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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 VALUE OF A LIFE Rufus settled himself down to his work with as much outward cheerfulness as he could command.
ambition
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From this reading There was no scope for enterprise or ambition, which exactly suited his mood.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was a great comfort to him to know that Captain Tom believed in him, and that the past would never be flung into his teeth by his employer.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading THE VALUE OF A LIFE Rufus settled himself down to his work with as much outward cheerfulness as he could command.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It was a great comfort to him to know that Captain Tom believed in him, and that the past would never be flung into his teeth by his employer.
believed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a great comfort to him to know that Captain Tom believed in him, and that the past would never be flung into his teeth by his employer.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading It was a great comfort to him to know that Captain Tom believed in him, and that the past would never be flung into his teeth by his employer.
CaptainnounUS /ˈcaptain/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading It was a great comfort to him to know that Captain Tom believed in him, and that the past would never be flung into his teeth by his employer.
cheerfulness
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From this reading THE VALUE OF A LIFE Rufus settled himself down to his work with as much outward cheerfulness as he could command.
comfort
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From this reading It was a great comfort to him to know that Captain Tom believed in him, and that the past would never be flung into his teeth by his employer.
command
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From this reading THE VALUE OF A LIFE Rufus settled himself down to his work with as much outward cheerfulness as he could command.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading THE VALUE OF A LIFE Rufus settled himself down to his work with as much outward cheerfulness as he could command.
down
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From this reading THE VALUE OF A LIFE Rufus settled himself down to his work with as much outward cheerfulness as he could command.
employer
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From this reading It was a great comfort to him to know that Captain Tom believed in him, and that the past would never be flung into his teeth by his employer.
enterprise
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From this reading There was no scope for enterprise or ambition, which exactly suited his mood.
exacting
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From this reading The work was not exacting and the pay was proportionate.
exactly
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From this reading There was no scope for enterprise or ambition, which exactly suited his mood.
flung
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From this reading It was a great comfort to him to know that Captain Tom believed in him, and that the past would never be flung into his teeth by his employer.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading There was no scope for enterprise or ambition, which exactly suited his mood.
greatnounUS /great/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was a great comfort to him to know that Captain Tom believed in him, and that the past would never be flung into his teeth by his employer.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had no ambition left.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading THE VALUE OF A LIFE Rufus settled himself down to his work with as much outward cheerfulness as he could command.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It was a great comfort to him to know that Captain Tom believed in him, and that the past would never be flung into his teeth by his employer.
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading THE VALUE OF A LIFE Rufus settled himself down to his work with as much outward cheerfulness as he could command.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading THE VALUE OF A LIFE Rufus settled himself down to his work with as much outward cheerfulness as he could command.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was a great comfort to him to know that Captain Tom believed in him, and that the past would never be flung into his teeth by his employer.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading It was a great comfort to him to know that Captain Tom believed in him, and that the past would never be flung into his teeth by his employer.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a great comfort to him to know that Captain Tom believed in him, and that the past would never be flung into his teeth by his employer.
knownounUS /know/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was a great comfort to him to know that Captain Tom believed in him, and that the past would never be flung into his teeth by his employer.
leftnounUS /left/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He had no ambition left.
LIFEnounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading THE VALUE OF A LIFE Rufus settled himself down to his work with as much outward cheerfulness as he could command.
mood
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From this reading There was no scope for enterprise or ambition, which exactly suited his mood.
much
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From this reading THE VALUE OF A LIFE Rufus settled himself down to his work with as much outward cheerfulness as he could command.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was a great comfort to him to know that Captain Tom believed in him, and that the past would never be flung into his teeth by his employer.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading There was no scope for enterprise or ambition, which exactly suited his mood.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The work was not exacting and the pay was proportionate.
OFprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE VALUE OF A LIFE Rufus settled himself down to his work with as much outward cheerfulness as he could command.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading There was no scope for enterprise or ambition, which exactly suited his mood.
outward
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From this reading THE VALUE OF A LIFE Rufus settled himself down to his work with as much outward cheerfulness as he could command.
past
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From this reading It was a great comfort to him to know that Captain Tom believed in him, and that the past would never be flung into his teeth by his employer.
pay
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From this reading The work was not exacting and the pay was proportionate.
proportionate
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From this reading The work was not exacting and the pay was proportionate.
Rufus
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From this reading THE VALUE OF A LIFE Rufus settled himself down to his work with as much outward cheerfulness as he could command.
scope
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no scope for enterprise or ambition, which exactly suited his mood.
settled
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From this reading THE VALUE OF A LIFE Rufus settled himself down to his work with as much outward cheerfulness as he could command.
suited
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no scope for enterprise or ambition, which exactly suited his mood.
teeth
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From this reading It was a great comfort to him to know that Captain Tom believed in him, and that the past would never be flung into his teeth by his employer.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was a great comfort to him to know that Captain Tom believed in him, and that the past would never be flung into his teeth by his employer.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE VALUE OF A LIFE Rufus settled himself down to his work with as much outward cheerfulness as he could command.
There
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no scope for enterprise or ambition, which exactly suited his mood.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE VALUE OF A LIFE Rufus settled himself down to his work with as much outward cheerfulness as he could command.
Tom
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From this reading It was a great comfort to him to know that Captain Tom believed in him, and that the past would never be flung into his teeth by his employer.
VALUE
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From this reading THE VALUE OF A LIFE Rufus settled himself down to his work with as much outward cheerfulness as he could command.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a great comfort to him to know that Captain Tom believed in him, and that the past would never be flung into his teeth by his employer.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading There was no scope for enterprise or ambition, which exactly suited his mood.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading THE VALUE OF A LIFE Rufus settled himself down to his work with as much outward cheerfulness as he could command.
work
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE VALUE OF A LIFE Rufus settled himself down to his work with as much outward cheerfulness as he could command.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading It was a great comfort to him to know that Captain Tom believed in him, and that the past would never be flung into his teeth by his employer.