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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 A being who could have hovered over Paris that night with the wing of the bat or the owl would have had beneath his eyes a gloomy spectacle.
abyss
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From this reading There the glance fell into an abyss.
All
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From this reading All that old quarter of the Halles, which is like a city within a city, through which run the Rues Saint-Denis and Saint-Martin, where a thousand lanes cross, and of which the insurgents had made their redoubt and their stronghold, would have appeared to him like a dark and enormous cavity hollowed out in the centre of Paris.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading There the glance fell into an abyss.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading All that old quarter of the Halles, which is like a city within a city, through which run the Rues Saint-Denis and Saint-Martin, where a thousand lanes cross, and of which the insurgents had made their redoubt and their stronghold, would have appeared to him like a dark and enormous cavity hollowed out in the centre of Paris.
appeared
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From this reading All that old quarter of the Halles, which is like a city within a city, through which run the Rues Saint-Denis and Saint-Martin, where a thousand lanes cross, and of which the insurgents had made their redoubt and their stronghold, would have appeared to him like a dark and enormous cavity hollowed out in the centre of Paris.
bat
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From this reading A being who could have hovered over Paris that night with the wing of the bat or the owl would have had beneath his eyes a gloomy spectacle.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading A being who could have hovered over Paris that night with the wing of the bat or the owl would have had beneath his eyes a gloomy spectacle.
beneathprepositionUS /bɪˈniːθ/
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading A being who could have hovered over Paris that night with the wing of the bat or the owl would have had beneath his eyes a gloomy spectacle.
brokennounUS /broken/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Thanks to the broken lanterns, thanks to the closed windows, there all radiance, all life, all sound, all movement ceased.
cavity
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From this reading All that old quarter of the Halles, which is like a city within a city, through which run the Rues Saint-Denis and Saint-Martin, where a thousand lanes cross, and of which the insurgents had made their redoubt and their stronghold, would have appeared to him like a dark and enormous cavity hollowed out in the centre of Paris.
ceased
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From this reading Thanks to the broken lanterns, thanks to the closed windows, there all radiance, all life, all sound, all movement ceased.
centre
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From this reading All that old quarter of the Halles, which is like a city within a city, through which run the Rues Saint-Denis and Saint-Martin, where a thousand lanes cross, and of which the insurgents had made their redoubt and their stronghold, would have appeared to him like a dark and enormous cavity hollowed out in the centre of Paris.
city
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From this reading All that old quarter of the Halles, which is like a city within a city, through which run the Rues Saint-Denis and Saint-Martin, where a thousand lanes cross, and of which the insurgents had made their redoubt and their stronghold, would have appeared to him like a dark and enormous cavity hollowed out in the centre of Paris.
closed
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From this reading Thanks to the broken lanterns, thanks to the closed windows, there all radiance, all life, all sound, all movement ceased.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading A being who could have hovered over Paris that night with the wing of the bat or the owl would have had beneath his eyes a gloomy spectacle.
cross
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From this reading All that old quarter of the Halles, which is like a city within a city, through which run the Rues Saint-Denis and Saint-Martin, where a thousand lanes cross, and of which the insurgents had made their redoubt and their stronghold, would have appeared to him like a dark and enormous cavity hollowed out in the centre of Paris.
dark
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From this reading All that old quarter of the Halles, which is like a city within a city, through which run the Rues Saint-Denis and Saint-Martin, where a thousand lanes cross, and of which the insurgents had made their redoubt and their stronghold, would have appeared to him like a dark and enormous cavity hollowed out in the centre of Paris.
enormous
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From this reading All that old quarter of the Halles, which is like a city within a city, through which run the Rues Saint-Denis and Saint-Martin, where a thousand lanes cross, and of which the insurgents had made their redoubt and their stronghold, would have appeared to him like a dark and enormous cavity hollowed out in the centre of Paris.
everywhere
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From this reading The invisible police of the insurrection were on the watch everywhere, and maintained order, that is to say, night.
eyes
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From this reading A being who could have hovered over Paris that night with the wing of the bat or the owl would have had beneath his eyes a gloomy spectacle.
fell
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From this reading There the glance fell into an abyss.
glance
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From this reading There the glance fell into an abyss.
gloomy
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From this reading A being who could have hovered over Paris that night with the wing of the bat or the owl would have had beneath his eyes a gloomy spectacle.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading A being who could have hovered over Paris that night with the wing of the bat or the owl would have had beneath his eyes a gloomy spectacle.
Halles
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From this reading All that old quarter of the Halles, which is like a city within a city, through which run the Rues Saint-Denis and Saint-Martin, where a thousand lanes cross, and of which the insurgents had made their redoubt and their stronghold, would have appeared to him like a dark and enormous cavity hollowed out in the centre of Paris.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading A being who could have hovered over Paris that night with the wing of the bat or the owl would have had beneath his eyes a gloomy spectacle.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading All that old quarter of the Halles, which is like a city within a city, through which run the Rues Saint-Denis and Saint-Martin, where a thousand lanes cross, and of which the insurgents had made their redoubt and their stronghold, would have appeared to him like a dark and enormous cavity hollowed out in the centre of Paris.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading A being who could have hovered over Paris that night with the wing of the bat or the owl would have had beneath his eyes a gloomy spectacle.
hollowed
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From this reading All that old quarter of the Halles, which is like a city within a city, through which run the Rues Saint-Denis and Saint-Martin, where a thousand lanes cross, and of which the insurgents had made their redoubt and their stronghold, would have appeared to him like a dark and enormous cavity hollowed out in the centre of Paris.
hovered
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From this reading A being who could have hovered over Paris that night with the wing of the bat or the owl would have had beneath his eyes a gloomy spectacle.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading All that old quarter of the Halles, which is like a city within a city, through which run the Rues Saint-Denis and Saint-Martin, where a thousand lanes cross, and of which the insurgents had made their redoubt and their stronghold, would have appeared to him like a dark and enormous cavity hollowed out in the centre of Paris.
insurgents
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From this reading All that old quarter of the Halles, which is like a city within a city, through which run the Rues Saint-Denis and Saint-Martin, where a thousand lanes cross, and of which the insurgents had made their redoubt and their stronghold, would have appeared to him like a dark and enormous cavity hollowed out in the centre of Paris.
insurrection
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From this reading The invisible police of the insurrection were on the watch everywhere, and maintained order, that is to say, night.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading There the glance fell into an abyss.
invisible
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From this reading The invisible police of the insurrection were on the watch everywhere, and maintained order, that is to say, night.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading All that old quarter of the Halles, which is like a city within a city, through which run the Rues Saint-Denis and Saint-Martin, where a thousand lanes cross, and of which the insurgents had made their redoubt and their stronghold, would have appeared to him like a dark and enormous cavity hollowed out in the centre of Paris.
lanes
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From this reading All that old quarter of the Halles, which is like a city within a city, through which run the Rues Saint-Denis and Saint-Martin, where a thousand lanes cross, and of which the insurgents had made their redoubt and their stronghold, would have appeared to him like a dark and enormous cavity hollowed out in the centre of Paris.
lanterns
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From this reading Thanks to the broken lanterns, thanks to the closed windows, there all radiance, all life, all sound, all movement ceased.
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Thanks to the broken lanterns, thanks to the closed windows, there all radiance, all life, all sound, all movement ceased.
like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All that old quarter of the Halles, which is like a city within a city, through which run the Rues Saint-Denis and Saint-Martin, where a thousand lanes cross, and of which the insurgents had made their redoubt and their stronghold, would have appeared to him like a dark and enormous cavity hollowed out in the centre of Paris.
made
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All that old quarter of the Halles, which is like a city within a city, through which run the Rues Saint-Denis and Saint-Martin, where a thousand lanes cross, and of which the insurgents had made their redoubt and their stronghold, would have appeared to him like a dark and enormous cavity hollowed out in the centre of Paris.
maintained
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The invisible police of the insurrection were on the watch everywhere, and maintained order, that is to say, night.
movement
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Thanks to the broken lanterns, thanks to the closed windows, there all radiance, all life, all sound, all movement ceased.
night
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A being who could have hovered over Paris that night with the wing of the bat or the owl would have had beneath his eyes a gloomy spectacle.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A being who could have hovered over Paris that night with the wing of the bat or the owl would have had beneath his eyes a gloomy spectacle.
old
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From this reading All that old quarter of the Halles, which is like a city within a city, through which run the Rues Saint-Denis and Saint-Martin, where a thousand lanes cross, and of which the insurgents had made their redoubt and their stronghold, would have appeared to him like a dark and enormous cavity hollowed out in the centre of Paris.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The invisible police of the insurrection were on the watch everywhere, and maintained order, that is to say, night.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading A being who could have hovered over Paris that night with the wing of the bat or the owl would have had beneath his eyes a gloomy spectacle.
ordernounUS /order/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The invisible police of the insurrection were on the watch everywhere, and maintained order, that is to say, night.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All that old quarter of the Halles, which is like a city within a city, through which run the Rues Saint-Denis and Saint-Martin, where a thousand lanes cross, and of which the insurgents had made their redoubt and their stronghold, would have appeared to him like a dark and enormous cavity hollowed out in the centre of Paris.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading A being who could have hovered over Paris that night with the wing of the bat or the owl would have had beneath his eyes a gloomy spectacle.
owl
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From this reading A being who could have hovered over Paris that night with the wing of the bat or the owl would have had beneath his eyes a gloomy spectacle.
Paris
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A being who could have hovered over Paris that night with the wing of the bat or the owl would have had beneath his eyes a gloomy spectacle.
police
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The invisible police of the insurrection were on the watch everywhere, and maintained order, that is to say, night.
quarter
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From this reading All that old quarter of the Halles, which is like a city within a city, through which run the Rues Saint-Denis and Saint-Martin, where a thousand lanes cross, and of which the insurgents had made their redoubt and their stronghold, would have appeared to him like a dark and enormous cavity hollowed out in the centre of Paris.
radiance
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From this reading Thanks to the broken lanterns, thanks to the closed windows, there all radiance, all life, all sound, all movement ceased.
redoubt
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From this reading All that old quarter of the Halles, which is like a city within a city, through which run the Rues Saint-Denis and Saint-Martin, where a thousand lanes cross, and of which the insurgents had made their redoubt and their stronghold, would have appeared to him like a dark and enormous cavity hollowed out in the centre of Paris.
Rues
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From this reading All that old quarter of the Halles, which is like a city within a city, through which run the Rues Saint-Denis and Saint-Martin, where a thousand lanes cross, and of which the insurgents had made their redoubt and their stronghold, would have appeared to him like a dark and enormous cavity hollowed out in the centre of Paris.
run
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All that old quarter of the Halles, which is like a city within a city, through which run the Rues Saint-Denis and Saint-Martin, where a thousand lanes cross, and of which the insurgents had made their redoubt and their stronghold, would have appeared to him like a dark and enormous cavity hollowed out in the centre of Paris.
Saint-Denis
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All that old quarter of the Halles, which is like a city within a city, through which run the Rues Saint-Denis and Saint-Martin, where a thousand lanes cross, and of which the insurgents had made their redoubt and their stronghold, would have appeared to him like a dark and enormous cavity hollowed out in the centre of Paris.
Saint-Martin
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All that old quarter of the Halles, which is like a city within a city, through which run the Rues Saint-Denis and Saint-Martin, where a thousand lanes cross, and of which the insurgents had made their redoubt and their stronghold, would have appeared to him like a dark and enormous cavity hollowed out in the centre of Paris.
say
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The invisible police of the insurrection were on the watch everywhere, and maintained order, that is to say, night.
sound
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Thanks to the broken lanterns, thanks to the closed windows, there all radiance, all life, all sound, all movement ceased.
spectacle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A being who could have hovered over Paris that night with the wing of the bat or the owl would have had beneath his eyes a gloomy spectacle.
stronghold
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All that old quarter of the Halles, which is like a city within a city, through which run the Rues Saint-Denis and Saint-Martin, where a thousand lanes cross, and of which the insurgents had made their redoubt and their stronghold, would have appeared to him like a dark and enormous cavity hollowed out in the centre of Paris.
Thanks
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From this reading Thanks to the broken lanterns, thanks to the closed windows, there all radiance, all life, all sound, all movement ceased.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading A being who could have hovered over Paris that night with the wing of the bat or the owl would have had beneath his eyes a gloomy spectacle.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A being who could have hovered over Paris that night with the wing of the bat or the owl would have had beneath his eyes a gloomy spectacle.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading All that old quarter of the Halles, which is like a city within a city, through which run the Rues Saint-Denis and Saint-Martin, where a thousand lanes cross, and of which the insurgents had made their redoubt and their stronghold, would have appeared to him like a dark and enormous cavity hollowed out in the centre of Paris.
There
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From this reading There the glance fell into an abyss.
thousand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All that old quarter of the Halles, which is like a city within a city, through which run the Rues Saint-Denis and Saint-Martin, where a thousand lanes cross, and of which the insurgents had made their redoubt and their stronghold, would have appeared to him like a dark and enormous cavity hollowed out in the centre of Paris.
throughnounUS /ˈthrough/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading All that old quarter of the Halles, which is like a city within a city, through which run the Rues Saint-Denis and Saint-Martin, where a thousand lanes cross, and of which the insurgents had made their redoubt and their stronghold, would have appeared to him like a dark and enormous cavity hollowed out in the centre of Paris.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading All that old quarter of the Halles, which is like a city within a city, through which run the Rues Saint-Denis and Saint-Martin, where a thousand lanes cross, and of which the insurgents had made their redoubt and their stronghold, would have appeared to him like a dark and enormous cavity hollowed out in the centre of Paris.
watch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The invisible police of the insurrection were on the watch everywhere, and maintained order, that is to say, night.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The invisible police of the insurrection were on the watch everywhere, and maintained order, that is to say, night.
whereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading All that old quarter of the Halles, which is like a city within a city, through which run the Rues Saint-Denis and Saint-Martin, where a thousand lanes cross, and of which the insurgents had made their redoubt and their stronghold, would have appeared to him like a dark and enormous cavity hollowed out in the centre of Paris.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading All that old quarter of the Halles, which is like a city within a city, through which run the Rues Saint-Denis and Saint-Martin, where a thousand lanes cross, and of which the insurgents had made their redoubt and their stronghold, would have appeared to him like a dark and enormous cavity hollowed out in the centre of Paris.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading A being who could have hovered over Paris that night with the wing of the bat or the owl would have had beneath his eyes a gloomy spectacle.
windows
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Thanks to the broken lanterns, thanks to the closed windows, there all radiance, all life, all sound, all movement ceased.
wing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A being who could have hovered over Paris that night with the wing of the bat or the owl would have had beneath his eyes a gloomy spectacle.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading A being who could have hovered over Paris that night with the wing of the bat or the owl would have had beneath his eyes a gloomy spectacle.
withinprepositionUS /wɪˈðɪn/
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading All that old quarter of the Halles, which is like a city within a city, through which run the Rues Saint-Denis and Saint-Martin, where a thousand lanes cross, and of which the insurgents had made their redoubt and their stronghold, would have appeared to him like a dark and enormous cavity hollowed out in the centre of Paris.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading A being who could have hovered over Paris that night with the wing of the bat or the owl would have had beneath his eyes a gloomy spectacle.