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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 The next day John Smith entered the tanyard, not this time slinking in as a thief in the darkness, but introduced by the master himself as an engaged workman.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Long years after John Smith was dead, William Savery, in telling the story, always omitted the man's name.
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading William and Mary Savery never alluded to it, and John Smith certainly did not, though the memory of it never left him and altered all the rest of his life.
alluded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading William and Mary Savery never alluded to it, and John Smith certainly did not, though the memory of it never left him and altered all the rest of his life.
altered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading William and Mary Savery never alluded to it, and John Smith certainly did not, though the memory of it never left him and altered all the rest of his life.
always
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Long years after John Smith was dead, William Savery, in telling the story, always omitted the man's name.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The next day John Smith entered the tanyard, not this time slinking in as a thief in the darkness, but introduced by the master himself as an engaged workman.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading For many years he remained with his employer, a sober, honest, and faithful servant, respected by others and respecting himself.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The next day John Smith entered the tanyard, not this time slinking in as a thief in the darkness, but introduced by the master himself as an engaged workman.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The next day John Smith entered the tanyard, not this time slinking in as a thief in the darkness, but introduced by the master himself as an engaged workman.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The next day John Smith entered the tanyard, not this time slinking in as a thief in the darkness, but introduced by the master himself as an engaged workman.
certainly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading William and Mary Savery never alluded to it, and John Smith certainly did not, though the memory of it never left him and altered all the rest of his life.
darkness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The next day John Smith entered the tanyard, not this time slinking in as a thief in the darkness, but introduced by the master himself as an engaged workman.
day
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The next day John Smith entered the tanyard, not this time slinking in as a thief in the darkness, but introduced by the master himself as an engaged workman.
deadnounUS /dead/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Long years after John Smith was dead, William Savery, in telling the story, always omitted the man's name.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading William and Mary Savery never alluded to it, and John Smith certainly did not, though the memory of it never left him and altered all the rest of his life.
employer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For many years he remained with his employer, a sober, honest, and faithful servant, respected by others and respecting himself.
engaged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The next day John Smith entered the tanyard, not this time slinking in as a thief in the darkness, but introduced by the master himself as an engaged workman.
entered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The next day John Smith entered the tanyard, not this time slinking in as a thief in the darkness, but introduced by the master himself as an engaged workman.
faithfulnounUS /ˈfaithful/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading For many years he remained with his employer, a sober, honest, and faithful servant, respected by others and respecting himself.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The secret of the first visit was kept.
ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For many years he remained with his employer, a sober, honest, and faithful servant, respected by others and respecting himself.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading For many years he remained with his employer, a sober, honest, and faithful servant, respected by others and respecting himself.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading William and Mary Savery never alluded to it, and John Smith certainly did not, though the memory of it never left him and altered all the rest of his life.
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading The next day John Smith entered the tanyard, not this time slinking in as a thief in the darkness, but introduced by the master himself as an engaged workman.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading For many years he remained with his employer, a sober, honest, and faithful servant, respected by others and respecting himself.
honestadjectiveUS /ˈɑnɪst/
truthful and trustworthy
From this reading For many years he remained with his employer, a sober, honest, and faithful servant, respected by others and respecting himself.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The next day John Smith entered the tanyard, not this time slinking in as a thief in the darkness, but introduced by the master himself as an engaged workman.
introduced
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The next day John Smith entered the tanyard, not this time slinking in as a thief in the darkness, but introduced by the master himself as an engaged workman.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading William and Mary Savery never alluded to it, and John Smith certainly did not, though the memory of it never left him and altered all the rest of his life.
John
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The next day John Smith entered the tanyard, not this time slinking in as a thief in the darkness, but introduced by the master himself as an engaged workman.
kept
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The secret of the first visit was kept.
leftnounUS /left/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading William and Mary Savery never alluded to it, and John Smith certainly did not, though the memory of it never left him and altered all the rest of his life.
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading William and Mary Savery never alluded to it, and John Smith certainly did not, though the memory of it never left him and altered all the rest of his life.
LongnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Long years after John Smith was dead, William Savery, in telling the story, always omitted the man's name.
man's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Long years after John Smith was dead, William Savery, in telling the story, always omitted the man's name.
many
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For many years he remained with his employer, a sober, honest, and faithful servant, respected by others and respecting himself.
Mary
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading William and Mary Savery never alluded to it, and John Smith certainly did not, though the memory of it never left him and altered all the rest of his life.
master
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The next day John Smith entered the tanyard, not this time slinking in as a thief in the darkness, but introduced by the master himself as an engaged workman.
memorynounUS /ˈmem.ər.i/
The faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information and knowledge.
From this reading William and Mary Savery never alluded to it, and John Smith certainly did not, though the memory of it never left him and altered all the rest of his life.
namenounUS /name/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Long years after John Smith was dead, William Savery, in telling the story, always omitted the man's name.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading William and Mary Savery never alluded to it, and John Smith certainly did not, though the memory of it never left him and altered all the rest of his life.
nextnounUS /next/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The next day John Smith entered the tanyard, not this time slinking in as a thief in the darkness, but introduced by the master himself as an engaged workman.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The next day John Smith entered the tanyard, not this time slinking in as a thief in the darkness, but introduced by the master himself as an engaged workman.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The secret of the first visit was kept.
omitted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Long years after John Smith was dead, William Savery, in telling the story, always omitted the man's name.
others
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For many years he remained with his employer, a sober, honest, and faithful servant, respected by others and respecting himself.
remainednounUS /ˈremained/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading For many years he remained with his employer, a sober, honest, and faithful servant, respected by others and respecting himself.
respected
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For many years he remained with his employer, a sober, honest, and faithful servant, respected by others and respecting himself.
respecting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For many years he remained with his employer, a sober, honest, and faithful servant, respected by others and respecting himself.
restnounUS /rest/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading William and Mary Savery never alluded to it, and John Smith certainly did not, though the memory of it never left him and altered all the rest of his life.
Savery
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading William and Mary Savery never alluded to it, and John Smith certainly did not, though the memory of it never left him and altered all the rest of his life.
secretnounUS /ˈsiː.krət/
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading The secret of the first visit was kept.
servant
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For many years he remained with his employer, a sober, honest, and faithful servant, respected by others and respecting himself.
slinking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The next day John Smith entered the tanyard, not this time slinking in as a thief in the darkness, but introduced by the master himself as an engaged workman.
Smith
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The next day John Smith entered the tanyard, not this time slinking in as a thief in the darkness, but introduced by the master himself as an engaged workman.
soberadjectiveUS /ˈsoʊbər/
not affected by alcohol
From this reading For many years he remained with his employer, a sober, honest, and faithful servant, respected by others and respecting himself.
story
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Long years after John Smith was dead, William Savery, in telling the story, always omitted the man's name.
tanyard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The next day John Smith entered the tanyard, not this time slinking in as a thief in the darkness, but introduced by the master himself as an engaged workman.
telling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Long years after John Smith was dead, William Savery, in telling the story, always omitted the man's name.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The next day John Smith entered the tanyard, not this time slinking in as a thief in the darkness, but introduced by the master himself as an engaged workman.
thief
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The next day John Smith entered the tanyard, not this time slinking in as a thief in the darkness, but introduced by the master himself as an engaged workman.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The next day John Smith entered the tanyard, not this time slinking in as a thief in the darkness, but introduced by the master himself as an engaged workman.
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading William and Mary Savery never alluded to it, and John Smith certainly did not, though the memory of it never left him and altered all the rest of his life.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The next day John Smith entered the tanyard, not this time slinking in as a thief in the darkness, but introduced by the master himself as an engaged workman.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading William and Mary Savery never alluded to it, and John Smith certainly did not, though the memory of it never left him and altered all the rest of his life.
visit
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The secret of the first visit was kept.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The secret of the first visit was kept.
William
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading William and Mary Savery never alluded to it, and John Smith certainly did not, though the memory of it never left him and altered all the rest of his life.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading For many years he remained with his employer, a sober, honest, and faithful servant, respected by others and respecting himself.
workman
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The next day John Smith entered the tanyard, not this time slinking in as a thief in the darkness, but introduced by the master himself as an engaged workman.
years
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For many years he remained with his employer, a sober, honest, and faithful servant, respected by others and respecting himself.