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The Princess and Curdie
The Princess and Curdie

Chapter VII

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Context Illustration Reading 1/26 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
What Is in a Name?
For a time that seemed to them long, the two men stood waiting, while still the Mother of Light did not return.
So long was she absent that they began to grow anxious: how were they to find their way from the natural hollows of the mountain crossed by goblin paths, if their lamps should go out?
To spend the night there would mean to sit and wait until an earthquake rent the mountain, or the earth herself fell back into the smelting furnace of the sun whence she had issued--for it was all night and no faintest dawn in the bosom of the world.
So long did they wait unrevisited, that, had there not been two of them, either would at length have concluded the vision a home-born product of his own seething brain.
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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 Princess and Curdie

Chapter VII

Reading 1/26 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
What Is in a Name?
/wʌt ɪz ɪn ə name/
Line 2
For a time that seemed to them long, the two men stood waiting, while still the Mother of Light did not return.
Line 3
So long was she absent that they began to grow anxious: how were they to find their way from the natural hollows of the mountain crossed by goblin paths, if their lamps should go out?
Line 4
To spend the night there would mean to sit and wait until an earthquake rent the mountain, or the earth herself fell back into the smelting furnace of the sun whence she had issued--for it was all night and no faintest dawn in the bosom of the world.
Line 5
So long did they wait unrevisited, that, had there not been two of them, either would at length have concluded the vision a home-born product of his own seething brain.

Learner Dictionary

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

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “So long did they wait unrevisited, that, had there not been two of them, either would at length have concluded the vision a home-born product of his own seething brain.”

Began noun US /began/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “So long was she absent that they began to grow anxious: how were they to find their way from the natural hollows of the mountain crossed by goblin paths, if their lamps should go out?”

Either determiner US /ˈiːðər/

one or the other of two

From this reading “So long did they wait unrevisited, that, had there not been two of them, either would at length have concluded the vision a home-born product of his own seething brain.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “So long did they wait unrevisited, that, had there not been two of them, either would at length have concluded the vision a home-born product of his own seething brain.”

Herself pronoun US /hərˈself/

used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object

From this reading “To spend the night there would mean to sit and wait until an earthquake rent the mountain, or the earth herself fell back into the smelting furnace of the sun whence she had issued--for it was all night and no faintest dawn in the bosom of the world.”

Issued noun US /issued/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “To spend the night there would mean to sit and wait until an earthquake rent the mountain, or the earth herself fell back into the smelting furnace of the sun whence she had issued--for it was all night and no faintest dawn in the bosom of the world.”

Length noun US /leŋθ/

a period of time or extent

From this reading “So long did they wait unrevisited, that, had there not been two of them, either would at length have concluded the vision a home-born product of his own seething brain.”

Long noun US /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “For a time that seemed to them long, the two men stood waiting, while still the Mother of Light did not return.”

Name noun US /name/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “What Is in a Name?”

Seemed noun US /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “For a time that seemed to them long, the two men stood waiting, while still the Mother of Light did not return.”

Still noun US /still/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “For a time that seemed to them long, the two men stood waiting, while still the Mother of Light did not return.”

Stood noun US /stood/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “For a time that seemed to them long, the two men stood waiting, while still the Mother of Light did not return.”

Time noun US /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “For a time that seemed to them long, the two men stood waiting, while still the Mother of Light did not return.”

Until preposition US /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading “To spend the night there would mean to sit and wait until an earthquake rent the mountain, or the earth herself fell back into the smelting furnace of the sun whence she had issued--for it was all night and no faintest dawn in the bosom of the world.”

Waiting noun US /ˈwaiting/

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

From this reading “For a time that seemed to them long, the two men stood waiting, while still the Mother of Light did not return.”

Whence adverb US /wens/

an old word meaning “from where”

From this reading “To spend the night there would mean to sit and wait until an earthquake rent the mountain, or the earth herself fell back into the smelting furnace of the sun whence she had issued--for it was all night and no faintest dawn in the bosom of the world.”

While conjunction US /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading “For a time that seemed to them long, the two men stood waiting, while still the Mother of Light did not return.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading “To spend the night there would mean to sit and wait until an earthquake rent the mountain, or the earth herself fell back into the smelting furnace of the sun whence she had issued--for it was all night and no faintest dawn in the bosom of the world.”

All words in this reading · 96

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 What Is in a Name?

absent

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

From this reading So long was she absent that they began to grow anxious: how were they to find their way from the natural hollows of the mountain crossed by goblin paths, if their lamps should go out?

all

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

From this reading To spend the night there would mean to sit and wait until an earthquake rent the mountain, or the earth herself fell back into the smelting furnace of the sun whence she had issued--for it was all night and no faintest dawn in the bosom of the world.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading To spend the night there would mean to sit and wait until an earthquake rent the mountain, or the earth herself fell back into the smelting furnace of the sun whence she had issued--for it was all night and no faintest dawn in the bosom of the world.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading To spend the night there would mean to sit and wait until an earthquake rent the mountain, or the earth herself fell back into the smelting furnace of the sun whence she had issued--for it was all night and no faintest dawn in the bosom of the world.

anxious

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

From this reading So long was she absent that they began to grow anxious: how were they to find their way from the natural hollows of the mountain crossed by goblin paths, if their lamps should go out?

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading So long did they wait unrevisited, that, had there not been two of them, either would at length have concluded the vision a home-born product of his own seething brain.

back

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

From this reading To spend the night there would mean to sit and wait until an earthquake rent the mountain, or the earth herself fell back into the smelting furnace of the sun whence she had issued--for it was all night and no faintest dawn in the bosom of the world.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading So long did they wait unrevisited, that, had there not been two of them, either would at length have concluded the vision a home-born product of his own seething brain.

begannounUS /began/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading So long was she absent that they began to grow anxious: how were they to find their way from the natural hollows of the mountain crossed by goblin paths, if their lamps should go out?

bosom

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

From this reading To spend the night there would mean to sit and wait until an earthquake rent the mountain, or the earth herself fell back into the smelting furnace of the sun whence she had issued--for it was all night and no faintest dawn in the bosom of the world.

brain

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

From this reading So long did they wait unrevisited, that, had there not been two of them, either would at length have concluded the vision a home-born product of his own seething brain.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading So long was she absent that they began to grow anxious: how were they to find their way from the natural hollows of the mountain crossed by goblin paths, if their lamps should go out?

concluded

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

From this reading So long did they wait unrevisited, that, had there not been two of them, either would at length have concluded the vision a home-born product of his own seething brain.

crossed

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

From this reading So long was she absent that they began to grow anxious: how were they to find their way from the natural hollows of the mountain crossed by goblin paths, if their lamps should go out?

dawn

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

From this reading To spend the night there would mean to sit and wait until an earthquake rent the mountain, or the earth herself fell back into the smelting furnace of the sun whence she had issued--for it was all night and no faintest dawn in the bosom of the world.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading For a time that seemed to them long, the two men stood waiting, while still the Mother of Light did not return.

earth

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

From this reading To spend the night there would mean to sit and wait until an earthquake rent the mountain, or the earth herself fell back into the smelting furnace of the sun whence she had issued--for it was all night and no faintest dawn in the bosom of the world.

earthquake

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

From this reading To spend the night there would mean to sit and wait until an earthquake rent the mountain, or the earth herself fell back into the smelting furnace of the sun whence she had issued--for it was all night and no faintest dawn in the bosom of the world.

eitherdeterminerUS /ˈiːðər/

one or the other of two

From this reading So long did they wait unrevisited, that, had there not been two of them, either would at length have concluded the vision a home-born product of his own seething brain.

faintest

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

From this reading To spend the night there would mean to sit and wait until an earthquake rent the mountain, or the earth herself fell back into the smelting furnace of the sun whence she had issued--for it was all night and no faintest dawn in the bosom of the world.

fell

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

From this reading To spend the night there would mean to sit and wait until an earthquake rent the mountain, or the earth herself fell back into the smelting furnace of the sun whence she had issued--for it was all night and no faintest dawn in the bosom of the world.

find

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

From this reading So long was she absent that they began to grow anxious: how were they to find their way from the natural hollows of the mountain crossed by goblin paths, if their lamps should go out?

ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading For a time that seemed to them long, the two men stood waiting, while still the Mother of Light did not return.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading So long was she absent that they began to grow anxious: how were they to find their way from the natural hollows of the mountain crossed by goblin paths, if their lamps should go out?

furnace

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

From this reading To spend the night there would mean to sit and wait until an earthquake rent the mountain, or the earth herself fell back into the smelting furnace of the sun whence she had issued--for it was all night and no faintest dawn in the bosom of the world.

go

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

From this reading So long was she absent that they began to grow anxious: how were they to find their way from the natural hollows of the mountain crossed by goblin paths, if their lamps should go out?

goblin

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

From this reading So long was she absent that they began to grow anxious: how were they to find their way from the natural hollows of the mountain crossed by goblin paths, if their lamps should go out?

grow

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

From this reading So long was she absent that they began to grow anxious: how were they to find their way from the natural hollows of the mountain crossed by goblin paths, if their lamps should go out?

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading To spend the night there would mean to sit and wait until an earthquake rent the mountain, or the earth herself fell back into the smelting furnace of the sun whence she had issued--for it was all night and no faintest dawn in the bosom of the world.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading So long did they wait unrevisited, that, had there not been two of them, either would at length have concluded the vision a home-born product of his own seething brain.

herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/

used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object

From this reading To spend the night there would mean to sit and wait until an earthquake rent the mountain, or the earth herself fell back into the smelting furnace of the sun whence she had issued--for it was all night and no faintest dawn in the bosom of the world.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading So long did they wait unrevisited, that, had there not been two of them, either would at length have concluded the vision a home-born product of his own seething brain.

hollows

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

From this reading So long was she absent that they began to grow anxious: how were they to find their way from the natural hollows of the mountain crossed by goblin paths, if their lamps should go out?

home-born

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

From this reading So long did they wait unrevisited, that, had there not been two of them, either would at length have concluded the vision a home-born product of his own seething brain.

how

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

From this reading So long was she absent that they began to grow anxious: how were they to find their way from the natural hollows of the mountain crossed by goblin paths, if their lamps should go out?

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading So long was she absent that they began to grow anxious: how were they to find their way from the natural hollows of the mountain crossed by goblin paths, if their lamps should go out?

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading What Is in a Name?

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading To spend the night there would mean to sit and wait until an earthquake rent the mountain, or the earth herself fell back into the smelting furnace of the sun whence she had issued--for it was all night and no faintest dawn in the bosom of the world.

Isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading What Is in a Name?

issuednounUS /issued/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading To spend the night there would mean to sit and wait until an earthquake rent the mountain, or the earth herself fell back into the smelting furnace of the sun whence she had issued--for it was all night and no faintest dawn in the bosom of the world.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading To spend the night there would mean to sit and wait until an earthquake rent the mountain, or the earth herself fell back into the smelting furnace of the sun whence she had issued--for it was all night and no faintest dawn in the bosom of the world.

lamps

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

From this reading So long was she absent that they began to grow anxious: how were they to find their way from the natural hollows of the mountain crossed by goblin paths, if their lamps should go out?

lengthnounUS /leŋθ/

a period of time or extent

From this reading So long did they wait unrevisited, that, had there not been two of them, either would at length have concluded the vision a home-born product of his own seething brain.

Light

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

From this reading For a time that seemed to them long, the two men stood waiting, while still the Mother of Light did not return.

longnounUS /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading For a time that seemed to them long, the two men stood waiting, while still the Mother of Light did not return.

mean

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

From this reading To spend the night there would mean to sit and wait until an earthquake rent the mountain, or the earth herself fell back into the smelting furnace of the sun whence she had issued--for it was all night and no faintest dawn in the bosom of the world.

men

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

From this reading For a time that seemed to them long, the two men stood waiting, while still the Mother of Light did not return.

Mother

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

From this reading For a time that seemed to them long, the two men stood waiting, while still the Mother of Light did not return.

mountain

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

From this reading So long was she absent that they began to grow anxious: how were they to find their way from the natural hollows of the mountain crossed by goblin paths, if their lamps should go out?

NamenounUS /name/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading What Is in a Name?

natural

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

From this reading So long was she absent that they began to grow anxious: how were they to find their way from the natural hollows of the mountain crossed by goblin paths, if their lamps should go out?

night

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

From this reading To spend the night there would mean to sit and wait until an earthquake rent the mountain, or the earth herself fell back into the smelting furnace of the sun whence she had issued--for it was all night and no faintest dawn in the bosom of the world.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading To spend the night there would mean to sit and wait until an earthquake rent the mountain, or the earth herself fell back into the smelting furnace of the sun whence she had issued--for it was all night and no faintest dawn in the bosom of the world.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading For a time that seemed to them long, the two men stood waiting, while still the Mother of Light did not return.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading For a time that seemed to them long, the two men stood waiting, while still the Mother of Light did not return.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading To spend the night there would mean to sit and wait until an earthquake rent the mountain, or the earth herself fell back into the smelting furnace of the sun whence she had issued--for it was all night and no faintest dawn in the bosom of the world.

out

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

From this reading So long was she absent that they began to grow anxious: how were they to find their way from the natural hollows of the mountain crossed by goblin paths, if their lamps should go out?

own

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

From this reading So long did they wait unrevisited, that, had there not been two of them, either would at length have concluded the vision a home-born product of his own seething brain.

paths

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

From this reading So long was she absent that they began to grow anxious: how were they to find their way from the natural hollows of the mountain crossed by goblin paths, if their lamps should go out?

product

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

From this reading So long did they wait unrevisited, that, had there not been two of them, either would at length have concluded the vision a home-born product of his own seething brain.

rent

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

From this reading To spend the night there would mean to sit and wait until an earthquake rent the mountain, or the earth herself fell back into the smelting furnace of the sun whence she had issued--for it was all night and no faintest dawn in the bosom of the world.

return

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

From this reading For a time that seemed to them long, the two men stood waiting, while still the Mother of Light did not return.

seemednounUS /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading For a time that seemed to them long, the two men stood waiting, while still the Mother of Light did not return.

seething

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

From this reading So long did they wait unrevisited, that, had there not been two of them, either would at length have concluded the vision a home-born product of his own seething brain.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading So long was she absent that they began to grow anxious: how were they to find their way from the natural hollows of the mountain crossed by goblin paths, if their lamps should go out?

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading So long was she absent that they began to grow anxious: how were they to find their way from the natural hollows of the mountain crossed by goblin paths, if their lamps should go out?

sit

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

From this reading To spend the night there would mean to sit and wait until an earthquake rent the mountain, or the earth herself fell back into the smelting furnace of the sun whence she had issued--for it was all night and no faintest dawn in the bosom of the world.

smelting

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

From this reading To spend the night there would mean to sit and wait until an earthquake rent the mountain, or the earth herself fell back into the smelting furnace of the sun whence she had issued--for it was all night and no faintest dawn in the bosom of the world.

SoconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading So long was she absent that they began to grow anxious: how were they to find their way from the natural hollows of the mountain crossed by goblin paths, if their lamps should go out?

spend

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

From this reading To spend the night there would mean to sit and wait until an earthquake rent the mountain, or the earth herself fell back into the smelting furnace of the sun whence she had issued--for it was all night and no faintest dawn in the bosom of the world.

stillnounUS /still/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading For a time that seemed to them long, the two men stood waiting, while still the Mother of Light did not return.

stoodnounUS /stood/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading For a time that seemed to them long, the two men stood waiting, while still the Mother of Light did not return.

sun

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

From this reading To spend the night there would mean to sit and wait until an earthquake rent the mountain, or the earth herself fell back into the smelting furnace of the sun whence she had issued--for it was all night and no faintest dawn in the bosom of the world.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading For a time that seemed to them long, the two men stood waiting, while still the Mother of Light did not return.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading For a time that seemed to them long, the two men stood waiting, while still the Mother of Light did not return.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading So long was she absent that they began to grow anxious: how were they to find their way from the natural hollows of the mountain crossed by goblin paths, if their lamps should go out?

thempronounUS /ðem/

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading For a time that seemed to them long, the two men stood waiting, while still the Mother of Light did not return.

there

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

From this reading To spend the night there would mean to sit and wait until an earthquake rent the mountain, or the earth herself fell back into the smelting furnace of the sun whence she had issued--for it was all night and no faintest dawn in the bosom of the world.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading So long was she absent that they began to grow anxious: how were they to find their way from the natural hollows of the mountain crossed by goblin paths, if their lamps should go out?

timenounUS /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading For a time that seemed to them long, the two men stood waiting, while still the Mother of Light did not return.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading For a time that seemed to them long, the two men stood waiting, while still the Mother of Light did not return.

two

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

From this reading For a time that seemed to them long, the two men stood waiting, while still the Mother of Light did not return.

unrevisited

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

From this reading So long did they wait unrevisited, that, had there not been two of them, either would at length have concluded the vision a home-born product of his own seething brain.

untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading To spend the night there would mean to sit and wait until an earthquake rent the mountain, or the earth herself fell back into the smelting furnace of the sun whence she had issued--for it was all night and no faintest dawn in the bosom of the world.

vision

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

From this reading So long did they wait unrevisited, that, had there not been two of them, either would at length have concluded the vision a home-born product of his own seething brain.

wait

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

From this reading To spend the night there would mean to sit and wait until an earthquake rent the mountain, or the earth herself fell back into the smelting furnace of the sun whence she had issued--for it was all night and no faintest dawn in the bosom of the world.

waiting

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

From this reading For a time that seemed to them long, the two men stood waiting, while still the Mother of Light did not return.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading So long was she absent that they began to grow anxious: how were they to find their way from the natural hollows of the mountain crossed by goblin paths, if their lamps should go out?

way

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

From this reading So long was she absent that they began to grow anxious: how were they to find their way from the natural hollows of the mountain crossed by goblin paths, if their lamps should go out?

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading So long was she absent that they began to grow anxious: how were they to find their way from the natural hollows of the mountain crossed by goblin paths, if their lamps should go out?

WhatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading What Is in a Name?

whenceadverbUS /wens/

an old word meaning “from where”

From this reading To spend the night there would mean to sit and wait until an earthquake rent the mountain, or the earth herself fell back into the smelting furnace of the sun whence she had issued--for it was all night and no faintest dawn in the bosom of the world.

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading For a time that seemed to them long, the two men stood waiting, while still the Mother of Light did not return.

world

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

From this reading To spend the night there would mean to sit and wait until an earthquake rent the mountain, or the earth herself fell back into the smelting furnace of the sun whence she had issued--for it was all night and no faintest dawn in the bosom of the world.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading To spend the night there would mean to sit and wait until an earthquake rent the mountain, or the earth herself fell back into the smelting furnace of the sun whence she had issued--for it was all night and no faintest dawn in the bosom of the world.