A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
The way led along upon what had once been the embankment of a railroad. But no train had run upon it for many years. The forest on either side swelled up the slopes of the embankment and crested across it in a green wave of trees and bushes. The trail was as narrow as a man's body, and was no more than a wild-animal runway. Occasionally, a piece of rusty iron, showing through the forest-mould, advertised that the rail and the ties still remained.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading “The forest on either side swelled up the slopes of the embankment and crested across it in a green wave of trees and bushes.”
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading “The way led along upon what had once been the embankment of a railroad.”
the past participle of “be”
From this reading “The way led along upon what had once been the embankment of a railroad.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “The trail was as narrow as a man's body, and was no more than a wild-animal runway.”
one or the other of two
From this reading “The forest on either side swelled up the slopes of the embankment and crested across it in a green wave of trees and bushes.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “The way led along upon what had once been the embankment of a railroad.”
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “Occasionally, a piece of rusty iron, showing through the forest-mould, advertised that the rail and the ties still remained.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Occasionally, a piece of rusty iron, showing through the forest-mould, advertised that the rail and the ties still remained.”
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “Occasionally, a piece of rusty iron, showing through the forest-mould, advertised that the rail and the ties still remained.”
a formal word for “on”
From this reading “The way led along upon what had once been the embankment of a railroad.”
Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The way led along upon what had once been the embankment of a railroad.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading The forest on either side swelled up the slopes of the embankment and crested across it in a green wave of trees and bushes.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Occasionally, a piece of rusty iron, showing through the forest-mould, advertised that the rail and the ties still remained.
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading The way led along upon what had once been the embankment of a railroad.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The forest on either side swelled up the slopes of the embankment and crested across it in a green wave of trees and bushes.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The trail was as narrow as a man's body, and was no more than a wild-animal runway.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The way led along upon what had once been the embankment of a railroad.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The trail was as narrow as a man's body, and was no more than a wild-animal runway.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The forest on either side swelled up the slopes of the embankment and crested across it in a green wave of trees and bushes.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But no train had run upon it for many years.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The forest on either side swelled up the slopes of the embankment and crested across it in a green wave of trees and bushes.
one or the other of two
From this reading The forest on either side swelled up the slopes of the embankment and crested across it in a green wave of trees and bushes.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The way led along upon what had once been the embankment of a railroad.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading But no train had run upon it for many years.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The forest on either side swelled up the slopes of the embankment and crested across it in a green wave of trees and bushes.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Occasionally, a piece of rusty iron, showing through the forest-mould, advertised that the rail and the ties still remained.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The forest on either side swelled up the slopes of the embankment and crested across it in a green wave of trees and bushes.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The way led along upon what had once been the embankment of a railroad.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The forest on either side swelled up the slopes of the embankment and crested across it in a green wave of trees and bushes.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Occasionally, a piece of rusty iron, showing through the forest-mould, advertised that the rail and the ties still remained.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading But no train had run upon it for many years.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The way led along upon what had once been the embankment of a railroad.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The trail was as narrow as a man's body, and was no more than a wild-animal runway.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But no train had run upon it for many years.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The trail was as narrow as a man's body, and was no more than a wild-animal runway.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The trail was as narrow as a man's body, and was no more than a wild-animal runway.
not any; not one
From this reading But no train had run upon it for many years.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Occasionally, a piece of rusty iron, showing through the forest-mould, advertised that the rail and the ties still remained.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The way led along upon what had once been the embankment of a railroad.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The forest on either side swelled up the slopes of the embankment and crested across it in a green wave of trees and bushes.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The way led along upon what had once been the embankment of a railroad.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Occasionally, a piece of rusty iron, showing through the forest-mould, advertised that the rail and the ties still remained.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Occasionally, a piece of rusty iron, showing through the forest-mould, advertised that the rail and the ties still remained.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The way led along upon what had once been the embankment of a railroad.
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Occasionally, a piece of rusty iron, showing through the forest-mould, advertised that the rail and the ties still remained.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But no train had run upon it for many years.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The trail was as narrow as a man's body, and was no more than a wild-animal runway.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Occasionally, a piece of rusty iron, showing through the forest-mould, advertised that the rail and the ties still remained.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Occasionally, a piece of rusty iron, showing through the forest-mould, advertised that the rail and the ties still remained.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The forest on either side swelled up the slopes of the embankment and crested across it in a green wave of trees and bushes.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The forest on either side swelled up the slopes of the embankment and crested across it in a green wave of trees and bushes.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Occasionally, a piece of rusty iron, showing through the forest-mould, advertised that the rail and the ties still remained.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The forest on either side swelled up the slopes of the embankment and crested across it in a green wave of trees and bushes.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading The trail was as narrow as a man's body, and was no more than a wild-animal runway.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Occasionally, a piece of rusty iron, showing through the forest-mould, advertised that the rail and the ties still remained.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The way led along upon what had once been the embankment of a railroad.
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Occasionally, a piece of rusty iron, showing through the forest-mould, advertised that the rail and the ties still remained.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Occasionally, a piece of rusty iron, showing through the forest-mould, advertised that the rail and the ties still remained.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The trail was as narrow as a man's body, and was no more than a wild-animal runway.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But no train had run upon it for many years.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The forest on either side swelled up the slopes of the embankment and crested across it in a green wave of trees and bushes.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The forest on either side swelled up the slopes of the embankment and crested across it in a green wave of trees and bushes.
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The way led along upon what had once been the embankment of a railroad.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The trail was as narrow as a man's body, and was no more than a wild-animal runway.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The forest on either side swelled up the slopes of the embankment and crested across it in a green wave of trees and bushes.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The way led along upon what had once been the embankment of a railroad.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading The way led along upon what had once been the embankment of a railroad.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The trail was as narrow as a man's body, and was no more than a wild-animal runway.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But no train had run upon it for many years.
