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The Squire's Daughter
The Squire's Daughter

Chapter XVI

Cover illustration for The Squire's Daughter
Context Illustration Reading 1/68 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE PURSUIT Cicely had not been missed from home until the evening.
At tea-time she was supposed to be at the dower-house, or else at the Rectory.
It was only when she had not returned at a quarter to eight, that the maid who waited upon her and her mother told Mrs. Clinton that she was not in her room.
"Where on earth can she be?" exclaimed Mrs. Clinton.
Punctuality at meals being so rigidly observed it was unprecedented that Cicely should not have begun to dress at a quarter to eight.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Squire's Daughter

Chapter XVI

Reading 1/68 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE PURSUIT Cicely had not been missed from home until the evening.
Line 2
At tea-time she was supposed to be at the dower-house, or else at the Rectory.
Line 3
It was only when she had not returned at a quarter to eight, that the maid who waited upon her and her mother told Mrs. Clinton that she was not in her room.
Line 4
"Where on earth can she be?" exclaimed Mrs. Clinton.
Line 5
Punctuality at meals being so rigidly observed it was unprecedented that Cicely should not have begun to dress at a quarter to eight.

Learner Dictionary

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

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “THE PURSUIT Cicely had not been missed from home until the evening.”

Being auxiliary verb US /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading “Punctuality at meals being so rigidly observed it was unprecedented that Cicely should not have begun to dress at a quarter to eight.”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “Punctuality at meals being so rigidly observed it was unprecedented that Cicely should not have begun to dress at a quarter to eight.”

Returned noun US /ˈreturned/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading “It was only when she had not returned at a quarter to eight, that the maid who waited upon her and her mother told Mrs. Clinton that she was not in her room.”

Told noun US /told/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It was only when she had not returned at a quarter to eight, that the maid who waited upon her and her mother told Mrs. Clinton that she was not in her room.”

Until preposition US /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading “THE PURSUIT Cicely had not been missed from home until the evening.”

Upon preposition US /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading “It was only when she had not returned at a quarter to eight, that the maid who waited upon her and her mother told Mrs. Clinton that she was not in her room.”

All words in this reading · 58

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

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading It was only when she had not returned at a quarter to eight, that the maid who waited upon her and her mother told Mrs. Clinton that she was not in her room.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading It was only when she had not returned at a quarter to eight, that the maid who waited upon her and her mother told Mrs. Clinton that she was not in her room.

AtprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading At tea-time she was supposed to be at the dower-house, or else at the Rectory.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading At tea-time she was supposed to be at the dower-house, or else at the Rectory.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading THE PURSUIT Cicely had not been missed from home until the evening.

begun

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

From this reading Punctuality at meals being so rigidly observed it was unprecedented that Cicely should not have begun to dress at a quarter to eight.

beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/

the -ing form of “be”

From this reading Punctuality at meals being so rigidly observed it was unprecedented that Cicely should not have begun to dress at a quarter to eight.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading "Where on earth can she be?" exclaimed Mrs. Clinton.

Cicely

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

From this reading THE PURSUIT Cicely had not been missed from home until the evening.

Clinton

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

From this reading It was only when she had not returned at a quarter to eight, that the maid who waited upon her and her mother told Mrs. Clinton that she was not in her room.

dower-house

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

From this reading At tea-time she was supposed to be at the dower-house, or else at the Rectory.

dress

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

From this reading Punctuality at meals being so rigidly observed it was unprecedented that Cicely should not have begun to dress at a quarter to eight.

earth

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

From this reading "Where on earth can she be?" exclaimed Mrs. Clinton.

eight

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

From this reading It was only when she had not returned at a quarter to eight, that the maid who waited upon her and her mother told Mrs. Clinton that she was not in her room.

else

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

From this reading At tea-time she was supposed to be at the dower-house, or else at the Rectory.

evening

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

From this reading THE PURSUIT Cicely had not been missed from home until the evening.

exclaimed

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

From this reading "Where on earth can she be?" exclaimed Mrs. Clinton.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading THE PURSUIT Cicely had not been missed from home until the evening.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading THE PURSUIT Cicely had not been missed from home until the evening.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Punctuality at meals being so rigidly observed it was unprecedented that Cicely should not have begun to dress at a quarter to eight.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading It was only when she had not returned at a quarter to eight, that the maid who waited upon her and her mother told Mrs. Clinton that she was not in her room.

home

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

From this reading THE PURSUIT Cicely had not been missed from home until the evening.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading It was only when she had not returned at a quarter to eight, that the maid who waited upon her and her mother told Mrs. Clinton that she was not in her room.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was only when she had not returned at a quarter to eight, that the maid who waited upon her and her mother told Mrs. Clinton that she was not in her room.

maid

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

From this reading It was only when she had not returned at a quarter to eight, that the maid who waited upon her and her mother told Mrs. Clinton that she was not in her room.

meals

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

From this reading Punctuality at meals being so rigidly observed it was unprecedented that Cicely should not have begun to dress at a quarter to eight.

missed

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

From this reading THE PURSUIT Cicely had not been missed from home until the evening.

mother

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

From this reading It was only when she had not returned at a quarter to eight, that the maid who waited upon her and her mother told Mrs. Clinton that she was not in her room.

Mrs

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

From this reading It was only when she had not returned at a quarter to eight, that the maid who waited upon her and her mother told Mrs. Clinton that she was not in her room.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading THE PURSUIT Cicely had not been missed from home until the evening.

observed

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

From this reading Punctuality at meals being so rigidly observed it was unprecedented that Cicely should not have begun to dress at a quarter to eight.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading "Where on earth can she be?" exclaimed Mrs. Clinton.

only

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

From this reading It was only when she had not returned at a quarter to eight, that the maid who waited upon her and her mother told Mrs. Clinton that she was not in her room.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading At tea-time she was supposed to be at the dower-house, or else at the Rectory.

Punctuality

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

From this reading Punctuality at meals being so rigidly observed it was unprecedented that Cicely should not have begun to dress at a quarter to eight.

PURSUIT

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

From this reading THE PURSUIT Cicely had not been missed from home until the evening.

quarter

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

From this reading It was only when she had not returned at a quarter to eight, that the maid who waited upon her and her mother told Mrs. Clinton that she was not in her room.

Rectory

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

From this reading At tea-time she was supposed to be at the dower-house, or else at the Rectory.

returnednounUS /ˈreturned/

a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage

From this reading It was only when she had not returned at a quarter to eight, that the maid who waited upon her and her mother told Mrs. Clinton that she was not in her room.

rigidly

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

From this reading Punctuality at meals being so rigidly observed it was unprecedented that Cicely should not have begun to dress at a quarter to eight.

room

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

From this reading It was only when she had not returned at a quarter to eight, that the maid who waited upon her and her mother told Mrs. Clinton that she was not in her room.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading At tea-time she was supposed to be at the dower-house, or else at the Rectory.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading Punctuality at meals being so rigidly observed it was unprecedented that Cicely should not have begun to dress at a quarter to eight.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Punctuality at meals being so rigidly observed it was unprecedented that Cicely should not have begun to dress at a quarter to eight.

supposed

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

From this reading At tea-time she was supposed to be at the dower-house, or else at the Rectory.

tea-time

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

From this reading At tea-time she was supposed to be at the dower-house, or else at the Rectory.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It was only when she had not returned at a quarter to eight, that the maid who waited upon her and her mother told Mrs. Clinton that she was not in her room.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE PURSUIT Cicely had not been missed from home until the evening.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading At tea-time she was supposed to be at the dower-house, or else at the Rectory.

toldnounUS /told/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading It was only when she had not returned at a quarter to eight, that the maid who waited upon her and her mother told Mrs. Clinton that she was not in her room.

unprecedented

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

From this reading Punctuality at meals being so rigidly observed it was unprecedented that Cicely should not have begun to dress at a quarter to eight.

untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading THE PURSUIT Cicely had not been missed from home until the evening.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading It was only when she had not returned at a quarter to eight, that the maid who waited upon her and her mother told Mrs. Clinton that she was not in her room.

waited

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

From this reading It was only when she had not returned at a quarter to eight, that the maid who waited upon her and her mother told Mrs. Clinton that she was not in her room.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading At tea-time she was supposed to be at the dower-house, or else at the Rectory.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading It was only when she had not returned at a quarter to eight, that the maid who waited upon her and her mother told Mrs. Clinton that she was not in her room.

WhereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading "Where on earth can she be?" exclaimed Mrs. Clinton.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading It was only when she had not returned at a quarter to eight, that the maid who waited upon her and her mother told Mrs. Clinton that she was not in her room.