A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter I
Christmas day was grey with clouds; on the roofs of the city and in the streets the sun never shone all day. People called it cold. Sarah Staples found it so on her crossing. Inside Mrs. Lloyd's front-door, however, it seemed to Matilda to be nothing but sunshine. She had not leisure to look at the grey sky, and to be sure the temperature was that of summer.
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 “Sarah Staples found it so on her crossing.”
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading “Inside Mrs. Lloyd's front-door, however, it seemed to Matilda to be nothing but sunshine.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “She had not leisure to look at the grey sky, and to be sure the temperature was that of summer.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Christmas day was grey with clouds; on the roofs of the city and in the streets the sun never shone all day.”
not one thing; not anything
From this reading “Inside Mrs. Lloyd's front-door, however, it seemed to Matilda to be nothing but sunshine.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Inside Mrs. Lloyd's front-door, however, it seemed to Matilda to be nothing but sunshine.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “She had not leisure to look at the grey sky, and to be sure the temperature was that of summer.”
Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Christmas day was grey with clouds; on the roofs of the city and in the streets the sun never shone all day.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Christmas day was grey with clouds; on the roofs of the city and in the streets the sun never shone all day.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading She had not leisure to look at the grey sky, and to be sure the temperature was that of summer.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Inside Mrs. Lloyd's front-door, however, it seemed to Matilda to be nothing but sunshine.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Inside Mrs. Lloyd's front-door, however, it seemed to Matilda to be nothing but sunshine.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading People called it cold.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Christmas day was grey with clouds; on the roofs of the city and in the streets the sun never shone all day.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Christmas day was grey with clouds; on the roofs of the city and in the streets the sun never shone all day.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Christmas day was grey with clouds; on the roofs of the city and in the streets the sun never shone all day.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading People called it cold.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sarah Staples found it so on her crossing.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Christmas day was grey with clouds; on the roofs of the city and in the streets the sun never shone all day.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Sarah Staples found it so on her crossing.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Inside Mrs. Lloyd's front-door, however, it seemed to Matilda to be nothing but sunshine.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Christmas day was grey with clouds; on the roofs of the city and in the streets the sun never shone all day.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She had not leisure to look at the grey sky, and to be sure the temperature was that of summer.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Sarah Staples found it so on her crossing.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading Inside Mrs. Lloyd's front-door, however, it seemed to Matilda to be nothing but sunshine.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Christmas day was grey with clouds; on the roofs of the city and in the streets the sun never shone all day.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Inside Mrs. Lloyd's front-door, however, it seemed to Matilda to be nothing but sunshine.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading People called it cold.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had not leisure to look at the grey sky, and to be sure the temperature was that of summer.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Inside Mrs. Lloyd's front-door, however, it seemed to Matilda to be nothing but sunshine.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She had not leisure to look at the grey sky, and to be sure the temperature was that of summer.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Inside Mrs. Lloyd's front-door, however, it seemed to Matilda to be nothing but sunshine.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Inside Mrs. Lloyd's front-door, however, it seemed to Matilda to be nothing but sunshine.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Christmas day was grey with clouds; on the roofs of the city and in the streets the sun never shone all day.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading She had not leisure to look at the grey sky, and to be sure the temperature was that of summer.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading Inside Mrs. Lloyd's front-door, however, it seemed to Matilda to be nothing but sunshine.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Christmas day was grey with clouds; on the roofs of the city and in the streets the sun never shone all day.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Christmas day was grey with clouds; on the roofs of the city and in the streets the sun never shone all day.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading People called it cold.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Christmas day was grey with clouds; on the roofs of the city and in the streets the sun never shone all day.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sarah Staples found it so on her crossing.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Inside Mrs. Lloyd's front-door, however, it seemed to Matilda to be nothing but sunshine.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She had not leisure to look at the grey sky, and to be sure the temperature was that of summer.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Christmas day was grey with clouds; on the roofs of the city and in the streets the sun never shone all day.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had not leisure to look at the grey sky, and to be sure the temperature was that of summer.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Sarah Staples found it so on her crossing.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sarah Staples found it so on her crossing.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Christmas day was grey with clouds; on the roofs of the city and in the streets the sun never shone all day.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had not leisure to look at the grey sky, and to be sure the temperature was that of summer.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Christmas day was grey with clouds; on the roofs of the city and in the streets the sun never shone all day.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Inside Mrs. Lloyd's front-door, however, it seemed to Matilda to be nothing but sunshine.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She had not leisure to look at the grey sky, and to be sure the temperature was that of summer.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had not leisure to look at the grey sky, and to be sure the temperature was that of summer.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading She had not leisure to look at the grey sky, and to be sure the temperature was that of summer.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Christmas day was grey with clouds; on the roofs of the city and in the streets the sun never shone all day.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Inside Mrs. Lloyd's front-door, however, it seemed to Matilda to be nothing but sunshine.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Christmas day was grey with clouds; on the roofs of the city and in the streets the sun never shone all day.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Christmas day was grey with clouds; on the roofs of the city and in the streets the sun never shone all day.
