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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 It was a heavy mass of building, that chateau of Monsieur the Marquis, with a large stone courtyard before it, and two stone sweeps of staircase meeting in a stone terrace before the principal door.
ago
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As if the Gorgon’s head had surveyed it, when it was finished, two centuries ago.
all
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From this reading A stony business altogether, with heavy stone balustrades, and stone urns, and stone flowers, and stone faces of men, and stone heads of lions, in all directions.
altogether
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From this reading A stony business altogether, with heavy stone balustrades, and stone urns, and stone flowers, and stone faces of men, and stone heads of lions, in all directions.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading Up the broad flight of shallow steps, Monsieur the Marquis, flambeau preceded, went from his carriage, sufficiently disturbing the darkness to elicit loud remonstrance from an owl in the roof of the great pile of stable building away among the trees.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Up the broad flight of shallow steps, Monsieur the Marquis, flambeau preceded, went from his carriage, sufficiently disturbing the darkness to elicit loud remonstrance from an owl in the roof of the great pile of stable building away among the trees.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was a heavy mass of building, that chateau of Monsieur the Marquis, with a large stone courtyard before it, and two stone sweeps of staircase meeting in a stone terrace before the principal door.
AsconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As if the Gorgon’s head had surveyed it, when it was finished, two centuries ago.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading All else was so quiet, that the flambeau carried up the steps, and the other flambeau held at the great door, burnt as if they were in a close room of state, instead of being in the open night-air.
away
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From this reading Up the broad flight of shallow steps, Monsieur the Marquis, flambeau preceded, went from his carriage, sufficiently disturbing the darkness to elicit loud remonstrance from an owl in the roof of the great pile of stable building away among the trees.
balustrades
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From this reading A stony business altogether, with heavy stone balustrades, and stone urns, and stone flowers, and stone faces of men, and stone heads of lions, in all directions.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading It was a heavy mass of building, that chateau of Monsieur the Marquis, with a large stone courtyard before it, and two stone sweeps of staircase meeting in a stone terrace before the principal door.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading All else was so quiet, that the flambeau carried up the steps, and the other flambeau held at the great door, burnt as if they were in a close room of state, instead of being in the open night-air.
broad
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From this reading Up the broad flight of shallow steps, Monsieur the Marquis, flambeau preceded, went from his carriage, sufficiently disturbing the darkness to elicit loud remonstrance from an owl in the roof of the great pile of stable building away among the trees.
building
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a heavy mass of building, that chateau of Monsieur the Marquis, with a large stone courtyard before it, and two stone sweeps of staircase meeting in a stone terrace before the principal door.
burnt
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From this reading All else was so quiet, that the flambeau carried up the steps, and the other flambeau held at the great door, burnt as if they were in a close room of state, instead of being in the open night-air.
business
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A stony business altogether, with heavy stone balustrades, and stone urns, and stone flowers, and stone faces of men, and stone heads of lions, in all directions.
carriage
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From this reading Up the broad flight of shallow steps, Monsieur the Marquis, flambeau preceded, went from his carriage, sufficiently disturbing the darkness to elicit loud remonstrance from an owl in the roof of the great pile of stable building away among the trees.
carried
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All else was so quiet, that the flambeau carried up the steps, and the other flambeau held at the great door, burnt as if they were in a close room of state, instead of being in the open night-air.
centuries
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As if the Gorgon’s head had surveyed it, when it was finished, two centuries ago.
chateau
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From this reading It was a heavy mass of building, that chateau of Monsieur the Marquis, with a large stone courtyard before it, and two stone sweeps of staircase meeting in a stone terrace before the principal door.
close
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From this reading All else was so quiet, that the flambeau carried up the steps, and the other flambeau held at the great door, burnt as if they were in a close room of state, instead of being in the open night-air.
courtyardnounUS /ˈkɔːrtjɑːrd/
an open area surrounded by the walls of a building
From this reading It was a heavy mass of building, that chateau of Monsieur the Marquis, with a large stone courtyard before it, and two stone sweeps of staircase meeting in a stone terrace before the principal door.
darkness
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From this reading Up the broad flight of shallow steps, Monsieur the Marquis, flambeau preceded, went from his carriage, sufficiently disturbing the darkness to elicit loud remonstrance from an owl in the roof of the great pile of stable building away among the trees.
directions
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From this reading A stony business altogether, with heavy stone balustrades, and stone urns, and stone flowers, and stone faces of men, and stone heads of lions, in all directions.
disturbingverb, present participleUS /dɪˈstɝːbɪŋ/
interrupting the stillness, darkness, or quiet of a place
From this reading Up the broad flight of shallow steps, Monsieur the Marquis, flambeau preceded, went from his carriage, sufficiently disturbing the darkness to elicit loud remonstrance from an owl in the roof of the great pile of stable building away among the trees.
door
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a heavy mass of building, that chateau of Monsieur the Marquis, with a large stone courtyard before it, and two stone sweeps of staircase meeting in a stone terrace before the principal door.
elicit
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From this reading Up the broad flight of shallow steps, Monsieur the Marquis, flambeau preceded, went from his carriage, sufficiently disturbing the darkness to elicit loud remonstrance from an owl in the roof of the great pile of stable building away among the trees.
else
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All else was so quiet, that the flambeau carried up the steps, and the other flambeau held at the great door, burnt as if they were in a close room of state, instead of being in the open night-air.
faces
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A stony business altogether, with heavy stone balustrades, and stone urns, and stone flowers, and stone faces of men, and stone heads of lions, in all directions.
finished
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As if the Gorgon’s head had surveyed it, when it was finished, two centuries ago.
flambeau
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From this reading Up the broad flight of shallow steps, Monsieur the Marquis, flambeau preceded, went from his carriage, sufficiently disturbing the darkness to elicit loud remonstrance from an owl in the roof of the great pile of stable building away among the trees.
flight
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Up the broad flight of shallow steps, Monsieur the Marquis, flambeau preceded, went from his carriage, sufficiently disturbing the darkness to elicit loud remonstrance from an owl in the roof of the great pile of stable building away among the trees.
flowers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A stony business altogether, with heavy stone balustrades, and stone urns, and stone flowers, and stone faces of men, and stone heads of lions, in all directions.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Up the broad flight of shallow steps, Monsieur the Marquis, flambeau preceded, went from his carriage, sufficiently disturbing the darkness to elicit loud remonstrance from an owl in the roof of the great pile of stable building away among the trees.
Gorgon's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As if the Gorgon’s head had surveyed it, when it was finished, two centuries ago.
greatnounUS /great/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Up the broad flight of shallow steps, Monsieur the Marquis, flambeau preceded, went from his carriage, sufficiently disturbing the darkness to elicit loud remonstrance from an owl in the roof of the great pile of stable building away among the trees.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading As if the Gorgon’s head had surveyed it, when it was finished, two centuries ago.
head
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As if the Gorgon’s head had surveyed it, when it was finished, two centuries ago.
heads
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A stony business altogether, with heavy stone balustrades, and stone urns, and stone flowers, and stone faces of men, and stone heads of lions, in all directions.
heavy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a heavy mass of building, that chateau of Monsieur the Marquis, with a large stone courtyard before it, and two stone sweeps of staircase meeting in a stone terrace before the principal door.
held
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All else was so quiet, that the flambeau carried up the steps, and the other flambeau held at the great door, burnt as if they were in a close room of state, instead of being in the open night-air.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Up the broad flight of shallow steps, Monsieur the Marquis, flambeau preceded, went from his carriage, sufficiently disturbing the darkness to elicit loud remonstrance from an owl in the roof of the great pile of stable building away among the trees.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading As if the Gorgon’s head had surveyed it, when it was finished, two centuries ago.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was a heavy mass of building, that chateau of Monsieur the Marquis, with a large stone courtyard before it, and two stone sweeps of staircase meeting in a stone terrace before the principal door.
instead
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All else was so quiet, that the flambeau carried up the steps, and the other flambeau held at the great door, burnt as if they were in a close room of state, instead of being in the open night-air.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a heavy mass of building, that chateau of Monsieur the Marquis, with a large stone courtyard before it, and two stone sweeps of staircase meeting in a stone terrace before the principal door.
large
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From this reading It was a heavy mass of building, that chateau of Monsieur the Marquis, with a large stone courtyard before it, and two stone sweeps of staircase meeting in a stone terrace before the principal door.
lions
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A stony business altogether, with heavy stone balustrades, and stone urns, and stone flowers, and stone faces of men, and stone heads of lions, in all directions.
loud
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Up the broad flight of shallow steps, Monsieur the Marquis, flambeau preceded, went from his carriage, sufficiently disturbing the darkness to elicit loud remonstrance from an owl in the roof of the great pile of stable building away among the trees.
Marquis
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a heavy mass of building, that chateau of Monsieur the Marquis, with a large stone courtyard before it, and two stone sweeps of staircase meeting in a stone terrace before the principal door.
mass
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From this reading It was a heavy mass of building, that chateau of Monsieur the Marquis, with a large stone courtyard before it, and two stone sweeps of staircase meeting in a stone terrace before the principal door.
meeting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a heavy mass of building, that chateau of Monsieur the Marquis, with a large stone courtyard before it, and two stone sweeps of staircase meeting in a stone terrace before the principal door.
men
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A stony business altogether, with heavy stone balustrades, and stone urns, and stone flowers, and stone faces of men, and stone heads of lions, in all directions.
Monsieur
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a heavy mass of building, that chateau of Monsieur the Marquis, with a large stone courtyard before it, and two stone sweeps of staircase meeting in a stone terrace before the principal door.
night-air
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All else was so quiet, that the flambeau carried up the steps, and the other flambeau held at the great door, burnt as if they were in a close room of state, instead of being in the open night-air.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was a heavy mass of building, that chateau of Monsieur the Marquis, with a large stone courtyard before it, and two stone sweeps of staircase meeting in a stone terrace before the principal door.
openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/
To move from a closed position.
From this reading All else was so quiet, that the flambeau carried up the steps, and the other flambeau held at the great door, burnt as if they were in a close room of state, instead of being in the open night-air.
other
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All else was so quiet, that the flambeau carried up the steps, and the other flambeau held at the great door, burnt as if they were in a close room of state, instead of being in the open night-air.
owl
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Up the broad flight of shallow steps, Monsieur the Marquis, flambeau preceded, went from his carriage, sufficiently disturbing the darkness to elicit loud remonstrance from an owl in the roof of the great pile of stable building away among the trees.
pile
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Up the broad flight of shallow steps, Monsieur the Marquis, flambeau preceded, went from his carriage, sufficiently disturbing the darkness to elicit loud remonstrance from an owl in the roof of the great pile of stable building away among the trees.
preceded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Up the broad flight of shallow steps, Monsieur the Marquis, flambeau preceded, went from his carriage, sufficiently disturbing the darkness to elicit loud remonstrance from an owl in the roof of the great pile of stable building away among the trees.
principal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a heavy mass of building, that chateau of Monsieur the Marquis, with a large stone courtyard before it, and two stone sweeps of staircase meeting in a stone terrace before the principal door.
quiet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All else was so quiet, that the flambeau carried up the steps, and the other flambeau held at the great door, burnt as if they were in a close room of state, instead of being in the open night-air.
remonstrancenounUS /rɪˈmɑːnstrəns/
a statement that protests against or criticizes someone's behaviour
From this reading Up the broad flight of shallow steps, Monsieur the Marquis, flambeau preceded, went from his carriage, sufficiently disturbing the darkness to elicit loud remonstrance from an owl in the roof of the great pile of stable building away among the trees.
roof
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Up the broad flight of shallow steps, Monsieur the Marquis, flambeau preceded, went from his carriage, sufficiently disturbing the darkness to elicit loud remonstrance from an owl in the roof of the great pile of stable building away among the trees.
room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All else was so quiet, that the flambeau carried up the steps, and the other flambeau held at the great door, burnt as if they were in a close room of state, instead of being in the open night-air.
shallow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Up the broad flight of shallow steps, Monsieur the Marquis, flambeau preceded, went from his carriage, sufficiently disturbing the darkness to elicit loud remonstrance from an owl in the roof of the great pile of stable building away among the trees.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading All else was so quiet, that the flambeau carried up the steps, and the other flambeau held at the great door, burnt as if they were in a close room of state, instead of being in the open night-air.
stable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Up the broad flight of shallow steps, Monsieur the Marquis, flambeau preceded, went from his carriage, sufficiently disturbing the darkness to elicit loud remonstrance from an owl in the roof of the great pile of stable building away among the trees.
staircase
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a heavy mass of building, that chateau of Monsieur the Marquis, with a large stone courtyard before it, and two stone sweeps of staircase meeting in a stone terrace before the principal door.
state
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All else was so quiet, that the flambeau carried up the steps, and the other flambeau held at the great door, burnt as if they were in a close room of state, instead of being in the open night-air.
steps
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Up the broad flight of shallow steps, Monsieur the Marquis, flambeau preceded, went from his carriage, sufficiently disturbing the darkness to elicit loud remonstrance from an owl in the roof of the great pile of stable building away among the trees.
stone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a heavy mass of building, that chateau of Monsieur the Marquis, with a large stone courtyard before it, and two stone sweeps of staircase meeting in a stone terrace before the principal door.
stony
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A stony business altogether, with heavy stone balustrades, and stone urns, and stone flowers, and stone faces of men, and stone heads of lions, in all directions.
sufficientlyadverbUS /səˈfɪʃəntli/
to the degree that is needed or enough for a purpose
From this reading Up the broad flight of shallow steps, Monsieur the Marquis, flambeau preceded, went from his carriage, sufficiently disturbing the darkness to elicit loud remonstrance from an owl in the roof of the great pile of stable building away among the trees.
surveyed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As if the Gorgon’s head had surveyed it, when it was finished, two centuries ago.
sweeps
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a heavy mass of building, that chateau of Monsieur the Marquis, with a large stone courtyard before it, and two stone sweeps of staircase meeting in a stone terrace before the principal door.
terrace
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a heavy mass of building, that chateau of Monsieur the Marquis, with a large stone courtyard before it, and two stone sweeps of staircase meeting in a stone terrace before the principal door.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was a heavy mass of building, that chateau of Monsieur the Marquis, with a large stone courtyard before it, and two stone sweeps of staircase meeting in a stone terrace before the principal door.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was a heavy mass of building, that chateau of Monsieur the Marquis, with a large stone courtyard before it, and two stone sweeps of staircase meeting in a stone terrace before the principal door.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading All else was so quiet, that the flambeau carried up the steps, and the other flambeau held at the great door, burnt as if they were in a close room of state, instead of being in the open night-air.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Up the broad flight of shallow steps, Monsieur the Marquis, flambeau preceded, went from his carriage, sufficiently disturbing the darkness to elicit loud remonstrance from an owl in the roof of the great pile of stable building away among the trees.
trees
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Up the broad flight of shallow steps, Monsieur the Marquis, flambeau preceded, went from his carriage, sufficiently disturbing the darkness to elicit loud remonstrance from an owl in the roof of the great pile of stable building away among the trees.
two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a heavy mass of building, that chateau of Monsieur the Marquis, with a large stone courtyard before it, and two stone sweeps of staircase meeting in a stone terrace before the principal door.
Up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Up the broad flight of shallow steps, Monsieur the Marquis, flambeau preceded, went from his carriage, sufficiently disturbing the darkness to elicit loud remonstrance from an owl in the roof of the great pile of stable building away among the trees.
urns
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A stony business altogether, with heavy stone balustrades, and stone urns, and stone flowers, and stone faces of men, and stone heads of lions, in all directions.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a heavy mass of building, that chateau of Monsieur the Marquis, with a large stone courtyard before it, and two stone sweeps of staircase meeting in a stone terrace before the principal door.
wentnounUS /went/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Up the broad flight of shallow steps, Monsieur the Marquis, flambeau preceded, went from his carriage, sufficiently disturbing the darkness to elicit loud remonstrance from an owl in the roof of the great pile of stable building away among the trees.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading All else was so quiet, that the flambeau carried up the steps, and the other flambeau held at the great door, burnt as if they were in a close room of state, instead of being in the open night-air.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading As if the Gorgon’s head had surveyed it, when it was finished, two centuries ago.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading It was a heavy mass of building, that chateau of Monsieur the Marquis, with a large stone courtyard before it, and two stone sweeps of staircase meeting in a stone terrace before the principal door.
