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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 At intervals sounds of altercation from without were heard, and occasionally a woman's drunken shriek or a ruffian's muttered curse was borne upon the angry wind.
altercation
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From this reading At intervals sounds of altercation from without were heard, and occasionally a woman's drunken shriek or a ruffian's muttered curse was borne upon the angry wind.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading A step upon the creaking stairs would cause the girl's face to assume an expression of watchfulness: for a moment only; the next, she would relapse into dreamy listlessness.
ANDconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading HUSBAND AND WIFE.
angry
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From this reading At intervals sounds of altercation from without were heard, and occasionally a woman's drunken shriek or a ruffian's muttered curse was borne upon the angry wind.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The rain pattered down, faster and faster, as the night wore on, and still the two strange companions sat, silent and undisturbed, before the fire.
assume
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From this reading A step upon the creaking stairs would cause the girl's face to assume an expression of watchfulness: for a moment only; the next, she would relapse into dreamy listlessness.
AtprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At intervals sounds of altercation from without were heard, and occasionally a woman's drunken shriek or a ruffian's muttered curse was borne upon the angry wind.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The rain pattered down, faster and faster, as the night wore on, and still the two strange companions sat, silent and undisturbed, before the fire.
borne
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From this reading At intervals sounds of altercation from without were heard, and occasionally a woman's drunken shriek or a ruffian's muttered curse was borne upon the angry wind.
cause
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From this reading A step upon the creaking stairs would cause the girl's face to assume an expression of watchfulness: for a moment only; the next, she would relapse into dreamy listlessness.
companions
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From this reading The rain pattered down, faster and faster, as the night wore on, and still the two strange companions sat, silent and undisturbed, before the fire.
creaking
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From this reading A step upon the creaking stairs would cause the girl's face to assume an expression of watchfulness: for a moment only; the next, she would relapse into dreamy listlessness.
curse
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From this reading At intervals sounds of altercation from without were heard, and occasionally a woman's drunken shriek or a ruffian's muttered curse was borne upon the angry wind.
down
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From this reading The rain pattered down, faster and faster, as the night wore on, and still the two strange companions sat, silent and undisturbed, before the fire.
dreamy
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From this reading A step upon the creaking stairs would cause the girl's face to assume an expression of watchfulness: for a moment only; the next, she would relapse into dreamy listlessness.
drunken
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From this reading At intervals sounds of altercation from without were heard, and occasionally a woman's drunken shriek or a ruffian's muttered curse was borne upon the angry wind.
expression
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From this reading A step upon the creaking stairs would cause the girl's face to assume an expression of watchfulness: for a moment only; the next, she would relapse into dreamy listlessness.
face
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From this reading A step upon the creaking stairs would cause the girl's face to assume an expression of watchfulness: for a moment only; the next, she would relapse into dreamy listlessness.
faster
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From this reading The rain pattered down, faster and faster, as the night wore on, and still the two strange companions sat, silent and undisturbed, before the fire.
feet
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From this reading Grif had thrown himself upon the floor at her feet.
fire
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From this reading The rain pattered down, faster and faster, as the night wore on, and still the two strange companions sat, silent and undisturbed, before the fire.
floor
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Grif had thrown himself upon the floor at her feet.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading A step upon the creaking stairs would cause the girl's face to assume an expression of watchfulness: for a moment only; the next, she would relapse into dreamy listlessness.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading At intervals sounds of altercation from without were heard, and occasionally a woman's drunken shriek or a ruffian's muttered curse was borne upon the angry wind.
girl's
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From this reading A step upon the creaking stairs would cause the girl's face to assume an expression of watchfulness: for a moment only; the next, she would relapse into dreamy listlessness.
Grif
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From this reading Grif had thrown himself upon the floor at her feet.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Grif had thrown himself upon the floor at her feet.
heard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At intervals sounds of altercation from without were heard, and occasionally a woman's drunken shriek or a ruffian's muttered curse was borne upon the angry wind.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Grif had thrown himself upon the floor at her feet.
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Grif had thrown himself upon the floor at her feet.
HUSBAND
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From this reading HUSBAND AND WIFE.
intervals
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From this reading At intervals sounds of altercation from without were heard, and occasionally a woman's drunken shriek or a ruffian's muttered curse was borne upon the angry wind.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading A step upon the creaking stairs would cause the girl's face to assume an expression of watchfulness: for a moment only; the next, she would relapse into dreamy listlessness.
listlessness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A step upon the creaking stairs would cause the girl's face to assume an expression of watchfulness: for a moment only; the next, she would relapse into dreamy listlessness.
moment
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A step upon the creaking stairs would cause the girl's face to assume an expression of watchfulness: for a moment only; the next, she would relapse into dreamy listlessness.
mutteredverbUS /ˈmʌtərd/
spoke in a low voice that was difficult to hear
From this reading At intervals sounds of altercation from without were heard, and occasionally a woman's drunken shriek or a ruffian's muttered curse was borne upon the angry wind.
nextnounUS /next/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading A step upon the creaking stairs would cause the girl's face to assume an expression of watchfulness: for a moment only; the next, she would relapse into dreamy listlessness.
night
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The rain pattered down, faster and faster, as the night wore on, and still the two strange companions sat, silent and undisturbed, before the fire.
occasionally
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At intervals sounds of altercation from without were heard, and occasionally a woman's drunken shriek or a ruffian's muttered curse was borne upon the angry wind.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading At intervals sounds of altercation from without were heard, and occasionally a woman's drunken shriek or a ruffian's muttered curse was borne upon the angry wind.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The rain pattered down, faster and faster, as the night wore on, and still the two strange companions sat, silent and undisturbed, before the fire.
only
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A step upon the creaking stairs would cause the girl's face to assume an expression of watchfulness: for a moment only; the next, she would relapse into dreamy listlessness.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading At intervals sounds of altercation from without were heard, and occasionally a woman's drunken shriek or a ruffian's muttered curse was borne upon the angry wind.
pattered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The rain pattered down, faster and faster, as the night wore on, and still the two strange companions sat, silent and undisturbed, before the fire.
rain
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From this reading The rain pattered down, faster and faster, as the night wore on, and still the two strange companions sat, silent and undisturbed, before the fire.
relapse
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From this reading A step upon the creaking stairs would cause the girl's face to assume an expression of watchfulness: for a moment only; the next, she would relapse into dreamy listlessness.
ruffian's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At intervals sounds of altercation from without were heard, and occasionally a woman's drunken shriek or a ruffian's muttered curse was borne upon the angry wind.
sat
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From this reading The rain pattered down, faster and faster, as the night wore on, and still the two strange companions sat, silent and undisturbed, before the fire.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading A step upon the creaking stairs would cause the girl's face to assume an expression of watchfulness: for a moment only; the next, she would relapse into dreamy listlessness.
shriek
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At intervals sounds of altercation from without were heard, and occasionally a woman's drunken shriek or a ruffian's muttered curse was borne upon the angry wind.
silent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The rain pattered down, faster and faster, as the night wore on, and still the two strange companions sat, silent and undisturbed, before the fire.
sounds
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At intervals sounds of altercation from without were heard, and occasionally a woman's drunken shriek or a ruffian's muttered curse was borne upon the angry wind.
stairs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A step upon the creaking stairs would cause the girl's face to assume an expression of watchfulness: for a moment only; the next, she would relapse into dreamy listlessness.
stepnounUS /step/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading A step upon the creaking stairs would cause the girl's face to assume an expression of watchfulness: for a moment only; the next, she would relapse into dreamy listlessness.
stillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The rain pattered down, faster and faster, as the night wore on, and still the two strange companions sat, silent and undisturbed, before the fire.
strange
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The rain pattered down, faster and faster, as the night wore on, and still the two strange companions sat, silent and undisturbed, before the fire.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The rain pattered down, faster and faster, as the night wore on, and still the two strange companions sat, silent and undisturbed, before the fire.
thrown
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Grif had thrown himself upon the floor at her feet.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A step upon the creaking stairs would cause the girl's face to assume an expression of watchfulness: for a moment only; the next, she would relapse into dreamy listlessness.
two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The rain pattered down, faster and faster, as the night wore on, and still the two strange companions sat, silent and undisturbed, before the fire.
undisturbed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The rain pattered down, faster and faster, as the night wore on, and still the two strange companions sat, silent and undisturbed, before the fire.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading At intervals sounds of altercation from without were heard, and occasionally a woman's drunken shriek or a ruffian's muttered curse was borne upon the angry wind.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading At intervals sounds of altercation from without were heard, and occasionally a woman's drunken shriek or a ruffian's muttered curse was borne upon the angry wind.
watchfulness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A step upon the creaking stairs would cause the girl's face to assume an expression of watchfulness: for a moment only; the next, she would relapse into dreamy listlessness.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading At intervals sounds of altercation from without were heard, and occasionally a woman's drunken shriek or a ruffian's muttered curse was borne upon the angry wind.
WIFE
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HUSBAND AND WIFE.
windnounUS /wind/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading At intervals sounds of altercation from without were heard, and occasionally a woman's drunken shriek or a ruffian's muttered curse was borne upon the angry wind.
withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading At intervals sounds of altercation from without were heard, and occasionally a woman's drunken shriek or a ruffian's muttered curse was borne upon the angry wind.
woman's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At intervals sounds of altercation from without were heard, and occasionally a woman's drunken shriek or a ruffian's muttered curse was borne upon the angry wind.
wore
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The rain pattered down, faster and faster, as the night wore on, and still the two strange companions sat, silent and undisturbed, before the fire.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading A step upon the creaking stairs would cause the girl's face to assume an expression of watchfulness: for a moment only; the next, she would relapse into dreamy listlessness.
