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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 wheels were in a good condition and firmly fixed, but the springs had lost all elasticity.
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The wheels were in a good condition and firmly fixed, but the springs had lost all elasticity.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He is rigidly honourable, and excessively just.
any
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From this reading It was certain that these watches had suddenly stopped, and without any apparent reason.
apparent
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From this reading It was certain that these watches had suddenly stopped, and without any apparent reason.
become
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From this reading The severity of the Geneva merchant in business matters has become proverbial.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading What must, then, have been the shame of Master Zacharius, when he saw these watches, which he had so carefully constructed, returning to him from every direction?
business
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The severity of the Geneva merchant in business matters has become proverbial.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The wheels were in a good condition and firmly fixed, but the springs had lost all elasticity.
carefully
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What must, then, have been the shame of Master Zacharius, when he saw these watches, which he had so carefully constructed, returning to him from every direction?
certain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was certain that these watches had suddenly stopped, and without any apparent reason.
condition
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From this reading The wheels were in a good condition and firmly fixed, but the springs had lost all elasticity.
constructed
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From this reading What must, then, have been the shame of Master Zacharius, when he saw these watches, which he had so carefully constructed, returning to him from every direction?
direction
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From this reading What must, then, have been the shame of Master Zacharius, when he saw these watches, which he had so carefully constructed, returning to him from every direction?
elasticity
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The wheels were in a good condition and firmly fixed, but the springs had lost all elasticity.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading What must, then, have been the shame of Master Zacharius, when he saw these watches, which he had so carefully constructed, returning to him from every direction?
excessively
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From this reading He is rigidly honourable, and excessively just.
firmly
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From this reading The wheels were in a good condition and firmly fixed, but the springs had lost all elasticity.
fixed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The wheels were in a good condition and firmly fixed, but the springs had lost all elasticity.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading What must, then, have been the shame of Master Zacharius, when he saw these watches, which he had so carefully constructed, returning to him from every direction?
Geneva
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The severity of the Geneva merchant in business matters has become proverbial.
goodnounUS /good/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The wheels were in a good condition and firmly fixed, but the springs had lost all elasticity.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading What must, then, have been the shame of Master Zacharius, when he saw these watches, which he had so carefully constructed, returning to him from every direction?
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The severity of the Geneva merchant in business matters has become proverbial.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading What must, then, have been the shame of Master Zacharius, when he saw these watches, which he had so carefully constructed, returning to him from every direction?
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He is rigidly honourable, and excessively just.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading What must, then, have been the shame of Master Zacharius, when he saw these watches, which he had so carefully constructed, returning to him from every direction?
honourable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He is rigidly honourable, and excessively just.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The severity of the Geneva merchant in business matters has become proverbial.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He is rigidly honourable, and excessively just.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was certain that these watches had suddenly stopped, and without any apparent reason.
just
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He is rigidly honourable, and excessively just.
lost
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The wheels were in a good condition and firmly fixed, but the springs had lost all elasticity.
Master
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From this reading What must, then, have been the shame of Master Zacharius, when he saw these watches, which he had so carefully constructed, returning to him from every direction?
matters
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The severity of the Geneva merchant in business matters has become proverbial.
merchantnounUS /ˈmɜːr.tʃənt/
A person or company involved in wholesale trade, especially with foreign countries.
From this reading The severity of the Geneva merchant in business matters has become proverbial.
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading What must, then, have been the shame of Master Zacharius, when he saw these watches, which he had so carefully constructed, returning to him from every direction?
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The severity of the Geneva merchant in business matters has become proverbial.
proverbial
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The severity of the Geneva merchant in business matters has become proverbial.
reason
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was certain that these watches had suddenly stopped, and without any apparent reason.
returning
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What must, then, have been the shame of Master Zacharius, when he saw these watches, which he had so carefully constructed, returning to him from every direction?
rigidly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He is rigidly honourable, and excessively just.
saw
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What must, then, have been the shame of Master Zacharius, when he saw these watches, which he had so carefully constructed, returning to him from every direction?
severity
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The severity of the Geneva merchant in business matters has become proverbial.
shame
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What must, then, have been the shame of Master Zacharius, when he saw these watches, which he had so carefully constructed, returning to him from every direction?
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading What must, then, have been the shame of Master Zacharius, when he saw these watches, which he had so carefully constructed, returning to him from every direction?
springs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The wheels were in a good condition and firmly fixed, but the springs had lost all elasticity.
stoppednounUS /stopped/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was certain that these watches had suddenly stopped, and without any apparent reason.
suddenlynounUS /ˈsuddenly/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading It was certain that these watches had suddenly stopped, and without any apparent reason.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was certain that these watches had suddenly stopped, and without any apparent reason.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The severity of the Geneva merchant in business matters has become proverbial.
then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What must, then, have been the shame of Master Zacharius, when he saw these watches, which he had so carefully constructed, returning to him from every direction?
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading What must, then, have been the shame of Master Zacharius, when he saw these watches, which he had so carefully constructed, returning to him from every direction?
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading What must, then, have been the shame of Master Zacharius, when he saw these watches, which he had so carefully constructed, returning to him from every direction?
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was certain that these watches had suddenly stopped, and without any apparent reason.
watches
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What must, then, have been the shame of Master Zacharius, when he saw these watches, which he had so carefully constructed, returning to him from every direction?
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The wheels were in a good condition and firmly fixed, but the springs had lost all elasticity.
WhatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What must, then, have been the shame of Master Zacharius, when he saw these watches, which he had so carefully constructed, returning to him from every direction?
wheels
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The wheels were in a good condition and firmly fixed, but the springs had lost all elasticity.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading What must, then, have been the shame of Master Zacharius, when he saw these watches, which he had so carefully constructed, returning to him from every direction?
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading What must, then, have been the shame of Master Zacharius, when he saw these watches, which he had so carefully constructed, returning to him from every direction?
withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading It was certain that these watches had suddenly stopped, and without any apparent reason.
Zacharius
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading What must, then, have been the shame of Master Zacharius, when he saw these watches, which he had so carefully constructed, returning to him from every direction?
