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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 appearance of the constable was a sufficient explanation of the misfortune which had befallen me.
amauxiliary verbUS /æm/
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading The officer and his companion were unnecessarily rough and insulting to me, I thought; but when I consider the exceedingly bad reputation which I had made, I am not much surprised.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The mail boy had delivered his message to Captain Fishley, and the constable had been sent down to Riverport to arrest me; but not finding me there, and probably learning from the hotel-keeper where I had gone, he lay in wait for me at the Ford.
appearancenounUS /ˈappearance/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading The appearance of the constable was a sufficient explanation of the misfortune which had befallen me.
arrest
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From this reading The mail boy had delivered his message to Captain Fishley, and the constable had been sent down to Riverport to arrest me; but not finding me there, and probably learning from the hotel-keeper where I had gone, he lay in wait for me at the Ford.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The mail boy had delivered his message to Captain Fishley, and the constable had been sent down to Riverport to arrest me; but not finding me there, and probably learning from the hotel-keeper where I had gone, he lay in wait for me at the Ford.
bad
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From this reading The officer and his companion were unnecessarily rough and insulting to me, I thought; but when I consider the exceedingly bad reputation which I had made, I am not much surprised.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The mail boy had delivered his message to Captain Fishley, and the constable had been sent down to Riverport to arrest me; but not finding me there, and probably learning from the hotel-keeper where I had gone, he lay in wait for me at the Ford.
befallen
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From this reading The appearance of the constable was a sufficient explanation of the misfortune which had befallen me.
boy
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From this reading The mail boy had delivered his message to Captain Fishley, and the constable had been sent down to Riverport to arrest me; but not finding me there, and probably learning from the hotel-keeper where I had gone, he lay in wait for me at the Ford.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The mail boy had delivered his message to Captain Fishley, and the constable had been sent down to Riverport to arrest me; but not finding me there, and probably learning from the hotel-keeper where I had gone, he lay in wait for me at the Ford.
CaptainnounUS /ˈcaptain/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading The mail boy had delivered his message to Captain Fishley, and the constable had been sent down to Riverport to arrest me; but not finding me there, and probably learning from the hotel-keeper where I had gone, he lay in wait for me at the Ford.
companion
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From this reading The officer and his companion were unnecessarily rough and insulting to me, I thought; but when I consider the exceedingly bad reputation which I had made, I am not much surprised.
consider
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From this reading The officer and his companion were unnecessarily rough and insulting to me, I thought; but when I consider the exceedingly bad reputation which I had made, I am not much surprised.
constable
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From this reading The appearance of the constable was a sufficient explanation of the misfortune which had befallen me.
delivered
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From this reading The mail boy had delivered his message to Captain Fishley, and the constable had been sent down to Riverport to arrest me; but not finding me there, and probably learning from the hotel-keeper where I had gone, he lay in wait for me at the Ford.
down
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From this reading The mail boy had delivered his message to Captain Fishley, and the constable had been sent down to Riverport to arrest me; but not finding me there, and probably learning from the hotel-keeper where I had gone, he lay in wait for me at the Ford.
exceedingly
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From this reading The officer and his companion were unnecessarily rough and insulting to me, I thought; but when I consider the exceedingly bad reputation which I had made, I am not much surprised.
explanation
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From this reading The appearance of the constable was a sufficient explanation of the misfortune which had befallen me.
finding
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From this reading The mail boy had delivered his message to Captain Fishley, and the constable had been sent down to Riverport to arrest me; but not finding me there, and probably learning from the hotel-keeper where I had gone, he lay in wait for me at the Ford.
Fishley
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From this reading The mail boy had delivered his message to Captain Fishley, and the constable had been sent down to Riverport to arrest me; but not finding me there, and probably learning from the hotel-keeper where I had gone, he lay in wait for me at the Ford.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The mail boy had delivered his message to Captain Fishley, and the constable had been sent down to Riverport to arrest me; but not finding me there, and probably learning from the hotel-keeper where I had gone, he lay in wait for me at the Ford.
Ford
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From this reading The mail boy had delivered his message to Captain Fishley, and the constable had been sent down to Riverport to arrest me; but not finding me there, and probably learning from the hotel-keeper where I had gone, he lay in wait for me at the Ford.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The mail boy had delivered his message to Captain Fishley, and the constable had been sent down to Riverport to arrest me; but not finding me there, and probably learning from the hotel-keeper where I had gone, he lay in wait for me at the Ford.
gone
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From this reading The mail boy had delivered his message to Captain Fishley, and the constable had been sent down to Riverport to arrest me; but not finding me there, and probably learning from the hotel-keeper where I had gone, he lay in wait for me at the Ford.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The appearance of the constable was a sufficient explanation of the misfortune which had befallen me.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The mail boy had delivered his message to Captain Fishley, and the constable had been sent down to Riverport to arrest me; but not finding me there, and probably learning from the hotel-keeper where I had gone, he lay in wait for me at the Ford.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The man with him was a stranger to me.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The mail boy had delivered his message to Captain Fishley, and the constable had been sent down to Riverport to arrest me; but not finding me there, and probably learning from the hotel-keeper where I had gone, he lay in wait for me at the Ford.
hotel-keeper
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From this reading The mail boy had delivered his message to Captain Fishley, and the constable had been sent down to Riverport to arrest me; but not finding me there, and probably learning from the hotel-keeper where I had gone, he lay in wait for me at the Ford.
HOURS
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From this reading TWO HOURS IN JAIL.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading The mail boy had delivered his message to Captain Fishley, and the constable had been sent down to Riverport to arrest me; but not finding me there, and probably learning from the hotel-keeper where I had gone, he lay in wait for me at the Ford.
INprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading TWO HOURS IN JAIL.
insulting
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From this reading The officer and his companion were unnecessarily rough and insulting to me, I thought; but when I consider the exceedingly bad reputation which I had made, I am not much surprised.
JAIL
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From this reading TWO HOURS IN JAIL.
lay
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From this reading The mail boy had delivered his message to Captain Fishley, and the constable had been sent down to Riverport to arrest me; but not finding me there, and probably learning from the hotel-keeper where I had gone, he lay in wait for me at the Ford.
learning
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From this reading The mail boy had delivered his message to Captain Fishley, and the constable had been sent down to Riverport to arrest me; but not finding me there, and probably learning from the hotel-keeper where I had gone, he lay in wait for me at the Ford.
made
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From this reading The officer and his companion were unnecessarily rough and insulting to me, I thought; but when I consider the exceedingly bad reputation which I had made, I am not much surprised.
mail
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From this reading The mail boy had delivered his message to Captain Fishley, and the constable had been sent down to Riverport to arrest me; but not finding me there, and probably learning from the hotel-keeper where I had gone, he lay in wait for me at the Ford.
man
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From this reading The man with him was a stranger to me.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The appearance of the constable was a sufficient explanation of the misfortune which had befallen me.
message
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From this reading The mail boy had delivered his message to Captain Fishley, and the constable had been sent down to Riverport to arrest me; but not finding me there, and probably learning from the hotel-keeper where I had gone, he lay in wait for me at the Ford.
misfortune
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The appearance of the constable was a sufficient explanation of the misfortune which had befallen me.
much
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From this reading The officer and his companion were unnecessarily rough and insulting to me, I thought; but when I consider the exceedingly bad reputation which I had made, I am not much surprised.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The mail boy had delivered his message to Captain Fishley, and the constable had been sent down to Riverport to arrest me; but not finding me there, and probably learning from the hotel-keeper where I had gone, he lay in wait for me at the Ford.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The appearance of the constable was a sufficient explanation of the misfortune which had befallen me.
officer
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From this reading The officer and his companion were unnecessarily rough and insulting to me, I thought; but when I consider the exceedingly bad reputation which I had made, I am not much surprised.
probably
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From this reading The mail boy had delivered his message to Captain Fishley, and the constable had been sent down to Riverport to arrest me; but not finding me there, and probably learning from the hotel-keeper where I had gone, he lay in wait for me at the Ford.
reputation
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From this reading The officer and his companion were unnecessarily rough and insulting to me, I thought; but when I consider the exceedingly bad reputation which I had made, I am not much surprised.
Riverport
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From this reading The mail boy had delivered his message to Captain Fishley, and the constable had been sent down to Riverport to arrest me; but not finding me there, and probably learning from the hotel-keeper where I had gone, he lay in wait for me at the Ford.
rough
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From this reading The officer and his companion were unnecessarily rough and insulting to me, I thought; but when I consider the exceedingly bad reputation which I had made, I am not much surprised.
sent
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From this reading The mail boy had delivered his message to Captain Fishley, and the constable had been sent down to Riverport to arrest me; but not finding me there, and probably learning from the hotel-keeper where I had gone, he lay in wait for me at the Ford.
stranger
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From this reading The man with him was a stranger to me.
sufficient
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From this reading The appearance of the constable was a sufficient explanation of the misfortune which had befallen me.
surprisednounUS /surprised/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The officer and his companion were unnecessarily rough and insulting to me, I thought; but when I consider the exceedingly bad reputation which I had made, I am not much surprised.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The appearance of the constable was a sufficient explanation of the misfortune which had befallen me.
there
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From this reading The mail boy had delivered his message to Captain Fishley, and the constable had been sent down to Riverport to arrest me; but not finding me there, and probably learning from the hotel-keeper where I had gone, he lay in wait for me at the Ford.
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The officer and his companion were unnecessarily rough and insulting to me, I thought; but when I consider the exceedingly bad reputation which I had made, I am not much surprised.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The man with him was a stranger to me.
TWO
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From this reading TWO HOURS IN JAIL.
unnecessarily
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From this reading The officer and his companion were unnecessarily rough and insulting to me, I thought; but when I consider the exceedingly bad reputation which I had made, I am not much surprised.
wait
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From this reading The mail boy had delivered his message to Captain Fishley, and the constable had been sent down to Riverport to arrest me; but not finding me there, and probably learning from the hotel-keeper where I had gone, he lay in wait for me at the Ford.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The appearance of the constable was a sufficient explanation of the misfortune which had befallen me.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The officer and his companion were unnecessarily rough and insulting to me, I thought; but when I consider the exceedingly bad reputation which I had made, I am not much surprised.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading The officer and his companion were unnecessarily rough and insulting to me, I thought; but when I consider the exceedingly bad reputation which I had made, I am not much surprised.
whereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading The mail boy had delivered his message to Captain Fishley, and the constable had been sent down to Riverport to arrest me; but not finding me there, and probably learning from the hotel-keeper where I had gone, he lay in wait for me at the Ford.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The appearance of the constable was a sufficient explanation of the misfortune which had befallen me.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading The man with him was a stranger to me.