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Under the Greenwood Tree
Under the Greenwood Tree

Chapter XXVII · Into Temptation

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Context Illustration Reading 1/21 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The day was done, and Fancy was again in the school-house.
About five o’clock it began to rain, and in rather a dull frame of mind she wandered into the schoolroom, for want of something better to do.
She was thinking—of her lover Dick Dewy?
Not precisely.
Of how weary she was of living alone: how unbearable it would be to return to Yalbury under the rule of her strange-tempered step-mother; that it was far better to be married to anybody than do that; that eight or nine long months had yet to be lived through ere the wedding could take place.
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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.

Under the Greenwood Tree

Chapter XXVII · Into Temptation

Reading 1/21 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
The day was done, and Fancy was again in the school-house.
Line 2
About five o’clock it began to rain, and in rather a dull frame of mind she wandered into the schoolroom, for want of something better to do.
Line 3
She was thinking—of her lover Dick Dewy?
Line 4
Not precisely.
Line 5
Of how weary she was of living alone: how unbearable it would be to return to Yalbury under the rule of her strange-tempered step-mother; that it was far better to be married to anybody than do that; that eight or nine long months had yet to be lived through ere the wedding could take place.

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 “About five o’clock it began to rain, and in rather a dull frame of mind she wandered into the schoolroom, for want of something better to do.”

Again noun US /again/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The day was done, and Fancy was again in the school-house.”

Alone noun US /alone/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Of how weary she was of living alone: how unbearable it would be to return to Yalbury under the rule of her strange-tempered step-mother; that it was far better to be married to anybody than do that; that eight or nine long months had yet to be lived through ere the wedding could take place.”

Anybody pronoun US /ˈenibədi/

any person at all

From this reading “Of how weary she was of living alone: how unbearable it would be to return to Yalbury under the rule of her strange-tempered step-mother; that it was far better to be married to anybody than do that; that eight or nine long months had yet to be lived through ere the wedding could take place.”

Began noun US /began/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “About five o’clock it began to rain, and in rather a dull frame of mind she wandered into the schoolroom, for want of something better to do.”

Could modal verb US /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading “Of how weary she was of living alone: how unbearable it would be to return to Yalbury under the rule of her strange-tempered step-mother; that it was far better to be married to anybody than do that; that eight or nine long months had yet to be lived through ere the wedding could take place.”

Dick noun US /dick/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “She was thinking—of her lover Dick Dewy?”

Done noun US /done/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The day was done, and Fancy was again in the school-house.”

Ere conjunction US /er/

an old word for “before”

From this reading “Of how weary she was of living alone: how unbearable it would be to return to Yalbury under the rule of her strange-tempered step-mother; that it was far better to be married to anybody than do that; that eight or nine long months had yet to be lived through ere the wedding could take place.”

Long noun US /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Of how weary she was of living alone: how unbearable it would be to return to Yalbury under the rule of her strange-tempered step-mother; that it was far better to be married to anybody than do that; that eight or nine long months had yet to be lived through ere the wedding could take place.”

Mind noun US /mind/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “About five o’clock it began to rain, and in rather a dull frame of mind she wandered into the schoolroom, for want of something better to do.”

Something pronoun US /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading “About five o’clock it began to rain, and in rather a dull frame of mind she wandered into the schoolroom, for want of something better to do.”

Take noun US /take/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Of how weary she was of living alone: how unbearable it would be to return to Yalbury under the rule of her strange-tempered step-mother; that it was far better to be married to anybody than do that; that eight or nine long months had yet to be lived through ere the wedding could take place.”

Thinking noun US /thinking/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “She was thinking—of her lover Dick Dewy?”

Through noun US /ˈthrough/

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

From this reading “Of how weary she was of living alone: how unbearable it would be to return to Yalbury under the rule of her strange-tempered step-mother; that it was far better to be married to anybody than do that; that eight or nine long months had yet to be lived through ere the wedding could take place.”

Under preposition US /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading “Of how weary she was of living alone: how unbearable it would be to return to Yalbury under the rule of her strange-tempered step-mother; that it was far better to be married to anybody than do that; that eight or nine long months had yet to be lived through ere the wedding could take place.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading “Of how weary she was of living alone: how unbearable it would be to return to Yalbury under the rule of her strange-tempered step-mother; that it was far better to be married to anybody than do that; that eight or nine long months had yet to be lived through ere the wedding could take place.”

Yet conjunction US /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading “Of how weary she was of living alone: how unbearable it would be to return to Yalbury under the rule of her strange-tempered step-mother; that it was far better to be married to anybody than do that; that eight or nine long months had yet to be lived through ere the wedding could take place.”

All words in this reading · 70

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 About five o’clock it began to rain, and in rather a dull frame of mind she wandered into the schoolroom, for want of something better to do.

AboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading About five o’clock it began to rain, and in rather a dull frame of mind she wandered into the schoolroom, for want of something better to do.

againnounUS /again/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The day was done, and Fancy was again in the school-house.

alonenounUS /alone/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Of how weary she was of living alone: how unbearable it would be to return to Yalbury under the rule of her strange-tempered step-mother; that it was far better to be married to anybody than do that; that eight or nine long months had yet to be lived through ere the wedding could take place.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The day was done, and Fancy was again in the school-house.

anybodypronounUS /ˈenibədi/

any person at all

From this reading Of how weary she was of living alone: how unbearable it would be to return to Yalbury under the rule of her strange-tempered step-mother; that it was far better to be married to anybody than do that; that eight or nine long months had yet to be lived through ere the wedding could take place.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading Of how weary she was of living alone: how unbearable it would be to return to Yalbury under the rule of her strange-tempered step-mother; that it was far better to be married to anybody than do that; that eight or nine long months had yet to be lived through ere the wedding could take place.

begannounUS /began/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading About five o’clock it began to rain, and in rather a dull frame of mind she wandered into the schoolroom, for want of something better to do.

better

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

From this reading About five o’clock it began to rain, and in rather a dull frame of mind she wandered into the schoolroom, for want of something better to do.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading Of how weary she was of living alone: how unbearable it would be to return to Yalbury under the rule of her strange-tempered step-mother; that it was far better to be married to anybody than do that; that eight or nine long months had yet to be lived through ere the wedding could take place.

day

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

From this reading The day was done, and Fancy was again in the school-house.

Dewy

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

From this reading She was thinking—of her lover Dick Dewy?

Dick

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

From this reading She was thinking—of her lover Dick Dewy?

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading About five o’clock it began to rain, and in rather a dull frame of mind she wandered into the schoolroom, for want of something better to do.

donenounUS /done/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The day was done, and Fancy was again in the school-house.

dull

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

From this reading About five o’clock it began to rain, and in rather a dull frame of mind she wandered into the schoolroom, for want of something better to do.

eight

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

From this reading Of how weary she was of living alone: how unbearable it would be to return to Yalbury under the rule of her strange-tempered step-mother; that it was far better to be married to anybody than do that; that eight or nine long months had yet to be lived through ere the wedding could take place.

ereconjunctionUS /er/

an old word for “before”

From this reading Of how weary she was of living alone: how unbearable it would be to return to Yalbury under the rule of her strange-tempered step-mother; that it was far better to be married to anybody than do that; that eight or nine long months had yet to be lived through ere the wedding could take place.

Fancy

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

From this reading The day was done, and Fancy was again in the school-house.

far

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

From this reading Of how weary she was of living alone: how unbearable it would be to return to Yalbury under the rule of her strange-tempered step-mother; that it was far better to be married to anybody than do that; that eight or nine long months had yet to be lived through ere the wedding could take place.

five

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

From this reading About five o’clock it began to rain, and in rather a dull frame of mind she wandered into the schoolroom, for want of something better to do.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading About five o’clock it began to rain, and in rather a dull frame of mind she wandered into the schoolroom, for want of something better to do.

frame

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

From this reading About five o’clock it began to rain, and in rather a dull frame of mind she wandered into the schoolroom, for want of something better to do.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Of how weary she was of living alone: how unbearable it would be to return to Yalbury under the rule of her strange-tempered step-mother; that it was far better to be married to anybody than do that; that eight or nine long months had yet to be lived through ere the wedding could take place.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

From this reading She was thinking—of her lover Dick Dewy?

how

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

From this reading Of how weary she was of living alone: how unbearable it would be to return to Yalbury under the rule of her strange-tempered step-mother; that it was far better to be married to anybody than do that; that eight or nine long months had yet to be lived through ere the wedding could take place.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading The day was done, and Fancy was again in the school-house.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading About five o’clock it began to rain, and in rather a dull frame of mind she wandered into the schoolroom, for want of something better to do.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading About five o’clock it began to rain, and in rather a dull frame of mind she wandered into the schoolroom, for want of something better to do.

lived

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

From this reading Of how weary she was of living alone: how unbearable it would be to return to Yalbury under the rule of her strange-tempered step-mother; that it was far better to be married to anybody than do that; that eight or nine long months had yet to be lived through ere the wedding could take place.

living

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

From this reading Of how weary she was of living alone: how unbearable it would be to return to Yalbury under the rule of her strange-tempered step-mother; that it was far better to be married to anybody than do that; that eight or nine long months had yet to be lived through ere the wedding could take place.

longnounUS /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Of how weary she was of living alone: how unbearable it would be to return to Yalbury under the rule of her strange-tempered step-mother; that it was far better to be married to anybody than do that; that eight or nine long months had yet to be lived through ere the wedding could take place.

lover

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

From this reading She was thinking—of her lover Dick Dewy?

married

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

From this reading Of how weary she was of living alone: how unbearable it would be to return to Yalbury under the rule of her strange-tempered step-mother; that it was far better to be married to anybody than do that; that eight or nine long months had yet to be lived through ere the wedding could take place.

mindnounUS /mind/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading About five o’clock it began to rain, and in rather a dull frame of mind she wandered into the schoolroom, for want of something better to do.

months

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

From this reading Of how weary she was of living alone: how unbearable it would be to return to Yalbury under the rule of her strange-tempered step-mother; that it was far better to be married to anybody than do that; that eight or nine long months had yet to be lived through ere the wedding could take place.

nine

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

From this reading Of how weary she was of living alone: how unbearable it would be to return to Yalbury under the rule of her strange-tempered step-mother; that it was far better to be married to anybody than do that; that eight or nine long months had yet to be lived through ere the wedding could take place.

NotadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Not precisely.

o'clock

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

From this reading About five o’clock it began to rain, and in rather a dull frame of mind she wandered into the schoolroom, for want of something better to do.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading About five o’clock it began to rain, and in rather a dull frame of mind she wandered into the schoolroom, for want of something better to do.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Of how weary she was of living alone: how unbearable it would be to return to Yalbury under the rule of her strange-tempered step-mother; that it was far better to be married to anybody than do that; that eight or nine long months had yet to be lived through ere the wedding could take place.

place

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

From this reading Of how weary she was of living alone: how unbearable it would be to return to Yalbury under the rule of her strange-tempered step-mother; that it was far better to be married to anybody than do that; that eight or nine long months had yet to be lived through ere the wedding could take place.

precisely

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

From this reading Not precisely.

rain

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

From this reading About five o’clock it began to rain, and in rather a dull frame of mind she wandered into the schoolroom, for want of something better to do.

rather

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

From this reading About five o’clock it began to rain, and in rather a dull frame of mind she wandered into the schoolroom, for want of something better to do.

return

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

From this reading Of how weary she was of living alone: how unbearable it would be to return to Yalbury under the rule of her strange-tempered step-mother; that it was far better to be married to anybody than do that; that eight or nine long months had yet to be lived through ere the wedding could take place.

rule

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

From this reading Of how weary she was of living alone: how unbearable it would be to return to Yalbury under the rule of her strange-tempered step-mother; that it was far better to be married to anybody than do that; that eight or nine long months had yet to be lived through ere the wedding could take place.

school-house

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

From this reading The day was done, and Fancy was again in the school-house.

schoolroom

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

From this reading About five o’clock it began to rain, and in rather a dull frame of mind she wandered into the schoolroom, for want of something better to do.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading About five o’clock it began to rain, and in rather a dull frame of mind she wandered into the schoolroom, for want of something better to do.

somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading About five o’clock it began to rain, and in rather a dull frame of mind she wandered into the schoolroom, for want of something better to do.

step-mother

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

From this reading Of how weary she was of living alone: how unbearable it would be to return to Yalbury under the rule of her strange-tempered step-mother; that it was far better to be married to anybody than do that; that eight or nine long months had yet to be lived through ere the wedding could take place.

strange-tempered

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

From this reading Of how weary she was of living alone: how unbearable it would be to return to Yalbury under the rule of her strange-tempered step-mother; that it was far better to be married to anybody than do that; that eight or nine long months had yet to be lived through ere the wedding could take place.

takenounUS /take/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Of how weary she was of living alone: how unbearable it would be to return to Yalbury under the rule of her strange-tempered step-mother; that it was far better to be married to anybody than do that; that eight or nine long months had yet to be lived through ere the wedding could take place.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading Of how weary she was of living alone: how unbearable it would be to return to Yalbury under the rule of her strange-tempered step-mother; that it was far better to be married to anybody than do that; that eight or nine long months had yet to be lived through ere the wedding could take place.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Of how weary she was of living alone: how unbearable it would be to return to Yalbury under the rule of her strange-tempered step-mother; that it was far better to be married to anybody than do that; that eight or nine long months had yet to be lived through ere the wedding could take place.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The day was done, and Fancy was again in the school-house.

thinkingnounUS /thinking/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading She was thinking—of her lover Dick Dewy?

throughnounUS /ˈthrough/

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

From this reading Of how weary she was of living alone: how unbearable it would be to return to Yalbury under the rule of her strange-tempered step-mother; that it was far better to be married to anybody than do that; that eight or nine long months had yet to be lived through ere the wedding could take place.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading About five o’clock it began to rain, and in rather a dull frame of mind she wandered into the schoolroom, for want of something better to do.

unbearable

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

From this reading Of how weary she was of living alone: how unbearable it would be to return to Yalbury under the rule of her strange-tempered step-mother; that it was far better to be married to anybody than do that; that eight or nine long months had yet to be lived through ere the wedding could take place.

underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading Of how weary she was of living alone: how unbearable it would be to return to Yalbury under the rule of her strange-tempered step-mother; that it was far better to be married to anybody than do that; that eight or nine long months had yet to be lived through ere the wedding could take place.

wandered

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

From this reading About five o’clock it began to rain, and in rather a dull frame of mind she wandered into the schoolroom, for want of something better to do.

want

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

From this reading About five o’clock it began to rain, and in rather a dull frame of mind she wandered into the schoolroom, for want of something better to do.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading The day was done, and Fancy was again in the school-house.

weary

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

From this reading Of how weary she was of living alone: how unbearable it would be to return to Yalbury under the rule of her strange-tempered step-mother; that it was far better to be married to anybody than do that; that eight or nine long months had yet to be lived through ere the wedding could take place.

wedding

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

From this reading Of how weary she was of living alone: how unbearable it would be to return to Yalbury under the rule of her strange-tempered step-mother; that it was far better to be married to anybody than do that; that eight or nine long months had yet to be lived through ere the wedding could take place.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading Of how weary she was of living alone: how unbearable it would be to return to Yalbury under the rule of her strange-tempered step-mother; that it was far better to be married to anybody than do that; that eight or nine long months had yet to be lived through ere the wedding could take place.

Yalbury

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

From this reading Of how weary she was of living alone: how unbearable it would be to return to Yalbury under the rule of her strange-tempered step-mother; that it was far better to be married to anybody than do that; that eight or nine long months had yet to be lived through ere the wedding could take place.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading Of how weary she was of living alone: how unbearable it would be to return to Yalbury under the rule of her strange-tempered step-mother; that it was far better to be married to anybody than do that; that eight or nine long months had yet to be lived through ere the wedding could take place.