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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 Mother Necessity, who had been staved off for a few thousand years, came back again, and she began below.
absolute
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But that perfect state had lacked one thing even for mechanical perfection—absolute permanency.
againnounUS /again/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Mother Necessity, who had been staved off for a few thousand years, came back again, and she began below.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Apparently as time went on, the feeding of an Underworld, however it was effected, had become disjointed.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “So, as I see it, the Upperworld man had drifted towards his feeble prettiness, and the Underworld to mere mechanical industry.
Apparently
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Apparently as time went on, the feeding of an Underworld, however it was effected, had become disjointed.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading “So, as I see it, the Upperworld man had drifted towards his feeble prettiness, and the Underworld to mere mechanical industry.
back
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From this reading Mother Necessity, who had been staved off for a few thousand years, came back again, and she began below.
become
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Apparently as time went on, the feeding of an Underworld, however it was effected, had become disjointed.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Mother Necessity, who had been staved off for a few thousand years, came back again, and she began below.
begannounUS /began/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Mother Necessity, who had been staved off for a few thousand years, came back again, and she began below.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading The Underworld being in contact with machinery, which, however perfect, still needs some little thought outside habit, had probably retained perforce rather more initiative, if less of every other human character, than the Upper.
belowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/
at or to a lower level than something
From this reading Mother Necessity, who had been staved off for a few thousand years, came back again, and she began below.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But that perfect state had lacked one thing even for mechanical perfection—absolute permanency.
came
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mother Necessity, who had been staved off for a few thousand years, came back again, and she began below.
character
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From this reading The Underworld being in contact with machinery, which, however perfect, still needs some little thought outside habit, had probably retained perforce rather more initiative, if less of every other human character, than the Upper.
contact
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Underworld being in contact with machinery, which, however perfect, still needs some little thought outside habit, had probably retained perforce rather more initiative, if less of every other human character, than the Upper.
disjointed
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From this reading Apparently as time went on, the feeding of an Underworld, however it was effected, had become disjointed.
driftedverbUS /ˈdrɪftəd/
past form of “drift” — be in motion due to some air or water current
From this reading “So, as I see it, the Upperworld man had drifted towards his feeble prettiness, and the Underworld to mere mechanical industry.
effected
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Apparently as time went on, the feeding of an Underworld, however it was effected, had become disjointed.
evennounUS /even/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But that perfect state had lacked one thing even for mechanical perfection—absolute permanency.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading The Underworld being in contact with machinery, which, however perfect, still needs some little thought outside habit, had probably retained perforce rather more initiative, if less of every other human character, than the Upper.
feeble
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “So, as I see it, the Upperworld man had drifted towards his feeble prettiness, and the Underworld to mere mechanical industry.
feeding
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Apparently as time went on, the feeding of an Underworld, however it was effected, had become disjointed.
few
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From this reading Mother Necessity, who had been staved off for a few thousand years, came back again, and she began below.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading But that perfect state had lacked one thing even for mechanical perfection—absolute permanency.
habit
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Underworld being in contact with machinery, which, however perfect, still needs some little thought outside habit, had probably retained perforce rather more initiative, if less of every other human character, than the Upper.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading “So, as I see it, the Upperworld man had drifted towards his feeble prettiness, and the Underworld to mere mechanical industry.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading “So, as I see it, the Upperworld man had drifted towards his feeble prettiness, and the Underworld to mere mechanical industry.
howeveradverbUS /ˌhaʊˈevər/
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading Apparently as time went on, the feeding of an Underworld, however it was effected, had become disjointed.
human
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Underworld being in contact with machinery, which, however perfect, still needs some little thought outside habit, had probably retained perforce rather more initiative, if less of every other human character, than the Upper.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “So, as I see it, the Upperworld man had drifted towards his feeble prettiness, and the Underworld to mere mechanical industry.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading The Underworld being in contact with machinery, which, however perfect, still needs some little thought outside habit, had probably retained perforce rather more initiative, if less of every other human character, than the Upper.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The Underworld being in contact with machinery, which, however perfect, still needs some little thought outside habit, had probably retained perforce rather more initiative, if less of every other human character, than the Upper.
industry
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “So, as I see it, the Upperworld man had drifted towards his feeble prettiness, and the Underworld to mere mechanical industry.
initiative
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Underworld being in contact with machinery, which, however perfect, still needs some little thought outside habit, had probably retained perforce rather more initiative, if less of every other human character, than the Upper.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “So, as I see it, the Upperworld man had drifted towards his feeble prettiness, and the Underworld to mere mechanical industry.
lacked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But that perfect state had lacked one thing even for mechanical perfection—absolute permanency.
less
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Underworld being in contact with machinery, which, however perfect, still needs some little thought outside habit, had probably retained perforce rather more initiative, if less of every other human character, than the Upper.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The Underworld being in contact with machinery, which, however perfect, still needs some little thought outside habit, had probably retained perforce rather more initiative, if less of every other human character, than the Upper.
machinery
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Underworld being in contact with machinery, which, however perfect, still needs some little thought outside habit, had probably retained perforce rather more initiative, if less of every other human character, than the Upper.
man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “So, as I see it, the Upperworld man had drifted towards his feeble prettiness, and the Underworld to mere mechanical industry.
mechanical
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “So, as I see it, the Upperworld man had drifted towards his feeble prettiness, and the Underworld to mere mechanical industry.
mere
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “So, as I see it, the Upperworld man had drifted towards his feeble prettiness, and the Underworld to mere mechanical industry.
more
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Underworld being in contact with machinery, which, however perfect, still needs some little thought outside habit, had probably retained perforce rather more initiative, if less of every other human character, than the Upper.
Mother
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mother Necessity, who had been staved off for a few thousand years, came back again, and she began below.
Necessity
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mother Necessity, who had been staved off for a few thousand years, came back again, and she began below.
needs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Underworld being in contact with machinery, which, however perfect, still needs some little thought outside habit, had probably retained perforce rather more initiative, if less of every other human character, than the Upper.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Apparently as time went on, the feeding of an Underworld, however it was effected, had become disjointed.
off
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mother Necessity, who had been staved off for a few thousand years, came back again, and she began below.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Apparently as time went on, the feeding of an Underworld, however it was effected, had become disjointed.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading But that perfect state had lacked one thing even for mechanical perfection—absolute permanency.
other
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Underworld being in contact with machinery, which, however perfect, still needs some little thought outside habit, had probably retained perforce rather more initiative, if less of every other human character, than the Upper.
outsidenounUS /ˈoutside/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading The Underworld being in contact with machinery, which, however perfect, still needs some little thought outside habit, had probably retained perforce rather more initiative, if less of every other human character, than the Upper.
perfect
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But that perfect state had lacked one thing even for mechanical perfection—absolute permanency.
perfection
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But that perfect state had lacked one thing even for mechanical perfection—absolute permanency.
perforce
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Underworld being in contact with machinery, which, however perfect, still needs some little thought outside habit, had probably retained perforce rather more initiative, if less of every other human character, than the Upper.
permanency
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But that perfect state had lacked one thing even for mechanical perfection—absolute permanency.
prettiness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “So, as I see it, the Upperworld man had drifted towards his feeble prettiness, and the Underworld to mere mechanical industry.
probably
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Underworld being in contact with machinery, which, however perfect, still needs some little thought outside habit, had probably retained perforce rather more initiative, if less of every other human character, than the Upper.
rather
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Underworld being in contact with machinery, which, however perfect, still needs some little thought outside habit, had probably retained perforce rather more initiative, if less of every other human character, than the Upper.
retained
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Underworld being in contact with machinery, which, however perfect, still needs some little thought outside habit, had probably retained perforce rather more initiative, if less of every other human character, than the Upper.
see
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “So, as I see it, the Upperworld man had drifted towards his feeble prettiness, and the Underworld to mere mechanical industry.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Mother Necessity, who had been staved off for a few thousand years, came back again, and she began below.
SoconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading “So, as I see it, the Upperworld man had drifted towards his feeble prettiness, and the Underworld to mere mechanical industry.
some
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Underworld being in contact with machinery, which, however perfect, still needs some little thought outside habit, had probably retained perforce rather more initiative, if less of every other human character, than the Upper.
state
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But that perfect state had lacked one thing even for mechanical perfection—absolute permanency.
staved
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mother Necessity, who had been staved off for a few thousand years, came back again, and she began below.
stillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The Underworld being in contact with machinery, which, however perfect, still needs some little thought outside habit, had probably retained perforce rather more initiative, if less of every other human character, than the Upper.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading The Underworld being in contact with machinery, which, however perfect, still needs some little thought outside habit, had probably retained perforce rather more initiative, if less of every other human character, than the Upper.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading But that perfect state had lacked one thing even for mechanical perfection—absolute permanency.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “So, as I see it, the Upperworld man had drifted towards his feeble prettiness, and the Underworld to mere mechanical industry.
thingnounUS /thing/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But that perfect state had lacked one thing even for mechanical perfection—absolute permanency.
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The Underworld being in contact with machinery, which, however perfect, still needs some little thought outside habit, had probably retained perforce rather more initiative, if less of every other human character, than the Upper.
thousand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mother Necessity, who had been staved off for a few thousand years, came back again, and she began below.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Apparently as time went on, the feeding of an Underworld, however it was effected, had become disjointed.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “So, as I see it, the Upperworld man had drifted towards his feeble prettiness, and the Underworld to mere mechanical industry.
towardsprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrdz/
in the direction of
From this reading “So, as I see it, the Upperworld man had drifted towards his feeble prettiness, and the Underworld to mere mechanical industry.
Underworld
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “So, as I see it, the Upperworld man had drifted towards his feeble prettiness, and the Underworld to mere mechanical industry.
Upper
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Underworld being in contact with machinery, which, however perfect, still needs some little thought outside habit, had probably retained perforce rather more initiative, if less of every other human character, than the Upper.
Upperworld
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “So, as I see it, the Upperworld man had drifted towards his feeble prettiness, and the Underworld to mere mechanical industry.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Apparently as time went on, the feeding of an Underworld, however it was effected, had become disjointed.
wentnounUS /went/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Apparently as time went on, the feeding of an Underworld, however it was effected, had become disjointed.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The Underworld being in contact with machinery, which, however perfect, still needs some little thought outside habit, had probably retained perforce rather more initiative, if less of every other human character, than the Upper.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading Mother Necessity, who had been staved off for a few thousand years, came back again, and she began below.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading The Underworld being in contact with machinery, which, however perfect, still needs some little thought outside habit, had probably retained perforce rather more initiative, if less of every other human character, than the Upper.
years
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mother Necessity, who had been staved off for a few thousand years, came back again, and she began below.
