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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 THE COURIER OF DEATH Denis passed many days underground, in the fascinating pursuit of driving a tiny tunnel due south from the bottom of the shaft.
alreadynounUS /already/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading That way ran the lead as traced already on its outer skirts, and that way burrowed Denis through its golden core.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He would have made the drive roomier but for an early warning as to the treacherous character of the red clay stratum immediately overhead.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading That way ran the lead as traced already on its outer skirts, and that way burrowed Denis through its golden core.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading That way ran the lead as traced already on its outer skirts, and that way burrowed Denis through its golden core.
bottom
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE COURIER OF DEATH Denis passed many days underground, in the fascinating pursuit of driving a tiny tunnel due south from the bottom of the shaft.
burrowed
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From this reading That way ran the lead as traced already on its outer skirts, and that way burrowed Denis through its golden core.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The miniature corridor which he made was but two feet wide, and not six inches higher than its width.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Denis could just turn round in it by a series of systematic contortions.
character
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From this reading He would have made the drive roomier but for an early warning as to the treacherous character of the red clay stratum immediately overhead.
clay
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From this reading He would have made the drive roomier but for an early warning as to the treacherous character of the red clay stratum immediately overhead.
contortions
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From this reading Denis could just turn round in it by a series of systematic contortions.
core
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From this reading That way ran the lead as traced already on its outer skirts, and that way burrowed Denis through its golden core.
corridor
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From this reading The miniature corridor which he made was but two feet wide, and not six inches higher than its width.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Denis could just turn round in it by a series of systematic contortions.
COURIER
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From this reading THE COURIER OF DEATH Denis passed many days underground, in the fascinating pursuit of driving a tiny tunnel due south from the bottom of the shaft.
days
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From this reading THE COURIER OF DEATH Denis passed many days underground, in the fascinating pursuit of driving a tiny tunnel due south from the bottom of the shaft.
DEATH
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From this reading THE COURIER OF DEATH Denis passed many days underground, in the fascinating pursuit of driving a tiny tunnel due south from the bottom of the shaft.
Denis
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From this reading THE COURIER OF DEATH Denis passed many days underground, in the fascinating pursuit of driving a tiny tunnel due south from the bottom of the shaft.
drive
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From this reading He would have made the drive roomier but for an early warning as to the treacherous character of the red clay stratum immediately overhead.
driving
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From this reading THE COURIER OF DEATH Denis passed many days underground, in the fascinating pursuit of driving a tiny tunnel due south from the bottom of the shaft.
due
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From this reading THE COURIER OF DEATH Denis passed many days underground, in the fascinating pursuit of driving a tiny tunnel due south from the bottom of the shaft.
early
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From this reading He would have made the drive roomier but for an early warning as to the treacherous character of the red clay stratum immediately overhead.
fascinating
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From this reading THE COURIER OF DEATH Denis passed many days underground, in the fascinating pursuit of driving a tiny tunnel due south from the bottom of the shaft.
feet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The miniature corridor which he made was but two feet wide, and not six inches higher than its width.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He would have made the drive roomier but for an early warning as to the treacherous character of the red clay stratum immediately overhead.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading THE COURIER OF DEATH Denis passed many days underground, in the fascinating pursuit of driving a tiny tunnel due south from the bottom of the shaft.
golden
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That way ran the lead as traced already on its outer skirts, and that way burrowed Denis through its golden core.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading He would have made the drive roomier but for an early warning as to the treacherous character of the red clay stratum immediately overhead.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The miniature corridor which he made was but two feet wide, and not six inches higher than its width.
higher
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The miniature corridor which he made was but two feet wide, and not six inches higher than its width.
immediately
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From this reading He would have made the drive roomier but for an early warning as to the treacherous character of the red clay stratum immediately overhead.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE COURIER OF DEATH Denis passed many days underground, in the fascinating pursuit of driving a tiny tunnel due south from the bottom of the shaft.
inches
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The miniature corridor which he made was but two feet wide, and not six inches higher than its width.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Denis could just turn round in it by a series of systematic contortions.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading That way ran the lead as traced already on its outer skirts, and that way burrowed Denis through its golden core.
just
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From this reading Denis could just turn round in it by a series of systematic contortions.
lead
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That way ran the lead as traced already on its outer skirts, and that way burrowed Denis through its golden core.
made
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The miniature corridor which he made was but two feet wide, and not six inches higher than its width.
many
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From this reading THE COURIER OF DEATH Denis passed many days underground, in the fascinating pursuit of driving a tiny tunnel due south from the bottom of the shaft.
miniature
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The miniature corridor which he made was but two feet wide, and not six inches higher than its width.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The miniature corridor which he made was but two feet wide, and not six inches higher than its width.
OFprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE COURIER OF DEATH Denis passed many days underground, in the fascinating pursuit of driving a tiny tunnel due south from the bottom of the shaft.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading That way ran the lead as traced already on its outer skirts, and that way burrowed Denis through its golden core.
outer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That way ran the lead as traced already on its outer skirts, and that way burrowed Denis through its golden core.
overhead
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He would have made the drive roomier but for an early warning as to the treacherous character of the red clay stratum immediately overhead.
passednounUS /passed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading THE COURIER OF DEATH Denis passed many days underground, in the fascinating pursuit of driving a tiny tunnel due south from the bottom of the shaft.
pursuit
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From this reading THE COURIER OF DEATH Denis passed many days underground, in the fascinating pursuit of driving a tiny tunnel due south from the bottom of the shaft.
ran
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That way ran the lead as traced already on its outer skirts, and that way burrowed Denis through its golden core.
red
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From this reading He would have made the drive roomier but for an early warning as to the treacherous character of the red clay stratum immediately overhead.
roomier
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He would have made the drive roomier but for an early warning as to the treacherous character of the red clay stratum immediately overhead.
round
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From this reading Denis could just turn round in it by a series of systematic contortions.
series
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From this reading Denis could just turn round in it by a series of systematic contortions.
shaft
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From this reading THE COURIER OF DEATH Denis passed many days underground, in the fascinating pursuit of driving a tiny tunnel due south from the bottom of the shaft.
six
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The miniature corridor which he made was but two feet wide, and not six inches higher than its width.
skirts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That way ran the lead as traced already on its outer skirts, and that way burrowed Denis through its golden core.
south
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE COURIER OF DEATH Denis passed many days underground, in the fascinating pursuit of driving a tiny tunnel due south from the bottom of the shaft.
stratum
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He would have made the drive roomier but for an early warning as to the treacherous character of the red clay stratum immediately overhead.
systematic
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Denis could just turn round in it by a series of systematic contortions.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading The miniature corridor which he made was but two feet wide, and not six inches higher than its width.
ThatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That way ran the lead as traced already on its outer skirts, and that way burrowed Denis through its golden core.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE COURIER OF DEATH Denis passed many days underground, in the fascinating pursuit of driving a tiny tunnel due south from the bottom of the shaft.
throughnounUS /ˈthrough/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading That way ran the lead as traced already on its outer skirts, and that way burrowed Denis through its golden core.
tiny
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE COURIER OF DEATH Denis passed many days underground, in the fascinating pursuit of driving a tiny tunnel due south from the bottom of the shaft.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He would have made the drive roomier but for an early warning as to the treacherous character of the red clay stratum immediately overhead.
traced
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That way ran the lead as traced already on its outer skirts, and that way burrowed Denis through its golden core.
treacherous
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He would have made the drive roomier but for an early warning as to the treacherous character of the red clay stratum immediately overhead.
tunnel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE COURIER OF DEATH Denis passed many days underground, in the fascinating pursuit of driving a tiny tunnel due south from the bottom of the shaft.
turn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Denis could just turn round in it by a series of systematic contortions.
two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The miniature corridor which he made was but two feet wide, and not six inches higher than its width.
underground
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE COURIER OF DEATH Denis passed many days underground, in the fascinating pursuit of driving a tiny tunnel due south from the bottom of the shaft.
warning
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He would have made the drive roomier but for an early warning as to the treacherous character of the red clay stratum immediately overhead.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The miniature corridor which he made was but two feet wide, and not six inches higher than its width.
way
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That way ran the lead as traced already on its outer skirts, and that way burrowed Denis through its golden core.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The miniature corridor which he made was but two feet wide, and not six inches higher than its width.
wide
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The miniature corridor which he made was but two feet wide, and not six inches higher than its width.
width
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The miniature corridor which he made was but two feet wide, and not six inches higher than its width.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading He would have made the drive roomier but for an early warning as to the treacherous character of the red clay stratum immediately overhead.
