Chapter XXXI
When they were half-way through dinner Hal asked, a trifle abruptly: “Now, what about this piece of news? What does it mean?” He looked away, unable to meet her candid eyes, and said: “I will tell you presently.”
Winding Paths
Chapter XXXI
English subtitles · tap any word to listen
1 / 5
When
they
were
half-way
through
dinner
Hal
asked,
a
trifle
abruptly:
“Now,
what
about
this
piece
of
news?
What
does
it
mean?”
He
looked
away,
unable
to
meet
her
candid
eyes,
and
said:
“I
will
tell
you
presently.”
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Line 1
When
they
were
half-way
through
dinner
Hal
asked,
a
trifle
abruptly:
Line 2
“Now,
what
about
this
piece
of
news?
Line 3
What
does
it
mean?”
Line 4
He
looked
away,
unable
to
meet
her
candid
eyes,
and
said:
Line 5
“I
will
tell
you
presently.”
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 ““Now, what about this piece of news?”
Asked
noun
US /asked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “When they were half-way through dinner Hal asked, a trifle abruptly:”
Half-way
noun
US /half-way/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “When they were half-way through dinner Hal asked, a trifle abruptly:”
Looked
noun
US /looked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “He looked away, unable to meet her candid eyes, and said:”
Tell
noun
US /tell/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading ““I will tell you presently.””
Through
noun
US /ˈthrough/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “When they were half-way through dinner Hal asked, a trifle abruptly:”
Trifle
noun
US /ˈtraɪfəl/
something that needs very little effort
From this reading “When they were half-way through dinner Hal asked, a trifle abruptly:”
All words in this reading · 37
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 When they were half-way through dinner Hal asked, a trifle abruptly:
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading “Now, what about this piece of news?
abruptly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When they were half-way through dinner Hal asked, a trifle abruptly:
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He looked away, unable to meet her candid eyes, and said:
askednounUS /asked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading When they were half-way through dinner Hal asked, a trifle abruptly:
away
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He looked away, unable to meet her candid eyes, and said:
candid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He looked away, unable to meet her candid eyes, and said:
dinner
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When they were half-way through dinner Hal asked, a trifle abruptly:
doesauxiliary verbUS /dʌz/
the form of “do” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading What does it mean?”
eyes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He looked away, unable to meet her candid eyes, and said:
Hal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When they were half-way through dinner Hal asked, a trifle abruptly:
half-waynounUS /half-way/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading When they were half-way through dinner Hal asked, a trifle abruptly:
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He looked away, unable to meet her candid eyes, and said:
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading He looked away, unable to meet her candid eyes, and said:
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I will tell you presently.”
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading What does it mean?”
lookednounUS /looked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He looked away, unable to meet her candid eyes, and said:
mean
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What does it mean?”
meet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He looked away, unable to meet her candid eyes, and said:
news
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Now, what about this piece of news?
Now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Now, what about this piece of news?
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “Now, what about this piece of news?
piece
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Now, what about this piece of news?
presently
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I will tell you presently.”
said
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He looked away, unable to meet her candid eyes, and said:
tellnounUS /tell/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “I will tell you presently.”
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When they were half-way through dinner Hal asked, a trifle abruptly:
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “Now, what about this piece of news?
throughnounUS /ˈthrough/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading When they were half-way through dinner Hal asked, a trifle abruptly:
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He looked away, unable to meet her candid eyes, and said:
triflenounUS /ˈtraɪfəl/
something that needs very little effort
From this reading When they were half-way through dinner Hal asked, a trifle abruptly:
unable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He looked away, unable to meet her candid eyes, and said:
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading When they were half-way through dinner Hal asked, a trifle abruptly:
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “Now, what about this piece of news?
WhenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading When they were half-way through dinner Hal asked, a trifle abruptly:
willmodal verbUS /wɪl/
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading “I will tell you presently.”
youpronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “I will tell you presently.”