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The Zeppelin's Passenger
The Zeppelin's Passenger

Chapter XXX

Cover illustration for The Zeppelin's Passenger
Context Illustration Reading 1/34 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
It was a happy, if a trifle hysterical little dinner party that evening at Mainsail Haul.
Philippa was at times unusually silent, but Helen had expanded in the joy of her great happiness.
Richard, shaved and with his hair cut, attired once more in the garb of civilisation, seemed a different person.
Even in these few hours the lines about his mouth seemed less pronounced.
They talked freely of Maderstrom.
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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 Zeppelin's Passenger

Chapter XXX

Reading 1/34 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
It was a happy, if a trifle hysterical little dinner party that evening at Mainsail Haul.
Line 2
Philippa was at times unusually silent, but Helen had expanded in the joy of her great happiness.
Line 3
Richard, shaved and with his hair cut, attired once more in the garb of civilisation, seemed a different person.
Line 4
Even in these few hours the lines about his mouth seemed less pronounced.
Line 5
They talked freely of Maderstrom.

Learner Dictionary

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

About preposition US /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading “Even in these few hours the lines about his mouth seemed less pronounced.”

Different noun US /ˈdifferent/

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

From this reading “Richard, shaved and with his hair cut, attired once more in the garb of civilisation, seemed a different person.”

Even noun US /even/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Even in these few hours the lines about his mouth seemed less pronounced.”

Great noun US /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Philippa was at times unusually silent, but Helen had expanded in the joy of her great happiness.”

Little noun US /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It was a happy, if a trifle hysterical little dinner party that evening at Mainsail Haul.”

Once noun US /once/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Richard, shaved and with his hair cut, attired once more in the garb of civilisation, seemed a different person.”

Party noun US /party/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It was a happy, if a trifle hysterical little dinner party that evening at Mainsail Haul.”

Seemed noun US /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Richard, shaved and with his hair cut, attired once more in the garb of civilisation, seemed a different person.”

These determiner US /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading “Even in these few hours the lines about his mouth seemed less pronounced.”

Trifle noun US /ˈtraɪfəl/

something that needs very little effort

From this reading “It was a happy, if a trifle hysterical little dinner party that evening at Mainsail Haul.”

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 a happy, if a trifle hysterical little dinner party that evening at Mainsail Haul.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading Even in these few hours the lines about his mouth seemed less pronounced.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Richard, shaved and with his hair cut, attired once more in the garb of civilisation, seemed a different person.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading It was a happy, if a trifle hysterical little dinner party that evening at Mainsail Haul.

attired

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

From this reading Richard, shaved and with his hair cut, attired once more in the garb of civilisation, seemed a different person.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Philippa was at times unusually silent, but Helen had expanded in the joy of her great happiness.

civilisation

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

From this reading Richard, shaved and with his hair cut, attired once more in the garb of civilisation, seemed a different person.

cut

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

From this reading Richard, shaved and with his hair cut, attired once more in the garb of civilisation, seemed a different person.

differentnounUS /ˈdifferent/

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

From this reading Richard, shaved and with his hair cut, attired once more in the garb of civilisation, seemed a different person.

dinner

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

From this reading It was a happy, if a trifle hysterical little dinner party that evening at Mainsail Haul.

EvennounUS /even/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Even in these few hours the lines about his mouth seemed less pronounced.

evening

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

From this reading It was a happy, if a trifle hysterical little dinner party that evening at Mainsail Haul.

expanded

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

From this reading Philippa was at times unusually silent, but Helen had expanded in the joy of her great happiness.

few

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

From this reading Even in these few hours the lines about his mouth seemed less pronounced.

freely

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

From this reading They talked freely of Maderstrom.

garb

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

From this reading Richard, shaved and with his hair cut, attired once more in the garb of civilisation, seemed a different person.

greatnounUS /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Philippa was at times unusually silent, but Helen had expanded in the joy of her great happiness.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Philippa was at times unusually silent, but Helen had expanded in the joy of her great happiness.

hair

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

From this reading Richard, shaved and with his hair cut, attired once more in the garb of civilisation, seemed a different person.

happiness

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

From this reading Philippa was at times unusually silent, but Helen had expanded in the joy of her great happiness.

happy

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

From this reading It was a happy, if a trifle hysterical little dinner party that evening at Mainsail Haul.

Haul

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

From this reading It was a happy, if a trifle hysterical little dinner party that evening at Mainsail Haul.

Helen

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

From this reading Philippa was at times unusually silent, but Helen had expanded in the joy of her great happiness.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading Philippa was at times unusually silent, but Helen had expanded in the joy of her great happiness.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading Richard, shaved and with his hair cut, attired once more in the garb of civilisation, seemed a different person.

hours

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

From this reading Even in these few hours the lines about his mouth seemed less pronounced.

hysterical

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

From this reading It was a happy, if a trifle hysterical little dinner party that evening at Mainsail Haul.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading It was a happy, if a trifle hysterical little dinner party that evening at Mainsail Haul.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading Philippa was at times unusually silent, but Helen had expanded in the joy of her great happiness.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was a happy, if a trifle hysterical little dinner party that evening at Mainsail Haul.

joy

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

From this reading Philippa was at times unusually silent, but Helen had expanded in the joy of her great happiness.

less

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

From this reading Even in these few hours the lines about his mouth seemed less pronounced.

lines

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

From this reading Even in these few hours the lines about his mouth seemed less pronounced.

littlenounUS /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading It was a happy, if a trifle hysterical little dinner party that evening at Mainsail Haul.

Maderstrom

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

From this reading They talked freely of Maderstrom.

Mainsail

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

From this reading It was a happy, if a trifle hysterical little dinner party that evening at Mainsail Haul.

more

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

From this reading Richard, shaved and with his hair cut, attired once more in the garb of civilisation, seemed a different person.

mouth

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

From this reading Even in these few hours the lines about his mouth seemed less pronounced.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Philippa was at times unusually silent, but Helen had expanded in the joy of her great happiness.

once

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

From this reading Richard, shaved and with his hair cut, attired once more in the garb of civilisation, seemed a different person.

partynounUS /party/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading It was a happy, if a trifle hysterical little dinner party that evening at Mainsail Haul.

person

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

From this reading Richard, shaved and with his hair cut, attired once more in the garb of civilisation, seemed a different person.

Philippa

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

From this reading Philippa was at times unusually silent, but Helen had expanded in the joy of her great happiness.

pronounced

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

From this reading Even in these few hours the lines about his mouth seemed less pronounced.

Richard

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

From this reading Richard, shaved and with his hair cut, attired once more in the garb of civilisation, seemed a different person.

seemednounUS /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Richard, shaved and with his hair cut, attired once more in the garb of civilisation, seemed a different person.

shaved

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

From this reading Richard, shaved and with his hair cut, attired once more in the garb of civilisation, seemed a different person.

silent

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

From this reading Philippa was at times unusually silent, but Helen had expanded in the joy of her great happiness.

talked

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

From this reading They talked freely of Maderstrom.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It was a happy, if a trifle hysterical little dinner party that evening at Mainsail Haul.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading Philippa was at times unusually silent, but Helen had expanded in the joy of her great happiness.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading Even in these few hours the lines about his mouth seemed less pronounced.

TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading They talked freely of Maderstrom.

times

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

From this reading Philippa was at times unusually silent, but Helen had expanded in the joy of her great happiness.

triflenounUS /ˈtraɪfəl/

something that needs very little effort

From this reading It was a happy, if a trifle hysterical little dinner party that evening at Mainsail Haul.

unusually

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

From this reading Philippa was at times unusually silent, but Helen had expanded in the joy of her great happiness.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading It was a happy, if a trifle hysterical little dinner party that evening at Mainsail Haul.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Richard, shaved and with his hair cut, attired once more in the garb of civilisation, seemed a different person.