A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XXIX
A week had passed since Rodin was seized with the cholera, and its ravages had continually increased. That was an awful time! A funeral pall was spread over Paris, once so gay. And yet, never had the sky been of a more settled, purer blue; never had the sun shone more brilliantly. The inexorable serenity of nature, during the ravages of the deadly scourge, offered a strange and mysterious contrast.
Reading 1/85 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading “And yet, never had the sky been of a more settled, purer blue; never had the sun shone more brilliantly.”
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading “The inexorable serenity of nature, during the ravages of the deadly scourge, offered a strange and mysterious contrast.”
difficult to explain or understand
From this reading “The inexorable serenity of nature, during the ravages of the deadly scourge, offered a strange and mysterious contrast.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “And yet, never had the sky been of a more settled, purer blue; never had the sun shone more brilliantly.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “A funeral pall was spread over Paris, once so gay.”
above and across; more than
From this reading “A funeral pall was spread over Paris, once so gay.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “A week had passed since Rodin was seized with the cholera, and its ravages had continually increased.”
The state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubled by external storms.
From this reading “The inexorable serenity of nature, during the ravages of the deadly scourge, offered a strange and mysterious contrast.”
from a time in the past until now
From this reading “A week had passed since Rodin was seized with the cholera, and its ravages had continually increased.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “That was an awful time!”
but in spite of that
From this reading “And yet, never had the sky been of a more settled, purer blue; never had the sun shone more brilliantly.”
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 A week had passed since Rodin was seized with the cholera, and its ravages had continually increased.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading That was an awful time!
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A week had passed since Rodin was seized with the cholera, and its ravages had continually increased.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That was an awful time!
the past participle of “be”
From this reading And yet, never had the sky been of a more settled, purer blue; never had the sun shone more brilliantly.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And yet, never had the sky been of a more settled, purer blue; never had the sun shone more brilliantly.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And yet, never had the sky been of a more settled, purer blue; never had the sun shone more brilliantly.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A week had passed since Rodin was seized with the cholera, and its ravages had continually increased.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A week had passed since Rodin was seized with the cholera, and its ravages had continually increased.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The inexorable serenity of nature, during the ravages of the deadly scourge, offered a strange and mysterious contrast.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The inexorable serenity of nature, during the ravages of the deadly scourge, offered a strange and mysterious contrast.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading The inexorable serenity of nature, during the ravages of the deadly scourge, offered a strange and mysterious contrast.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A funeral pall was spread over Paris, once so gay.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A funeral pall was spread over Paris, once so gay.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading A week had passed since Rodin was seized with the cholera, and its ravages had continually increased.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A week had passed since Rodin was seized with the cholera, and its ravages had continually increased.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The inexorable serenity of nature, during the ravages of the deadly scourge, offered a strange and mysterious contrast.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading A week had passed since Rodin was seized with the cholera, and its ravages had continually increased.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And yet, never had the sky been of a more settled, purer blue; never had the sun shone more brilliantly.
difficult to explain or understand
From this reading The inexorable serenity of nature, during the ravages of the deadly scourge, offered a strange and mysterious contrast.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The inexorable serenity of nature, during the ravages of the deadly scourge, offered a strange and mysterious contrast.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading And yet, never had the sky been of a more settled, purer blue; never had the sun shone more brilliantly.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading And yet, never had the sky been of a more settled, purer blue; never had the sun shone more brilliantly.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The inexorable serenity of nature, during the ravages of the deadly scourge, offered a strange and mysterious contrast.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A funeral pall was spread over Paris, once so gay.
above and across; more than
From this reading A funeral pall was spread over Paris, once so gay.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A funeral pall was spread over Paris, once so gay.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A funeral pall was spread over Paris, once so gay.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading A week had passed since Rodin was seized with the cholera, and its ravages had continually increased.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And yet, never had the sky been of a more settled, purer blue; never had the sun shone more brilliantly.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A week had passed since Rodin was seized with the cholera, and its ravages had continually increased.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A week had passed since Rodin was seized with the cholera, and its ravages had continually increased.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The inexorable serenity of nature, during the ravages of the deadly scourge, offered a strange and mysterious contrast.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A week had passed since Rodin was seized with the cholera, and its ravages had continually increased.
The state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubled by external storms.
From this reading The inexorable serenity of nature, during the ravages of the deadly scourge, offered a strange and mysterious contrast.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And yet, never had the sky been of a more settled, purer blue; never had the sun shone more brilliantly.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And yet, never had the sky been of a more settled, purer blue; never had the sun shone more brilliantly.
from a time in the past until now
From this reading A week had passed since Rodin was seized with the cholera, and its ravages had continually increased.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And yet, never had the sky been of a more settled, purer blue; never had the sun shone more brilliantly.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading A funeral pall was spread over Paris, once so gay.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A funeral pall was spread over Paris, once so gay.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The inexorable serenity of nature, during the ravages of the deadly scourge, offered a strange and mysterious contrast.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And yet, never had the sky been of a more settled, purer blue; never had the sun shone more brilliantly.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That was an awful time!
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A week had passed since Rodin was seized with the cholera, and its ravages had continually increased.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading That was an awful time!
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A week had passed since Rodin was seized with the cholera, and its ravages had continually increased.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A week had passed since Rodin was seized with the cholera, and its ravages had continually increased.
in the company of; together with
From this reading A week had passed since Rodin was seized with the cholera, and its ravages had continually increased.
but in spite of that
From this reading And yet, never had the sky been of a more settled, purer blue; never had the sun shone more brilliantly.
