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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 Over the open plain, beneath a starless sky as dark and thick as ink, a man walked alone along the highway from Marchiennes to Montsou, a straight paved road ten kilometres in length, intersecting the beetroot fields.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The man had set out from Marchiennes about two o'clock.
againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading No tree could be seen against the sky, and the road unrolled as straight as a pier in the midst of the blinding spray of darkness.
alonenounUS /alone/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Over the open plain, beneath a starless sky as dark and thick as ink, a man walked alone along the highway from Marchiennes to Montsou, a straight paved road ten kilometres in length, intersecting the beetroot fields.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading Over the open plain, beneath a starless sky as dark and thick as ink, a man walked alone along the highway from Marchiennes to Montsou, a straight paved road ten kilometres in length, intersecting the beetroot fields.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Over the open plain, beneath a starless sky as dark and thick as ink, a man walked alone along the highway from Marchiennes to Montsou, a straight paved road ten kilometres in length, intersecting the beetroot fields.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Over the open plain, beneath a starless sky as dark and thick as ink, a man walked alone along the highway from Marchiennes to Montsou, a straight paved road ten kilometres in length, intersecting the beetroot fields.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading No tree could be seen against the sky, and the road unrolled as straight as a pier in the midst of the blinding spray of darkness.
beetroot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Over the open plain, beneath a starless sky as dark and thick as ink, a man walked alone along the highway from Marchiennes to Montsou, a straight paved road ten kilometres in length, intersecting the beetroot fields.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading He could not even see the black soil before him, and only felt the immense flat horizon by the gusts of March wind, squalls as strong as on the sea, and frozen from sweeping leagues of marsh and naked earth.
beneathprepositionUS /bɪˈniːθ/
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading Over the open plain, beneath a starless sky as dark and thick as ink, a man walked alone along the highway from Marchiennes to Montsou, a straight paved road ten kilometres in length, intersecting the beetroot fields.
black
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could not even see the black soil before him, and only felt the immense flat horizon by the gusts of March wind, squalls as strong as on the sea, and frozen from sweeping leagues of marsh and naked earth.
blinding
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No tree could be seen against the sky, and the road unrolled as straight as a pier in the midst of the blinding spray of darkness.
breeches
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He walked with long strides, shivering beneath his worn cotton jacket and corduroy breeches.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading He could not even see the black soil before him, and only felt the immense flat horizon by the gusts of March wind, squalls as strong as on the sea, and frozen from sweeping leagues of marsh and naked earth.
corduroy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He walked with long strides, shivering beneath his worn cotton jacket and corduroy breeches.
cotton
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He walked with long strides, shivering beneath his worn cotton jacket and corduroy breeches.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He could not even see the black soil before him, and only felt the immense flat horizon by the gusts of March wind, squalls as strong as on the sea, and frozen from sweeping leagues of marsh and naked earth.
dark
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Over the open plain, beneath a starless sky as dark and thick as ink, a man walked alone along the highway from Marchiennes to Montsou, a straight paved road ten kilometres in length, intersecting the beetroot fields.
darkness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No tree could be seen against the sky, and the road unrolled as straight as a pier in the midst of the blinding spray of darkness.
earth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could not even see the black soil before him, and only felt the immense flat horizon by the gusts of March wind, squalls as strong as on the sea, and frozen from sweeping leagues of marsh and naked earth.
evennounUS /even/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He could not even see the black soil before him, and only felt the immense flat horizon by the gusts of March wind, squalls as strong as on the sea, and frozen from sweeping leagues of marsh and naked earth.
felt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could not even see the black soil before him, and only felt the immense flat horizon by the gusts of March wind, squalls as strong as on the sea, and frozen from sweeping leagues of marsh and naked earth.
fields
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Over the open plain, beneath a starless sky as dark and thick as ink, a man walked alone along the highway from Marchiennes to Montsou, a straight paved road ten kilometres in length, intersecting the beetroot fields.
flat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could not even see the black soil before him, and only felt the immense flat horizon by the gusts of March wind, squalls as strong as on the sea, and frozen from sweeping leagues of marsh and naked earth.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Over the open plain, beneath a starless sky as dark and thick as ink, a man walked alone along the highway from Marchiennes to Montsou, a straight paved road ten kilometres in length, intersecting the beetroot fields.
frozen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could not even see the black soil before him, and only felt the immense flat horizon by the gusts of March wind, squalls as strong as on the sea, and frozen from sweeping leagues of marsh and naked earth.
gusts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could not even see the black soil before him, and only felt the immense flat horizon by the gusts of March wind, squalls as strong as on the sea, and frozen from sweeping leagues of marsh and naked earth.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The man had set out from Marchiennes about two o'clock.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He could not even see the black soil before him, and only felt the immense flat horizon by the gusts of March wind, squalls as strong as on the sea, and frozen from sweeping leagues of marsh and naked earth.
highway
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Over the open plain, beneath a starless sky as dark and thick as ink, a man walked alone along the highway from Marchiennes to Montsou, a straight paved road ten kilometres in length, intersecting the beetroot fields.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He could not even see the black soil before him, and only felt the immense flat horizon by the gusts of March wind, squalls as strong as on the sea, and frozen from sweeping leagues of marsh and naked earth.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He walked with long strides, shivering beneath his worn cotton jacket and corduroy breeches.
horizon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could not even see the black soil before him, and only felt the immense flat horizon by the gusts of March wind, squalls as strong as on the sea, and frozen from sweeping leagues of marsh and naked earth.
immense
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could not even see the black soil before him, and only felt the immense flat horizon by the gusts of March wind, squalls as strong as on the sea, and frozen from sweeping leagues of marsh and naked earth.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Over the open plain, beneath a starless sky as dark and thick as ink, a man walked alone along the highway from Marchiennes to Montsou, a straight paved road ten kilometres in length, intersecting the beetroot fields.
ink
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Over the open plain, beneath a starless sky as dark and thick as ink, a man walked alone along the highway from Marchiennes to Montsou, a straight paved road ten kilometres in length, intersecting the beetroot fields.
intersecting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Over the open plain, beneath a starless sky as dark and thick as ink, a man walked alone along the highway from Marchiennes to Montsou, a straight paved road ten kilometres in length, intersecting the beetroot fields.
jacket
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He walked with long strides, shivering beneath his worn cotton jacket and corduroy breeches.
kilometres
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Over the open plain, beneath a starless sky as dark and thick as ink, a man walked alone along the highway from Marchiennes to Montsou, a straight paved road ten kilometres in length, intersecting the beetroot fields.
leagues
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could not even see the black soil before him, and only felt the immense flat horizon by the gusts of March wind, squalls as strong as on the sea, and frozen from sweeping leagues of marsh and naked earth.
lengthnounUS /leŋθ/
a period of time or extent
From this reading Over the open plain, beneath a starless sky as dark and thick as ink, a man walked alone along the highway from Marchiennes to Montsou, a straight paved road ten kilometres in length, intersecting the beetroot fields.
longnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He walked with long strides, shivering beneath his worn cotton jacket and corduroy breeches.
man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Over the open plain, beneath a starless sky as dark and thick as ink, a man walked alone along the highway from Marchiennes to Montsou, a straight paved road ten kilometres in length, intersecting the beetroot fields.
March
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could not even see the black soil before him, and only felt the immense flat horizon by the gusts of March wind, squalls as strong as on the sea, and frozen from sweeping leagues of marsh and naked earth.
Marchiennes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Over the open plain, beneath a starless sky as dark and thick as ink, a man walked alone along the highway from Marchiennes to Montsou, a straight paved road ten kilometres in length, intersecting the beetroot fields.
marsh
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could not even see the black soil before him, and only felt the immense flat horizon by the gusts of March wind, squalls as strong as on the sea, and frozen from sweeping leagues of marsh and naked earth.
midst
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No tree could be seen against the sky, and the road unrolled as straight as a pier in the midst of the blinding spray of darkness.
Montsou
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Over the open plain, beneath a starless sky as dark and thick as ink, a man walked alone along the highway from Marchiennes to Montsou, a straight paved road ten kilometres in length, intersecting the beetroot fields.
naked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could not even see the black soil before him, and only felt the immense flat horizon by the gusts of March wind, squalls as strong as on the sea, and frozen from sweeping leagues of marsh and naked earth.
NodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading No tree could be seen against the sky, and the road unrolled as straight as a pier in the midst of the blinding spray of darkness.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He could not even see the black soil before him, and only felt the immense flat horizon by the gusts of March wind, squalls as strong as on the sea, and frozen from sweeping leagues of marsh and naked earth.
o'clock
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The man had set out from Marchiennes about two o'clock.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He could not even see the black soil before him, and only felt the immense flat horizon by the gusts of March wind, squalls as strong as on the sea, and frozen from sweeping leagues of marsh and naked earth.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He could not even see the black soil before him, and only felt the immense flat horizon by the gusts of March wind, squalls as strong as on the sea, and frozen from sweeping leagues of marsh and naked earth.
only
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could not even see the black soil before him, and only felt the immense flat horizon by the gusts of March wind, squalls as strong as on the sea, and frozen from sweeping leagues of marsh and naked earth.
openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/
To move from a closed position.
From this reading Over the open plain, beneath a starless sky as dark and thick as ink, a man walked alone along the highway from Marchiennes to Montsou, a straight paved road ten kilometres in length, intersecting the beetroot fields.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The man had set out from Marchiennes about two o'clock.
OverprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Over the open plain, beneath a starless sky as dark and thick as ink, a man walked alone along the highway from Marchiennes to Montsou, a straight paved road ten kilometres in length, intersecting the beetroot fields.
paved
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Over the open plain, beneath a starless sky as dark and thick as ink, a man walked alone along the highway from Marchiennes to Montsou, a straight paved road ten kilometres in length, intersecting the beetroot fields.
pier
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No tree could be seen against the sky, and the road unrolled as straight as a pier in the midst of the blinding spray of darkness.
plain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Over the open plain, beneath a starless sky as dark and thick as ink, a man walked alone along the highway from Marchiennes to Montsou, a straight paved road ten kilometres in length, intersecting the beetroot fields.
road
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Over the open plain, beneath a starless sky as dark and thick as ink, a man walked alone along the highway from Marchiennes to Montsou, a straight paved road ten kilometres in length, intersecting the beetroot fields.
sea
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could not even see the black soil before him, and only felt the immense flat horizon by the gusts of March wind, squalls as strong as on the sea, and frozen from sweeping leagues of marsh and naked earth.
see
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could not even see the black soil before him, and only felt the immense flat horizon by the gusts of March wind, squalls as strong as on the sea, and frozen from sweeping leagues of marsh and naked earth.
seen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No tree could be seen against the sky, and the road unrolled as straight as a pier in the midst of the blinding spray of darkness.
set
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The man had set out from Marchiennes about two o'clock.
shivering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He walked with long strides, shivering beneath his worn cotton jacket and corduroy breeches.
sky
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Over the open plain, beneath a starless sky as dark and thick as ink, a man walked alone along the highway from Marchiennes to Montsou, a straight paved road ten kilometres in length, intersecting the beetroot fields.
soil
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could not even see the black soil before him, and only felt the immense flat horizon by the gusts of March wind, squalls as strong as on the sea, and frozen from sweeping leagues of marsh and naked earth.
spray
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No tree could be seen against the sky, and the road unrolled as straight as a pier in the midst of the blinding spray of darkness.
squalls
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could not even see the black soil before him, and only felt the immense flat horizon by the gusts of March wind, squalls as strong as on the sea, and frozen from sweeping leagues of marsh and naked earth.
starless
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Over the open plain, beneath a starless sky as dark and thick as ink, a man walked alone along the highway from Marchiennes to Montsou, a straight paved road ten kilometres in length, intersecting the beetroot fields.
straight
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Over the open plain, beneath a starless sky as dark and thick as ink, a man walked alone along the highway from Marchiennes to Montsou, a straight paved road ten kilometres in length, intersecting the beetroot fields.
strides
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He walked with long strides, shivering beneath his worn cotton jacket and corduroy breeches.
strong
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could not even see the black soil before him, and only felt the immense flat horizon by the gusts of March wind, squalls as strong as on the sea, and frozen from sweeping leagues of marsh and naked earth.
sweeping
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could not even see the black soil before him, and only felt the immense flat horizon by the gusts of March wind, squalls as strong as on the sea, and frozen from sweeping leagues of marsh and naked earth.
ten
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Over the open plain, beneath a starless sky as dark and thick as ink, a man walked alone along the highway from Marchiennes to Montsou, a straight paved road ten kilometres in length, intersecting the beetroot fields.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Over the open plain, beneath a starless sky as dark and thick as ink, a man walked alone along the highway from Marchiennes to Montsou, a straight paved road ten kilometres in length, intersecting the beetroot fields.
thick
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Over the open plain, beneath a starless sky as dark and thick as ink, a man walked alone along the highway from Marchiennes to Montsou, a straight paved road ten kilometres in length, intersecting the beetroot fields.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Over the open plain, beneath a starless sky as dark and thick as ink, a man walked alone along the highway from Marchiennes to Montsou, a straight paved road ten kilometres in length, intersecting the beetroot fields.
tree
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No tree could be seen against the sky, and the road unrolled as straight as a pier in the midst of the blinding spray of darkness.
two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The man had set out from Marchiennes about two o'clock.
unrolled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No tree could be seen against the sky, and the road unrolled as straight as a pier in the midst of the blinding spray of darkness.
walked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Over the open plain, beneath a starless sky as dark and thick as ink, a man walked alone along the highway from Marchiennes to Montsou, a straight paved road ten kilometres in length, intersecting the beetroot fields.
windnounUS /wind/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He could not even see the black soil before him, and only felt the immense flat horizon by the gusts of March wind, squalls as strong as on the sea, and frozen from sweeping leagues of marsh and naked earth.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading He walked with long strides, shivering beneath his worn cotton jacket and corduroy breeches.
wornverbUS /wɔːrn/
Damaged or thinned by continuous use.
From this reading He walked with long strides, shivering beneath his worn cotton jacket and corduroy breeches.
