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The Poor Plutocrats
The Poor Plutocrats

Chapter I

Cover illustration for The Poor Plutocrats
Context Illustration Reading 1/23 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Old Lapussa always liked to have under his eye, night and day, some one or other whom he could plague and worry.
Till eight o'clock every evening he was fully occupied in tormenting the whole family.
Then Madame Langai went to the theatre and Henrietta and the governess had to sit down at the piano in the large drawing-room till it was time to put the child to bed.
But when Clementina and the domestics had had supper and there was no longer anybody else with him, the turn of the night nurse began.
The duties of a night nurse are never very enviable or diverting at the best of times, yet penal servitude for life was a fate almost preferable to being the nocturnal guardian of old Demetrius Lapussa.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
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A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Poor Plutocrats

Chapter I

Reading 1/23 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Old Lapussa always liked to have under his eye, night and day, some one or other whom he could plague and worry.
Line 2
Till eight o'clock every evening he was fully occupied in tormenting the whole family.
Line 3
Then Madame Langai went to the theatre and Henrietta and the governess had to sit down at the piano in the large drawing-room till it was time to put the child to bed.
Line 4
But when Clementina and the domestics had had supper and there was no longer anybody else with him, the turn of the night nurse began.
Line 5
The duties of a night nurse are never very enviable or diverting at the best of times, yet penal servitude for life was a fate almost preferable to being the nocturnal guardian of old Demetrius Lapussa.

Learner Dictionary

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

Anybody pronoun US /ˈenibədi/

any person at all

From this reading “But when Clementina and the domestics had had supper and there was no longer anybody else with him, the turn of the night nurse began.”

Began noun US /began/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “But when Clementina and the domestics had had supper and there was no longer anybody else with him, the turn of the night nurse began.”

Being auxiliary verb US /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading “The duties of a night nurse are never very enviable or diverting at the best of times, yet penal servitude for life was a fate almost preferable to being the nocturnal guardian of old Demetrius Lapussa.”

Could modal verb US /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading “Old Lapussa always liked to have under his eye, night and day, some one or other whom he could plague and worry.”

Every determiner US /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading “Till eight o'clock every evening he was fully occupied in tormenting the whole family.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “Old Lapussa always liked to have under his eye, night and day, some one or other whom he could plague and worry.”

Life noun US /life/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The duties of a night nurse are never very enviable or diverting at the best of times, yet penal servitude for life was a fate almost preferable to being the nocturnal guardian of old Demetrius Lapussa.”

Never noun US /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The duties of a night nurse are never very enviable or diverting at the best of times, yet penal servitude for life was a fate almost preferable to being the nocturnal guardian of old Demetrius Lapussa.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “Old Lapussa always liked to have under his eye, night and day, some one or other whom he could plague and worry.”

Till preposition US /tɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading “Till eight o'clock every evening he was fully occupied in tormenting the whole family.”

Time noun US /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Then Madame Langai went to the theatre and Henrietta and the governess had to sit down at the piano in the large drawing-room till it was time to put the child to bed.”

Under preposition US /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading “Old Lapussa always liked to have under his eye, night and day, some one or other whom he could plague and worry.”

Went noun US /went/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Then Madame Langai went to the theatre and Henrietta and the governess had to sit down at the piano in the large drawing-room till it was time to put the child to bed.”

Yet conjunction US /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading “The duties of a night nurse are never very enviable or diverting at the best of times, yet penal servitude for life was a fate almost preferable to being the nocturnal guardian of old Demetrius Lapussa.”

All words in this reading · 90

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 The duties of a night nurse are never very enviable or diverting at the best of times, yet penal servitude for life was a fate almost preferable to being the nocturnal guardian of old Demetrius Lapussa.

almost

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

From this reading The duties of a night nurse are never very enviable or diverting at the best of times, yet penal servitude for life was a fate almost preferable to being the nocturnal guardian of old Demetrius Lapussa.

always

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

From this reading Old Lapussa always liked to have under his eye, night and day, some one or other whom he could plague and worry.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Old Lapussa always liked to have under his eye, night and day, some one or other whom he could plague and worry.

anybodypronounUS /ˈenibədi/

any person at all

From this reading But when Clementina and the domestics had had supper and there was no longer anybody else with him, the turn of the night nurse began.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading The duties of a night nurse are never very enviable or diverting at the best of times, yet penal servitude for life was a fate almost preferable to being the nocturnal guardian of old Demetrius Lapussa.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Then Madame Langai went to the theatre and Henrietta and the governess had to sit down at the piano in the large drawing-room till it was time to put the child to bed.

bed

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

From this reading Then Madame Langai went to the theatre and Henrietta and the governess had to sit down at the piano in the large drawing-room till it was time to put the child to bed.

begannounUS /began/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading But when Clementina and the domestics had had supper and there was no longer anybody else with him, the turn of the night nurse began.

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading The duties of a night nurse are never very enviable or diverting at the best of times, yet penal servitude for life was a fate almost preferable to being the nocturnal guardian of old Demetrius Lapussa.

best

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

From this reading The duties of a night nurse are never very enviable or diverting at the best of times, yet penal servitude for life was a fate almost preferable to being the nocturnal guardian of old Demetrius Lapussa.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But when Clementina and the domestics had had supper and there was no longer anybody else with him, the turn of the night nurse began.

child

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

From this reading Then Madame Langai went to the theatre and Henrietta and the governess had to sit down at the piano in the large drawing-room till it was time to put the child to bed.

Clementina

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

From this reading But when Clementina and the domestics had had supper and there was no longer anybody else with him, the turn of the night nurse began.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading Old Lapussa always liked to have under his eye, night and day, some one or other whom he could plague and worry.

day

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

From this reading Old Lapussa always liked to have under his eye, night and day, some one or other whom he could plague and worry.

Demetrius

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

From this reading The duties of a night nurse are never very enviable or diverting at the best of times, yet penal servitude for life was a fate almost preferable to being the nocturnal guardian of old Demetrius Lapussa.

diverting

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

From this reading The duties of a night nurse are never very enviable or diverting at the best of times, yet penal servitude for life was a fate almost preferable to being the nocturnal guardian of old Demetrius Lapussa.

domestics

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

From this reading But when Clementina and the domestics had had supper and there was no longer anybody else with him, the turn of the night nurse began.

down

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

From this reading Then Madame Langai went to the theatre and Henrietta and the governess had to sit down at the piano in the large drawing-room till it was time to put the child to bed.

drawing-room

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

From this reading Then Madame Langai went to the theatre and Henrietta and the governess had to sit down at the piano in the large drawing-room till it was time to put the child to bed.

duties

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

From this reading The duties of a night nurse are never very enviable or diverting at the best of times, yet penal servitude for life was a fate almost preferable to being the nocturnal guardian of old Demetrius Lapussa.

eight

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

From this reading Till eight o'clock every evening he was fully occupied in tormenting the whole family.

else

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

From this reading But when Clementina and the domestics had had supper and there was no longer anybody else with him, the turn of the night nurse began.

enviable

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

From this reading The duties of a night nurse are never very enviable or diverting at the best of times, yet penal servitude for life was a fate almost preferable to being the nocturnal guardian of old Demetrius Lapussa.

evening

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

From this reading Till eight o'clock every evening he was fully occupied in tormenting the whole family.

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading Till eight o'clock every evening he was fully occupied in tormenting the whole family.

eye

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

From this reading Old Lapussa always liked to have under his eye, night and day, some one or other whom he could plague and worry.

family

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

From this reading Till eight o'clock every evening he was fully occupied in tormenting the whole family.

fate

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

From this reading The duties of a night nurse are never very enviable or diverting at the best of times, yet penal servitude for life was a fate almost preferable to being the nocturnal guardian of old Demetrius Lapussa.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading The duties of a night nurse are never very enviable or diverting at the best of times, yet penal servitude for life was a fate almost preferable to being the nocturnal guardian of old Demetrius Lapussa.

fully

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

From this reading Till eight o'clock every evening he was fully occupied in tormenting the whole family.

governess

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

From this reading Then Madame Langai went to the theatre and Henrietta and the governess had to sit down at the piano in the large drawing-room till it was time to put the child to bed.

guardian

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

From this reading The duties of a night nurse are never very enviable or diverting at the best of times, yet penal servitude for life was a fate almost preferable to being the nocturnal guardian of old Demetrius Lapussa.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Then Madame Langai went to the theatre and Henrietta and the governess had to sit down at the piano in the large drawing-room till it was time to put the child to bed.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Old Lapussa always liked to have under his eye, night and day, some one or other whom he could plague and worry.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading Old Lapussa always liked to have under his eye, night and day, some one or other whom he could plague and worry.

Henrietta

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

From this reading Then Madame Langai went to the theatre and Henrietta and the governess had to sit down at the piano in the large drawing-room till it was time to put the child to bed.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading But when Clementina and the domestics had had supper and there was no longer anybody else with him, the turn of the night nurse began.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading Old Lapussa always liked to have under his eye, night and day, some one or other whom he could plague and worry.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Till eight o'clock every evening he was fully occupied in tormenting the whole family.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Then Madame Langai went to the theatre and Henrietta and the governess had to sit down at the piano in the large drawing-room till it was time to put the child to bed.

Langai

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

From this reading Then Madame Langai went to the theatre and Henrietta and the governess had to sit down at the piano in the large drawing-room till it was time to put the child to bed.

Lapussa

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

From this reading Old Lapussa always liked to have under his eye, night and day, some one or other whom he could plague and worry.

large

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

From this reading Then Madame Langai went to the theatre and Henrietta and the governess had to sit down at the piano in the large drawing-room till it was time to put the child to bed.

lifenounUS /life/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The duties of a night nurse are never very enviable or diverting at the best of times, yet penal servitude for life was a fate almost preferable to being the nocturnal guardian of old Demetrius Lapussa.

liked

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

From this reading Old Lapussa always liked to have under his eye, night and day, some one or other whom he could plague and worry.

longer

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

From this reading But when Clementina and the domestics had had supper and there was no longer anybody else with him, the turn of the night nurse began.

Madame

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

From this reading Then Madame Langai went to the theatre and Henrietta and the governess had to sit down at the piano in the large drawing-room till it was time to put the child to bed.

nevernounUS /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The duties of a night nurse are never very enviable or diverting at the best of times, yet penal servitude for life was a fate almost preferable to being the nocturnal guardian of old Demetrius Lapussa.

night

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

From this reading Old Lapussa always liked to have under his eye, night and day, some one or other whom he could plague and worry.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading But when Clementina and the domestics had had supper and there was no longer anybody else with him, the turn of the night nurse began.

nocturnal

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

From this reading The duties of a night nurse are never very enviable or diverting at the best of times, yet penal servitude for life was a fate almost preferable to being the nocturnal guardian of old Demetrius Lapussa.

nurse

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

From this reading But when Clementina and the domestics had had supper and there was no longer anybody else with him, the turn of the night nurse began.

o'clock

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

From this reading Till eight o'clock every evening he was fully occupied in tormenting the whole family.

occupied

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

From this reading Till eight o'clock every evening he was fully occupied in tormenting the whole family.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading But when Clementina and the domestics had had supper and there was no longer anybody else with him, the turn of the night nurse began.

Old

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

From this reading Old Lapussa always liked to have under his eye, night and day, some one or other whom he could plague and worry.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Old Lapussa always liked to have under his eye, night and day, some one or other whom he could plague and worry.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Old Lapussa always liked to have under his eye, night and day, some one or other whom he could plague and worry.

other

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

From this reading Old Lapussa always liked to have under his eye, night and day, some one or other whom he could plague and worry.

penal

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

From this reading The duties of a night nurse are never very enviable or diverting at the best of times, yet penal servitude for life was a fate almost preferable to being the nocturnal guardian of old Demetrius Lapussa.

piano

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

From this reading Then Madame Langai went to the theatre and Henrietta and the governess had to sit down at the piano in the large drawing-room till it was time to put the child to bed.

plague

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

From this reading Old Lapussa always liked to have under his eye, night and day, some one or other whom he could plague and worry.

preferable

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

From this reading The duties of a night nurse are never very enviable or diverting at the best of times, yet penal servitude for life was a fate almost preferable to being the nocturnal guardian of old Demetrius Lapussa.

put

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

From this reading Then Madame Langai went to the theatre and Henrietta and the governess had to sit down at the piano in the large drawing-room till it was time to put the child to bed.

servitude

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

From this reading The duties of a night nurse are never very enviable or diverting at the best of times, yet penal servitude for life was a fate almost preferable to being the nocturnal guardian of old Demetrius Lapussa.

sit

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

From this reading Then Madame Langai went to the theatre and Henrietta and the governess had to sit down at the piano in the large drawing-room till it was time to put the child to bed.

some

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

From this reading Old Lapussa always liked to have under his eye, night and day, some one or other whom he could plague and worry.

supper

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

From this reading But when Clementina and the domestics had had supper and there was no longer anybody else with him, the turn of the night nurse began.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Till eight o'clock every evening he was fully occupied in tormenting the whole family.

theatre

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

From this reading Then Madame Langai went to the theatre and Henrietta and the governess had to sit down at the piano in the large drawing-room till it was time to put the child to bed.

Then

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

From this reading Then Madame Langai went to the theatre and Henrietta and the governess had to sit down at the piano in the large drawing-room till it was time to put the child to bed.

there

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

From this reading But when Clementina and the domestics had had supper and there was no longer anybody else with him, the turn of the night nurse began.

TillprepositionUS /tɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading Till eight o'clock every evening he was fully occupied in tormenting the whole family.

timenounUS /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Then Madame Langai went to the theatre and Henrietta and the governess had to sit down at the piano in the large drawing-room till it was time to put the child to bed.

times

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

From this reading The duties of a night nurse are never very enviable or diverting at the best of times, yet penal servitude for life was a fate almost preferable to being the nocturnal guardian of old Demetrius Lapussa.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Old Lapussa always liked to have under his eye, night and day, some one or other whom he could plague and worry.

tormenting

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

From this reading Till eight o'clock every evening he was fully occupied in tormenting the whole family.

turn

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

From this reading But when Clementina and the domestics had had supper and there was no longer anybody else with him, the turn of the night nurse began.

underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading Old Lapussa always liked to have under his eye, night and day, some one or other whom he could plague and worry.

very

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

From this reading The duties of a night nurse are never very enviable or diverting at the best of times, yet penal servitude for life was a fate almost preferable to being the nocturnal guardian of old Demetrius Lapussa.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Till eight o'clock every evening he was fully occupied in tormenting the whole family.

wentnounUS /went/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Then Madame Langai went to the theatre and Henrietta and the governess had to sit down at the piano in the large drawing-room till it was time to put the child to bed.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading But when Clementina and the domestics had had supper and there was no longer anybody else with him, the turn of the night nurse began.

whole

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

From this reading Till eight o'clock every evening he was fully occupied in tormenting the whole family.

whompronounUS /huːm/

the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Old Lapussa always liked to have under his eye, night and day, some one or other whom he could plague and worry.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading But when Clementina and the domestics had had supper and there was no longer anybody else with him, the turn of the night nurse began.

worry

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

From this reading Old Lapussa always liked to have under his eye, night and day, some one or other whom he could plague and worry.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading The duties of a night nurse are never very enviable or diverting at the best of times, yet penal servitude for life was a fate almost preferable to being the nocturnal guardian of old Demetrius Lapussa.