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Chapter XVI
She bit her lip and stood staring into vacancy, one hand tightening on the stair-rail, the other worrying her lips. "I tell you," she said slowly, her gaze still remote, "the only thing to do is to do nothing.... Because I’m afraid.... I couldn’t bear it. I’d have to think of it all my life and I—I simply couldn’t endure it....
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
for the reason that
From this reading “Because I’m afraid....”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “She bit her lip and stood staring into vacancy, one hand tightening on the stair-rail, the other worrying her lips.”
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “I’d have to think of it all my life and I—I simply couldn’t endure it....”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “I’d have to think of it all my life and I—I simply couldn’t endure it....”
not one thing; not anything
From this reading “"I tell you," she said slowly, her gaze still remote, "the only thing to do is to do nothing....”
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading “She bit her lip and stood staring into vacancy, one hand tightening on the stair-rail, the other worrying her lips.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “"I tell you," she said slowly, her gaze still remote, "the only thing to do is to do nothing....”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “She bit her lip and stood staring into vacancy, one hand tightening on the stair-rail, the other worrying her lips.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “"I tell you," she said slowly, her gaze still remote, "the only thing to do is to do nothing....”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “"I tell you," she said slowly, her gaze still remote, "the only thing to do is to do nothing....”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “I’d have to think of it all my life and I—I simply couldn’t endure it....”
Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Because I’m afraid....
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I’d have to think of it all my life and I—I simply couldn’t endure it....
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She bit her lip and stood staring into vacancy, one hand tightening on the stair-rail, the other worrying her lips.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I couldn’t bear it.
for the reason that
From this reading Because I’m afraid....
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She bit her lip and stood staring into vacancy, one hand tightening on the stair-rail, the other worrying her lips.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I couldn’t bear it.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "I tell you," she said slowly, her gaze still remote, "the only thing to do is to do nothing....
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I’d have to think of it all my life and I—I simply couldn’t endure it....
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I tell you," she said slowly, her gaze still remote, "the only thing to do is to do nothing....
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She bit her lip and stood staring into vacancy, one hand tightening on the stair-rail, the other worrying her lips.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading I’d have to think of it all my life and I—I simply couldn’t endure it....
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She bit her lip and stood staring into vacancy, one hand tightening on the stair-rail, the other worrying her lips.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I tell you," she said slowly, her gaze still remote, "the only thing to do is to do nothing....
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I’d have to think of it all my life and I—I simply couldn’t endure it....
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Because I’m afraid....
moving to the inside of something
From this reading She bit her lip and stood staring into vacancy, one hand tightening on the stair-rail, the other worrying her lips.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "I tell you," she said slowly, her gaze still remote, "the only thing to do is to do nothing....
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading I couldn’t bear it.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I’d have to think of it all my life and I—I simply couldn’t endure it....
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She bit her lip and stood staring into vacancy, one hand tightening on the stair-rail, the other worrying her lips.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She bit her lip and stood staring into vacancy, one hand tightening on the stair-rail, the other worrying her lips.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading I’d have to think of it all my life and I—I simply couldn’t endure it....
not one thing; not anything
From this reading "I tell you," she said slowly, her gaze still remote, "the only thing to do is to do nothing....
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I’d have to think of it all my life and I—I simply couldn’t endure it....
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading She bit her lip and stood staring into vacancy, one hand tightening on the stair-rail, the other worrying her lips.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading She bit her lip and stood staring into vacancy, one hand tightening on the stair-rail, the other worrying her lips.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I tell you," she said slowly, her gaze still remote, "the only thing to do is to do nothing....
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She bit her lip and stood staring into vacancy, one hand tightening on the stair-rail, the other worrying her lips.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I tell you," she said slowly, her gaze still remote, "the only thing to do is to do nothing....
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I tell you," she said slowly, her gaze still remote, "the only thing to do is to do nothing....
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She bit her lip and stood staring into vacancy, one hand tightening on the stair-rail, the other worrying her lips.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I’d have to think of it all my life and I—I simply couldn’t endure it....
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I tell you," she said slowly, her gaze still remote, "the only thing to do is to do nothing....
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She bit her lip and stood staring into vacancy, one hand tightening on the stair-rail, the other worrying her lips.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She bit her lip and stood staring into vacancy, one hand tightening on the stair-rail, the other worrying her lips.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "I tell you," she said slowly, her gaze still remote, "the only thing to do is to do nothing....
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She bit her lip and stood staring into vacancy, one hand tightening on the stair-rail, the other worrying her lips.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "I tell you," she said slowly, her gaze still remote, "the only thing to do is to do nothing....
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading She bit her lip and stood staring into vacancy, one hand tightening on the stair-rail, the other worrying her lips.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "I tell you," she said slowly, her gaze still remote, "the only thing to do is to do nothing....
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I’d have to think of it all my life and I—I simply couldn’t endure it....
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She bit her lip and stood staring into vacancy, one hand tightening on the stair-rail, the other worrying her lips.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "I tell you," she said slowly, her gaze still remote, "the only thing to do is to do nothing....
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She bit her lip and stood staring into vacancy, one hand tightening on the stair-rail, the other worrying her lips.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She bit her lip and stood staring into vacancy, one hand tightening on the stair-rail, the other worrying her lips.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "I tell you," she said slowly, her gaze still remote, "the only thing to do is to do nothing....
