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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 Yet there is a way to talk above the noise of a freight train just as there is a way to whistle into the teeth of a stiff wind.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading They sat about in the center of the train, on the forward end of one of the cars.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading Yet there is a way to talk above the noise of a freight train just as there is a way to whistle into the teeth of a stiff wind.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading This freight-car talk is pitched just above the ordinary tone--it is an overtone of conversation, one might say--and it is distinctly nasal.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The fifty empty freights danced and rolled and rattled on the rough road bed and filled Jericho Pass with thunder; the big engine was laboring and grunting at the grade, but five cars back the noise of the locomotive was lost.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Yet there is a way to talk above the noise of a freight train just as there is a way to whistle into the teeth of a stiff wind.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The fifty empty freights danced and rolled and rattled on the rough road bed and filled Jericho Pass with thunder; the big engine was laboring and grunting at the grade, but five cars back the noise of the locomotive was lost.
back
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The fifty empty freights danced and rolled and rattled on the rough road bed and filled Jericho Pass with thunder; the big engine was laboring and grunting at the grade, but five cars back the noise of the locomotive was lost.
bed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The fifty empty freights danced and rolled and rattled on the rough road bed and filled Jericho Pass with thunder; the big engine was laboring and grunting at the grade, but five cars back the noise of the locomotive was lost.
big
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The fifty empty freights danced and rolled and rattled on the rough road bed and filled Jericho Pass with thunder; the big engine was laboring and grunting at the grade, but five cars back the noise of the locomotive was lost.
brakie
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From this reading The brakie could talk above the racket, and so, of course, could Lefty Joe.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The fifty empty freights danced and rolled and rattled on the rough road bed and filled Jericho Pass with thunder; the big engine was laboring and grunting at the grade, but five cars back the noise of the locomotive was lost.
cars
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The fifty empty freights danced and rolled and rattled on the rough road bed and filled Jericho Pass with thunder; the big engine was laboring and grunting at the grade, but five cars back the noise of the locomotive was lost.
centernounUS /ˈsɛn.tər/
The middle point or core of an area.
From this reading They sat about in the center of the train, on the forward end of one of the cars.
conversation
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From this reading This freight-car talk is pitched just above the ordinary tone--it is an overtone of conversation, one might say--and it is distinctly nasal.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The brakie could talk above the racket, and so, of course, could Lefty Joe.
coursenounUS /course/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The brakie could talk above the racket, and so, of course, could Lefty Joe.
danced
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The fifty empty freights danced and rolled and rattled on the rough road bed and filled Jericho Pass with thunder; the big engine was laboring and grunting at the grade, but five cars back the noise of the locomotive was lost.
distinctly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This freight-car talk is pitched just above the ordinary tone--it is an overtone of conversation, one might say--and it is distinctly nasal.
empty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The fifty empty freights danced and rolled and rattled on the rough road bed and filled Jericho Pass with thunder; the big engine was laboring and grunting at the grade, but five cars back the noise of the locomotive was lost.
end
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They sat about in the center of the train, on the forward end of one of the cars.
engine
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The fifty empty freights danced and rolled and rattled on the rough road bed and filled Jericho Pass with thunder; the big engine was laboring and grunting at the grade, but five cars back the noise of the locomotive was lost.
fifty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The fifty empty freights danced and rolled and rattled on the rough road bed and filled Jericho Pass with thunder; the big engine was laboring and grunting at the grade, but five cars back the noise of the locomotive was lost.
filled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The fifty empty freights danced and rolled and rattled on the rough road bed and filled Jericho Pass with thunder; the big engine was laboring and grunting at the grade, but five cars back the noise of the locomotive was lost.
five
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The fifty empty freights danced and rolled and rattled on the rough road bed and filled Jericho Pass with thunder; the big engine was laboring and grunting at the grade, but five cars back the noise of the locomotive was lost.
forwardnounUS /forward/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading They sat about in the center of the train, on the forward end of one of the cars.
freight
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet there is a way to talk above the noise of a freight train just as there is a way to whistle into the teeth of a stiff wind.
freight-car
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This freight-car talk is pitched just above the ordinary tone--it is an overtone of conversation, one might say--and it is distinctly nasal.
freights
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The fifty empty freights danced and rolled and rattled on the rough road bed and filled Jericho Pass with thunder; the big engine was laboring and grunting at the grade, but five cars back the noise of the locomotive was lost.
grade
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The fifty empty freights danced and rolled and rattled on the rough road bed and filled Jericho Pass with thunder; the big engine was laboring and grunting at the grade, but five cars back the noise of the locomotive was lost.
grunting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The fifty empty freights danced and rolled and rattled on the rough road bed and filled Jericho Pass with thunder; the big engine was laboring and grunting at the grade, but five cars back the noise of the locomotive was lost.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading They sat about in the center of the train, on the forward end of one of the cars.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Yet there is a way to talk above the noise of a freight train just as there is a way to whistle into the teeth of a stiff wind.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Yet there is a way to talk above the noise of a freight train just as there is a way to whistle into the teeth of a stiff wind.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading This freight-car talk is pitched just above the ordinary tone--it is an overtone of conversation, one might say--and it is distinctly nasal.
Jericho
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The fifty empty freights danced and rolled and rattled on the rough road bed and filled Jericho Pass with thunder; the big engine was laboring and grunting at the grade, but five cars back the noise of the locomotive was lost.
Joe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The brakie could talk above the racket, and so, of course, could Lefty Joe.
just
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet there is a way to talk above the noise of a freight train just as there is a way to whistle into the teeth of a stiff wind.
laboring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The fifty empty freights danced and rolled and rattled on the rough road bed and filled Jericho Pass with thunder; the big engine was laboring and grunting at the grade, but five cars back the noise of the locomotive was lost.
Lefty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The brakie could talk above the racket, and so, of course, could Lefty Joe.
locomotive
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The fifty empty freights danced and rolled and rattled on the rough road bed and filled Jericho Pass with thunder; the big engine was laboring and grunting at the grade, but five cars back the noise of the locomotive was lost.
lost
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The fifty empty freights danced and rolled and rattled on the rough road bed and filled Jericho Pass with thunder; the big engine was laboring and grunting at the grade, but five cars back the noise of the locomotive was lost.
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading This freight-car talk is pitched just above the ordinary tone--it is an overtone of conversation, one might say--and it is distinctly nasal.
nasal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This freight-car talk is pitched just above the ordinary tone--it is an overtone of conversation, one might say--and it is distinctly nasal.
noise
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The fifty empty freights danced and rolled and rattled on the rough road bed and filled Jericho Pass with thunder; the big engine was laboring and grunting at the grade, but five cars back the noise of the locomotive was lost.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The fifty empty freights danced and rolled and rattled on the rough road bed and filled Jericho Pass with thunder; the big engine was laboring and grunting at the grade, but five cars back the noise of the locomotive was lost.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The fifty empty freights danced and rolled and rattled on the rough road bed and filled Jericho Pass with thunder; the big engine was laboring and grunting at the grade, but five cars back the noise of the locomotive was lost.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading This freight-car talk is pitched just above the ordinary tone--it is an overtone of conversation, one might say--and it is distinctly nasal.
ordinary
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This freight-car talk is pitched just above the ordinary tone--it is an overtone of conversation, one might say--and it is distinctly nasal.
overtone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This freight-car talk is pitched just above the ordinary tone--it is an overtone of conversation, one might say--and it is distinctly nasal.
Pass
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The fifty empty freights danced and rolled and rattled on the rough road bed and filled Jericho Pass with thunder; the big engine was laboring and grunting at the grade, but five cars back the noise of the locomotive was lost.
pitchednounUS /pitched/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading This freight-car talk is pitched just above the ordinary tone--it is an overtone of conversation, one might say--and it is distinctly nasal.
racket
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The brakie could talk above the racket, and so, of course, could Lefty Joe.
rattled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The fifty empty freights danced and rolled and rattled on the rough road bed and filled Jericho Pass with thunder; the big engine was laboring and grunting at the grade, but five cars back the noise of the locomotive was lost.
road
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The fifty empty freights danced and rolled and rattled on the rough road bed and filled Jericho Pass with thunder; the big engine was laboring and grunting at the grade, but five cars back the noise of the locomotive was lost.
rolled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The fifty empty freights danced and rolled and rattled on the rough road bed and filled Jericho Pass with thunder; the big engine was laboring and grunting at the grade, but five cars back the noise of the locomotive was lost.
rough
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The fifty empty freights danced and rolled and rattled on the rough road bed and filled Jericho Pass with thunder; the big engine was laboring and grunting at the grade, but five cars back the noise of the locomotive was lost.
sat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They sat about in the center of the train, on the forward end of one of the cars.
say
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This freight-car talk is pitched just above the ordinary tone--it is an overtone of conversation, one might say--and it is distinctly nasal.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The brakie could talk above the racket, and so, of course, could Lefty Joe.
stiff
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet there is a way to talk above the noise of a freight train just as there is a way to whistle into the teeth of a stiff wind.
talk
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet there is a way to talk above the noise of a freight train just as there is a way to whistle into the teeth of a stiff wind.
teeth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet there is a way to talk above the noise of a freight train just as there is a way to whistle into the teeth of a stiff wind.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The fifty empty freights danced and rolled and rattled on the rough road bed and filled Jericho Pass with thunder; the big engine was laboring and grunting at the grade, but five cars back the noise of the locomotive was lost.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet there is a way to talk above the noise of a freight train just as there is a way to whistle into the teeth of a stiff wind.
TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They sat about in the center of the train, on the forward end of one of the cars.
ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This freight-car talk is pitched just above the ordinary tone--it is an overtone of conversation, one might say--and it is distinctly nasal.
thundernounUS /ˈthunder/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading The fifty empty freights danced and rolled and rattled on the rough road bed and filled Jericho Pass with thunder; the big engine was laboring and grunting at the grade, but five cars back the noise of the locomotive was lost.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Yet there is a way to talk above the noise of a freight train just as there is a way to whistle into the teeth of a stiff wind.
tone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This freight-car talk is pitched just above the ordinary tone--it is an overtone of conversation, one might say--and it is distinctly nasal.
train
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet there is a way to talk above the noise of a freight train just as there is a way to whistle into the teeth of a stiff wind.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The fifty empty freights danced and rolled and rattled on the rough road bed and filled Jericho Pass with thunder; the big engine was laboring and grunting at the grade, but five cars back the noise of the locomotive was lost.
way
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet there is a way to talk above the noise of a freight train just as there is a way to whistle into the teeth of a stiff wind.
whistlenounUS /ˈwhistle/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Yet there is a way to talk above the noise of a freight train just as there is a way to whistle into the teeth of a stiff wind.
windnounUS /wind/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Yet there is a way to talk above the noise of a freight train just as there is a way to whistle into the teeth of a stiff wind.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading The fifty empty freights danced and rolled and rattled on the rough road bed and filled Jericho Pass with thunder; the big engine was laboring and grunting at the grade, but five cars back the noise of the locomotive was lost.
YetconjunctionUS /jet/
but in spite of that
From this reading Yet there is a way to talk above the noise of a freight train just as there is a way to whistle into the teeth of a stiff wind.
