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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 As a child, there had always been, to her, something mysterious about him; a gravity, a wisdom beyond his years.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading As a child, there had always been, to her, something mysterious about him; a gravity, a wisdom beyond his years.
always
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a child, there had always been, to her, something mysterious about him; a gravity, a wisdom beyond his years.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading There had been, with him, no period of fun and frolic that she might have shared in; no mischievousness for her to scold while loving him the more for it; no helplessness to make appeal to her.
appeal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There had been, with him, no period of fun and frolic that she might have shared in; no mischievousness for her to scold while loving him the more for it; no helplessness to make appeal to her.
AsconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As a child, there had always been, to her, something mysterious about him; a gravity, a wisdom beyond his years.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading As a child, there had always been, to her, something mysterious about him; a gravity, a wisdom beyond his years.
Betty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Strong’nth’arm had not spoken figuratively when she had told Betty that there were times when she did not know her own son.
beyondprepositionUS /bɪˈɑːnd/
on the far side of; further than
From this reading As a child, there had always been, to her, something mysterious about him; a gravity, a wisdom beyond his years.
came
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He never came to her for comfort or protection.
caused
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From this reading From the day when he could crawl his self-reliance had caused her secret tears.
child
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a child, there had always been, to her, something mysterious about him; a gravity, a wisdom beyond his years.
comfort
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He never came to her for comfort or protection.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading From the day when he could crawl his self-reliance had caused her secret tears.
crawl
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the day when he could crawl his self-reliance had caused her secret tears.
day
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From this reading From the day when he could crawl his self-reliance had caused her secret tears.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Mrs. Strong’nth’arm had not spoken figuratively when she had told Betty that there were times when she did not know her own son.
figuratively
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Strong’nth’arm had not spoken figuratively when she had told Betty that there were times when she did not know her own son.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading There had been, with him, no period of fun and frolic that she might have shared in; no mischievousness for her to scold while loving him the more for it; no helplessness to make appeal to her.
frolic
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There had been, with him, no period of fun and frolic that she might have shared in; no mischievousness for her to scold while loving him the more for it; no helplessness to make appeal to her.
FromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading From the day when he could crawl his self-reliance had caused her secret tears.
fun
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There had been, with him, no period of fun and frolic that she might have shared in; no mischievousness for her to scold while loving him the more for it; no helplessness to make appeal to her.
gravity
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a child, there had always been, to her, something mysterious about him; a gravity, a wisdom beyond his years.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Mrs. Strong’nth’arm had not spoken figuratively when she had told Betty that there were times when she did not know her own son.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading There had been, with him, no period of fun and frolic that she might have shared in; no mischievousness for her to scold while loving him the more for it; no helplessness to make appeal to her.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading From the day when he could crawl his self-reliance had caused her secret tears.
helplessness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There had been, with him, no period of fun and frolic that she might have shared in; no mischievousness for her to scold while loving him the more for it; no helplessness to make appeal to her.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Mrs. Strong’nth’arm had not spoken figuratively when she had told Betty that there were times when she did not know her own son.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading As a child, there had always been, to her, something mysterious about him; a gravity, a wisdom beyond his years.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading As a child, there had always been, to her, something mysterious about him; a gravity, a wisdom beyond his years.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading There had been, with him, no period of fun and frolic that she might have shared in; no mischievousness for her to scold while loving him the more for it; no helplessness to make appeal to her.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading There had been, with him, no period of fun and frolic that she might have shared in; no mischievousness for her to scold while loving him the more for it; no helplessness to make appeal to her.
knownounUS /know/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Mrs. Strong’nth’arm had not spoken figuratively when she had told Betty that there were times when she did not know her own son.
loving
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There had been, with him, no period of fun and frolic that she might have shared in; no mischievousness for her to scold while loving him the more for it; no helplessness to make appeal to her.
makenounUS /make/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There had been, with him, no period of fun and frolic that she might have shared in; no mischievousness for her to scold while loving him the more for it; no helplessness to make appeal to her.
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading There had been, with him, no period of fun and frolic that she might have shared in; no mischievousness for her to scold while loving him the more for it; no helplessness to make appeal to her.
mischievousness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There had been, with him, no period of fun and frolic that she might have shared in; no mischievousness for her to scold while loving him the more for it; no helplessness to make appeal to her.
more
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There had been, with him, no period of fun and frolic that she might have shared in; no mischievousness for her to scold while loving him the more for it; no helplessness to make appeal to her.
Mrs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Strong’nth’arm had not spoken figuratively when she had told Betty that there were times when she did not know her own son.
mysteriousadjectiveUS /mɪˈstɪriəs/
difficult to explain or understand
From this reading As a child, there had always been, to her, something mysterious about him; a gravity, a wisdom beyond his years.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He never came to her for comfort or protection.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading There had been, with him, no period of fun and frolic that she might have shared in; no mischievousness for her to scold while loving him the more for it; no helplessness to make appeal to her.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Mrs. Strong’nth’arm had not spoken figuratively when she had told Betty that there were times when she did not know her own son.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading There had been, with him, no period of fun and frolic that she might have shared in; no mischievousness for her to scold while loving him the more for it; no helplessness to make appeal to her.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading He never came to her for comfort or protection.
own
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Strong’nth’arm had not spoken figuratively when she had told Betty that there were times when she did not know her own son.
period
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There had been, with him, no period of fun and frolic that she might have shared in; no mischievousness for her to scold while loving him the more for it; no helplessness to make appeal to her.
protection
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He never came to her for comfort or protection.
scold
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There had been, with him, no period of fun and frolic that she might have shared in; no mischievousness for her to scold while loving him the more for it; no helplessness to make appeal to her.
secretnounUS /ˈsiː.krət/
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading From the day when he could crawl his self-reliance had caused her secret tears.
self-reliance
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the day when he could crawl his self-reliance had caused her secret tears.
shared
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There had been, with him, no period of fun and frolic that she might have shared in; no mischievousness for her to scold while loving him the more for it; no helplessness to make appeal to her.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Mrs. Strong’nth’arm had not spoken figuratively when she had told Betty that there were times when she did not know her own son.
somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
a thing, without saying which
From this reading As a child, there had always been, to her, something mysterious about him; a gravity, a wisdom beyond his years.
son
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Strong’nth’arm had not spoken figuratively when she had told Betty that there were times when she did not know her own son.
spoken
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Strong’nth’arm had not spoken figuratively when she had told Betty that there were times when she did not know her own son.
Strong'nth'arm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Strong’nth’arm had not spoken figuratively when she had told Betty that there were times when she did not know her own son.
tears
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the day when he could crawl his self-reliance had caused her secret tears.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Mrs. Strong’nth’arm had not spoken figuratively when she had told Betty that there were times when she did not know her own son.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading There had been, with him, no period of fun and frolic that she might have shared in; no mischievousness for her to scold while loving him the more for it; no helplessness to make appeal to her.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Strong’nth’arm had not spoken figuratively when she had told Betty that there were times when she did not know her own son.
times
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Strong’nth’arm had not spoken figuratively when she had told Betty that there were times when she did not know her own son.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading As a child, there had always been, to her, something mysterious about him; a gravity, a wisdom beyond his years.
toldnounUS /told/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Mrs. Strong’nth’arm had not spoken figuratively when she had told Betty that there were times when she did not know her own son.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Mrs. Strong’nth’arm had not spoken figuratively when she had told Betty that there were times when she did not know her own son.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading Mrs. Strong’nth’arm had not spoken figuratively when she had told Betty that there were times when she did not know her own son.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading There had been, with him, no period of fun and frolic that she might have shared in; no mischievousness for her to scold while loving him the more for it; no helplessness to make appeal to her.
wisdom
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a child, there had always been, to her, something mysterious about him; a gravity, a wisdom beyond his years.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading There had been, with him, no period of fun and frolic that she might have shared in; no mischievousness for her to scold while loving him the more for it; no helplessness to make appeal to her.
years
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a child, there had always been, to her, something mysterious about him; a gravity, a wisdom beyond his years.
