US /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading “"It was only on the 31st," he resumed after a while, "that a body, decomposed past all recognition, was found by two lightermen in the bottom of a disused barge.”

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.

31st

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

From this reading "It was only on the 31st," he resumed after a while, "that a body, decomposed past all recognition, was found by two lightermen in the bottom of a disused barge.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading "It was only on the 31st," he resumed after a while, "that a body, decomposed past all recognition, was found by two lightermen in the bottom of a disused barge.

acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/

from one side of something to the other

From this reading His watery blue eyes looked across at Miss Polly Burton's eager little face, from which all traces of severity had now been chased away by an obvious and intense excitement.

addednounUS /added/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading I have a photograph of the place here," he added, selecting one out of his pocket, and placing it before Polly.

afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/

later than; following

From this reading "It was only on the 31st," he resumed after a while, "that a body, decomposed past all recognition, was found by two lightermen in the bottom of a disused barge.

all

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

From this reading His watery blue eyes looked across at Miss Polly Burton's eager little face, from which all traces of severity had now been chased away by an obvious and intense excitement.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading His watery blue eyes looked across at Miss Polly Burton's eager little face, from which all traces of severity had now been chased away by an obvious and intense excitement.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading His watery blue eyes looked across at Miss Polly Burton's eager little face, from which all traces of severity had now been chased away by an obvious and intense excitement.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading His watery blue eyes looked across at Miss Polly Burton's eager little face, from which all traces of severity had now been chased away by an obvious and intense excitement.

away

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

From this reading His watery blue eyes looked across at Miss Polly Burton's eager little face, from which all traces of severity had now been chased away by an obvious and intense excitement.

barge

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

From this reading "It was only on the 31st," he resumed after a while, "that a body, decomposed past all recognition, was found by two lightermen in the bottom of a disused barge.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading His watery blue eyes looked across at Miss Polly Burton's eager little face, from which all traces of severity had now been chased away by an obvious and intense excitement.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading I have a photograph of the place here," he added, selecting one out of his pocket, and placing it before Polly.

betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading She had been moored at one time at the foot of one of those dark flights of steps which lead down between tall warehouses to the river in the East End of London.

blue

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

From this reading His watery blue eyes looked across at Miss Polly Burton's eager little face, from which all traces of severity had now been chased away by an obvious and intense excitement.

bodynounUS /body/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading "It was only on the 31st," he resumed after a while, "that a body, decomposed past all recognition, was found by two lightermen in the bottom of a disused barge.

bottom

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

From this reading "It was only on the 31st," he resumed after a while, "that a body, decomposed past all recognition, was found by two lightermen in the bottom of a disused barge.

Burton's

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

From this reading His watery blue eyes looked across at Miss Polly Burton's eager little face, from which all traces of severity had now been chased away by an obvious and intense excitement.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading His watery blue eyes looked across at Miss Polly Burton's eager little face, from which all traces of severity had now been chased away by an obvious and intense excitement.

chased

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

From this reading His watery blue eyes looked across at Miss Polly Burton's eager little face, from which all traces of severity had now been chased away by an obvious and intense excitement.

corner

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

From this reading The man in the corner had finished his glass of milk.

dark

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

From this reading She had been moored at one time at the foot of one of those dark flights of steps which lead down between tall warehouses to the river in the East End of London.

decomposed

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

From this reading "It was only on the 31st," he resumed after a while, "that a body, decomposed past all recognition, was found by two lightermen in the bottom of a disused barge.

disused

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

From this reading "It was only on the 31st," he resumed after a while, "that a body, decomposed past all recognition, was found by two lightermen in the bottom of a disused barge.

down

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

From this reading She had been moored at one time at the foot of one of those dark flights of steps which lead down between tall warehouses to the river in the East End of London.

eager

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

From this reading His watery blue eyes looked across at Miss Polly Burton's eager little face, from which all traces of severity had now been chased away by an obvious and intense excitement.

East

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

From this reading She had been moored at one time at the foot of one of those dark flights of steps which lead down between tall warehouses to the river in the East End of London.

End

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

From this reading She had been moored at one time at the foot of one of those dark flights of steps which lead down between tall warehouses to the river in the East End of London.

excitement

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

From this reading His watery blue eyes looked across at Miss Polly Burton's eager little face, from which all traces of severity had now been chased away by an obvious and intense excitement.

eyes

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

From this reading His watery blue eyes looked across at Miss Polly Burton's eager little face, from which all traces of severity had now been chased away by an obvious and intense excitement.

face

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

From this reading His watery blue eyes looked across at Miss Polly Burton's eager little face, from which all traces of severity had now been chased away by an obvious and intense excitement.

finished

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

From this reading The man in the corner had finished his glass of milk.

flights

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

From this reading She had been moored at one time at the foot of one of those dark flights of steps which lead down between tall warehouses to the river in the East End of London.

footnounUS /foot/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading She had been moored at one time at the foot of one of those dark flights of steps which lead down between tall warehouses to the river in the East End of London.

foundnounUS /found/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading "It was only on the 31st," he resumed after a while, "that a body, decomposed past all recognition, was found by two lightermen in the bottom of a disused barge.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading His watery blue eyes looked across at Miss Polly Burton's eager little face, from which all traces of severity had now been chased away by an obvious and intense excitement.

glass

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

From this reading The man in the corner had finished his glass of milk.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading The man in the corner had finished his glass of milk.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading I have a photograph of the place here," he added, selecting one out of his pocket, and placing it before Polly.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading "It was only on the 31st," he resumed after a while, "that a body, decomposed past all recognition, was found by two lightermen in the bottom of a disused barge.

herenounUS /here/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading I have a photograph of the place here," he added, selecting one out of his pocket, and placing it before Polly.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading The man in the corner had finished his glass of milk.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading I have a photograph of the place here," he added, selecting one out of his pocket, and placing it before Polly.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The man in the corner had finished his glass of milk.

intense

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

From this reading His watery blue eyes looked across at Miss Polly Burton's eager little face, from which all traces of severity had now been chased away by an obvious and intense excitement.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading "It was only on the 31st," he resumed after a while, "that a body, decomposed past all recognition, was found by two lightermen in the bottom of a disused barge.

lead

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

From this reading She had been moored at one time at the foot of one of those dark flights of steps which lead down between tall warehouses to the river in the East End of London.

lightermen

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

From this reading "It was only on the 31st," he resumed after a while, "that a body, decomposed past all recognition, was found by two lightermen in the bottom of a disused barge.

littlenounUS /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading His watery blue eyes looked across at Miss Polly Burton's eager little face, from which all traces of severity had now been chased away by an obvious and intense excitement.

London

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

From this reading She had been moored at one time at the foot of one of those dark flights of steps which lead down between tall warehouses to the river in the East End of London.

lookednounUS /looked/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading His watery blue eyes looked across at Miss Polly Burton's eager little face, from which all traces of severity had now been chased away by an obvious and intense excitement.

man

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

From this reading The man in the corner had finished his glass of milk.

milk

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

From this reading The man in the corner had finished his glass of milk.

Miss

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

From this reading His watery blue eyes looked across at Miss Polly Burton's eager little face, from which all traces of severity had now been chased away by an obvious and intense excitement.

moored

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

From this reading She had been moored at one time at the foot of one of those dark flights of steps which lead down between tall warehouses to the river in the East End of London.

now

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

From this reading His watery blue eyes looked across at Miss Polly Burton's eager little face, from which all traces of severity had now been chased away by an obvious and intense excitement.

obvious

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

From this reading His watery blue eyes looked across at Miss Polly Burton's eager little face, from which all traces of severity had now been chased away by an obvious and intense excitement.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The man in the corner had finished his glass of milk.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading "It was only on the 31st," he resumed after a while, "that a body, decomposed past all recognition, was found by two lightermen in the bottom of a disused barge.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading She had been moored at one time at the foot of one of those dark flights of steps which lead down between tall warehouses to the river in the East End of London.

only

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

From this reading "It was only on the 31st," he resumed after a while, "that a body, decomposed past all recognition, was found by two lightermen in the bottom of a disused barge.

out

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

From this reading I have a photograph of the place here," he added, selecting one out of his pocket, and placing it before Polly.

past

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

From this reading "It was only on the 31st," he resumed after a while, "that a body, decomposed past all recognition, was found by two lightermen in the bottom of a disused barge.

photograph

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

From this reading I have a photograph of the place here," he added, selecting one out of his pocket, and placing it before Polly.

place

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

From this reading I have a photograph of the place here," he added, selecting one out of his pocket, and placing it before Polly.

placing

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

From this reading I have a photograph of the place here," he added, selecting one out of his pocket, and placing it before Polly.

pocket

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

From this reading I have a photograph of the place here," he added, selecting one out of his pocket, and placing it before Polly.

Polly

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

From this reading His watery blue eyes looked across at Miss Polly Burton's eager little face, from which all traces of severity had now been chased away by an obvious and intense excitement.

recognition

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

From this reading "It was only on the 31st," he resumed after a while, "that a body, decomposed past all recognition, was found by two lightermen in the bottom of a disused barge.

resumednounUS /ˈresumed/

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

From this reading "It was only on the 31st," he resumed after a while, "that a body, decomposed past all recognition, was found by two lightermen in the bottom of a disused barge.

river

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

From this reading She had been moored at one time at the foot of one of those dark flights of steps which lead down between tall warehouses to the river in the East End of London.

selecting

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

From this reading I have a photograph of the place here," he added, selecting one out of his pocket, and placing it before Polly.

severity

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

From this reading His watery blue eyes looked across at Miss Polly Burton's eager little face, from which all traces of severity had now been chased away by an obvious and intense excitement.

ShepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading She had been moored at one time at the foot of one of those dark flights of steps which lead down between tall warehouses to the river in the East End of London.

steps

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

From this reading She had been moored at one time at the foot of one of those dark flights of steps which lead down between tall warehouses to the river in the East End of London.

tall

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

From this reading She had been moored at one time at the foot of one of those dark flights of steps which lead down between tall warehouses to the river in the East End of London.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading "It was only on the 31st," he resumed after a while, "that a body, decomposed past all recognition, was found by two lightermen in the bottom of a disused barge.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The man in the corner had finished his glass of milk.

thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading She had been moored at one time at the foot of one of those dark flights of steps which lead down between tall warehouses to the river in the East End of London.

timenounUS /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading She had been moored at one time at the foot of one of those dark flights of steps which lead down between tall warehouses to the river in the East End of London.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading She had been moored at one time at the foot of one of those dark flights of steps which lead down between tall warehouses to the river in the East End of London.

traces

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

From this reading His watery blue eyes looked across at Miss Polly Burton's eager little face, from which all traces of severity had now been chased away by an obvious and intense excitement.

two

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

From this reading "It was only on the 31st," he resumed after a while, "that a body, decomposed past all recognition, was found by two lightermen in the bottom of a disused barge.

warehouses

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

From this reading She had been moored at one time at the foot of one of those dark flights of steps which lead down between tall warehouses to the river in the East End of London.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading "It was only on the 31st," he resumed after a while, "that a body, decomposed past all recognition, was found by two lightermen in the bottom of a disused barge.

watery

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

From this reading His watery blue eyes looked across at Miss Polly Burton's eager little face, from which all traces of severity had now been chased away by an obvious and intense excitement.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

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

From this reading His watery blue eyes looked across at Miss Polly Burton's eager little face, from which all traces of severity had now been chased away by an obvious and intense excitement.

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading "It was only on the 31st," he resumed after a while, "that a body, decomposed past all recognition, was found by two lightermen in the bottom of a disused barge.