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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 One wintry evening, early in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty, a keen north wind arose as it grew dark, and night came on with black and dismal looks.
againnounUS /again/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Signboards, shaken past endurance in their creaking frames, fell crashing on the pavement; old tottering chimneys reeled and staggered in the blast; and many a steeple rocked again that night, as though the earth were troubled.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading One wintry evening, early in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty, a keen north wind arose as it grew dark, and night came on with black and dismal looks.
any
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From this reading It was not a time for those who could by any means get light and warmth, to brave the fury of the weather.
arose
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From this reading One wintry evening, early in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty, a keen north wind arose as it grew dark, and night came on with black and dismal looks.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading One wintry evening, early in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty, a keen north wind arose as it grew dark, and night came on with black and dismal looks.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading In coffee-houses of the better sort, guests crowded round the fire, forgot to be political, and told each other with a secret gladness that the blast grew fiercer every minute.
better
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From this reading In coffee-houses of the better sort, guests crowded round the fire, forgot to be political, and told each other with a secret gladness that the blast grew fiercer every minute.
bitter
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From this reading A bitter storm of sleet, sharp, dense, and icy-cold, swept the wet streets, and rattled on the trembling windows.
black
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From this reading One wintry evening, early in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty, a keen north wind arose as it grew dark, and night came on with black and dismal looks.
blast
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From this reading Signboards, shaken past endurance in their creaking frames, fell crashing on the pavement; old tottering chimneys reeled and staggered in the blast; and many a steeple rocked again that night, as though the earth were troubled.
brave
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From this reading It was not a time for those who could by any means get light and warmth, to brave the fury of the weather.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading It was not a time for those who could by any means get light and warmth, to brave the fury of the weather.
came
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From this reading One wintry evening, early in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty, a keen north wind arose as it grew dark, and night came on with black and dismal looks.
chimneys
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From this reading Signboards, shaken past endurance in their creaking frames, fell crashing on the pavement; old tottering chimneys reeled and staggered in the blast; and many a steeple rocked again that night, as though the earth were troubled.
coffee-houses
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From this reading In coffee-houses of the better sort, guests crowded round the fire, forgot to be political, and told each other with a secret gladness that the blast grew fiercer every minute.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading It was not a time for those who could by any means get light and warmth, to brave the fury of the weather.
crashing
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From this reading Signboards, shaken past endurance in their creaking frames, fell crashing on the pavement; old tottering chimneys reeled and staggered in the blast; and many a steeple rocked again that night, as though the earth were troubled.
creaking
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From this reading Signboards, shaken past endurance in their creaking frames, fell crashing on the pavement; old tottering chimneys reeled and staggered in the blast; and many a steeple rocked again that night, as though the earth were troubled.
crowded
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From this reading In coffee-houses of the better sort, guests crowded round the fire, forgot to be political, and told each other with a secret gladness that the blast grew fiercer every minute.
dark
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From this reading One wintry evening, early in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty, a keen north wind arose as it grew dark, and night came on with black and dismal looks.
dense
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From this reading A bitter storm of sleet, sharp, dense, and icy-cold, swept the wet streets, and rattled on the trembling windows.
dismal
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From this reading One wintry evening, early in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty, a keen north wind arose as it grew dark, and night came on with black and dismal looks.
eachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading In coffee-houses of the better sort, guests crowded round the fire, forgot to be political, and told each other with a secret gladness that the blast grew fiercer every minute.
early
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From this reading One wintry evening, early in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty, a keen north wind arose as it grew dark, and night came on with black and dismal looks.
earth
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From this reading Signboards, shaken past endurance in their creaking frames, fell crashing on the pavement; old tottering chimneys reeled and staggered in the blast; and many a steeple rocked again that night, as though the earth were troubled.
eighty
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From this reading One wintry evening, early in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty, a keen north wind arose as it grew dark, and night came on with black and dismal looks.
endurance
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From this reading Signboards, shaken past endurance in their creaking frames, fell crashing on the pavement; old tottering chimneys reeled and staggered in the blast; and many a steeple rocked again that night, as though the earth were troubled.
evening
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From this reading One wintry evening, early in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty, a keen north wind arose as it grew dark, and night came on with black and dismal looks.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading In coffee-houses of the better sort, guests crowded round the fire, forgot to be political, and told each other with a secret gladness that the blast grew fiercer every minute.
fell
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From this reading Signboards, shaken past endurance in their creaking frames, fell crashing on the pavement; old tottering chimneys reeled and staggered in the blast; and many a steeple rocked again that night, as though the earth were troubled.
fiercer
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From this reading In coffee-houses of the better sort, guests crowded round the fire, forgot to be political, and told each other with a secret gladness that the blast grew fiercer every minute.
fire
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From this reading In coffee-houses of the better sort, guests crowded round the fire, forgot to be political, and told each other with a secret gladness that the blast grew fiercer every minute.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It was not a time for those who could by any means get light and warmth, to brave the fury of the weather.
forgot
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From this reading In coffee-houses of the better sort, guests crowded round the fire, forgot to be political, and told each other with a secret gladness that the blast grew fiercer every minute.
frames
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From this reading Signboards, shaken past endurance in their creaking frames, fell crashing on the pavement; old tottering chimneys reeled and staggered in the blast; and many a steeple rocked again that night, as though the earth were troubled.
fury
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From this reading It was not a time for those who could by any means get light and warmth, to brave the fury of the weather.
get
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From this reading It was not a time for those who could by any means get light and warmth, to brave the fury of the weather.
gladness
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From this reading In coffee-houses of the better sort, guests crowded round the fire, forgot to be political, and told each other with a secret gladness that the blast grew fiercer every minute.
grew
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From this reading One wintry evening, early in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty, a keen north wind arose as it grew dark, and night came on with black and dismal looks.
guests
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From this reading In coffee-houses of the better sort, guests crowded round the fire, forgot to be political, and told each other with a secret gladness that the blast grew fiercer every minute.
hundred
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From this reading One wintry evening, early in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty, a keen north wind arose as it grew dark, and night came on with black and dismal looks.
icy-cold
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From this reading A bitter storm of sleet, sharp, dense, and icy-cold, swept the wet streets, and rattled on the trembling windows.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading One wintry evening, early in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty, a keen north wind arose as it grew dark, and night came on with black and dismal looks.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading One wintry evening, early in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty, a keen north wind arose as it grew dark, and night came on with black and dismal looks.
keen
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From this reading One wintry evening, early in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty, a keen north wind arose as it grew dark, and night came on with black and dismal looks.
light
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From this reading It was not a time for those who could by any means get light and warmth, to brave the fury of the weather.
looks
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From this reading One wintry evening, early in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty, a keen north wind arose as it grew dark, and night came on with black and dismal looks.
Lord
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From this reading One wintry evening, early in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty, a keen north wind arose as it grew dark, and night came on with black and dismal looks.
many
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From this reading Signboards, shaken past endurance in their creaking frames, fell crashing on the pavement; old tottering chimneys reeled and staggered in the blast; and many a steeple rocked again that night, as though the earth were troubled.
means
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From this reading It was not a time for those who could by any means get light and warmth, to brave the fury of the weather.
minute
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From this reading In coffee-houses of the better sort, guests crowded round the fire, forgot to be political, and told each other with a secret gladness that the blast grew fiercer every minute.
night
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One wintry evening, early in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty, a keen north wind arose as it grew dark, and night came on with black and dismal looks.
north
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From this reading One wintry evening, early in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty, a keen north wind arose as it grew dark, and night came on with black and dismal looks.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It was not a time for those who could by any means get light and warmth, to brave the fury of the weather.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading One wintry evening, early in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty, a keen north wind arose as it grew dark, and night came on with black and dismal looks.
old
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From this reading Signboards, shaken past endurance in their creaking frames, fell crashing on the pavement; old tottering chimneys reeled and staggered in the blast; and many a steeple rocked again that night, as though the earth were troubled.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading One wintry evening, early in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty, a keen north wind arose as it grew dark, and night came on with black and dismal looks.
OnepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One wintry evening, early in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty, a keen north wind arose as it grew dark, and night came on with black and dismal looks.
other
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In coffee-houses of the better sort, guests crowded round the fire, forgot to be political, and told each other with a secret gladness that the blast grew fiercer every minute.
ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading One wintry evening, early in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty, a keen north wind arose as it grew dark, and night came on with black and dismal looks.
past
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From this reading Signboards, shaken past endurance in their creaking frames, fell crashing on the pavement; old tottering chimneys reeled and staggered in the blast; and many a steeple rocked again that night, as though the earth were troubled.
pavement
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From this reading Signboards, shaken past endurance in their creaking frames, fell crashing on the pavement; old tottering chimneys reeled and staggered in the blast; and many a steeple rocked again that night, as though the earth were troubled.
political
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From this reading In coffee-houses of the better sort, guests crowded round the fire, forgot to be political, and told each other with a secret gladness that the blast grew fiercer every minute.
rattled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A bitter storm of sleet, sharp, dense, and icy-cold, swept the wet streets, and rattled on the trembling windows.
reeledverbUS /riːld/
moved unsteadily as if about to fall
From this reading Signboards, shaken past endurance in their creaking frames, fell crashing on the pavement; old tottering chimneys reeled and staggered in the blast; and many a steeple rocked again that night, as though the earth were troubled.
rocked
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From this reading Signboards, shaken past endurance in their creaking frames, fell crashing on the pavement; old tottering chimneys reeled and staggered in the blast; and many a steeple rocked again that night, as though the earth were troubled.
round
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From this reading In coffee-houses of the better sort, guests crowded round the fire, forgot to be political, and told each other with a secret gladness that the blast grew fiercer every minute.
secretnounUS /ˈsiː.krət/
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading In coffee-houses of the better sort, guests crowded round the fire, forgot to be political, and told each other with a secret gladness that the blast grew fiercer every minute.
seven
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From this reading One wintry evening, early in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty, a keen north wind arose as it grew dark, and night came on with black and dismal looks.
shaken
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From this reading Signboards, shaken past endurance in their creaking frames, fell crashing on the pavement; old tottering chimneys reeled and staggered in the blast; and many a steeple rocked again that night, as though the earth were troubled.
sharp
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A bitter storm of sleet, sharp, dense, and icy-cold, swept the wet streets, and rattled on the trembling windows.
Signboards
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From this reading Signboards, shaken past endurance in their creaking frames, fell crashing on the pavement; old tottering chimneys reeled and staggered in the blast; and many a steeple rocked again that night, as though the earth were troubled.
sleet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A bitter storm of sleet, sharp, dense, and icy-cold, swept the wet streets, and rattled on the trembling windows.
sort
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From this reading In coffee-houses of the better sort, guests crowded round the fire, forgot to be political, and told each other with a secret gladness that the blast grew fiercer every minute.
staggered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Signboards, shaken past endurance in their creaking frames, fell crashing on the pavement; old tottering chimneys reeled and staggered in the blast; and many a steeple rocked again that night, as though the earth were troubled.
steeple
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Signboards, shaken past endurance in their creaking frames, fell crashing on the pavement; old tottering chimneys reeled and staggered in the blast; and many a steeple rocked again that night, as though the earth were troubled.
storm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A bitter storm of sleet, sharp, dense, and icy-cold, swept the wet streets, and rattled on the trembling windows.
streets
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A bitter storm of sleet, sharp, dense, and icy-cold, swept the wet streets, and rattled on the trembling windows.
swept
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A bitter storm of sleet, sharp, dense, and icy-cold, swept the wet streets, and rattled on the trembling windows.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Signboards, shaken past endurance in their creaking frames, fell crashing on the pavement; old tottering chimneys reeled and staggered in the blast; and many a steeple rocked again that night, as though the earth were troubled.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading One wintry evening, early in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty, a keen north wind arose as it grew dark, and night came on with black and dismal looks.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Signboards, shaken past endurance in their creaking frames, fell crashing on the pavement; old tottering chimneys reeled and staggered in the blast; and many a steeple rocked again that night, as though the earth were troubled.
thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading It was not a time for those who could by any means get light and warmth, to brave the fury of the weather.
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Signboards, shaken past endurance in their creaking frames, fell crashing on the pavement; old tottering chimneys reeled and staggered in the blast; and many a steeple rocked again that night, as though the earth were troubled.
thousand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One wintry evening, early in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty, a keen north wind arose as it grew dark, and night came on with black and dismal looks.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was not a time for those who could by any means get light and warmth, to brave the fury of the weather.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was not a time for those who could by any means get light and warmth, to brave the fury of the weather.
toldnounUS /told/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading In coffee-houses of the better sort, guests crowded round the fire, forgot to be political, and told each other with a secret gladness that the blast grew fiercer every minute.
tottering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Signboards, shaken past endurance in their creaking frames, fell crashing on the pavement; old tottering chimneys reeled and staggered in the blast; and many a steeple rocked again that night, as though the earth were troubled.
trembling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A bitter storm of sleet, sharp, dense, and icy-cold, swept the wet streets, and rattled on the trembling windows.
troubled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Signboards, shaken past endurance in their creaking frames, fell crashing on the pavement; old tottering chimneys reeled and staggered in the blast; and many a steeple rocked again that night, as though the earth were troubled.
warmth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not a time for those who could by any means get light and warmth, to brave the fury of the weather.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was not a time for those who could by any means get light and warmth, to brave the fury of the weather.
weather
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not a time for those who could by any means get light and warmth, to brave the fury of the weather.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Signboards, shaken past endurance in their creaking frames, fell crashing on the pavement; old tottering chimneys reeled and staggered in the blast; and many a steeple rocked again that night, as though the earth were troubled.
wet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A bitter storm of sleet, sharp, dense, and icy-cold, swept the wet streets, and rattled on the trembling windows.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading It was not a time for those who could by any means get light and warmth, to brave the fury of the weather.
windnounUS /wind/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading One wintry evening, early in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty, a keen north wind arose as it grew dark, and night came on with black and dismal looks.
windows
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A bitter storm of sleet, sharp, dense, and icy-cold, swept the wet streets, and rattled on the trembling windows.
wintry
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One wintry evening, early in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty, a keen north wind arose as it grew dark, and night came on with black and dismal looks.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading One wintry evening, early in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty, a keen north wind arose as it grew dark, and night came on with black and dismal looks.
year
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From this reading One wintry evening, early in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty, a keen north wind arose as it grew dark, and night came on with black and dismal looks.