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Winning the Wilderness
Winning the Wilderness

Chapter II

Cover illustration for Winning the Wilderness
Context Illustration Reading 1/51 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
THE BLESSING OF ASHER Unless there be in the background a mother, no portrait of a man is complete.
--Winston Churchill The old Aydelot farm reached quite down to the little village of Cloverdale, from which it was separated by Clover Creek.
But the Aydelot farmhouse stood a good half-mile away up the National pike road toward the Virginia state line.
The farm consisted of two long narrow strips of ground, bordering the road on either side and walled about by forests hiding stagnant marshes in their black-shadowed depths.
Francis Aydelot had taken up the land from the government before the townsite was thought of.
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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.

Winning the Wilderness

Chapter II

Reading 1/51 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
THE BLESSING OF ASHER Unless there be in the background a mother, no portrait of a man is complete.
Line 2
--Winston Churchill The old Aydelot farm reached quite down to the little village of Cloverdale, from which it was separated by Clover Creek.
Line 3
But the Aydelot farmhouse stood a good half-mile away up the National pike road toward the Virginia state line.
Line 4
The farm consisted of two long narrow strips of ground, bordering the road on either side and walled about by forests hiding stagnant marshes in their black-shadowed depths.
Line 5
Francis Aydelot had taken up the land from the government before the townsite was thought of.

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 “The farm consisted of two long narrow strips of ground, bordering the road on either side and walled about by forests hiding stagnant marshes in their black-shadowed depths.”

Before preposition US /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading “Francis Aydelot had taken up the land from the government before the townsite was thought of.”

Complete noun US /complete/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “THE BLESSING OF ASHER Unless there be in the background a mother, no portrait of a man is complete.”

Either determiner US /ˈiːðər/

one or the other of two

From this reading “The farm consisted of two long narrow strips of ground, bordering the road on either side and walled about by forests hiding stagnant marshes in their black-shadowed depths.”

Good noun US /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “But the Aydelot farmhouse stood a good half-mile away up the National pike road toward the Virginia state line.”

Little noun US /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “--Winston Churchill The old Aydelot farm reached quite down to the little village of Cloverdale, from which it was separated by Clover Creek.”

Long noun US /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The farm consisted of two long narrow strips of ground, bordering the road on either side and walled about by forests hiding stagnant marshes in their black-shadowed depths.”

Quite noun US /quite/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “--Winston Churchill The old Aydelot farm reached quite down to the little village of Cloverdale, from which it was separated by Clover Creek.”

Stood noun US /stood/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “But the Aydelot farmhouse stood a good half-mile away up the National pike road toward the Virginia state line.”

Thought noun US /thought/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Francis Aydelot had taken up the land from the government before the townsite was thought of.”

Toward preposition US /təˈwɔːrd/

in the direction of

From this reading “But the Aydelot farmhouse stood a good half-mile away up the National pike road toward the Virginia state line.”

Unless conjunction US /ənˈles/

except if; if not

From this reading “THE BLESSING OF ASHER Unless there be in the background a mother, no portrait of a man is complete.”

All words in this reading · 78

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 THE BLESSING OF ASHER Unless there be in the background a mother, no portrait of a man is complete.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading The farm consisted of two long narrow strips of ground, bordering the road on either side and walled about by forests hiding stagnant marshes in their black-shadowed depths.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading The farm consisted of two long narrow strips of ground, bordering the road on either side and walled about by forests hiding stagnant marshes in their black-shadowed depths.

ASHER

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

From this reading THE BLESSING OF ASHER Unless there be in the background a mother, no portrait of a man is complete.

away

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

From this reading But the Aydelot farmhouse stood a good half-mile away up the National pike road toward the Virginia state line.

Aydelot

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

From this reading --Winston Churchill The old Aydelot farm reached quite down to the little village of Cloverdale, from which it was separated by Clover Creek.

background

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

From this reading THE BLESSING OF ASHER Unless there be in the background a mother, no portrait of a man is complete.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading THE BLESSING OF ASHER Unless there be in the background a mother, no portrait of a man is complete.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading Francis Aydelot had taken up the land from the government before the townsite was thought of.

black-shadowed

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

From this reading The farm consisted of two long narrow strips of ground, bordering the road on either side and walled about by forests hiding stagnant marshes in their black-shadowed depths.

BLESSING

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

From this reading THE BLESSING OF ASHER Unless there be in the background a mother, no portrait of a man is complete.

bordering

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

From this reading The farm consisted of two long narrow strips of ground, bordering the road on either side and walled about by forests hiding stagnant marshes in their black-shadowed depths.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But the Aydelot farmhouse stood a good half-mile away up the National pike road toward the Virginia state line.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading --Winston Churchill The old Aydelot farm reached quite down to the little village of Cloverdale, from which it was separated by Clover Creek.

Churchill

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

From this reading --Winston Churchill The old Aydelot farm reached quite down to the little village of Cloverdale, from which it was separated by Clover Creek.

Clover

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

From this reading --Winston Churchill The old Aydelot farm reached quite down to the little village of Cloverdale, from which it was separated by Clover Creek.

Cloverdale

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

From this reading --Winston Churchill The old Aydelot farm reached quite down to the little village of Cloverdale, from which it was separated by Clover Creek.

completenounUS /complete/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading THE BLESSING OF ASHER Unless there be in the background a mother, no portrait of a man is complete.

consisted

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

From this reading The farm consisted of two long narrow strips of ground, bordering the road on either side and walled about by forests hiding stagnant marshes in their black-shadowed depths.

Creek

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

From this reading --Winston Churchill The old Aydelot farm reached quite down to the little village of Cloverdale, from which it was separated by Clover Creek.

depths

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

From this reading The farm consisted of two long narrow strips of ground, bordering the road on either side and walled about by forests hiding stagnant marshes in their black-shadowed depths.

down

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

From this reading --Winston Churchill The old Aydelot farm reached quite down to the little village of Cloverdale, from which it was separated by Clover Creek.

eitherdeterminerUS /ˈiːðər/

one or the other of two

From this reading The farm consisted of two long narrow strips of ground, bordering the road on either side and walled about by forests hiding stagnant marshes in their black-shadowed depths.

farm

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

From this reading --Winston Churchill The old Aydelot farm reached quite down to the little village of Cloverdale, from which it was separated by Clover Creek.

farmhouse

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

From this reading But the Aydelot farmhouse stood a good half-mile away up the National pike road toward the Virginia state line.

forests

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

From this reading The farm consisted of two long narrow strips of ground, bordering the road on either side and walled about by forests hiding stagnant marshes in their black-shadowed depths.

Francis

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

From this reading Francis Aydelot had taken up the land from the government before the townsite was thought of.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading --Winston Churchill The old Aydelot farm reached quite down to the little village of Cloverdale, from which it was separated by Clover Creek.

goodnounUS /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading But the Aydelot farmhouse stood a good half-mile away up the National pike road toward the Virginia state line.

government

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

From this reading Francis Aydelot had taken up the land from the government before the townsite was thought of.

ground

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

From this reading The farm consisted of two long narrow strips of ground, bordering the road on either side and walled about by forests hiding stagnant marshes in their black-shadowed depths.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading Francis Aydelot had taken up the land from the government before the townsite was thought of.

half-mile

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

From this reading But the Aydelot farmhouse stood a good half-mile away up the National pike road toward the Virginia state line.

hiding

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

From this reading The farm consisted of two long narrow strips of ground, bordering the road on either side and walled about by forests hiding stagnant marshes in their black-shadowed depths.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading THE BLESSING OF ASHER Unless there be in the background a mother, no portrait of a man is complete.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading THE BLESSING OF ASHER Unless there be in the background a mother, no portrait of a man is complete.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading --Winston Churchill The old Aydelot farm reached quite down to the little village of Cloverdale, from which it was separated by Clover Creek.

land

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

From this reading Francis Aydelot had taken up the land from the government before the townsite was thought of.

line

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

From this reading But the Aydelot farmhouse stood a good half-mile away up the National pike road toward the Virginia state line.

littlenounUS /little/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading --Winston Churchill The old Aydelot farm reached quite down to the little village of Cloverdale, from which it was separated by Clover Creek.

longnounUS /long/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The farm consisted of two long narrow strips of ground, bordering the road on either side and walled about by forests hiding stagnant marshes in their black-shadowed depths.

man

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

From this reading THE BLESSING OF ASHER Unless there be in the background a mother, no portrait of a man is complete.

marshes

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

From this reading The farm consisted of two long narrow strips of ground, bordering the road on either side and walled about by forests hiding stagnant marshes in their black-shadowed depths.

mother

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

From this reading THE BLESSING OF ASHER Unless there be in the background a mother, no portrait of a man is complete.

narrow

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

From this reading The farm consisted of two long narrow strips of ground, bordering the road on either side and walled about by forests hiding stagnant marshes in their black-shadowed depths.

National

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

From this reading But the Aydelot farmhouse stood a good half-mile away up the National pike road toward the Virginia state line.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading THE BLESSING OF ASHER Unless there be in the background a mother, no portrait of a man is complete.

OFprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE BLESSING OF ASHER Unless there be in the background a mother, no portrait of a man is complete.

old

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

From this reading --Winston Churchill The old Aydelot farm reached quite down to the little village of Cloverdale, from which it was separated by Clover Creek.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading The farm consisted of two long narrow strips of ground, bordering the road on either side and walled about by forests hiding stagnant marshes in their black-shadowed depths.

pike

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

From this reading But the Aydelot farmhouse stood a good half-mile away up the National pike road toward the Virginia state line.

portrait

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

From this reading THE BLESSING OF ASHER Unless there be in the background a mother, no portrait of a man is complete.

quitenounUS /quite/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading --Winston Churchill The old Aydelot farm reached quite down to the little village of Cloverdale, from which it was separated by Clover Creek.

reached

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

From this reading --Winston Churchill The old Aydelot farm reached quite down to the little village of Cloverdale, from which it was separated by Clover Creek.

road

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

From this reading But the Aydelot farmhouse stood a good half-mile away up the National pike road toward the Virginia state line.

separated

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

From this reading --Winston Churchill The old Aydelot farm reached quite down to the little village of Cloverdale, from which it was separated by Clover Creek.

side

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

From this reading The farm consisted of two long narrow strips of ground, bordering the road on either side and walled about by forests hiding stagnant marshes in their black-shadowed depths.

stagnant

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

From this reading The farm consisted of two long narrow strips of ground, bordering the road on either side and walled about by forests hiding stagnant marshes in their black-shadowed depths.

state

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

From this reading But the Aydelot farmhouse stood a good half-mile away up the National pike road toward the Virginia state line.

stoodnounUS /stood/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading But the Aydelot farmhouse stood a good half-mile away up the National pike road toward the Virginia state line.

strips

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

From this reading The farm consisted of two long narrow strips of ground, bordering the road on either side and walled about by forests hiding stagnant marshes in their black-shadowed depths.

taken

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

From this reading Francis Aydelot had taken up the land from the government before the townsite was thought of.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE BLESSING OF ASHER Unless there be in the background a mother, no portrait of a man is complete.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading The farm consisted of two long narrow strips of ground, bordering the road on either side and walled about by forests hiding stagnant marshes in their black-shadowed depths.

there

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

From this reading THE BLESSING OF ASHER Unless there be in the background a mother, no portrait of a man is complete.

thoughtnounUS /thought/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Francis Aydelot had taken up the land from the government before the townsite was thought of.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading --Winston Churchill The old Aydelot farm reached quite down to the little village of Cloverdale, from which it was separated by Clover Creek.

towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/

in the direction of

From this reading But the Aydelot farmhouse stood a good half-mile away up the National pike road toward the Virginia state line.

townsite

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

From this reading Francis Aydelot had taken up the land from the government before the townsite was thought of.

two

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

From this reading The farm consisted of two long narrow strips of ground, bordering the road on either side and walled about by forests hiding stagnant marshes in their black-shadowed depths.

UnlessconjunctionUS /ənˈles/

except if; if not

From this reading THE BLESSING OF ASHER Unless there be in the background a mother, no portrait of a man is complete.

up

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

From this reading But the Aydelot farmhouse stood a good half-mile away up the National pike road toward the Virginia state line.

village

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

From this reading --Winston Churchill The old Aydelot farm reached quite down to the little village of Cloverdale, from which it was separated by Clover Creek.

Virginia

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

From this reading But the Aydelot farmhouse stood a good half-mile away up the National pike road toward the Virginia state line.

walled

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

From this reading The farm consisted of two long narrow strips of ground, bordering the road on either side and walled about by forests hiding stagnant marshes in their black-shadowed depths.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading --Winston Churchill The old Aydelot farm reached quite down to the little village of Cloverdale, from which it was separated by Clover Creek.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading --Winston Churchill The old Aydelot farm reached quite down to the little village of Cloverdale, from which it was separated by Clover Creek.

Winston

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

From this reading --Winston Churchill The old Aydelot farm reached quite down to the little village of Cloverdale, from which it was separated by Clover Creek.