A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
Something worried Babcock. One could see that from the impatient gesture with which he turned away from the ferry window on learning he had half an hour to wait. He paced the slip with hands deep in his pockets, his head on his chest. Every now and then he stopped, snapped open his watch and shut it again quickly, as if to hurry the lagging minutes. For the first time in years Tom Grogan, who had always unloaded his boats, had failed him.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Every now and then he stopped, snapped open his watch and shut it again quickly, as if to hurry the lagging minutes.”
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading “One could see that from the impatient gesture with which he turned away from the ferry window on learning he had half an hour to wait.”
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading “Every now and then he stopped, snapped open his watch and shut it again quickly, as if to hurry the lagging minutes.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “For the first time in years Tom Grogan, who had always unloaded his boats, had failed him.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “One could see that from the impatient gesture with which he turned away from the ferry window on learning he had half an hour to wait.”
members of a ship’s crew
From this reading “He paced the slip with hands deep in his pockets, his head on his chest.”
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading “One could see that from the impatient gesture with which he turned away from the ferry window on learning he had half an hour to wait.”
To move from a closed position.
From this reading “Every now and then he stopped, snapped open his watch and shut it again quickly, as if to hurry the lagging minutes.”
a thing, without saying which
From this reading “Something worried Babcock.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Every now and then he stopped, snapped open his watch and shut it again quickly, as if to hurry the lagging minutes.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “For the first time in years Tom Grogan, who had always unloaded his boats, had failed him.”
Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Every now and then he stopped, snapped open his watch and shut it again quickly, as if to hurry the lagging minutes.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For the first time in years Tom Grogan, who had always unloaded his boats, had failed him.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading One could see that from the impatient gesture with which he turned away from the ferry window on learning he had half an hour to wait.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Every now and then he stopped, snapped open his watch and shut it again quickly, as if to hurry the lagging minutes.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Every now and then he stopped, snapped open his watch and shut it again quickly, as if to hurry the lagging minutes.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One could see that from the impatient gesture with which he turned away from the ferry window on learning he had half an hour to wait.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Something worried Babcock.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For the first time in years Tom Grogan, who had always unloaded his boats, had failed him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He paced the slip with hands deep in his pockets, his head on his chest.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading One could see that from the impatient gesture with which he turned away from the ferry window on learning he had half an hour to wait.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He paced the slip with hands deep in his pockets, his head on his chest.
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading Every now and then he stopped, snapped open his watch and shut it again quickly, as if to hurry the lagging minutes.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For the first time in years Tom Grogan, who had always unloaded his boats, had failed him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One could see that from the impatient gesture with which he turned away from the ferry window on learning he had half an hour to wait.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading For the first time in years Tom Grogan, who had always unloaded his boats, had failed him.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For the first time in years Tom Grogan, who had always unloaded his boats, had failed him.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading One could see that from the impatient gesture with which he turned away from the ferry window on learning he had half an hour to wait.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One could see that from the impatient gesture with which he turned away from the ferry window on learning he had half an hour to wait.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For the first time in years Tom Grogan, who had always unloaded his boats, had failed him.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading One could see that from the impatient gesture with which he turned away from the ferry window on learning he had half an hour to wait.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading One could see that from the impatient gesture with which he turned away from the ferry window on learning he had half an hour to wait.
members of a ship’s crew
From this reading He paced the slip with hands deep in his pockets, his head on his chest.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading One could see that from the impatient gesture with which he turned away from the ferry window on learning he had half an hour to wait.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He paced the slip with hands deep in his pockets, his head on his chest.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading For the first time in years Tom Grogan, who had always unloaded his boats, had failed him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He paced the slip with hands deep in his pockets, his head on his chest.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One could see that from the impatient gesture with which he turned away from the ferry window on learning he had half an hour to wait.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Every now and then he stopped, snapped open his watch and shut it again quickly, as if to hurry the lagging minutes.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Every now and then he stopped, snapped open his watch and shut it again quickly, as if to hurry the lagging minutes.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One could see that from the impatient gesture with which he turned away from the ferry window on learning he had half an hour to wait.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He paced the slip with hands deep in his pockets, his head on his chest.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Every now and then he stopped, snapped open his watch and shut it again quickly, as if to hurry the lagging minutes.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Every now and then he stopped, snapped open his watch and shut it again quickly, as if to hurry the lagging minutes.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One could see that from the impatient gesture with which he turned away from the ferry window on learning he had half an hour to wait.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Every now and then he stopped, snapped open his watch and shut it again quickly, as if to hurry the lagging minutes.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Every now and then he stopped, snapped open his watch and shut it again quickly, as if to hurry the lagging minutes.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading One could see that from the impatient gesture with which he turned away from the ferry window on learning he had half an hour to wait.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One could see that from the impatient gesture with which he turned away from the ferry window on learning he had half an hour to wait.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading Every now and then he stopped, snapped open his watch and shut it again quickly, as if to hurry the lagging minutes.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He paced the slip with hands deep in his pockets, his head on his chest.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He paced the slip with hands deep in his pockets, his head on his chest.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Every now and then he stopped, snapped open his watch and shut it again quickly, as if to hurry the lagging minutes.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One could see that from the impatient gesture with which he turned away from the ferry window on learning he had half an hour to wait.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Every now and then he stopped, snapped open his watch and shut it again quickly, as if to hurry the lagging minutes.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He paced the slip with hands deep in his pockets, his head on his chest.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Every now and then he stopped, snapped open his watch and shut it again quickly, as if to hurry the lagging minutes.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading Something worried Babcock.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Every now and then he stopped, snapped open his watch and shut it again quickly, as if to hurry the lagging minutes.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading One could see that from the impatient gesture with which he turned away from the ferry window on learning he had half an hour to wait.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading One could see that from the impatient gesture with which he turned away from the ferry window on learning he had half an hour to wait.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Every now and then he stopped, snapped open his watch and shut it again quickly, as if to hurry the lagging minutes.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading For the first time in years Tom Grogan, who had always unloaded his boats, had failed him.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading One could see that from the impatient gesture with which he turned away from the ferry window on learning he had half an hour to wait.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For the first time in years Tom Grogan, who had always unloaded his boats, had failed him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One could see that from the impatient gesture with which he turned away from the ferry window on learning he had half an hour to wait.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For the first time in years Tom Grogan, who had always unloaded his boats, had failed him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One could see that from the impatient gesture with which he turned away from the ferry window on learning he had half an hour to wait.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Every now and then he stopped, snapped open his watch and shut it again quickly, as if to hurry the lagging minutes.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading One could see that from the impatient gesture with which he turned away from the ferry window on learning he had half an hour to wait.
which person or people
From this reading For the first time in years Tom Grogan, who had always unloaded his boats, had failed him.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One could see that from the impatient gesture with which he turned away from the ferry window on learning he had half an hour to wait.
in the company of; together with
From this reading One could see that from the impatient gesture with which he turned away from the ferry window on learning he had half an hour to wait.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Something worried Babcock.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For the first time in years Tom Grogan, who had always unloaded his boats, had failed him.
