A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXIV
"Climb down, ye thief," said the grim, slow voice again. I looked once more into the mouth of the blunderbuss. I decided to climb. If I had had my two feet square on the ground, I would have taken a turn with this man, artillery or no artillery, to see if I could get the upper hand of him. But neither I nor any of my ancestors could ever fight well in trees.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “"Climb down, ye thief," said the grim, slow voice again.”
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading “If I had had my two feet square on the ground, I would have taken a turn with this man, artillery or no artillery, to see if I could get the upper hand of him.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “But neither I nor any of my ancestors could ever fight well in trees.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “If I had had my two feet square on the ground, I would have taken a turn with this man, artillery or no artillery, to see if I could get the upper hand of him.”
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “If I had had my two feet square on the ground, I would have taken a turn with this man, artillery or no artillery, to see if I could get the upper hand of him.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “I looked once more into the mouth of the blunderbuss.”
not one and not the other of two
From this reading “But neither I nor any of my ancestors could ever fight well in trees.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “I looked once more into the mouth of the blunderbuss.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “But neither I nor any of my ancestors could ever fight well in trees.”
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading “If I had had my two feet square on the ground, I would have taken a turn with this man, artillery or no artillery, to see if I could get the upper hand of him.”
Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading If I had had my two feet square on the ground, I would have taken a turn with this man, artillery or no artillery, to see if I could get the upper hand of him.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "Climb down, ye thief," said the grim, slow voice again.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But neither I nor any of my ancestors could ever fight well in trees.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But neither I nor any of my ancestors could ever fight well in trees.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If I had had my two feet square on the ground, I would have taken a turn with this man, artillery or no artillery, to see if I could get the upper hand of him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I looked once more into the mouth of the blunderbuss.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But neither I nor any of my ancestors could ever fight well in trees.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Climb down, ye thief," said the grim, slow voice again.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading If I had had my two feet square on the ground, I would have taken a turn with this man, artillery or no artillery, to see if I could get the upper hand of him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I decided to climb.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Climb down, ye thief," said the grim, slow voice again.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But neither I nor any of my ancestors could ever fight well in trees.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If I had had my two feet square on the ground, I would have taken a turn with this man, artillery or no artillery, to see if I could get the upper hand of him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But neither I nor any of my ancestors could ever fight well in trees.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If I had had my two feet square on the ground, I would have taken a turn with this man, artillery or no artillery, to see if I could get the upper hand of him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Climb down, ye thief," said the grim, slow voice again.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If I had had my two feet square on the ground, I would have taken a turn with this man, artillery or no artillery, to see if I could get the upper hand of him.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading If I had had my two feet square on the ground, I would have taken a turn with this man, artillery or no artillery, to see if I could get the upper hand of him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If I had had my two feet square on the ground, I would have taken a turn with this man, artillery or no artillery, to see if I could get the upper hand of him.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading If I had had my two feet square on the ground, I would have taken a turn with this man, artillery or no artillery, to see if I could get the upper hand of him.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading If I had had my two feet square on the ground, I would have taken a turn with this man, artillery or no artillery, to see if I could get the upper hand of him.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I looked once more into the mouth of the blunderbuss.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If I had had my two feet square on the ground, I would have taken a turn with this man, artillery or no artillery, to see if I could get the upper hand of him.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading But neither I nor any of my ancestors could ever fight well in trees.
moving to the inside of something
From this reading I looked once more into the mouth of the blunderbuss.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I looked once more into the mouth of the blunderbuss.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If I had had my two feet square on the ground, I would have taken a turn with this man, artillery or no artillery, to see if I could get the upper hand of him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I looked once more into the mouth of the blunderbuss.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I looked once more into the mouth of the blunderbuss.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading If I had had my two feet square on the ground, I would have taken a turn with this man, artillery or no artillery, to see if I could get the upper hand of him.
not one and not the other of two
From this reading But neither I nor any of my ancestors could ever fight well in trees.
not any; not one
From this reading If I had had my two feet square on the ground, I would have taken a turn with this man, artillery or no artillery, to see if I could get the upper hand of him.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading But neither I nor any of my ancestors could ever fight well in trees.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I looked once more into the mouth of the blunderbuss.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading If I had had my two feet square on the ground, I would have taken a turn with this man, artillery or no artillery, to see if I could get the upper hand of him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I looked once more into the mouth of the blunderbuss.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading If I had had my two feet square on the ground, I would have taken a turn with this man, artillery or no artillery, to see if I could get the upper hand of him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Climb down, ye thief," said the grim, slow voice again.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If I had had my two feet square on the ground, I would have taken a turn with this man, artillery or no artillery, to see if I could get the upper hand of him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Climb down, ye thief," said the grim, slow voice again.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If I had had my two feet square on the ground, I would have taken a turn with this man, artillery or no artillery, to see if I could get the upper hand of him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If I had had my two feet square on the ground, I would have taken a turn with this man, artillery or no artillery, to see if I could get the upper hand of him.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "Climb down, ye thief," said the grim, slow voice again.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Climb down, ye thief," said the grim, slow voice again.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading If I had had my two feet square on the ground, I would have taken a turn with this man, artillery or no artillery, to see if I could get the upper hand of him.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I decided to climb.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But neither I nor any of my ancestors could ever fight well in trees.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If I had had my two feet square on the ground, I would have taken a turn with this man, artillery or no artillery, to see if I could get the upper hand of him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If I had had my two feet square on the ground, I would have taken a turn with this man, artillery or no artillery, to see if I could get the upper hand of him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If I had had my two feet square on the ground, I would have taken a turn with this man, artillery or no artillery, to see if I could get the upper hand of him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Climb down, ye thief," said the grim, slow voice again.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But neither I nor any of my ancestors could ever fight well in trees.
in the company of; together with
From this reading If I had had my two feet square on the ground, I would have taken a turn with this man, artillery or no artillery, to see if I could get the upper hand of him.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading If I had had my two feet square on the ground, I would have taken a turn with this man, artillery or no artillery, to see if I could get the upper hand of him.
an old word for “you”, speaking to more than one person
From this reading "Climb down, ye thief," said the grim, slow voice again.
