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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 It was Irene Merriam’s hour of greatest content when she looked into her heart for a fugitive desire and smiled at finding none.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Now and then she interposed a remark, but lazily, preferring to watch the play of expression on their faces, to dream dreams about them, and to realise her own happiness.
after-dinner
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This after-dinner scene was a familiar one; familiarity had made it dearer.
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And this was a source of all the more comfort, because she was a woman who gave unsparingly of herself to life, and made large claims upon life in return.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was Irene Merriam’s hour of greatest content when she looked into her heart for a fugitive desire and smiled at finding none.
armchair
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She sat in a leathern armchair by the fireplace, listening to the talk of her two companions, who were sitting by the dinner table over their coffee.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It was Irene Merriam’s hour of greatest content when she looked into her heart for a fugitive desire and smiled at finding none.
becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/
for the reason that
From this reading And this was a source of all the more comfort, because she was a woman who gave unsparingly of herself to life, and made large claims upon life in return.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Now and then she interposed a remark, but lazily, preferring to watch the play of expression on their faces, to dream dreams about them, and to realise her own happiness.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading She sat in a leathern armchair by the fireplace, listening to the talk of her two companions, who were sitting by the dinner table over their coffee.
claims
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And this was a source of all the more comfort, because she was a woman who gave unsparingly of herself to life, and made large claims upon life in return.
coffee
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She sat in a leathern armchair by the fireplace, listening to the talk of her two companions, who were sitting by the dinner table over their coffee.
comfort
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And this was a source of all the more comfort, because she was a woman who gave unsparingly of herself to life, and made large claims upon life in return.
companions
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She sat in a leathern armchair by the fireplace, listening to the talk of her two companions, who were sitting by the dinner table over their coffee.
content
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From this reading It was Irene Merriam’s hour of greatest content when she looked into her heart for a fugitive desire and smiled at finding none.
dearer
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From this reading This after-dinner scene was a familiar one; familiarity had made it dearer.
desire
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was Irene Merriam’s hour of greatest content when she looked into her heart for a fugitive desire and smiled at finding none.
dinner
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She sat in a leathern armchair by the fireplace, listening to the talk of her two companions, who were sitting by the dinner table over their coffee.
dreamnounUS /driːm/
A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.
From this reading Now and then she interposed a remark, but lazily, preferring to watch the play of expression on their faces, to dream dreams about them, and to realise her own happiness.
dreams
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now and then she interposed a remark, but lazily, preferring to watch the play of expression on their faces, to dream dreams about them, and to realise her own happiness.
expression
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now and then she interposed a remark, but lazily, preferring to watch the play of expression on their faces, to dream dreams about them, and to realise her own happiness.
faces
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now and then she interposed a remark, but lazily, preferring to watch the play of expression on their faces, to dream dreams about them, and to realise her own happiness.
familiar
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This after-dinner scene was a familiar one; familiarity had made it dearer.
familiarity
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This after-dinner scene was a familiar one; familiarity had made it dearer.
finding
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was Irene Merriam’s hour of greatest content when she looked into her heart for a fugitive desire and smiled at finding none.
fireplace
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She sat in a leathern armchair by the fireplace, listening to the talk of her two companions, who were sitting by the dinner table over their coffee.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It was Irene Merriam’s hour of greatest content when she looked into her heart for a fugitive desire and smiled at finding none.
fugitive
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was Irene Merriam’s hour of greatest content when she looked into her heart for a fugitive desire and smiled at finding none.
gave
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And this was a source of all the more comfort, because she was a woman who gave unsparingly of herself to life, and made large claims upon life in return.
greatest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was Irene Merriam’s hour of greatest content when she looked into her heart for a fugitive desire and smiled at finding none.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading This after-dinner scene was a familiar one; familiarity had made it dearer.
happiness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now and then she interposed a remark, but lazily, preferring to watch the play of expression on their faces, to dream dreams about them, and to realise her own happiness.
heart
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was Irene Merriam’s hour of greatest content when she looked into her heart for a fugitive desire and smiled at finding none.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading It was Irene Merriam’s hour of greatest content when she looked into her heart for a fugitive desire and smiled at finding none.
herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading And this was a source of all the more comfort, because she was a woman who gave unsparingly of herself to life, and made large claims upon life in return.
hour
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was Irene Merriam’s hour of greatest content when she looked into her heart for a fugitive desire and smiled at finding none.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading And this was a source of all the more comfort, because she was a woman who gave unsparingly of herself to life, and made large claims upon life in return.
interposed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now and then she interposed a remark, but lazily, preferring to watch the play of expression on their faces, to dream dreams about them, and to realise her own happiness.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading It was Irene Merriam’s hour of greatest content when she looked into her heart for a fugitive desire and smiled at finding none.
Irene
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was Irene Merriam’s hour of greatest content when she looked into her heart for a fugitive desire and smiled at finding none.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was Irene Merriam’s hour of greatest content when she looked into her heart for a fugitive desire and smiled at finding none.
large
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And this was a source of all the more comfort, because she was a woman who gave unsparingly of herself to life, and made large claims upon life in return.
lazily
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now and then she interposed a remark, but lazily, preferring to watch the play of expression on their faces, to dream dreams about them, and to realise her own happiness.
leathern
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She sat in a leathern armchair by the fireplace, listening to the talk of her two companions, who were sitting by the dinner table over their coffee.
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading And this was a source of all the more comfort, because she was a woman who gave unsparingly of herself to life, and made large claims upon life in return.
listening
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She sat in a leathern armchair by the fireplace, listening to the talk of her two companions, who were sitting by the dinner table over their coffee.
lookednounUS /looked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was Irene Merriam’s hour of greatest content when she looked into her heart for a fugitive desire and smiled at finding none.
made
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And this was a source of all the more comfort, because she was a woman who gave unsparingly of herself to life, and made large claims upon life in return.
Merriam's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was Irene Merriam’s hour of greatest content when she looked into her heart for a fugitive desire and smiled at finding none.
more
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And this was a source of all the more comfort, because she was a woman who gave unsparingly of herself to life, and made large claims upon life in return.
nonepronounUS /nʌn/
not one, and not any
From this reading It was Irene Merriam’s hour of greatest content when she looked into her heart for a fugitive desire and smiled at finding none.
Now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now and then she interposed a remark, but lazily, preferring to watch the play of expression on their faces, to dream dreams about them, and to realise her own happiness.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was Irene Merriam’s hour of greatest content when she looked into her heart for a fugitive desire and smiled at finding none.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Now and then she interposed a remark, but lazily, preferring to watch the play of expression on their faces, to dream dreams about them, and to realise her own happiness.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading This after-dinner scene was a familiar one; familiarity had made it dearer.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading She sat in a leathern armchair by the fireplace, listening to the talk of her two companions, who were sitting by the dinner table over their coffee.
own
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now and then she interposed a remark, but lazily, preferring to watch the play of expression on their faces, to dream dreams about them, and to realise her own happiness.
play
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now and then she interposed a remark, but lazily, preferring to watch the play of expression on their faces, to dream dreams about them, and to realise her own happiness.
preferring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now and then she interposed a remark, but lazily, preferring to watch the play of expression on their faces, to dream dreams about them, and to realise her own happiness.
realise
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now and then she interposed a remark, but lazily, preferring to watch the play of expression on their faces, to dream dreams about them, and to realise her own happiness.
remark
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now and then she interposed a remark, but lazily, preferring to watch the play of expression on their faces, to dream dreams about them, and to realise her own happiness.
return
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And this was a source of all the more comfort, because she was a woman who gave unsparingly of herself to life, and made large claims upon life in return.
sat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She sat in a leathern armchair by the fireplace, listening to the talk of her two companions, who were sitting by the dinner table over their coffee.
scene
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This after-dinner scene was a familiar one; familiarity had made it dearer.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was Irene Merriam’s hour of greatest content when she looked into her heart for a fugitive desire and smiled at finding none.
sitting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She sat in a leathern armchair by the fireplace, listening to the talk of her two companions, who were sitting by the dinner table over their coffee.
smiled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was Irene Merriam’s hour of greatest content when she looked into her heart for a fugitive desire and smiled at finding none.
source
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And this was a source of all the more comfort, because she was a woman who gave unsparingly of herself to life, and made large claims upon life in return.
table
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She sat in a leathern armchair by the fireplace, listening to the talk of her two companions, who were sitting by the dinner table over their coffee.
talk
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She sat in a leathern armchair by the fireplace, listening to the talk of her two companions, who were sitting by the dinner table over their coffee.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading And this was a source of all the more comfort, because she was a woman who gave unsparingly of herself to life, and made large claims upon life in return.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading She sat in a leathern armchair by the fireplace, listening to the talk of her two companions, who were sitting by the dinner table over their coffee.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Now and then she interposed a remark, but lazily, preferring to watch the play of expression on their faces, to dream dreams about them, and to realise her own happiness.
then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now and then she interposed a remark, but lazily, preferring to watch the play of expression on their faces, to dream dreams about them, and to realise her own happiness.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading And this was a source of all the more comfort, because she was a woman who gave unsparingly of herself to life, and made large claims upon life in return.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading And this was a source of all the more comfort, because she was a woman who gave unsparingly of herself to life, and made large claims upon life in return.
two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She sat in a leathern armchair by the fireplace, listening to the talk of her two companions, who were sitting by the dinner table over their coffee.
unsparingly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And this was a source of all the more comfort, because she was a woman who gave unsparingly of herself to life, and made large claims upon life in return.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading And this was a source of all the more comfort, because she was a woman who gave unsparingly of herself to life, and made large claims upon life in return.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was Irene Merriam’s hour of greatest content when she looked into her heart for a fugitive desire and smiled at finding none.
watch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now and then she interposed a remark, but lazily, preferring to watch the play of expression on their faces, to dream dreams about them, and to realise her own happiness.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading She sat in a leathern armchair by the fireplace, listening to the talk of her two companions, who were sitting by the dinner table over their coffee.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading It was Irene Merriam’s hour of greatest content when she looked into her heart for a fugitive desire and smiled at finding none.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading And this was a source of all the more comfort, because she was a woman who gave unsparingly of herself to life, and made large claims upon life in return.
woman
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And this was a source of all the more comfort, because she was a woman who gave unsparingly of herself to life, and made large claims upon life in return.
