A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XIX
THE BLACKSMITH. The next day I set out after breakfast to inquire about a blacksmith. It was not every or any blacksmith that would do. I must not fix on the first to do my work because he was the first. There was one in the village, I soon learned; but I found him an ordinary man, who, I have no doubt, could shoe a horse and avoid the quick, but from whom any greater delicacy of touch was not to be expected.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading “The next day I set out after breakfast to inquire about a blacksmith.”
later than; following
From this reading “The next day I set out after breakfast to inquire about a blacksmith.”
for the reason that
From this reading “I must not fix on the first to do my work because he was the first.”
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading “There was one in the village, I soon learned; but I found him an ordinary man, who, I have no doubt, could shoe a horse and avoid the quick, but from whom any greater delicacy of touch was not to be expected.”
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading “It was not every or any blacksmith that would do.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “I must not fix on the first to do my work because he was the first.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “There was one in the village, I soon learned; but I found him an ordinary man, who, I have no doubt, could shoe a horse and avoid the quick, but from whom any greater delicacy of touch was not to be expected.”
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “There was one in the village, I soon learned; but I found him an ordinary man, who, I have no doubt, could shoe a horse and avoid the quick, but from whom any greater delicacy of touch was not to be expected.”
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading “I must not fix on the first to do my work because he was the first.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “The next day I set out after breakfast to inquire about a blacksmith.”
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading “There was one in the village, I soon learned; but I found him an ordinary man, who, I have no doubt, could shoe a horse and avoid the quick, but from whom any greater delicacy of touch was not to be expected.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “There was one in the village, I soon learned; but I found him an ordinary man, who, I have no doubt, could shoe a horse and avoid the quick, but from whom any greater delicacy of touch was not to be expected.”
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading “It was not every or any blacksmith that would do.”
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 next day I set out after breakfast to inquire about a blacksmith.
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The next day I set out after breakfast to inquire about a blacksmith.
later than; following
From this reading The next day I set out after breakfast to inquire about a blacksmith.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading There was one in the village, I soon learned; but I found him an ordinary man, who, I have no doubt, could shoe a horse and avoid the quick, but from whom any greater delicacy of touch was not to be expected.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading There was one in the village, I soon learned; but I found him an ordinary man, who, I have no doubt, could shoe a horse and avoid the quick, but from whom any greater delicacy of touch was not to be expected.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not every or any blacksmith that would do.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was one in the village, I soon learned; but I found him an ordinary man, who, I have no doubt, could shoe a horse and avoid the quick, but from whom any greater delicacy of touch was not to be expected.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading There was one in the village, I soon learned; but I found him an ordinary man, who, I have no doubt, could shoe a horse and avoid the quick, but from whom any greater delicacy of touch was not to be expected.
for the reason that
From this reading I must not fix on the first to do my work because he was the first.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE BLACKSMITH.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The next day I set out after breakfast to inquire about a blacksmith.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading There was one in the village, I soon learned; but I found him an ordinary man, who, I have no doubt, could shoe a horse and avoid the quick, but from whom any greater delicacy of touch was not to be expected.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading There was one in the village, I soon learned; but I found him an ordinary man, who, I have no doubt, could shoe a horse and avoid the quick, but from whom any greater delicacy of touch was not to be expected.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The next day I set out after breakfast to inquire about a blacksmith.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was one in the village, I soon learned; but I found him an ordinary man, who, I have no doubt, could shoe a horse and avoid the quick, but from whom any greater delicacy of touch was not to be expected.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading It was not every or any blacksmith that would do.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was one in the village, I soon learned; but I found him an ordinary man, who, I have no doubt, could shoe a horse and avoid the quick, but from whom any greater delicacy of touch was not to be expected.
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading It was not every or any blacksmith that would do.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was one in the village, I soon learned; but I found him an ordinary man, who, I have no doubt, could shoe a horse and avoid the quick, but from whom any greater delicacy of touch was not to be expected.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I must not fix on the first to do my work because he was the first.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I must not fix on the first to do my work because he was the first.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There was one in the village, I soon learned; but I found him an ordinary man, who, I have no doubt, could shoe a horse and avoid the quick, but from whom any greater delicacy of touch was not to be expected.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading There was one in the village, I soon learned; but I found him an ordinary man, who, I have no doubt, could shoe a horse and avoid the quick, but from whom any greater delicacy of touch was not to be expected.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was one in the village, I soon learned; but I found him an ordinary man, who, I have no doubt, could shoe a horse and avoid the quick, but from whom any greater delicacy of touch was not to be expected.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading There was one in the village, I soon learned; but I found him an ordinary man, who, I have no doubt, could shoe a horse and avoid the quick, but from whom any greater delicacy of touch was not to be expected.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading I must not fix on the first to do my work because he was the first.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading There was one in the village, I soon learned; but I found him an ordinary man, who, I have no doubt, could shoe a horse and avoid the quick, but from whom any greater delicacy of touch was not to be expected.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was one in the village, I soon learned; but I found him an ordinary man, who, I have no doubt, could shoe a horse and avoid the quick, but from whom any greater delicacy of touch was not to be expected.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading The next day I set out after breakfast to inquire about a blacksmith.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading There was one in the village, I soon learned; but I found him an ordinary man, who, I have no doubt, could shoe a horse and avoid the quick, but from whom any greater delicacy of touch was not to be expected.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The next day I set out after breakfast to inquire about a blacksmith.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was not every or any blacksmith that would do.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was one in the village, I soon learned; but I found him an ordinary man, who, I have no doubt, could shoe a horse and avoid the quick, but from whom any greater delicacy of touch was not to be expected.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was one in the village, I soon learned; but I found him an ordinary man, who, I have no doubt, could shoe a horse and avoid the quick, but from whom any greater delicacy of touch was not to be expected.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading I must not fix on the first to do my work because he was the first.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading I must not fix on the first to do my work because he was the first.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The next day I set out after breakfast to inquire about a blacksmith.
not any; not one
From this reading There was one in the village, I soon learned; but I found him an ordinary man, who, I have no doubt, could shoe a horse and avoid the quick, but from whom any greater delicacy of touch was not to be expected.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It was not every or any blacksmith that would do.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading There was one in the village, I soon learned; but I found him an ordinary man, who, I have no doubt, could shoe a horse and avoid the quick, but from whom any greater delicacy of touch was not to be expected.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading I must not fix on the first to do my work because he was the first.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading There was one in the village, I soon learned; but I found him an ordinary man, who, I have no doubt, could shoe a horse and avoid the quick, but from whom any greater delicacy of touch was not to be expected.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading It was not every or any blacksmith that would do.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was one in the village, I soon learned; but I found him an ordinary man, who, I have no doubt, could shoe a horse and avoid the quick, but from whom any greater delicacy of touch was not to be expected.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The next day I set out after breakfast to inquire about a blacksmith.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was one in the village, I soon learned; but I found him an ordinary man, who, I have no doubt, could shoe a horse and avoid the quick, but from whom any greater delicacy of touch was not to be expected.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The next day I set out after breakfast to inquire about a blacksmith.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was one in the village, I soon learned; but I found him an ordinary man, who, I have no doubt, could shoe a horse and avoid the quick, but from whom any greater delicacy of touch was not to be expected.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was one in the village, I soon learned; but I found him an ordinary man, who, I have no doubt, could shoe a horse and avoid the quick, but from whom any greater delicacy of touch was not to be expected.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was not every or any blacksmith that would do.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE BLACKSMITH.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was one in the village, I soon learned; but I found him an ordinary man, who, I have no doubt, could shoe a horse and avoid the quick, but from whom any greater delicacy of touch was not to be expected.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The next day I set out after breakfast to inquire about a blacksmith.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was one in the village, I soon learned; but I found him an ordinary man, who, I have no doubt, could shoe a horse and avoid the quick, but from whom any greater delicacy of touch was not to be expected.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was one in the village, I soon learned; but I found him an ordinary man, who, I have no doubt, could shoe a horse and avoid the quick, but from whom any greater delicacy of touch was not to be expected.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was not every or any blacksmith that would do.
which person or people
From this reading There was one in the village, I soon learned; but I found him an ordinary man, who, I have no doubt, could shoe a horse and avoid the quick, but from whom any greater delicacy of touch was not to be expected.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading There was one in the village, I soon learned; but I found him an ordinary man, who, I have no doubt, could shoe a horse and avoid the quick, but from whom any greater delicacy of touch was not to be expected.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I must not fix on the first to do my work because he was the first.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading It was not every or any blacksmith that would do.
