Chapter III
"Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package. "MRS. B. Hubbard, heigh?" He cut the heavy hemp string with his penknife. "We must look into this thing.
The Rise of Silas Lapham
Chapter III
English subtitles · tap any word to listen
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"Think
it
was
some
kind
of
infernal
machine?"
asked
Bartley,
getting
down
on
his
knees
to
examine
the
package.
"MRS.
B.
Hubbard,
heigh?"
He
cut
the
heavy
hemp
string
with
his
penknife.
"We
must
look
into
this
thing.
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Line 1
"Think
it
was
some
kind
of
infernal
machine?"
asked
Bartley,
getting
down
on
his
knees
to
examine
the
package.
Line 2
"MRS.
Line 3
B.
Hubbard,
heigh?"
Line 4
He
cut
the
heavy
hemp
string
with
his
penknife.
Line 5
"We
must
look
into
this
thing.
/wiː mʌst look ˈɪntuː ðɪs thing/
Learner Dictionary
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
Asked
noun
US /asked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “"Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.”
Infernal
adjective
US /ɪnˈfɜːrnəl/
extremely troublesome or annoying
From this reading “"Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.”
Look
noun
US /look/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “"We must look into this thing.”
Must
modal verb
US /mʌst/
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading “"We must look into this thing.”
Thing
noun
US /thing/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “"We must look into this thing.”
Think
noun
US /think/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “"Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.”
All words in this reading · 36
Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
askednounUS /asked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.
B
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading B. Hubbard, heigh?"
Bartley
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.
cut
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He cut the heavy hemp string with his penknife.
down
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.
examine
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.
getting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He cut the heavy hemp string with his penknife.
heavy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He cut the heavy hemp string with his penknife.
heigh
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading B. Hubbard, heigh?"
hemp
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He cut the heavy hemp string with his penknife.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.
Hubbard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading B. Hubbard, heigh?"
infernaladjectiveUS /ɪnˈfɜːrnəl/
extremely troublesome or annoying
From this reading "Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading "We must look into this thing.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.
kind
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.
knees
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.
looknounUS /look/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "We must look into this thing.
machine
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.
MRS
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "MRS.
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading "We must look into this thing.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.
package
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.
penknife
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He cut the heavy hemp string with his penknife.
some
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.
string
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He cut the heavy hemp string with his penknife.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.
thingnounUS /thing/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "We must look into this thing.
ThinknounUS /think/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading "We must look into this thing.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Think it was some kind of infernal machine?" asked Bartley, getting down on his knees to examine the package.
WepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "We must look into this thing.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading He cut the heavy hemp string with his penknife.