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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 My earliest distinct remembrances are of a mean and common home in London, in which I lived with my parents and a servant named Fortress.
addressed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She performed her duties quietly and in silence, and seldom spoke unless she were first addressed.
affection
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From this reading She did not take the trouble to render herself agreeable to me, or to win my affection.
age
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was a young woman, her age being twenty-four or five, but her manners were as sedate as those of a matron who had a distaste for frivolity and tittle-tattle.
agreeable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She did not take the trouble to render herself agreeable to me, or to win my affection.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading My earliest distinct remembrances are of a mean and common home in London, in which I lived with my parents and a servant named Fortress.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading My earliest distinct remembrances are of a mean and common home in London, in which I lived with my parents and a servant named Fortress.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She was a young woman, her age being twenty-four or five, but her manners were as sedate as those of a matron who had a distaste for frivolity and tittle-tattle.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading She was a young woman, her age being twenty-four or five, but her manners were as sedate as those of a matron who had a distaste for frivolity and tittle-tattle.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading She was a young woman, her age being twenty-four or five, but her manners were as sedate as those of a matron who had a distaste for frivolity and tittle-tattle.
common
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My earliest distinct remembrances are of a mean and common home in London, in which I lived with my parents and a servant named Fortress.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading She did not take the trouble to render herself agreeable to me, or to win my affection.
dispositionnounUS /ˌdɪspəˈzɪʃən/
the way something is arranged or positioned
From this reading This was entirely to my liking, as I was of a retired habit of mind and disposition.
distaste
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was a young woman, her age being twenty-four or five, but her manners were as sedate as those of a matron who had a distaste for frivolity and tittle-tattle.
distinct
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From this reading My earliest distinct remembrances are of a mean and common home in London, in which I lived with my parents and a servant named Fortress.
duties
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She performed her duties quietly and in silence, and seldom spoke unless she were first addressed.
earliest
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From this reading My earliest distinct remembrances are of a mean and common home in London, in which I lived with my parents and a servant named Fortress.
entirelynounUS /ˈentirely/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading This was entirely to my liking, as I was of a retired habit of mind and disposition.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She performed her duties quietly and in silence, and seldom spoke unless she were first addressed.
five
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was a young woman, her age being twenty-four or five, but her manners were as sedate as those of a matron who had a distaste for frivolity and tittle-tattle.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading She was a young woman, her age being twenty-four or five, but her manners were as sedate as those of a matron who had a distaste for frivolity and tittle-tattle.
Fortress
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My earliest distinct remembrances are of a mean and common home in London, in which I lived with my parents and a servant named Fortress.
frivolity
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was a young woman, her age being twenty-four or five, but her manners were as sedate as those of a matron who had a distaste for frivolity and tittle-tattle.
habit
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was entirely to my liking, as I was of a retired habit of mind and disposition.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She was a young woman, her age being twenty-four or five, but her manners were as sedate as those of a matron who had a distaste for frivolity and tittle-tattle.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She was a young woman, her age being twenty-four or five, but her manners were as sedate as those of a matron who had a distaste for frivolity and tittle-tattle.
herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading She did not take the trouble to render herself agreeable to me, or to win my affection.
home
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My earliest distinct remembrances are of a mean and common home in London, in which I lived with my parents and a servant named Fortress.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading My earliest distinct remembrances are of a mean and common home in London, in which I lived with my parents and a servant named Fortress.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading My earliest distinct remembrances are of a mean and common home in London, in which I lived with my parents and a servant named Fortress.
liking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was entirely to my liking, as I was of a retired habit of mind and disposition.
lived
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My earliest distinct remembrances are of a mean and common home in London, in which I lived with my parents and a servant named Fortress.
London
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My earliest distinct remembrances are of a mean and common home in London, in which I lived with my parents and a servant named Fortress.
manners
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was a young woman, her age being twenty-four or five, but her manners were as sedate as those of a matron who had a distaste for frivolity and tittle-tattle.
matron
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was a young woman, her age being twenty-four or five, but her manners were as sedate as those of a matron who had a distaste for frivolity and tittle-tattle.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading She did not take the trouble to render herself agreeable to me, or to win my affection.
mean
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My earliest distinct remembrances are of a mean and common home in London, in which I lived with my parents and a servant named Fortress.
mindnounUS /mind/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading This was entirely to my liking, as I was of a retired habit of mind and disposition.
MydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading My earliest distinct remembrances are of a mean and common home in London, in which I lived with my parents and a servant named Fortress.
named
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My earliest distinct remembrances are of a mean and common home in London, in which I lived with my parents and a servant named Fortress.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading She did not take the trouble to render herself agreeable to me, or to win my affection.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading My earliest distinct remembrances are of a mean and common home in London, in which I lived with my parents and a servant named Fortress.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading She was a young woman, her age being twenty-four or five, but her manners were as sedate as those of a matron who had a distaste for frivolity and tittle-tattle.
parents
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My earliest distinct remembrances are of a mean and common home in London, in which I lived with my parents and a servant named Fortress.
performed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She performed her duties quietly and in silence, and seldom spoke unless she were first addressed.
quietly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She performed her duties quietly and in silence, and seldom spoke unless she were first addressed.
remembrances
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My earliest distinct remembrances are of a mean and common home in London, in which I lived with my parents and a servant named Fortress.
render
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She did not take the trouble to render herself agreeable to me, or to win my affection.
retiredverbUS /rɪˈtaɪərd/
went away to a private place
From this reading This was entirely to my liking, as I was of a retired habit of mind and disposition.
sedate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was a young woman, her age being twenty-four or five, but her manners were as sedate as those of a matron who had a distaste for frivolity and tittle-tattle.
seldom
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She performed her duties quietly and in silence, and seldom spoke unless she were first addressed.
servant
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My earliest distinct remembrances are of a mean and common home in London, in which I lived with my parents and a servant named Fortress.
ShepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She was a young woman, her age being twenty-four or five, but her manners were as sedate as those of a matron who had a distaste for frivolity and tittle-tattle.
silencenounUS /ˈsaɪ.ləns/
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading She performed her duties quietly and in silence, and seldom spoke unless she were first addressed.
spoke
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She performed her duties quietly and in silence, and seldom spoke unless she were first addressed.
takenounUS /take/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She did not take the trouble to render herself agreeable to me, or to win my affection.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading She did not take the trouble to render herself agreeable to me, or to win my affection.
ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This was entirely to my liking, as I was of a retired habit of mind and disposition.
thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading She was a young woman, her age being twenty-four or five, but her manners were as sedate as those of a matron who had a distaste for frivolity and tittle-tattle.
tittle-tattle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was a young woman, her age being twenty-four or five, but her manners were as sedate as those of a matron who had a distaste for frivolity and tittle-tattle.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She did not take the trouble to render herself agreeable to me, or to win my affection.
trouble
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She did not take the trouble to render herself agreeable to me, or to win my affection.
twenty-four
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was a young woman, her age being twenty-four or five, but her manners were as sedate as those of a matron who had a distaste for frivolity and tittle-tattle.
unlessconjunctionUS /ənˈles/
except if; if not
From this reading She performed her duties quietly and in silence, and seldom spoke unless she were first addressed.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She was a young woman, her age being twenty-four or five, but her manners were as sedate as those of a matron who had a distaste for frivolity and tittle-tattle.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading She was a young woman, her age being twenty-four or five, but her manners were as sedate as those of a matron who had a distaste for frivolity and tittle-tattle.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading My earliest distinct remembrances are of a mean and common home in London, in which I lived with my parents and a servant named Fortress.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading She was a young woman, her age being twenty-four or five, but her manners were as sedate as those of a matron who had a distaste for frivolity and tittle-tattle.
win
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She did not take the trouble to render herself agreeable to me, or to win my affection.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading My earliest distinct remembrances are of a mean and common home in London, in which I lived with my parents and a servant named Fortress.
woman
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was a young woman, her age being twenty-four or five, but her manners were as sedate as those of a matron who had a distaste for frivolity and tittle-tattle.
young
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was a young woman, her age being twenty-four or five, but her manners were as sedate as those of a matron who had a distaste for frivolity and tittle-tattle.
