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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 projectile had just escaped a terrible danger, and a very unforeseen one.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The projectile had just escaped a terrible danger, and a very unforeseen one.
bodies
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading These erring bodies might create serious perils for the travellers.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading They were to them so many sandbanks upon that sea of ether which, less fortunate than sailors, they could not escape.
create
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From this reading These erring bodies might create serious perils for the travellers.
danger
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The projectile had just escaped a terrible danger, and a very unforeseen one.
erring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading These erring bodies might create serious perils for the travellers.
escape
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were to them so many sandbanks upon that sea of ether which, less fortunate than sailors, they could not escape.
escaped
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From this reading The projectile had just escaped a terrible danger, and a very unforeseen one.
ether
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From this reading They were to them so many sandbanks upon that sea of ether which, less fortunate than sailors, they could not escape.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading These erring bodies might create serious perils for the travellers.
fortunate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were to them so many sandbanks upon that sea of ether which, less fortunate than sailors, they could not escape.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The projectile had just escaped a terrible danger, and a very unforeseen one.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Who would have thought of such a rencontre with meteors?
HEMISPHERE
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From this reading THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE.
just
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From this reading The projectile had just escaped a terrible danger, and a very unforeseen one.
less
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were to them so many sandbanks upon that sea of ether which, less fortunate than sailors, they could not escape.
many
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were to them so many sandbanks upon that sea of ether which, less fortunate than sailors, they could not escape.
meteors
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From this reading Who would have thought of such a rencontre with meteors?
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading These erring bodies might create serious perils for the travellers.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading They were to them so many sandbanks upon that sea of ether which, less fortunate than sailors, they could not escape.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Who would have thought of such a rencontre with meteors?
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The projectile had just escaped a terrible danger, and a very unforeseen one.
perils
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading These erring bodies might create serious perils for the travellers.
projectile
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The projectile had just escaped a terrible danger, and a very unforeseen one.
rencontre
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Who would have thought of such a rencontre with meteors?
sailors
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were to them so many sandbanks upon that sea of ether which, less fortunate than sailors, they could not escape.
sandbanks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were to them so many sandbanks upon that sea of ether which, less fortunate than sailors, they could not escape.
sea
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were to them so many sandbanks upon that sea of ether which, less fortunate than sailors, they could not escape.
serious
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading These erring bodies might create serious perils for the travellers.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading They were to them so many sandbanks upon that sea of ether which, less fortunate than sailors, they could not escape.
SOUTHERN
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From this reading THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE.
suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading Who would have thought of such a rencontre with meteors?
terriblenounUS /ˈterrible/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading The projectile had just escaped a terrible danger, and a very unforeseen one.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading They were to them so many sandbanks upon that sea of ether which, less fortunate than sailors, they could not escape.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading They were to them so many sandbanks upon that sea of ether which, less fortunate than sailors, they could not escape.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading They were to them so many sandbanks upon that sea of ether which, less fortunate than sailors, they could not escape.
ThesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading These erring bodies might create serious perils for the travellers.
TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were to them so many sandbanks upon that sea of ether which, less fortunate than sailors, they could not escape.
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Who would have thought of such a rencontre with meteors?
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They were to them so many sandbanks upon that sea of ether which, less fortunate than sailors, they could not escape.
travellers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading These erring bodies might create serious perils for the travellers.
unforeseen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The projectile had just escaped a terrible danger, and a very unforeseen one.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading They were to them so many sandbanks upon that sea of ether which, less fortunate than sailors, they could not escape.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The projectile had just escaped a terrible danger, and a very unforeseen one.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were to them so many sandbanks upon that sea of ether which, less fortunate than sailors, they could not escape.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading They were to them so many sandbanks upon that sea of ether which, less fortunate than sailors, they could not escape.
WhopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading Who would have thought of such a rencontre with meteors?
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Who would have thought of such a rencontre with meteors?
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Who would have thought of such a rencontre with meteors?