A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XVI
Bonbright stopped in the library door, for he saw there not only his father, whom he had expected to see, but his mother also. He had not foreseen this. It made the thing harder to tell, for he realized in an instant how his mother would receive the news. He wished he had been less abrupt, but here he was and there could be no drawing back now. His mother was first to see him.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading “He wished he had been less abrupt, but here he was and there could be no drawing back now.”
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading “He wished he had been less abrupt, but here he was and there could be no drawing back now.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “His mother was first to see him.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “He wished he had been less abrupt, but here he was and there could be no drawing back now.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Bonbright stopped in the library door, for he saw there not only his father, whom he had expected to see, but his mother also.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “It made the thing harder to tell, for he realized in an instant how his mother would receive the news.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “It made the thing harder to tell, for he realized in an instant how his mother would receive the news.”
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading “It made the thing harder to tell, for he realized in an instant how his mother would receive the news.”
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 He wished he had been less abrupt, but here he was and there could be no drawing back now.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Bonbright stopped in the library door, for he saw there not only his father, whom he had expected to see, but his mother also.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It made the thing harder to tell, for he realized in an instant how his mother would receive the news.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He wished he had been less abrupt, but here he was and there could be no drawing back now.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He wished he had been less abrupt, but here he was and there could be no drawing back now.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He wished he had been less abrupt, but here he was and there could be no drawing back now.
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He wished he had been less abrupt, but here he was and there could be no drawing back now.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Bonbright stopped in the library door, for he saw there not only his father, whom he had expected to see, but his mother also.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Bonbright stopped in the library door, for he saw there not only his father, whom he had expected to see, but his mother also.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He wished he had been less abrupt, but here he was and there could be no drawing back now.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Bonbright stopped in the library door, for he saw there not only his father, whom he had expected to see, but his mother also.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He wished he had been less abrupt, but here he was and there could be no drawing back now.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Bonbright stopped in the library door, for he saw there not only his father, whom he had expected to see, but his mother also.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Bonbright stopped in the library door, for he saw there not only his father, whom he had expected to see, but his mother also.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading His mother was first to see him.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Bonbright stopped in the library door, for he saw there not only his father, whom he had expected to see, but his mother also.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had not foreseen this.
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Bonbright stopped in the library door, for he saw there not only his father, whom he had expected to see, but his mother also.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It made the thing harder to tell, for he realized in an instant how his mother would receive the news.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Bonbright stopped in the library door, for he saw there not only his father, whom he had expected to see, but his mother also.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He wished he had been less abrupt, but here he was and there could be no drawing back now.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading His mother was first to see him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Bonbright stopped in the library door, for he saw there not only his father, whom he had expected to see, but his mother also.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It made the thing harder to tell, for he realized in an instant how his mother would receive the news.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Bonbright stopped in the library door, for he saw there not only his father, whom he had expected to see, but his mother also.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It made the thing harder to tell, for he realized in an instant how his mother would receive the news.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It made the thing harder to tell, for he realized in an instant how his mother would receive the news.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He wished he had been less abrupt, but here he was and there could be no drawing back now.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Bonbright stopped in the library door, for he saw there not only his father, whom he had expected to see, but his mother also.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It made the thing harder to tell, for he realized in an instant how his mother would receive the news.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Bonbright stopped in the library door, for he saw there not only his father, whom he had expected to see, but his mother also.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It made the thing harder to tell, for he realized in an instant how his mother would receive the news.
not any; not one
From this reading He wished he had been less abrupt, but here he was and there could be no drawing back now.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Bonbright stopped in the library door, for he saw there not only his father, whom he had expected to see, but his mother also.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He wished he had been less abrupt, but here he was and there could be no drawing back now.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Bonbright stopped in the library door, for he saw there not only his father, whom he had expected to see, but his mother also.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It made the thing harder to tell, for he realized in an instant how his mother would receive the news.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It made the thing harder to tell, for he realized in an instant how his mother would receive the news.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Bonbright stopped in the library door, for he saw there not only his father, whom he had expected to see, but his mother also.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Bonbright stopped in the library door, for he saw there not only his father, whom he had expected to see, but his mother also.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Bonbright stopped in the library door, for he saw there not only his father, whom he had expected to see, but his mother also.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It made the thing harder to tell, for he realized in an instant how his mother would receive the news.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Bonbright stopped in the library door, for he saw there not only his father, whom he had expected to see, but his mother also.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Bonbright stopped in the library door, for he saw there not only his father, whom he had expected to see, but his mother also.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It made the thing harder to tell, for he realized in an instant how his mother would receive the news.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading He had not foreseen this.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Bonbright stopped in the library door, for he saw there not only his father, whom he had expected to see, but his mother also.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He wished he had been less abrupt, but here he was and there could be no drawing back now.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Bonbright stopped in the library door, for he saw there not only his father, whom he had expected to see, but his mother also.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He wished he had been less abrupt, but here he was and there could be no drawing back now.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading It made the thing harder to tell, for he realized in an instant how his mother would receive the news.
