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adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
afternoonnounUS /ˈafternoon/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
back
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It’s the hole through which they used to take the colored people so that they could keep them in safety till they could be sent up State and over the border into Canada.”
begun
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
border
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It’s the hole through which they used to take the colored people so that they could keep them in safety till they could be sent up State and over the border into Canada.”
BYprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading BY UNDERGROUND.
Canada
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It’s the hole through which they used to take the colored people so that they could keep them in safety till they could be sent up State and over the border into Canada.”
caps
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
Chick
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Here it is, Chick.
colored
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It’s the hole through which they used to take the colored people so that they could keep them in safety till they could be sent up State and over the border into Canada.”
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading It’s the hole through which they used to take the colored people so that they could keep them in safety till they could be sent up State and over the border into Canada.”
crept
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
darkness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
drizzling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
dusters
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
eyes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
father
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Howard Milmarsh, the father, showed it to me once when we were walking through the grounds.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
foundation
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
grounds
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Howard Milmarsh, the father, showed it to me once when we were walking through the grounds.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
helped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
HerenounUS /here/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Here it is, Chick.
hole
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It’s the hole through which they used to take the colored people so that they could keep them in safety till they could be sent up State and over the border into Canada.”
Howard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Howard Milmarsh, the father, showed it to me once when we were walking through the grounds.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading It’s the hole through which they used to take the colored people so that they could keep them in safety till they could be sent up State and over the border into Canada.”
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “Here it is, Chick.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
It's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It’s the hole through which they used to take the colored people so that they could keep them in safety till they could be sent up State and over the border into Canada.”
keep
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It’s the hole through which they used to take the colored people so that they could keep them in safety till they could be sent up State and over the border into Canada.”
large
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
longnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
looking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
mansion
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Howard Milmarsh, the father, showed it to me once when we were walking through the grounds.
men
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
Milmarsh
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
moved
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
once
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Howard Milmarsh, the father, showed it to me once when we were walking through the grounds.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
people
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It’s the hole through which they used to take the colored people so that they could keep them in safety till they could be sent up State and over the border into Canada.”
pullednounUS /pulled/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
rain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
safety
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It’s the hole through which they used to take the colored people so that they could keep them in safety till they could be sent up State and over the border into Canada.”
sent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It’s the hole through which they used to take the colored people so that they could keep them in safety till they could be sent up State and over the border into Canada.”
set
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
showed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Howard Milmarsh, the father, showed it to me once when we were walking through the grounds.
shrubbery
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading It’s the hole through which they used to take the colored people so that they could keep them in safety till they could be sent up State and over the border into Canada.”
somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
a thing, without saying which
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
soon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
State
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It’s the hole through which they used to take the colored people so that they could keep them in safety till they could be sent up State and over the border into Canada.”
stone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
takenounUS /take/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It’s the hole through which they used to take the colored people so that they could keep them in safety till they could be sent up State and over the border into Canada.”
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It’s the hole through which they used to take the colored people so that they could keep them in safety till they could be sent up State and over the border into Canada.”
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading It’s the hole through which they used to take the colored people so that they could keep them in safety till they could be sent up State and over the border into Canada.”
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It’s the hole through which they used to take the colored people so that they could keep them in safety till they could be sent up State and over the border into Canada.”
throughnounUS /ˈthrough/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
tillprepositionUS /tɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading It’s the hole through which they used to take the colored people so that they could keep them in safety till they could be sent up State and over the border into Canada.”
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Howard Milmarsh, the father, showed it to me once when we were walking through the grounds.
two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
UNDERGROUND
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BY UNDERGROUND.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It’s the hole through which they used to take the colored people so that they could keep them in safety till they could be sent up State and over the border into Canada.”
used
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It’s the hole through which they used to take the colored people so that they could keep them in safety till they could be sent up State and over the border into Canada.”
walking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Howard Milmarsh, the father, showed it to me once when we were walking through the grounds.
wall
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
wepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading Howard Milmarsh, the father, showed it to me once when we were walking through the grounds.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Howard Milmarsh, the father, showed it to me once when we were walking through the grounds.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading It was soon after darkness had set in—a darkness helped by a drizzling rain which had begun in the afternoon—when two men in long dusters and with large caps pulled over their eyes crept through the shrubbery at the back of the Milmarsh mansion and moved along the stone foundation wall, as if looking for something.
