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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 Men drifted off the verandah in pairs or alone without loss of time, without offering a remark, as if the last image of that incomplete story, its incompleteness itself, and the very tone of the speaker, had made discussion in vain and comment impossible.
abstract
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From this reading With these words Marlow had ended his narrative, and his audience had broken up forthwith, under his abstract, pensive gaze.
addressed
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From this reading It came to him at home, more than two years later, and it came contained in a thick packet addressed in Marlow’s upright and angular handwriting.
all
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From this reading Each of them seemed to carry away his own impression, to carry it away with him like a secret; but there was only one man of all these listeners who was ever to hear the last word of the story.
alonenounUS /alone/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Men drifted off the verandah in pairs or alone without loss of time, without offering a remark, as if the last image of that incomplete story, its incompleteness itself, and the very tone of the speaker, had made discussion in vain and comment impossible.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading With these words Marlow had ended his narrative, and his audience had broken up forthwith, under his abstract, pensive gaze.
angular
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From this reading It came to him at home, more than two years later, and it came contained in a thick packet addressed in Marlow’s upright and angular handwriting.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Men drifted off the verandah in pairs or alone without loss of time, without offering a remark, as if the last image of that incomplete story, its incompleteness itself, and the very tone of the speaker, had made discussion in vain and comment impossible.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It came to him at home, more than two years later, and it came contained in a thick packet addressed in Marlow’s upright and angular handwriting.
audience
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From this reading With these words Marlow had ended his narrative, and his audience had broken up forthwith, under his abstract, pensive gaze.
away
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From this reading Each of them seemed to carry away his own impression, to carry it away with him like a secret; but there was only one man of all these listeners who was ever to hear the last word of the story.
brokennounUS /broken/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading With these words Marlow had ended his narrative, and his audience had broken up forthwith, under his abstract, pensive gaze.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Each of them seemed to carry away his own impression, to carry it away with him like a secret; but there was only one man of all these listeners who was ever to hear the last word of the story.
came
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From this reading It came to him at home, more than two years later, and it came contained in a thick packet addressed in Marlow’s upright and angular handwriting.
carry
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From this reading Each of them seemed to carry away his own impression, to carry it away with him like a secret; but there was only one man of all these listeners who was ever to hear the last word of the story.
comment
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From this reading Men drifted off the verandah in pairs or alone without loss of time, without offering a remark, as if the last image of that incomplete story, its incompleteness itself, and the very tone of the speaker, had made discussion in vain and comment impossible.
contained
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From this reading It came to him at home, more than two years later, and it came contained in a thick packet addressed in Marlow’s upright and angular handwriting.
discussion
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From this reading Men drifted off the verandah in pairs or alone without loss of time, without offering a remark, as if the last image of that incomplete story, its incompleteness itself, and the very tone of the speaker, had made discussion in vain and comment impossible.
down
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From this reading The privileged man opened the packet, looked in, then, laying it down, went to the window.
drifted
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From this reading Men drifted off the verandah in pairs or alone without loss of time, without offering a remark, as if the last image of that incomplete story, its incompleteness itself, and the very tone of the speaker, had made discussion in vain and comment impossible.
EachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading Each of them seemed to carry away his own impression, to carry it away with him like a secret; but there was only one man of all these listeners who was ever to hear the last word of the story.
ended
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From this reading With these words Marlow had ended his narrative, and his audience had broken up forthwith, under his abstract, pensive gaze.
evernounUS /ever/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Each of them seemed to carry away his own impression, to carry it away with him like a secret; but there was only one man of all these listeners who was ever to hear the last word of the story.
forthwith
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With these words Marlow had ended his narrative, and his audience had broken up forthwith, under his abstract, pensive gaze.
gaze
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With these words Marlow had ended his narrative, and his audience had broken up forthwith, under his abstract, pensive gaze.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading With these words Marlow had ended his narrative, and his audience had broken up forthwith, under his abstract, pensive gaze.
handwriting
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From this reading It came to him at home, more than two years later, and it came contained in a thick packet addressed in Marlow’s upright and angular handwriting.
hearnounUS /hear/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Each of them seemed to carry away his own impression, to carry it away with him like a secret; but there was only one man of all these listeners who was ever to hear the last word of the story.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Each of them seemed to carry away his own impression, to carry it away with him like a secret; but there was only one man of all these listeners who was ever to hear the last word of the story.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading With these words Marlow had ended his narrative, and his audience had broken up forthwith, under his abstract, pensive gaze.
home
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It came to him at home, more than two years later, and it came contained in a thick packet addressed in Marlow’s upright and angular handwriting.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Men drifted off the verandah in pairs or alone without loss of time, without offering a remark, as if the last image of that incomplete story, its incompleteness itself, and the very tone of the speaker, had made discussion in vain and comment impossible.
image
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Men drifted off the verandah in pairs or alone without loss of time, without offering a remark, as if the last image of that incomplete story, its incompleteness itself, and the very tone of the speaker, had made discussion in vain and comment impossible.
impossible
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From this reading Men drifted off the verandah in pairs or alone without loss of time, without offering a remark, as if the last image of that incomplete story, its incompleteness itself, and the very tone of the speaker, had made discussion in vain and comment impossible.
impression
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From this reading Each of them seemed to carry away his own impression, to carry it away with him like a secret; but there was only one man of all these listeners who was ever to hear the last word of the story.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Men drifted off the verandah in pairs or alone without loss of time, without offering a remark, as if the last image of that incomplete story, its incompleteness itself, and the very tone of the speaker, had made discussion in vain and comment impossible.
incomplete
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Men drifted off the verandah in pairs or alone without loss of time, without offering a remark, as if the last image of that incomplete story, its incompleteness itself, and the very tone of the speaker, had made discussion in vain and comment impossible.
incompleteness
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From this reading Men drifted off the verandah in pairs or alone without loss of time, without offering a remark, as if the last image of that incomplete story, its incompleteness itself, and the very tone of the speaker, had made discussion in vain and comment impossible.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Each of them seemed to carry away his own impression, to carry it away with him like a secret; but there was only one man of all these listeners who was ever to hear the last word of the story.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Men drifted off the verandah in pairs or alone without loss of time, without offering a remark, as if the last image of that incomplete story, its incompleteness itself, and the very tone of the speaker, had made discussion in vain and comment impossible.
itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading Men drifted off the verandah in pairs or alone without loss of time, without offering a remark, as if the last image of that incomplete story, its incompleteness itself, and the very tone of the speaker, had made discussion in vain and comment impossible.
lastnounUS /last/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Men drifted off the verandah in pairs or alone without loss of time, without offering a remark, as if the last image of that incomplete story, its incompleteness itself, and the very tone of the speaker, had made discussion in vain and comment impossible.
later
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It came to him at home, more than two years later, and it came contained in a thick packet addressed in Marlow’s upright and angular handwriting.
laying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The privileged man opened the packet, looked in, then, laying it down, went to the window.
like
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From this reading Each of them seemed to carry away his own impression, to carry it away with him like a secret; but there was only one man of all these listeners who was ever to hear the last word of the story.
listeners
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Each of them seemed to carry away his own impression, to carry it away with him like a secret; but there was only one man of all these listeners who was ever to hear the last word of the story.
lookednounUS /looked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The privileged man opened the packet, looked in, then, laying it down, went to the window.
loss
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From this reading Men drifted off the verandah in pairs or alone without loss of time, without offering a remark, as if the last image of that incomplete story, its incompleteness itself, and the very tone of the speaker, had made discussion in vain and comment impossible.
made
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Men drifted off the verandah in pairs or alone without loss of time, without offering a remark, as if the last image of that incomplete story, its incompleteness itself, and the very tone of the speaker, had made discussion in vain and comment impossible.
man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Each of them seemed to carry away his own impression, to carry it away with him like a secret; but there was only one man of all these listeners who was ever to hear the last word of the story.
Marlow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With these words Marlow had ended his narrative, and his audience had broken up forthwith, under his abstract, pensive gaze.
Marlow's
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From this reading It came to him at home, more than two years later, and it came contained in a thick packet addressed in Marlow’s upright and angular handwriting.
Men
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Men drifted off the verandah in pairs or alone without loss of time, without offering a remark, as if the last image of that incomplete story, its incompleteness itself, and the very tone of the speaker, had made discussion in vain and comment impossible.
more
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It came to him at home, more than two years later, and it came contained in a thick packet addressed in Marlow’s upright and angular handwriting.
narrative
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With these words Marlow had ended his narrative, and his audience had broken up forthwith, under his abstract, pensive gaze.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Men drifted off the verandah in pairs or alone without loss of time, without offering a remark, as if the last image of that incomplete story, its incompleteness itself, and the very tone of the speaker, had made discussion in vain and comment impossible.
off
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Men drifted off the verandah in pairs or alone without loss of time, without offering a remark, as if the last image of that incomplete story, its incompleteness itself, and the very tone of the speaker, had made discussion in vain and comment impossible.
offering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Men drifted off the verandah in pairs or alone without loss of time, without offering a remark, as if the last image of that incomplete story, its incompleteness itself, and the very tone of the speaker, had made discussion in vain and comment impossible.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Each of them seemed to carry away his own impression, to carry it away with him like a secret; but there was only one man of all these listeners who was ever to hear the last word of the story.
only
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Each of them seemed to carry away his own impression, to carry it away with him like a secret; but there was only one man of all these listeners who was ever to hear the last word of the story.
opened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The privileged man opened the packet, looked in, then, laying it down, went to the window.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Men drifted off the verandah in pairs or alone without loss of time, without offering a remark, as if the last image of that incomplete story, its incompleteness itself, and the very tone of the speaker, had made discussion in vain and comment impossible.
own
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Each of them seemed to carry away his own impression, to carry it away with him like a secret; but there was only one man of all these listeners who was ever to hear the last word of the story.
packet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It came to him at home, more than two years later, and it came contained in a thick packet addressed in Marlow’s upright and angular handwriting.
pairs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Men drifted off the verandah in pairs or alone without loss of time, without offering a remark, as if the last image of that incomplete story, its incompleteness itself, and the very tone of the speaker, had made discussion in vain and comment impossible.
pensive
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With these words Marlow had ended his narrative, and his audience had broken up forthwith, under his abstract, pensive gaze.
privileged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The privileged man opened the packet, looked in, then, laying it down, went to the window.
remark
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Men drifted off the verandah in pairs or alone without loss of time, without offering a remark, as if the last image of that incomplete story, its incompleteness itself, and the very tone of the speaker, had made discussion in vain and comment impossible.
secretnounUS /ˈsiː.krət/
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading Each of them seemed to carry away his own impression, to carry it away with him like a secret; but there was only one man of all these listeners who was ever to hear the last word of the story.
seemednounUS /seemed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Each of them seemed to carry away his own impression, to carry it away with him like a secret; but there was only one man of all these listeners who was ever to hear the last word of the story.
speaker
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Men drifted off the verandah in pairs or alone without loss of time, without offering a remark, as if the last image of that incomplete story, its incompleteness itself, and the very tone of the speaker, had made discussion in vain and comment impossible.
story
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Men drifted off the verandah in pairs or alone without loss of time, without offering a remark, as if the last image of that incomplete story, its incompleteness itself, and the very tone of the speaker, had made discussion in vain and comment impossible.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading It came to him at home, more than two years later, and it came contained in a thick packet addressed in Marlow’s upright and angular handwriting.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Men drifted off the verandah in pairs or alone without loss of time, without offering a remark, as if the last image of that incomplete story, its incompleteness itself, and the very tone of the speaker, had made discussion in vain and comment impossible.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Men drifted off the verandah in pairs or alone without loss of time, without offering a remark, as if the last image of that incomplete story, its incompleteness itself, and the very tone of the speaker, had made discussion in vain and comment impossible.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Each of them seemed to carry away his own impression, to carry it away with him like a secret; but there was only one man of all these listeners who was ever to hear the last word of the story.
then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The privileged man opened the packet, looked in, then, laying it down, went to the window.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Each of them seemed to carry away his own impression, to carry it away with him like a secret; but there was only one man of all these listeners who was ever to hear the last word of the story.
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading With these words Marlow had ended his narrative, and his audience had broken up forthwith, under his abstract, pensive gaze.
thick
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It came to him at home, more than two years later, and it came contained in a thick packet addressed in Marlow’s upright and angular handwriting.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Men drifted off the verandah in pairs or alone without loss of time, without offering a remark, as if the last image of that incomplete story, its incompleteness itself, and the very tone of the speaker, had made discussion in vain and comment impossible.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Each of them seemed to carry away his own impression, to carry it away with him like a secret; but there was only one man of all these listeners who was ever to hear the last word of the story.
tone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Men drifted off the verandah in pairs or alone without loss of time, without offering a remark, as if the last image of that incomplete story, its incompleteness itself, and the very tone of the speaker, had made discussion in vain and comment impossible.
two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It came to him at home, more than two years later, and it came contained in a thick packet addressed in Marlow’s upright and angular handwriting.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading With these words Marlow had ended his narrative, and his audience had broken up forthwith, under his abstract, pensive gaze.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With these words Marlow had ended his narrative, and his audience had broken up forthwith, under his abstract, pensive gaze.
upright
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It came to him at home, more than two years later, and it came contained in a thick packet addressed in Marlow’s upright and angular handwriting.
vain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Men drifted off the verandah in pairs or alone without loss of time, without offering a remark, as if the last image of that incomplete story, its incompleteness itself, and the very tone of the speaker, had made discussion in vain and comment impossible.
verandah
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Men drifted off the verandah in pairs or alone without loss of time, without offering a remark, as if the last image of that incomplete story, its incompleteness itself, and the very tone of the speaker, had made discussion in vain and comment impossible.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Men drifted off the verandah in pairs or alone without loss of time, without offering a remark, as if the last image of that incomplete story, its incompleteness itself, and the very tone of the speaker, had made discussion in vain and comment impossible.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Each of them seemed to carry away his own impression, to carry it away with him like a secret; but there was only one man of all these listeners who was ever to hear the last word of the story.
wentnounUS /went/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The privileged man opened the packet, looked in, then, laying it down, went to the window.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading Each of them seemed to carry away his own impression, to carry it away with him like a secret; but there was only one man of all these listeners who was ever to hear the last word of the story.
window
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The privileged man opened the packet, looked in, then, laying it down, went to the window.
WithprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading With these words Marlow had ended his narrative, and his audience had broken up forthwith, under his abstract, pensive gaze.
withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading Men drifted off the verandah in pairs or alone without loss of time, without offering a remark, as if the last image of that incomplete story, its incompleteness itself, and the very tone of the speaker, had made discussion in vain and comment impossible.
word
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Each of them seemed to carry away his own impression, to carry it away with him like a secret; but there was only one man of all these listeners who was ever to hear the last word of the story.
words
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With these words Marlow had ended his narrative, and his audience had broken up forthwith, under his abstract, pensive gaze.
years
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It came to him at home, more than two years later, and it came contained in a thick packet addressed in Marlow’s upright and angular handwriting.
