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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 They plundered the richest towns, and killed the people; and came back so often for more booty and more slaughter, that the unfortunate Britons lived a life of terror.
all
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From this reading The priests, being very angry with one another on these questions, cursed one another in the heartiest manner; and (uncommonly like the old Druids) cursed all the people whom they could not persuade.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading As if the Picts and Scots were not bad enough on land, the Saxons attacked the islanders by sea; and, as if something more were still wanting to make them miserable, they quarrelled bitterly among themselves as to what prayers they ought to say, and how they ought to say them.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading For, the Romans being gone, and the Britons being much reduced in numbers by their long wars, the Picts and Scots came pouring in, over the broken and unguarded wall of Severus, in swarms.
angry
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From this reading The priests, being very angry with one another on these questions, cursed one another in the heartiest manner; and (uncommonly like the old Druids) cursed all the people whom they could not persuade.
anothernounUS /ˈanother/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading The priests, being very angry with one another on these questions, cursed one another in the heartiest manner; and (uncommonly like the old Druids) cursed all the people whom they could not persuade.
AsconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As if the Picts and Scots were not bad enough on land, the Saxons attacked the islanders by sea; and, as if something more were still wanting to make them miserable, they quarrelled bitterly among themselves as to what prayers they ought to say, and how they ought to say them.
attacked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As if the Picts and Scots were not bad enough on land, the Saxons attacked the islanders by sea; and, as if something more were still wanting to make them miserable, they quarrelled bitterly among themselves as to what prayers they ought to say, and how they ought to say them.
away
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From this reading The Romans had scarcely gone away from Britain, when the Britons began to wish they had never left it.
back
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From this reading They plundered the richest towns, and killed the people; and came back so often for more booty and more slaughter, that the unfortunate Britons lived a life of terror.
bad
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From this reading As if the Picts and Scots were not bad enough on land, the Saxons attacked the islanders by sea; and, as if something more were still wanting to make them miserable, they quarrelled bitterly among themselves as to what prayers they ought to say, and how they ought to say them.
begannounUS /began/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The Romans had scarcely gone away from Britain, when the Britons began to wish they had never left it.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading For, the Romans being gone, and the Britons being much reduced in numbers by their long wars, the Picts and Scots came pouring in, over the broken and unguarded wall of Severus, in swarms.
bitterlyadverbUS /ˈbɪtərli/
in a way that shows deep pain or grief
From this reading As if the Picts and Scots were not bad enough on land, the Saxons attacked the islanders by sea; and, as if something more were still wanting to make them miserable, they quarrelled bitterly among themselves as to what prayers they ought to say, and how they ought to say them.
booty
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From this reading They plundered the richest towns, and killed the people; and came back so often for more booty and more slaughter, that the unfortunate Britons lived a life of terror.
Britain
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From this reading The Romans had scarcely gone away from Britain, when the Britons began to wish they had never left it.
Britons
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From this reading The Romans had scarcely gone away from Britain, when the Britons began to wish they had never left it.
brokennounUS /broken/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading For, the Romans being gone, and the Britons being much reduced in numbers by their long wars, the Picts and Scots came pouring in, over the broken and unguarded wall of Severus, in swarms.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading For, the Romans being gone, and the Britons being much reduced in numbers by their long wars, the Picts and Scots came pouring in, over the broken and unguarded wall of Severus, in swarms.
came
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From this reading For, the Romans being gone, and the Britons being much reduced in numbers by their long wars, the Picts and Scots came pouring in, over the broken and unguarded wall of Severus, in swarms.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The priests, being very angry with one another on these questions, cursed one another in the heartiest manner; and (uncommonly like the old Druids) cursed all the people whom they could not persuade.
cursed
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From this reading The priests, being very angry with one another on these questions, cursed one another in the heartiest manner; and (uncommonly like the old Druids) cursed all the people whom they could not persuade.
Druids
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From this reading The priests, being very angry with one another on these questions, cursed one another in the heartiest manner; and (uncommonly like the old Druids) cursed all the people whom they could not persuade.
enough
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As if the Picts and Scots were not bad enough on land, the Saxons attacked the islanders by sea; and, as if something more were still wanting to make them miserable, they quarrelled bitterly among themselves as to what prayers they ought to say, and how they ought to say them.
ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For, the Romans being gone, and the Britons being much reduced in numbers by their long wars, the Picts and Scots came pouring in, over the broken and unguarded wall of Severus, in swarms.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The Romans had scarcely gone away from Britain, when the Britons began to wish they had never left it.
gone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Romans had scarcely gone away from Britain, when the Britons began to wish they had never left it.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The Romans had scarcely gone away from Britain, when the Britons began to wish they had never left it.
heartiest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The priests, being very angry with one another on these questions, cursed one another in the heartiest manner; and (uncommonly like the old Druids) cursed all the people whom they could not persuade.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As if the Picts and Scots were not bad enough on land, the Saxons attacked the islanders by sea; and, as if something more were still wanting to make them miserable, they quarrelled bitterly among themselves as to what prayers they ought to say, and how they ought to say them.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading As if the Picts and Scots were not bad enough on land, the Saxons attacked the islanders by sea; and, as if something more were still wanting to make them miserable, they quarrelled bitterly among themselves as to what prayers they ought to say, and how they ought to say them.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading For, the Romans being gone, and the Britons being much reduced in numbers by their long wars, the Picts and Scots came pouring in, over the broken and unguarded wall of Severus, in swarms.
islanders
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As if the Picts and Scots were not bad enough on land, the Saxons attacked the islanders by sea; and, as if something more were still wanting to make them miserable, they quarrelled bitterly among themselves as to what prayers they ought to say, and how they ought to say them.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The Romans had scarcely gone away from Britain, when the Britons began to wish they had never left it.
killed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They plundered the richest towns, and killed the people; and came back so often for more booty and more slaughter, that the unfortunate Britons lived a life of terror.
land
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As if the Picts and Scots were not bad enough on land, the Saxons attacked the islanders by sea; and, as if something more were still wanting to make them miserable, they quarrelled bitterly among themselves as to what prayers they ought to say, and how they ought to say them.
leftnounUS /left/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The Romans had scarcely gone away from Britain, when the Britons began to wish they had never left it.
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading They plundered the richest towns, and killed the people; and came back so often for more booty and more slaughter, that the unfortunate Britons lived a life of terror.
like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The priests, being very angry with one another on these questions, cursed one another in the heartiest manner; and (uncommonly like the old Druids) cursed all the people whom they could not persuade.
lived
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They plundered the richest towns, and killed the people; and came back so often for more booty and more slaughter, that the unfortunate Britons lived a life of terror.
longnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading For, the Romans being gone, and the Britons being much reduced in numbers by their long wars, the Picts and Scots came pouring in, over the broken and unguarded wall of Severus, in swarms.
makenounUS /make/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading As if the Picts and Scots were not bad enough on land, the Saxons attacked the islanders by sea; and, as if something more were still wanting to make them miserable, they quarrelled bitterly among themselves as to what prayers they ought to say, and how they ought to say them.
manner
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The priests, being very angry with one another on these questions, cursed one another in the heartiest manner; and (uncommonly like the old Druids) cursed all the people whom they could not persuade.
miserable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As if the Picts and Scots were not bad enough on land, the Saxons attacked the islanders by sea; and, as if something more were still wanting to make them miserable, they quarrelled bitterly among themselves as to what prayers they ought to say, and how they ought to say them.
more
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They plundered the richest towns, and killed the people; and came back so often for more booty and more slaughter, that the unfortunate Britons lived a life of terror.
much
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For, the Romans being gone, and the Britons being much reduced in numbers by their long wars, the Picts and Scots came pouring in, over the broken and unguarded wall of Severus, in swarms.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The Romans had scarcely gone away from Britain, when the Britons began to wish they had never left it.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading As if the Picts and Scots were not bad enough on land, the Saxons attacked the islanders by sea; and, as if something more were still wanting to make them miserable, they quarrelled bitterly among themselves as to what prayers they ought to say, and how they ought to say them.
numbers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For, the Romans being gone, and the Britons being much reduced in numbers by their long wars, the Picts and Scots came pouring in, over the broken and unguarded wall of Severus, in swarms.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading For, the Romans being gone, and the Britons being much reduced in numbers by their long wars, the Picts and Scots came pouring in, over the broken and unguarded wall of Severus, in swarms.
often
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They plundered the richest towns, and killed the people; and came back so often for more booty and more slaughter, that the unfortunate Britons lived a life of terror.
old
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The priests, being very angry with one another on these questions, cursed one another in the heartiest manner; and (uncommonly like the old Druids) cursed all the people whom they could not persuade.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading As if the Picts and Scots were not bad enough on land, the Saxons attacked the islanders by sea; and, as if something more were still wanting to make them miserable, they quarrelled bitterly among themselves as to what prayers they ought to say, and how they ought to say them.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The priests, being very angry with one another on these questions, cursed one another in the heartiest manner; and (uncommonly like the old Druids) cursed all the people whom they could not persuade.
oughtmodal verbUS /ɔːt/
used with “to” to say what is right or advisable
From this reading As if the Picts and Scots were not bad enough on land, the Saxons attacked the islanders by sea; and, as if something more were still wanting to make them miserable, they quarrelled bitterly among themselves as to what prayers they ought to say, and how they ought to say them.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading For, the Romans being gone, and the Britons being much reduced in numbers by their long wars, the Picts and Scots came pouring in, over the broken and unguarded wall of Severus, in swarms.
people
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They plundered the richest towns, and killed the people; and came back so often for more booty and more slaughter, that the unfortunate Britons lived a life of terror.
persuade
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The priests, being very angry with one another on these questions, cursed one another in the heartiest manner; and (uncommonly like the old Druids) cursed all the people whom they could not persuade.
Picts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For, the Romans being gone, and the Britons being much reduced in numbers by their long wars, the Picts and Scots came pouring in, over the broken and unguarded wall of Severus, in swarms.
plunderedverbUS /ˈplʌndərd/
stole goods or valuables by force after an attack
From this reading They plundered the richest towns, and killed the people; and came back so often for more booty and more slaughter, that the unfortunate Britons lived a life of terror.
pouring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For, the Romans being gone, and the Britons being much reduced in numbers by their long wars, the Picts and Scots came pouring in, over the broken and unguarded wall of Severus, in swarms.
prayers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As if the Picts and Scots were not bad enough on land, the Saxons attacked the islanders by sea; and, as if something more were still wanting to make them miserable, they quarrelled bitterly among themselves as to what prayers they ought to say, and how they ought to say them.
priests
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The priests, being very angry with one another on these questions, cursed one another in the heartiest manner; and (uncommonly like the old Druids) cursed all the people whom they could not persuade.
quarrelled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As if the Picts and Scots were not bad enough on land, the Saxons attacked the islanders by sea; and, as if something more were still wanting to make them miserable, they quarrelled bitterly among themselves as to what prayers they ought to say, and how they ought to say them.
questions
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The priests, being very angry with one another on these questions, cursed one another in the heartiest manner; and (uncommonly like the old Druids) cursed all the people whom they could not persuade.
reduced
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For, the Romans being gone, and the Britons being much reduced in numbers by their long wars, the Picts and Scots came pouring in, over the broken and unguarded wall of Severus, in swarms.
richest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They plundered the richest towns, and killed the people; and came back so often for more booty and more slaughter, that the unfortunate Britons lived a life of terror.
Romans
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Romans had scarcely gone away from Britain, when the Britons began to wish they had never left it.
Saxons
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As if the Picts and Scots were not bad enough on land, the Saxons attacked the islanders by sea; and, as if something more were still wanting to make them miserable, they quarrelled bitterly among themselves as to what prayers they ought to say, and how they ought to say them.
say
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As if the Picts and Scots were not bad enough on land, the Saxons attacked the islanders by sea; and, as if something more were still wanting to make them miserable, they quarrelled bitterly among themselves as to what prayers they ought to say, and how they ought to say them.
scarcely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Romans had scarcely gone away from Britain, when the Britons began to wish they had never left it.
Scots
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For, the Romans being gone, and the Britons being much reduced in numbers by their long wars, the Picts and Scots came pouring in, over the broken and unguarded wall of Severus, in swarms.
sea
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As if the Picts and Scots were not bad enough on land, the Saxons attacked the islanders by sea; and, as if something more were still wanting to make them miserable, they quarrelled bitterly among themselves as to what prayers they ought to say, and how they ought to say them.
Severus
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From this reading For, the Romans being gone, and the Britons being much reduced in numbers by their long wars, the Picts and Scots came pouring in, over the broken and unguarded wall of Severus, in swarms.
slaughter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They plundered the richest towns, and killed the people; and came back so often for more booty and more slaughter, that the unfortunate Britons lived a life of terror.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading They plundered the richest towns, and killed the people; and came back so often for more booty and more slaughter, that the unfortunate Britons lived a life of terror.
somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
a thing, without saying which
From this reading As if the Picts and Scots were not bad enough on land, the Saxons attacked the islanders by sea; and, as if something more were still wanting to make them miserable, they quarrelled bitterly among themselves as to what prayers they ought to say, and how they ought to say them.
stillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading As if the Picts and Scots were not bad enough on land, the Saxons attacked the islanders by sea; and, as if something more were still wanting to make them miserable, they quarrelled bitterly among themselves as to what prayers they ought to say, and how they ought to say them.
swarms
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For, the Romans being gone, and the Britons being much reduced in numbers by their long wars, the Picts and Scots came pouring in, over the broken and unguarded wall of Severus, in swarms.
terror
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They plundered the richest towns, and killed the people; and came back so often for more booty and more slaughter, that the unfortunate Britons lived a life of terror.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading They plundered the richest towns, and killed the people; and came back so often for more booty and more slaughter, that the unfortunate Britons lived a life of terror.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Romans had scarcely gone away from Britain, when the Britons began to wish they had never left it.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading For, the Romans being gone, and the Britons being much reduced in numbers by their long wars, the Picts and Scots came pouring in, over the broken and unguarded wall of Severus, in swarms.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading As if the Picts and Scots were not bad enough on land, the Saxons attacked the islanders by sea; and, as if something more were still wanting to make them miserable, they quarrelled bitterly among themselves as to what prayers they ought to say, and how they ought to say them.
themselvespronounUS /ðemˈselvz/
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading As if the Picts and Scots were not bad enough on land, the Saxons attacked the islanders by sea; and, as if something more were still wanting to make them miserable, they quarrelled bitterly among themselves as to what prayers they ought to say, and how they ought to say them.
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading The priests, being very angry with one another on these questions, cursed one another in the heartiest manner; and (uncommonly like the old Druids) cursed all the people whom they could not persuade.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The Romans had scarcely gone away from Britain, when the Britons began to wish they had never left it.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The Romans had scarcely gone away from Britain, when the Britons began to wish they had never left it.
towns
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They plundered the richest towns, and killed the people; and came back so often for more booty and more slaughter, that the unfortunate Britons lived a life of terror.
uncommonly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The priests, being very angry with one another on these questions, cursed one another in the heartiest manner; and (uncommonly like the old Druids) cursed all the people whom they could not persuade.
unfortunate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They plundered the richest towns, and killed the people; and came back so often for more booty and more slaughter, that the unfortunate Britons lived a life of terror.
unguarded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For, the Romans being gone, and the Britons being much reduced in numbers by their long wars, the Picts and Scots came pouring in, over the broken and unguarded wall of Severus, in swarms.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The priests, being very angry with one another on these questions, cursed one another in the heartiest manner; and (uncommonly like the old Druids) cursed all the people whom they could not persuade.
wall
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For, the Romans being gone, and the Britons being much reduced in numbers by their long wars, the Picts and Scots came pouring in, over the broken and unguarded wall of Severus, in swarms.
wanting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As if the Picts and Scots were not bad enough on land, the Saxons attacked the islanders by sea; and, as if something more were still wanting to make them miserable, they quarrelled bitterly among themselves as to what prayers they ought to say, and how they ought to say them.
wars
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For, the Romans being gone, and the Britons being much reduced in numbers by their long wars, the Picts and Scots came pouring in, over the broken and unguarded wall of Severus, in swarms.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading As if the Picts and Scots were not bad enough on land, the Saxons attacked the islanders by sea; and, as if something more were still wanting to make them miserable, they quarrelled bitterly among themselves as to what prayers they ought to say, and how they ought to say them.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading As if the Picts and Scots were not bad enough on land, the Saxons attacked the islanders by sea; and, as if something more were still wanting to make them miserable, they quarrelled bitterly among themselves as to what prayers they ought to say, and how they ought to say them.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading The Romans had scarcely gone away from Britain, when the Britons began to wish they had never left it.
whompronounUS /huːm/
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The priests, being very angry with one another on these questions, cursed one another in the heartiest manner; and (uncommonly like the old Druids) cursed all the people whom they could not persuade.
wish
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Romans had scarcely gone away from Britain, when the Britons began to wish they had never left it.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading The priests, being very angry with one another on these questions, cursed one another in the heartiest manner; and (uncommonly like the old Druids) cursed all the people whom they could not persuade.
