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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 A FORSAKEN CHILD.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Chiara laid the baby across her chilling, heaving breast, and for a moment there flickered a smile about her pale lips, as she made a feeble effort to clasp her new-born babe in her arms.
acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/
from one side of something to the other
From this reading Chiara laid the baby across her chilling, heaving breast, and for a moment there flickered a smile about her pale lips, as she made a feeble effort to clasp her new-born babe in her arms.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading But before the morning came her child was born, and the young mother lay speechless and motionless, unconsciously floating down the silent sea of death.
arms
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Chiara laid the baby across her chilling, heaving breast, and for a moment there flickered a smile about her pale lips, as she made a feeble effort to clasp her new-born babe in her arms.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Chiara laid the baby across her chilling, heaving breast, and for a moment there flickered a smile about her pale lips, as she made a feeble effort to clasp her new-born babe in her arms.
babe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Chiara laid the baby across her chilling, heaving breast, and for a moment there flickered a smile about her pale lips, as she made a feeble effort to clasp her new-born babe in her arms.
baby
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Chiara laid the baby across her chilling, heaving breast, and for a moment there flickered a smile about her pale lips, as she made a feeble effort to clasp her new-born babe in her arms.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Sophy finished her letter, the letter which was to be posted the next day.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading But before the morning came her child was born, and the young mother lay speechless and motionless, unconsciously floating down the silent sea of death.
bornnounUS /born/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But before the morning came her child was born, and the young mother lay speechless and motionless, unconsciously floating down the silent sea of death.
breast
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Chiara laid the baby across her chilling, heaving breast, and for a moment there flickered a smile about her pale lips, as she made a feeble effort to clasp her new-born babe in her arms.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But before the morning came her child was born, and the young mother lay speechless and motionless, unconsciously floating down the silent sea of death.
came
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From this reading But before the morning came her child was born, and the young mother lay speechless and motionless, unconsciously floating down the silent sea of death.
Chiara
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From this reading There was no one with her but Chiara, the working housekeeper of the inn; but there was no sign that the girl felt troubled or lonely.
CHILD
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A FORSAKEN CHILD.
chilling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Chiara laid the baby across her chilling, heaving breast, and for a moment there flickered a smile about her pale lips, as she made a feeble effort to clasp her new-born babe in her arms.
clasp
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From this reading Chiara laid the baby across her chilling, heaving breast, and for a moment there flickered a smile about her pale lips, as she made a feeble effort to clasp her new-born babe in her arms.
day
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sophy finished her letter, the letter which was to be posted the next day.
death
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From this reading But before the morning came her child was born, and the young mother lay speechless and motionless, unconsciously floating down the silent sea of death.
down
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From this reading But before the morning came her child was born, and the young mother lay speechless and motionless, unconsciously floating down the silent sea of death.
effort
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From this reading Chiara laid the baby across her chilling, heaving breast, and for a moment there flickered a smile about her pale lips, as she made a feeble effort to clasp her new-born babe in her arms.
feeble
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Chiara laid the baby across her chilling, heaving breast, and for a moment there flickered a smile about her pale lips, as she made a feeble effort to clasp her new-born babe in her arms.
felt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no one with her but Chiara, the working housekeeper of the inn; but there was no sign that the girl felt troubled or lonely.
finished
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From this reading Sophy finished her letter, the letter which was to be posted the next day.
flickered
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From this reading Chiara laid the baby across her chilling, heaving breast, and for a moment there flickered a smile about her pale lips, as she made a feeble effort to clasp her new-born babe in her arms.
floating
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But before the morning came her child was born, and the young mother lay speechless and motionless, unconsciously floating down the silent sea of death.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Chiara laid the baby across her chilling, heaving breast, and for a moment there flickered a smile about her pale lips, as she made a feeble effort to clasp her new-born babe in her arms.
FORSAKEN
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A FORSAKEN CHILD.
girl
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no one with her but Chiara, the working housekeeper of the inn; but there was no sign that the girl felt troubled or lonely.
heaving
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Chiara laid the baby across her chilling, heaving breast, and for a moment there flickered a smile about her pale lips, as she made a feeble effort to clasp her new-born babe in her arms.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Sophy finished her letter, the letter which was to be posted the next day.
housekeeper
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no one with her but Chiara, the working housekeeper of the inn; but there was no sign that the girl felt troubled or lonely.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Chiara laid the baby across her chilling, heaving breast, and for a moment there flickered a smile about her pale lips, as she made a feeble effort to clasp her new-born babe in her arms.
inn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no one with her but Chiara, the working housekeeper of the inn; but there was no sign that the girl felt troubled or lonely.
laid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Chiara laid the baby across her chilling, heaving breast, and for a moment there flickered a smile about her pale lips, as she made a feeble effort to clasp her new-born babe in her arms.
lay
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But before the morning came her child was born, and the young mother lay speechless and motionless, unconsciously floating down the silent sea of death.
letter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sophy finished her letter, the letter which was to be posted the next day.
lips
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Chiara laid the baby across her chilling, heaving breast, and for a moment there flickered a smile about her pale lips, as she made a feeble effort to clasp her new-born babe in her arms.
lonely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no one with her but Chiara, the working housekeeper of the inn; but there was no sign that the girl felt troubled or lonely.
made
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Chiara laid the baby across her chilling, heaving breast, and for a moment there flickered a smile about her pale lips, as she made a feeble effort to clasp her new-born babe in her arms.
moment
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Chiara laid the baby across her chilling, heaving breast, and for a moment there flickered a smile about her pale lips, as she made a feeble effort to clasp her new-born babe in her arms.
morningnounUS /morning/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But before the morning came her child was born, and the young mother lay speechless and motionless, unconsciously floating down the silent sea of death.
mother
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But before the morning came her child was born, and the young mother lay speechless and motionless, unconsciously floating down the silent sea of death.
motionless
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But before the morning came her child was born, and the young mother lay speechless and motionless, unconsciously floating down the silent sea of death.
new-born
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Chiara laid the baby across her chilling, heaving breast, and for a moment there flickered a smile about her pale lips, as she made a feeble effort to clasp her new-born babe in her arms.
nextnounUS /next/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Sophy finished her letter, the letter which was to be posted the next day.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading There was no one with her but Chiara, the working housekeeper of the inn; but there was no sign that the girl felt troubled or lonely.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading But before the morning came her child was born, and the young mother lay speechless and motionless, unconsciously floating down the silent sea of death.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading There was no one with her but Chiara, the working housekeeper of the inn; but there was no sign that the girl felt troubled or lonely.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading There was no one with her but Chiara, the working housekeeper of the inn; but there was no sign that the girl felt troubled or lonely.
pale
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Chiara laid the baby across her chilling, heaving breast, and for a moment there flickered a smile about her pale lips, as she made a feeble effort to clasp her new-born babe in her arms.
posted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sophy finished her letter, the letter which was to be posted the next day.
sea
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But before the morning came her child was born, and the young mother lay speechless and motionless, unconsciously floating down the silent sea of death.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Chiara laid the baby across her chilling, heaving breast, and for a moment there flickered a smile about her pale lips, as she made a feeble effort to clasp her new-born babe in her arms.
sign
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no one with her but Chiara, the working housekeeper of the inn; but there was no sign that the girl felt troubled or lonely.
silent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But before the morning came her child was born, and the young mother lay speechless and motionless, unconsciously floating down the silent sea of death.
smile
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Chiara laid the baby across her chilling, heaving breast, and for a moment there flickered a smile about her pale lips, as she made a feeble effort to clasp her new-born babe in her arms.
Sophy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sophy finished her letter, the letter which was to be posted the next day.
speechless
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But before the morning came her child was born, and the young mother lay speechless and motionless, unconsciously floating down the silent sea of death.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading There was no one with her but Chiara, the working housekeeper of the inn; but there was no sign that the girl felt troubled or lonely.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Sophy finished her letter, the letter which was to be posted the next day.
There
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no one with her but Chiara, the working housekeeper of the inn; but there was no sign that the girl felt troubled or lonely.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Sophy finished her letter, the letter which was to be posted the next day.
troubled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no one with her but Chiara, the working housekeeper of the inn; but there was no sign that the girl felt troubled or lonely.
unconsciously
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But before the morning came her child was born, and the young mother lay speechless and motionless, unconsciously floating down the silent sea of death.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Sophy finished her letter, the letter which was to be posted the next day.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Sophy finished her letter, the letter which was to be posted the next day.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading There was no one with her but Chiara, the working housekeeper of the inn; but there was no sign that the girl felt troubled or lonely.
working
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no one with her but Chiara, the working housekeeper of the inn; but there was no sign that the girl felt troubled or lonely.
young
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But before the morning came her child was born, and the young mother lay speechless and motionless, unconsciously floating down the silent sea of death.
