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The Scarlet Letter
The Scarlet Letter

Chapter XVIII

Chapter 18, section 1: With sudden and desperate tenderness she threw her arms around him, and pressed his head against her bosom, little caring though his cheek rested on the scarlet letter. He would ha
Context Illustration Reading 1/27 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
With sudden and desperate tenderness she threw her arms around him, and pressed his head against her bosom, little caring though his cheek rested on the scarlet letter.
He would have released himself, but strove in vain to do so.
Hester would not set him free, lest he should look her sternly in the face.
All the world had frowned on her—for seven long years had it frowned upon this lonely woman—and still she bore it all, nor ever once turned away her firm, sad eyes.
Heaven, likewise, had frowned upon her, and she had not died.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Scarlet Letter

Chapter XVIII

Reading 1/27 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
With sudden and desperate tenderness she threw her arms around him, and pressed his head against her bosom, little caring though his cheek rested on the scarlet letter.
Line 2
He would have released himself, but strove in vain to do so.
Line 3
Hester would not set him free, lest he should look her sternly in the face.
Line 4
All the world had frowned on her—for seven long years had it frowned upon this lonely woman—and still she bore it all, nor ever once turned away her firm, sad eyes.
Line 5
Heaven, likewise, had frowned upon her, and she had not died.

Learner Dictionary

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

sudden noun US /sudden/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “With sudden and desperate tenderness she threw her arms around him, and pressed his head against her bosom, little caring though his cheek rested on the scarlet letter.”

Collocations
With suddenA source-grounded phrase from this reading.
sudden andA source-grounded phrase from this reading.
All words in this reading · 72

Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading With sudden and desperate tenderness she threw her arms around him, and pressed his head against her bosom, little caring though his cheek rested on the scarlet letter.

All

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

From this reading All the world had frowned on her—for seven long years had it frowned upon this lonely woman—and still she bore it all, nor ever once turned away her firm, sad eyes.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading With sudden and desperate tenderness she threw her arms around him, and pressed his head against her bosom, little caring though his cheek rested on the scarlet letter.

arms

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

From this reading With sudden and desperate tenderness she threw her arms around him, and pressed his head against her bosom, little caring though his cheek rested on the scarlet letter.

aroundprepositionUS /ərˈaʊnd/

surrounding, or on every side of, something

From this reading With sudden and desperate tenderness she threw her arms around him, and pressed his head against her bosom, little caring though his cheek rested on the scarlet letter.

away

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

From this reading All the world had frowned on her—for seven long years had it frowned upon this lonely woman—and still she bore it all, nor ever once turned away her firm, sad eyes.

bore

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

From this reading All the world had frowned on her—for seven long years had it frowned upon this lonely woman—and still she bore it all, nor ever once turned away her firm, sad eyes.

bosom

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

From this reading With sudden and desperate tenderness she threw her arms around him, and pressed his head against her bosom, little caring though his cheek rested on the scarlet letter.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading He would have released himself, but strove in vain to do so.

caring

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

From this reading With sudden and desperate tenderness she threw her arms around him, and pressed his head against her bosom, little caring though his cheek rested on the scarlet letter.

cheek

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

From this reading With sudden and desperate tenderness she threw her arms around him, and pressed his head against her bosom, little caring though his cheek rested on the scarlet letter.

desperate

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

From this reading With sudden and desperate tenderness she threw her arms around him, and pressed his head against her bosom, little caring though his cheek rested on the scarlet letter.

died

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

From this reading Heaven, likewise, had frowned upon her, and she had not died.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading He would have released himself, but strove in vain to do so.

evernounUS /ever/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading All the world had frowned on her—for seven long years had it frowned upon this lonely woman—and still she bore it all, nor ever once turned away her firm, sad eyes.

eyes

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

From this reading All the world had frowned on her—for seven long years had it frowned upon this lonely woman—and still she bore it all, nor ever once turned away her firm, sad eyes.

face

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

From this reading Hester would not set him free, lest he should look her sternly in the face.

firm

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

From this reading All the world had frowned on her—for seven long years had it frowned upon this lonely woman—and still she bore it all, nor ever once turned away her firm, sad eyes.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading All the world had frowned on her—for seven long years had it frowned upon this lonely woman—and still she bore it all, nor ever once turned away her firm, sad eyes.

freeadjectiveUS /friː/

acting without enough restraint or discipline

From this reading Hester would not set him free, lest he should look her sternly in the face.

frowned

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

From this reading All the world had frowned on her—for seven long years had it frowned upon this lonely woman—and still she bore it all, nor ever once turned away her firm, sad eyes.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading All the world had frowned on her—for seven long years had it frowned upon this lonely woman—and still she bore it all, nor ever once turned away her firm, sad eyes.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading He would have released himself, but strove in vain to do so.

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He would have released himself, but strove in vain to do so.

head

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

From this reading With sudden and desperate tenderness she threw her arms around him, and pressed his head against her bosom, little caring though his cheek rested on the scarlet letter.

Heaven

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

From this reading Heaven, likewise, had frowned upon her, and she had not died.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading With sudden and desperate tenderness she threw her arms around him, and pressed his head against her bosom, little caring though his cheek rested on the scarlet letter.

Hester

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

From this reading Hester would not set him free, lest he should look her sternly in the face.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

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

From this reading With sudden and desperate tenderness she threw her arms around him, and pressed his head against her bosom, little caring though his cheek rested on the scarlet letter.

himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading He would have released himself, but strove in vain to do so.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading With sudden and desperate tenderness she threw her arms around him, and pressed his head against her bosom, little caring though his cheek rested on the scarlet letter.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading He would have released himself, but strove in vain to do so.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading All the world had frowned on her—for seven long years had it frowned upon this lonely woman—and still she bore it all, nor ever once turned away her firm, sad eyes.

lestconjunctionUS /lest/

in order that something should not happen

From this reading Hester would not set him free, lest he should look her sternly in the face.

letter

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

From this reading With sudden and desperate tenderness she threw her arms around him, and pressed his head against her bosom, little caring though his cheek rested on the scarlet letter.

likewise

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

From this reading Heaven, likewise, had frowned upon her, and she had not died.

littlenounUS /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading With sudden and desperate tenderness she threw her arms around him, and pressed his head against her bosom, little caring though his cheek rested on the scarlet letter.

lonely

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

From this reading All the world had frowned on her—for seven long years had it frowned upon this lonely woman—and still she bore it all, nor ever once turned away her firm, sad eyes.

longnounUS /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading All the world had frowned on her—for seven long years had it frowned upon this lonely woman—and still she bore it all, nor ever once turned away her firm, sad eyes.

looknounUS /look/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Hester would not set him free, lest he should look her sternly in the face.

norconjunctionUS /nɔːr/

and not; used after a negative to add a second negative

From this reading All the world had frowned on her—for seven long years had it frowned upon this lonely woman—and still she bore it all, nor ever once turned away her firm, sad eyes.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Hester would not set him free, lest he should look her sternly in the face.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading With sudden and desperate tenderness she threw her arms around him, and pressed his head against her bosom, little caring though his cheek rested on the scarlet letter.

once

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

From this reading All the world had frowned on her—for seven long years had it frowned upon this lonely woman—and still she bore it all, nor ever once turned away her firm, sad eyes.

pressed

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

From this reading With sudden and desperate tenderness she threw her arms around him, and pressed his head against her bosom, little caring though his cheek rested on the scarlet letter.

released

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

From this reading He would have released himself, but strove in vain to do so.

rested

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

From this reading With sudden and desperate tenderness she threw her arms around him, and pressed his head against her bosom, little caring though his cheek rested on the scarlet letter.

sad

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

From this reading All the world had frowned on her—for seven long years had it frowned upon this lonely woman—and still she bore it all, nor ever once turned away her firm, sad eyes.

scarlet

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

From this reading With sudden and desperate tenderness she threw her arms around him, and pressed his head against her bosom, little caring though his cheek rested on the scarlet letter.

set

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

From this reading Hester would not set him free, lest he should look her sternly in the face.

seven

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

From this reading All the world had frowned on her—for seven long years had it frowned upon this lonely woman—and still she bore it all, nor ever once turned away her firm, sad eyes.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading With sudden and desperate tenderness she threw her arms around him, and pressed his head against her bosom, little caring though his cheek rested on the scarlet letter.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading Hester would not set him free, lest he should look her sternly in the face.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading He would have released himself, but strove in vain to do so.

sternly

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

From this reading Hester would not set him free, lest he should look her sternly in the face.

stillnounUS /still/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading All the world had frowned on her—for seven long years had it frowned upon this lonely woman—and still she bore it all, nor ever once turned away her firm, sad eyes.

strove

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

From this reading He would have released himself, but strove in vain to do so.

suddennounUS /sudden/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading With sudden and desperate tenderness she threw her arms around him, and pressed his head against her bosom, little caring though his cheek rested on the scarlet letter.

tenderness

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

From this reading With sudden and desperate tenderness she threw her arms around him, and pressed his head against her bosom, little caring though his cheek rested on the scarlet letter.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading With sudden and desperate tenderness she threw her arms around him, and pressed his head against her bosom, little caring though his cheek rested on the scarlet letter.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading All the world had frowned on her—for seven long years had it frowned upon this lonely woman—and still she bore it all, nor ever once turned away her firm, sad eyes.

thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/

in spite of the fact that

From this reading With sudden and desperate tenderness she threw her arms around him, and pressed his head against her bosom, little caring though his cheek rested on the scarlet letter.

threw

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

From this reading With sudden and desperate tenderness she threw her arms around him, and pressed his head against her bosom, little caring though his cheek rested on the scarlet letter.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading He would have released himself, but strove in vain to do so.

turned

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

From this reading All the world had frowned on her—for seven long years had it frowned upon this lonely woman—and still she bore it all, nor ever once turned away her firm, sad eyes.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading All the world had frowned on her—for seven long years had it frowned upon this lonely woman—and still she bore it all, nor ever once turned away her firm, sad eyes.

vain

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

From this reading He would have released himself, but strove in vain to do so.

WithprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading With sudden and desperate tenderness she threw her arms around him, and pressed his head against her bosom, little caring though his cheek rested on the scarlet letter.

woman

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

From this reading All the world had frowned on her—for seven long years had it frowned upon this lonely woman—and still she bore it all, nor ever once turned away her firm, sad eyes.

world

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

From this reading All the world had frowned on her—for seven long years had it frowned upon this lonely woman—and still she bore it all, nor ever once turned away her firm, sad eyes.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

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

From this reading He would have released himself, but strove in vain to do so.

years

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

From this reading All the world had frowned on her—for seven long years had it frowned upon this lonely woman—and still she bore it all, nor ever once turned away her firm, sad eyes.