A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
E. S. W. Joy Havenith had no business at all to be curled up on the back stairs under Great-Grand-Aunt Lucilla's picture. She ought to have been sliding sweetly up and down the long double parlors with teacups and cake, and she knew it. But she just didn't care. As a matter of fact, Aunt Lucilla and the other ancestors ought to have been in the parlors, too; but Grandfather had ordained differently.
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 “She ought to have been sliding sweetly up and down the long double parlors with teacups and cake, and she knew it.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “She ought to have been sliding sweetly up and down the long double parlors with teacups and cake, and she knew it.”
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “She ought to have been sliding sweetly up and down the long double parlors with teacups and cake, and she knew it.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “She ought to have been sliding sweetly up and down the long double parlors with teacups and cake, and she knew it.”
used with “to” to say what is right or advisable
From this reading “She ought to have been sliding sweetly up and down the long double parlors with teacups and cake, and she knew it.”
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading “Joy Havenith had no business at all to be curled up on the back stairs under Great-Grand-Aunt Lucilla's picture.”
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 As a matter of fact, Aunt Lucilla and the other ancestors ought to have been in the parlors, too; but Grandfather had ordained differently.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Joy Havenith had no business at all to be curled up on the back stairs under Great-Grand-Aunt Lucilla's picture.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a matter of fact, Aunt Lucilla and the other ancestors ought to have been in the parlors, too; but Grandfather had ordained differently.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She ought to have been sliding sweetly up and down the long double parlors with teacups and cake, and she knew it.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As a matter of fact, Aunt Lucilla and the other ancestors ought to have been in the parlors, too; but Grandfather had ordained differently.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Joy Havenith had no business at all to be curled up on the back stairs under Great-Grand-Aunt Lucilla's picture.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a matter of fact, Aunt Lucilla and the other ancestors ought to have been in the parlors, too; but Grandfather had ordained differently.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Joy Havenith had no business at all to be curled up on the back stairs under Great-Grand-Aunt Lucilla's picture.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Joy Havenith had no business at all to be curled up on the back stairs under Great-Grand-Aunt Lucilla's picture.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading She ought to have been sliding sweetly up and down the long double parlors with teacups and cake, and she knew it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Joy Havenith had no business at all to be curled up on the back stairs under Great-Grand-Aunt Lucilla's picture.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But she just didn't care.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She ought to have been sliding sweetly up and down the long double parlors with teacups and cake, and she knew it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But she just didn't care.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Joy Havenith had no business at all to be curled up on the back stairs under Great-Grand-Aunt Lucilla's picture.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But she just didn't care.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a matter of fact, Aunt Lucilla and the other ancestors ought to have been in the parlors, too; but Grandfather had ordained differently.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She ought to have been sliding sweetly up and down the long double parlors with teacups and cake, and she knew it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She ought to have been sliding sweetly up and down the long double parlors with teacups and cake, and she knew it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading E. S. W.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a matter of fact, Aunt Lucilla and the other ancestors ought to have been in the parlors, too; but Grandfather had ordained differently.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a matter of fact, Aunt Lucilla and the other ancestors ought to have been in the parlors, too; but Grandfather had ordained differently.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Joy Havenith had no business at all to be curled up on the back stairs under Great-Grand-Aunt Lucilla's picture.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Joy Havenith had no business at all to be curled up on the back stairs under Great-Grand-Aunt Lucilla's picture.
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading She ought to have been sliding sweetly up and down the long double parlors with teacups and cake, and she knew it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Joy Havenith had no business at all to be curled up on the back stairs under Great-Grand-Aunt Lucilla's picture.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading As a matter of fact, Aunt Lucilla and the other ancestors ought to have been in the parlors, too; but Grandfather had ordained differently.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading She ought to have been sliding sweetly up and down the long double parlors with teacups and cake, and she knew it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Joy Havenith had no business at all to be curled up on the back stairs under Great-Grand-Aunt Lucilla's picture.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But she just didn't care.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She ought to have been sliding sweetly up and down the long double parlors with teacups and cake, and she knew it.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She ought to have been sliding sweetly up and down the long double parlors with teacups and cake, and she knew it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a matter of fact, Aunt Lucilla and the other ancestors ought to have been in the parlors, too; but Grandfather had ordained differently.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Joy Havenith had no business at all to be curled up on the back stairs under Great-Grand-Aunt Lucilla's picture.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a matter of fact, Aunt Lucilla and the other ancestors ought to have been in the parlors, too; but Grandfather had ordained differently.
not any; not one
From this reading Joy Havenith had no business at all to be curled up on the back stairs under Great-Grand-Aunt Lucilla's picture.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading As a matter of fact, Aunt Lucilla and the other ancestors ought to have been in the parlors, too; but Grandfather had ordained differently.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Joy Havenith had no business at all to be curled up on the back stairs under Great-Grand-Aunt Lucilla's picture.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a matter of fact, Aunt Lucilla and the other ancestors ought to have been in the parlors, too; but Grandfather had ordained differently.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a matter of fact, Aunt Lucilla and the other ancestors ought to have been in the parlors, too; but Grandfather had ordained differently.
used with “to” to say what is right or advisable
From this reading She ought to have been sliding sweetly up and down the long double parlors with teacups and cake, and she knew it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She ought to have been sliding sweetly up and down the long double parlors with teacups and cake, and she knew it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Joy Havenith had no business at all to be curled up on the back stairs under Great-Grand-Aunt Lucilla's picture.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading E. S. W.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She ought to have been sliding sweetly up and down the long double parlors with teacups and cake, and she knew it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She ought to have been sliding sweetly up and down the long double parlors with teacups and cake, and she knew it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Joy Havenith had no business at all to be curled up on the back stairs under Great-Grand-Aunt Lucilla's picture.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She ought to have been sliding sweetly up and down the long double parlors with teacups and cake, and she knew it.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She ought to have been sliding sweetly up and down the long double parlors with teacups and cake, and she knew it.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Joy Havenith had no business at all to be curled up on the back stairs under Great-Grand-Aunt Lucilla's picture.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Joy Havenith had no business at all to be curled up on the back stairs under Great-Grand-Aunt Lucilla's picture.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a matter of fact, Aunt Lucilla and the other ancestors ought to have been in the parlors, too; but Grandfather had ordained differently.
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading Joy Havenith had no business at all to be curled up on the back stairs under Great-Grand-Aunt Lucilla's picture.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Joy Havenith had no business at all to be curled up on the back stairs under Great-Grand-Aunt Lucilla's picture.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading E. S. W.
in the company of; together with
From this reading She ought to have been sliding sweetly up and down the long double parlors with teacups and cake, and she knew it.
