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1880
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From this reading One morning, in the fall of 1880, a middle-aged woman, accompanied by a young girl of eighteen, presented herself at the clerk’s desk of the principal hotel in Columbus, Ohio, and made inquiry as to whether there was anything about the place that she could do.
adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading One morning, in the fall of 1880, a middle-aged woman, accompanied by a young girl of eighteen, presented herself at the clerk’s desk of the principal hotel in Columbus, Ohio, and made inquiry as to whether there was anything about the place that she could do.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading One morning, in the fall of 1880, a middle-aged woman, accompanied by a young girl of eighteen, presented herself at the clerk’s desk of the principal hotel in Columbus, Ohio, and made inquiry as to whether there was anything about the place that she could do.
accompanied
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From this reading One morning, in the fall of 1880, a middle-aged woman, accompanied by a young girl of eighteen, presented herself at the clerk’s desk of the principal hotel in Columbus, Ohio, and made inquiry as to whether there was anything about the place that she could do.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading She was of a helpless, fleshy build, with a frank, open countenance and an innocent, diffident manner.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading One morning, in the fall of 1880, a middle-aged woman, accompanied by a young girl of eighteen, presented herself at the clerk’s desk of the principal hotel in Columbus, Ohio, and made inquiry as to whether there was anything about the place that she could do.
Any
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From this reading Any one could see where the daughter behind her got the timidity and shamefacedness which now caused her to stand back and look indifferently away.
anythingpronounUS /ˈeniθɪŋ/
any thing at all
From this reading One morning, in the fall of 1880, a middle-aged woman, accompanied by a young girl of eighteen, presented herself at the clerk’s desk of the principal hotel in Columbus, Ohio, and made inquiry as to whether there was anything about the place that she could do.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading One morning, in the fall of 1880, a middle-aged woman, accompanied by a young girl of eighteen, presented herself at the clerk’s desk of the principal hotel in Columbus, Ohio, and made inquiry as to whether there was anything about the place that she could do.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading One morning, in the fall of 1880, a middle-aged woman, accompanied by a young girl of eighteen, presented herself at the clerk’s desk of the principal hotel in Columbus, Ohio, and made inquiry as to whether there was anything about the place that she could do.
AUTHOR
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From this reading AUTHOR OF “SISTER CARRIE”, etc.
away
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From this reading Any one could see where the daughter behind her got the timidity and shamefacedness which now caused her to stand back and look indifferently away.
back
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From this reading Any one could see where the daughter behind her got the timidity and shamefacedness which now caused her to stand back and look indifferently away.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Any one could see where the daughter behind her got the timidity and shamefacedness which now caused her to stand back and look indifferently away.
build
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From this reading She was of a helpless, fleshy build, with a frank, open countenance and an innocent, diffident manner.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading One morning, in the fall of 1880, a middle-aged woman, accompanied by a young girl of eighteen, presented herself at the clerk’s desk of the principal hotel in Columbus, Ohio, and made inquiry as to whether there was anything about the place that she could do.
CARRIE
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From this reading AUTHOR OF “SISTER CARRIE”, etc.
caused
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From this reading Any one could see where the daughter behind her got the timidity and shamefacedness which now caused her to stand back and look indifferently away.
clerk's
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From this reading One morning, in the fall of 1880, a middle-aged woman, accompanied by a young girl of eighteen, presented herself at the clerk’s desk of the principal hotel in Columbus, Ohio, and made inquiry as to whether there was anything about the place that she could do.
Columbus
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From this reading One morning, in the fall of 1880, a middle-aged woman, accompanied by a young girl of eighteen, presented herself at the clerk’s desk of the principal hotel in Columbus, Ohio, and made inquiry as to whether there was anything about the place that she could do.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading One morning, in the fall of 1880, a middle-aged woman, accompanied by a young girl of eighteen, presented herself at the clerk’s desk of the principal hotel in Columbus, Ohio, and made inquiry as to whether there was anything about the place that she could do.
countenance
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From this reading She was of a helpless, fleshy build, with a frank, open countenance and an innocent, diffident manner.
countenances
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From this reading Her eyes were large and patient, and in them dwelt such a shadow of distress as only those who have looked sympathetically into the countenances of the distraught and helpless poor know anything about.
daughter
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From this reading Any one could see where the daughter behind her got the timidity and shamefacedness which now caused her to stand back and look indifferently away.
desk
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From this reading One morning, in the fall of 1880, a middle-aged woman, accompanied by a young girl of eighteen, presented herself at the clerk’s desk of the principal hotel in Columbus, Ohio, and made inquiry as to whether there was anything about the place that she could do.
diffident
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From this reading She was of a helpless, fleshy build, with a frank, open countenance and an innocent, diffident manner.
distraught
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From this reading Her eyes were large and patient, and in them dwelt such a shadow of distress as only those who have looked sympathetically into the countenances of the distraught and helpless poor know anything about.
distressnounUS /dɪˈstrɛs/
extreme sadness or suffering
From this reading Her eyes were large and patient, and in them dwelt such a shadow of distress as only those who have looked sympathetically into the countenances of the distraught and helpless poor know anything about.
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading One morning, in the fall of 1880, a middle-aged woman, accompanied by a young girl of eighteen, presented herself at the clerk’s desk of the principal hotel in Columbus, Ohio, and made inquiry as to whether there was anything about the place that she could do.
dwelt
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From this reading Her eyes were large and patient, and in them dwelt such a shadow of distress as only those who have looked sympathetically into the countenances of the distraught and helpless poor know anything about.
eighteen
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From this reading One morning, in the fall of 1880, a middle-aged woman, accompanied by a young girl of eighteen, presented herself at the clerk’s desk of the principal hotel in Columbus, Ohio, and made inquiry as to whether there was anything about the place that she could do.
etc
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From this reading AUTHOR OF “SISTER CARRIE”, etc.
eyes
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From this reading Her eyes were large and patient, and in them dwelt such a shadow of distress as only those who have looked sympathetically into the countenances of the distraught and helpless poor know anything about.
fall
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From this reading One morning, in the fall of 1880, a middle-aged woman, accompanied by a young girl of eighteen, presented herself at the clerk’s desk of the principal hotel in Columbus, Ohio, and made inquiry as to whether there was anything about the place that she could do.
fleshy
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From this reading She was of a helpless, fleshy build, with a frank, open countenance and an innocent, diffident manner.
frank
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From this reading She was of a helpless, fleshy build, with a frank, open countenance and an innocent, diffident manner.
girl
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From this reading One morning, in the fall of 1880, a middle-aged woman, accompanied by a young girl of eighteen, presented herself at the clerk’s desk of the principal hotel in Columbus, Ohio, and made inquiry as to whether there was anything about the place that she could do.
got
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From this reading Any one could see where the daughter behind her got the timidity and shamefacedness which now caused her to stand back and look indifferently away.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Her eyes were large and patient, and in them dwelt such a shadow of distress as only those who have looked sympathetically into the countenances of the distraught and helpless poor know anything about.
helpless
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From this reading She was of a helpless, fleshy build, with a frank, open countenance and an innocent, diffident manner.
HerdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Her eyes were large and patient, and in them dwelt such a shadow of distress as only those who have looked sympathetically into the countenances of the distraught and helpless poor know anything about.
herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading One morning, in the fall of 1880, a middle-aged woman, accompanied by a young girl of eighteen, presented herself at the clerk’s desk of the principal hotel in Columbus, Ohio, and made inquiry as to whether there was anything about the place that she could do.
hotel
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From this reading One morning, in the fall of 1880, a middle-aged woman, accompanied by a young girl of eighteen, presented herself at the clerk’s desk of the principal hotel in Columbus, Ohio, and made inquiry as to whether there was anything about the place that she could do.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading One morning, in the fall of 1880, a middle-aged woman, accompanied by a young girl of eighteen, presented herself at the clerk’s desk of the principal hotel in Columbus, Ohio, and made inquiry as to whether there was anything about the place that she could do.
indifferently
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From this reading Any one could see where the daughter behind her got the timidity and shamefacedness which now caused her to stand back and look indifferently away.
innocent
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From this reading She was of a helpless, fleshy build, with a frank, open countenance and an innocent, diffident manner.
inquiry
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From this reading One morning, in the fall of 1880, a middle-aged woman, accompanied by a young girl of eighteen, presented herself at the clerk’s desk of the principal hotel in Columbus, Ohio, and made inquiry as to whether there was anything about the place that she could do.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Her eyes were large and patient, and in them dwelt such a shadow of distress as only those who have looked sympathetically into the countenances of the distraught and helpless poor know anything about.
knownounUS /know/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Her eyes were large and patient, and in them dwelt such a shadow of distress as only those who have looked sympathetically into the countenances of the distraught and helpless poor know anything about.
large
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From this reading Her eyes were large and patient, and in them dwelt such a shadow of distress as only those who have looked sympathetically into the countenances of the distraught and helpless poor know anything about.
looknounUS /look/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Any one could see where the daughter behind her got the timidity and shamefacedness which now caused her to stand back and look indifferently away.
lookednounUS /looked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Her eyes were large and patient, and in them dwelt such a shadow of distress as only those who have looked sympathetically into the countenances of the distraught and helpless poor know anything about.
made
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From this reading One morning, in the fall of 1880, a middle-aged woman, accompanied by a young girl of eighteen, presented herself at the clerk’s desk of the principal hotel in Columbus, Ohio, and made inquiry as to whether there was anything about the place that she could do.
manner
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From this reading She was of a helpless, fleshy build, with a frank, open countenance and an innocent, diffident manner.
middle-aged
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From this reading One morning, in the fall of 1880, a middle-aged woman, accompanied by a young girl of eighteen, presented herself at the clerk’s desk of the principal hotel in Columbus, Ohio, and made inquiry as to whether there was anything about the place that she could do.
morningnounUS /morning/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading One morning, in the fall of 1880, a middle-aged woman, accompanied by a young girl of eighteen, presented herself at the clerk’s desk of the principal hotel in Columbus, Ohio, and made inquiry as to whether there was anything about the place that she could do.
now
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From this reading Any one could see where the daughter behind her got the timidity and shamefacedness which now caused her to stand back and look indifferently away.
OFprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading AUTHOR OF “SISTER CARRIE”, etc.
Ohio
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From this reading One morning, in the fall of 1880, a middle-aged woman, accompanied by a young girl of eighteen, presented herself at the clerk’s desk of the principal hotel in Columbus, Ohio, and made inquiry as to whether there was anything about the place that she could do.
OnepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One morning, in the fall of 1880, a middle-aged woman, accompanied by a young girl of eighteen, presented herself at the clerk’s desk of the principal hotel in Columbus, Ohio, and made inquiry as to whether there was anything about the place that she could do.
only
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From this reading Her eyes were large and patient, and in them dwelt such a shadow of distress as only those who have looked sympathetically into the countenances of the distraught and helpless poor know anything about.
openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/
To move from a closed position.
From this reading She was of a helpless, fleshy build, with a frank, open countenance and an innocent, diffident manner.
patient
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From this reading Her eyes were large and patient, and in them dwelt such a shadow of distress as only those who have looked sympathetically into the countenances of the distraught and helpless poor know anything about.
place
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From this reading One morning, in the fall of 1880, a middle-aged woman, accompanied by a young girl of eighteen, presented herself at the clerk’s desk of the principal hotel in Columbus, Ohio, and made inquiry as to whether there was anything about the place that she could do.
poornounUS /poor/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Her eyes were large and patient, and in them dwelt such a shadow of distress as only those who have looked sympathetically into the countenances of the distraught and helpless poor know anything about.
presented
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From this reading One morning, in the fall of 1880, a middle-aged woman, accompanied by a young girl of eighteen, presented herself at the clerk’s desk of the principal hotel in Columbus, Ohio, and made inquiry as to whether there was anything about the place that she could do.
principal
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From this reading One morning, in the fall of 1880, a middle-aged woman, accompanied by a young girl of eighteen, presented herself at the clerk’s desk of the principal hotel in Columbus, Ohio, and made inquiry as to whether there was anything about the place that she could do.
see
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From this reading Any one could see where the daughter behind her got the timidity and shamefacedness which now caused her to stand back and look indifferently away.
shadownounUS /ˈʃæd.oʊ/
A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
From this reading Her eyes were large and patient, and in them dwelt such a shadow of distress as only those who have looked sympathetically into the countenances of the distraught and helpless poor know anything about.
shamefacedness
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From this reading Any one could see where the daughter behind her got the timidity and shamefacedness which now caused her to stand back and look indifferently away.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading One morning, in the fall of 1880, a middle-aged woman, accompanied by a young girl of eighteen, presented herself at the clerk’s desk of the principal hotel in Columbus, Ohio, and made inquiry as to whether there was anything about the place that she could do.
SISTER
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From this reading AUTHOR OF “SISTER CARRIE”, etc.
stand
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From this reading Any one could see where the daughter behind her got the timidity and shamefacedness which now caused her to stand back and look indifferently away.
suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading Her eyes were large and patient, and in them dwelt such a shadow of distress as only those who have looked sympathetically into the countenances of the distraught and helpless poor know anything about.
sympathetically
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From this reading Her eyes were large and patient, and in them dwelt such a shadow of distress as only those who have looked sympathetically into the countenances of the distraught and helpless poor know anything about.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading One morning, in the fall of 1880, a middle-aged woman, accompanied by a young girl of eighteen, presented herself at the clerk’s desk of the principal hotel in Columbus, Ohio, and made inquiry as to whether there was anything about the place that she could do.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading One morning, in the fall of 1880, a middle-aged woman, accompanied by a young girl of eighteen, presented herself at the clerk’s desk of the principal hotel in Columbus, Ohio, and made inquiry as to whether there was anything about the place that she could do.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Her eyes were large and patient, and in them dwelt such a shadow of distress as only those who have looked sympathetically into the countenances of the distraught and helpless poor know anything about.
there
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From this reading One morning, in the fall of 1880, a middle-aged woman, accompanied by a young girl of eighteen, presented herself at the clerk’s desk of the principal hotel in Columbus, Ohio, and made inquiry as to whether there was anything about the place that she could do.
thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading Her eyes were large and patient, and in them dwelt such a shadow of distress as only those who have looked sympathetically into the countenances of the distraught and helpless poor know anything about.
timidity
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Any one could see where the daughter behind her got the timidity and shamefacedness which now caused her to stand back and look indifferently away.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading One morning, in the fall of 1880, a middle-aged woman, accompanied by a young girl of eighteen, presented herself at the clerk’s desk of the principal hotel in Columbus, Ohio, and made inquiry as to whether there was anything about the place that she could do.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading One morning, in the fall of 1880, a middle-aged woman, accompanied by a young girl of eighteen, presented herself at the clerk’s desk of the principal hotel in Columbus, Ohio, and made inquiry as to whether there was anything about the place that she could do.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Her eyes were large and patient, and in them dwelt such a shadow of distress as only those who have looked sympathetically into the countenances of the distraught and helpless poor know anything about.
whereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading Any one could see where the daughter behind her got the timidity and shamefacedness which now caused her to stand back and look indifferently away.
whetherconjunctionUS /ˈweðər/
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading One morning, in the fall of 1880, a middle-aged woman, accompanied by a young girl of eighteen, presented herself at the clerk’s desk of the principal hotel in Columbus, Ohio, and made inquiry as to whether there was anything about the place that she could do.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Any one could see where the daughter behind her got the timidity and shamefacedness which now caused her to stand back and look indifferently away.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading Her eyes were large and patient, and in them dwelt such a shadow of distress as only those who have looked sympathetically into the countenances of the distraught and helpless poor know anything about.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading She was of a helpless, fleshy build, with a frank, open countenance and an innocent, diffident manner.
woman
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From this reading One morning, in the fall of 1880, a middle-aged woman, accompanied by a young girl of eighteen, presented herself at the clerk’s desk of the principal hotel in Columbus, Ohio, and made inquiry as to whether there was anything about the place that she could do.
young
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From this reading One morning, in the fall of 1880, a middle-aged woman, accompanied by a young girl of eighteen, presented herself at the clerk’s desk of the principal hotel in Columbus, Ohio, and made inquiry as to whether there was anything about the place that she could do.