A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter V
THE SWORD ON THE WALL. Where possession was impossible, knowledge might yet be reached: could I not learn the story of the ancient weapon? How came that which had more fitly hung in the hall of a great castle, here upon the wall of a kitchen? My uncle, however, I felt, was not the source whence I might hope for help. No better was my aunt.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.
From this reading “Where possession was impossible, knowledge might yet be reached: could I not learn the story of the ancient weapon?”
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading “Where possession was impossible, knowledge might yet be reached: could I not learn the story of the ancient weapon?”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “How came that which had more fitly hung in the hall of a great castle, here upon the wall of a kitchen?”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “My uncle, however, I felt, was not the source whence I might hope for help.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “How came that which had more fitly hung in the hall of a great castle, here upon the wall of a kitchen?”
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading “My uncle, however, I felt, was not the source whence I might hope for help.”
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading “Where possession was impossible, knowledge might yet be reached: could I not learn the story of the ancient weapon?”
a formal word for “on”
From this reading “How came that which had more fitly hung in the hall of a great castle, here upon the wall of a kitchen?”
an old word meaning “from where”
From this reading “My uncle, however, I felt, was not the source whence I might hope for help.”
but in spite of that
From this reading “Where possession was impossible, knowledge might yet be reached: could I not learn the story of the ancient weapon?”
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 How came that which had more fitly hung in the hall of a great castle, here upon the wall of a kitchen?
Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.
From this reading Where possession was impossible, knowledge might yet be reached: could I not learn the story of the ancient weapon?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No better was my aunt.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Where possession was impossible, knowledge might yet be reached: could I not learn the story of the ancient weapon?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No better was my aunt.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How came that which had more fitly hung in the hall of a great castle, here upon the wall of a kitchen?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How came that which had more fitly hung in the hall of a great castle, here upon the wall of a kitchen?
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Where possession was impossible, knowledge might yet be reached: could I not learn the story of the ancient weapon?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My uncle, however, I felt, was not the source whence I might hope for help.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How came that which had more fitly hung in the hall of a great castle, here upon the wall of a kitchen?
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading My uncle, however, I felt, was not the source whence I might hope for help.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading How came that which had more fitly hung in the hall of a great castle, here upon the wall of a kitchen?
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading How came that which had more fitly hung in the hall of a great castle, here upon the wall of a kitchen?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How came that which had more fitly hung in the hall of a great castle, here upon the wall of a kitchen?
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading My uncle, however, I felt, was not the source whence I might hope for help.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading How came that which had more fitly hung in the hall of a great castle, here upon the wall of a kitchen?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My uncle, however, I felt, was not the source whence I might hope for help.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How came that which had more fitly hung in the hall of a great castle, here upon the wall of a kitchen?
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading My uncle, however, I felt, was not the source whence I might hope for help.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How came that which had more fitly hung in the hall of a great castle, here upon the wall of a kitchen?
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Where possession was impossible, knowledge might yet be reached: could I not learn the story of the ancient weapon?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Where possession was impossible, knowledge might yet be reached: could I not learn the story of the ancient weapon?
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading How came that which had more fitly hung in the hall of a great castle, here upon the wall of a kitchen?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How came that which had more fitly hung in the hall of a great castle, here upon the wall of a kitchen?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Where possession was impossible, knowledge might yet be reached: could I not learn the story of the ancient weapon?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Where possession was impossible, knowledge might yet be reached: could I not learn the story of the ancient weapon?
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Where possession was impossible, knowledge might yet be reached: could I not learn the story of the ancient weapon?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How came that which had more fitly hung in the hall of a great castle, here upon the wall of a kitchen?
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading My uncle, however, I felt, was not the source whence I might hope for help.
not any; not one
From this reading No better was my aunt.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Where possession was impossible, knowledge might yet be reached: could I not learn the story of the ancient weapon?
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Where possession was impossible, knowledge might yet be reached: could I not learn the story of the ancient weapon?
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading THE SWORD ON THE WALL.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Where possession was impossible, knowledge might yet be reached: could I not learn the story of the ancient weapon?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Where possession was impossible, knowledge might yet be reached: could I not learn the story of the ancient weapon?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My uncle, however, I felt, was not the source whence I might hope for help.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Where possession was impossible, knowledge might yet be reached: could I not learn the story of the ancient weapon?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE SWORD ON THE WALL.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading How came that which had more fitly hung in the hall of a great castle, here upon the wall of a kitchen?
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE SWORD ON THE WALL.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My uncle, however, I felt, was not the source whence I might hope for help.
a formal word for “on”
From this reading How came that which had more fitly hung in the hall of a great castle, here upon the wall of a kitchen?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE SWORD ON THE WALL.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Where possession was impossible, knowledge might yet be reached: could I not learn the story of the ancient weapon?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Where possession was impossible, knowledge might yet be reached: could I not learn the story of the ancient weapon?
an old word meaning “from where”
From this reading My uncle, however, I felt, was not the source whence I might hope for help.
in or at the place that
From this reading Where possession was impossible, knowledge might yet be reached: could I not learn the story of the ancient weapon?
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading How came that which had more fitly hung in the hall of a great castle, here upon the wall of a kitchen?
but in spite of that
From this reading Where possession was impossible, knowledge might yet be reached: could I not learn the story of the ancient weapon?
