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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 BROWN'S DESCENT OR THE WILLY-NILLY SLIDE Brown lived at such a lofty farm That everyone for miles could see His lantern when he did his chores In winter after half-past three.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading BROWN'S DESCENT OR THE WILLY-NILLY SLIDE Brown lived at such a lofty farm That everyone for miles could see His lantern when he did his chores In winter after half-past three.
all
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From this reading Walls were all buried, trees were few: He saw no stay unless he stove A hole in somewhere with his heel.
AndconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And many must have seen him make His wild descent from there one night, 'Cross lots, 'cross walls, 'cross everything, Describing rings of lantern light.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading BROWN'S DESCENT OR THE WILLY-NILLY SLIDE Brown lived at such a lofty farm That everyone for miles could see His lantern when he did his chores In winter after half-past three.
barn
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From this reading Between the house and barn the gale Got him by something he had on And blew him out on the icy crust That cased the world, and he was gone!
BetweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading Between the house and barn the gale Got him by something he had on And blew him out on the icy crust That cased the world, and he was gone!
blew
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From this reading Between the house and barn the gale Got him by something he had on And blew him out on the icy crust That cased the world, and he was gone!
Brown
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From this reading BROWN'S DESCENT OR THE WILLY-NILLY SLIDE Brown lived at such a lofty farm That everyone for miles could see His lantern when he did his chores In winter after half-past three.
BROWN'S
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From this reading BROWN'S DESCENT OR THE WILLY-NILLY SLIDE Brown lived at such a lofty farm That everyone for miles could see His lantern when he did his chores In winter after half-past three.
buried
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From this reading Walls were all buried, trees were few: He saw no stay unless he stove A hole in somewhere with his heel.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But though repeatedly he strove And stamped and said things to himself, And sometimes something seemed to yield, He gained no foothold, but pursued His journey down from field to field.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Between the house and barn the gale Got him by something he had on And blew him out on the icy crust That cased the world, and he was gone!
cased
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From this reading Between the house and barn the gale Got him by something he had on And blew him out on the icy crust That cased the world, and he was gone!
chores
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From this reading BROWN'S DESCENT OR THE WILLY-NILLY SLIDE Brown lived at such a lofty farm That everyone for miles could see His lantern when he did his chores In winter after half-past three.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading BROWN'S DESCENT OR THE WILLY-NILLY SLIDE Brown lived at such a lofty farm That everyone for miles could see His lantern when he did his chores In winter after half-past three.
Cross
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From this reading And many must have seen him make His wild descent from there one night, 'Cross lots, 'cross walls, 'cross everything, Describing rings of lantern light.
crust
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From this reading Between the house and barn the gale Got him by something he had on And blew him out on the icy crust That cased the world, and he was gone!
DESCENTnounUS /dɪˈsent/
An action of moving downward, dropping, or falling into a deeper place.
From this reading BROWN'S DESCENT OR THE WILLY-NILLY SLIDE Brown lived at such a lofty farm That everyone for miles could see His lantern when he did his chores In winter after half-past three.
Describing
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From this reading And many must have seen him make His wild descent from there one night, 'Cross lots, 'cross walls, 'cross everything, Describing rings of lantern light.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading BROWN'S DESCENT OR THE WILLY-NILLY SLIDE Brown lived at such a lofty farm That everyone for miles could see His lantern when he did his chores In winter after half-past three.
down
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From this reading But though repeatedly he strove And stamped and said things to himself, And sometimes something seemed to yield, He gained no foothold, but pursued His journey down from field to field.
everyonepronounUS /ˈevriwʌn/
every person
From this reading BROWN'S DESCENT OR THE WILLY-NILLY SLIDE Brown lived at such a lofty farm That everyone for miles could see His lantern when he did his chores In winter after half-past three.
everythingpronounUS /ˈevriθɪŋ/
all things; all of a situation
From this reading And many must have seen him make His wild descent from there one night, 'Cross lots, 'cross walls, 'cross everything, Describing rings of lantern light.
farm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BROWN'S DESCENT OR THE WILLY-NILLY SLIDE Brown lived at such a lofty farm That everyone for miles could see His lantern when he did his chores In winter after half-past three.
few
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Walls were all buried, trees were few: He saw no stay unless he stove A hole in somewhere with his heel.
field
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From this reading But though repeatedly he strove And stamped and said things to himself, And sometimes something seemed to yield, He gained no foothold, but pursued His journey down from field to field.
foothold
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From this reading But though repeatedly he strove And stamped and said things to himself, And sometimes something seemed to yield, He gained no foothold, but pursued His journey down from field to field.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading BROWN'S DESCENT OR THE WILLY-NILLY SLIDE Brown lived at such a lofty farm That everyone for miles could see His lantern when he did his chores In winter after half-past three.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading And many must have seen him make His wild descent from there one night, 'Cross lots, 'cross walls, 'cross everything, Describing rings of lantern light.
gained
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From this reading But though repeatedly he strove And stamped and said things to himself, And sometimes something seemed to yield, He gained no foothold, but pursued His journey down from field to field.
gale
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From this reading Between the house and barn the gale Got him by something he had on And blew him out on the icy crust That cased the world, and he was gone!
gone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Between the house and barn the gale Got him by something he had on And blew him out on the icy crust That cased the world, and he was gone!
Got
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From this reading Between the house and barn the gale Got him by something he had on And blew him out on the icy crust That cased the world, and he was gone!
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Between the house and barn the gale Got him by something he had on And blew him out on the icy crust That cased the world, and he was gone!
half-past
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From this reading BROWN'S DESCENT OR THE WILLY-NILLY SLIDE Brown lived at such a lofty farm That everyone for miles could see His lantern when he did his chores In winter after half-past three.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading And many must have seen him make His wild descent from there one night, 'Cross lots, 'cross walls, 'cross everything, Describing rings of lantern light.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading BROWN'S DESCENT OR THE WILLY-NILLY SLIDE Brown lived at such a lofty farm That everyone for miles could see His lantern when he did his chores In winter after half-past three.
heel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Walls were all buried, trees were few: He saw no stay unless he stove A hole in somewhere with his heel.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading And many must have seen him make His wild descent from there one night, 'Cross lots, 'cross walls, 'cross everything, Describing rings of lantern light.
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading But though repeatedly he strove And stamped and said things to himself, And sometimes something seemed to yield, He gained no foothold, but pursued His journey down from field to field.
HisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading BROWN'S DESCENT OR THE WILLY-NILLY SLIDE Brown lived at such a lofty farm That everyone for miles could see His lantern when he did his chores In winter after half-past three.
hole
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Walls were all buried, trees were few: He saw no stay unless he stove A hole in somewhere with his heel.
house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Between the house and barn the gale Got him by something he had on And blew him out on the icy crust That cased the world, and he was gone!
icy
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From this reading Between the house and barn the gale Got him by something he had on And blew him out on the icy crust That cased the world, and he was gone!
InprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading BROWN'S DESCENT OR THE WILLY-NILLY SLIDE Brown lived at such a lofty farm That everyone for miles could see His lantern when he did his chores In winter after half-past three.
journeynounUS /ˈjourney/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading But though repeatedly he strove And stamped and said things to himself, And sometimes something seemed to yield, He gained no foothold, but pursued His journey down from field to field.
lantern
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From this reading BROWN'S DESCENT OR THE WILLY-NILLY SLIDE Brown lived at such a lofty farm That everyone for miles could see His lantern when he did his chores In winter after half-past three.
light
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And many must have seen him make His wild descent from there one night, 'Cross lots, 'cross walls, 'cross everything, Describing rings of lantern light.
lived
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From this reading BROWN'S DESCENT OR THE WILLY-NILLY SLIDE Brown lived at such a lofty farm That everyone for miles could see His lantern when he did his chores In winter after half-past three.
lofty
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From this reading BROWN'S DESCENT OR THE WILLY-NILLY SLIDE Brown lived at such a lofty farm That everyone for miles could see His lantern when he did his chores In winter after half-past three.
lots
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And many must have seen him make His wild descent from there one night, 'Cross lots, 'cross walls, 'cross everything, Describing rings of lantern light.
makenounUS /make/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading And many must have seen him make His wild descent from there one night, 'Cross lots, 'cross walls, 'cross everything, Describing rings of lantern light.
many
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From this reading And many must have seen him make His wild descent from there one night, 'Cross lots, 'cross walls, 'cross everything, Describing rings of lantern light.
miles
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BROWN'S DESCENT OR THE WILLY-NILLY SLIDE Brown lived at such a lofty farm That everyone for miles could see His lantern when he did his chores In winter after half-past three.
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading And many must have seen him make His wild descent from there one night, 'Cross lots, 'cross walls, 'cross everything, Describing rings of lantern light.
night
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And many must have seen him make His wild descent from there one night, 'Cross lots, 'cross walls, 'cross everything, Describing rings of lantern light.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading Walls were all buried, trees were few: He saw no stay unless he stove A hole in somewhere with his heel.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading And many must have seen him make His wild descent from there one night, 'Cross lots, 'cross walls, 'cross everything, Describing rings of lantern light.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Between the house and barn the gale Got him by something he had on And blew him out on the icy crust That cased the world, and he was gone!
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading And many must have seen him make His wild descent from there one night, 'Cross lots, 'cross walls, 'cross everything, Describing rings of lantern light.
ORconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading BROWN'S DESCENT OR THE WILLY-NILLY SLIDE Brown lived at such a lofty farm That everyone for miles could see His lantern when he did his chores In winter after half-past three.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Between the house and barn the gale Got him by something he had on And blew him out on the icy crust That cased the world, and he was gone!
pursued
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From this reading But though repeatedly he strove And stamped and said things to himself, And sometimes something seemed to yield, He gained no foothold, but pursued His journey down from field to field.
repeatedly
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From this reading But though repeatedly he strove And stamped and said things to himself, And sometimes something seemed to yield, He gained no foothold, but pursued His journey down from field to field.
rings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And many must have seen him make His wild descent from there one night, 'Cross lots, 'cross walls, 'cross everything, Describing rings of lantern light.
said
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From this reading But though repeatedly he strove And stamped and said things to himself, And sometimes something seemed to yield, He gained no foothold, but pursued His journey down from field to field.
saw
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Walls were all buried, trees were few: He saw no stay unless he stove A hole in somewhere with his heel.
see
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From this reading BROWN'S DESCENT OR THE WILLY-NILLY SLIDE Brown lived at such a lofty farm That everyone for miles could see His lantern when he did his chores In winter after half-past three.
seemednounUS /seemed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But though repeatedly he strove And stamped and said things to himself, And sometimes something seemed to yield, He gained no foothold, but pursued His journey down from field to field.
seen
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From this reading And many must have seen him make His wild descent from there one night, 'Cross lots, 'cross walls, 'cross everything, Describing rings of lantern light.
SLIDE
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From this reading BROWN'S DESCENT OR THE WILLY-NILLY SLIDE Brown lived at such a lofty farm That everyone for miles could see His lantern when he did his chores In winter after half-past three.
somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
a thing, without saying which
From this reading Between the house and barn the gale Got him by something he had on And blew him out on the icy crust That cased the world, and he was gone!
sometimes
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From this reading But though repeatedly he strove And stamped and said things to himself, And sometimes something seemed to yield, He gained no foothold, but pursued His journey down from field to field.
somewhere
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Walls were all buried, trees were few: He saw no stay unless he stove A hole in somewhere with his heel.
stamped
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From this reading But though repeatedly he strove And stamped and said things to himself, And sometimes something seemed to yield, He gained no foothold, but pursued His journey down from field to field.
stay
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Walls were all buried, trees were few: He saw no stay unless he stove A hole in somewhere with his heel.
stove
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From this reading Walls were all buried, trees were few: He saw no stay unless he stove A hole in somewhere with his heel.
strove
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From this reading But though repeatedly he strove And stamped and said things to himself, And sometimes something seemed to yield, He gained no foothold, but pursued His journey down from field to field.
suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading BROWN'S DESCENT OR THE WILLY-NILLY SLIDE Brown lived at such a lofty farm That everyone for miles could see His lantern when he did his chores In winter after half-past three.
ThatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading BROWN'S DESCENT OR THE WILLY-NILLY SLIDE Brown lived at such a lofty farm That everyone for miles could see His lantern when he did his chores In winter after half-past three.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading BROWN'S DESCENT OR THE WILLY-NILLY SLIDE Brown lived at such a lofty farm That everyone for miles could see His lantern when he did his chores In winter after half-past three.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And many must have seen him make His wild descent from there one night, 'Cross lots, 'cross walls, 'cross everything, Describing rings of lantern light.
things
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From this reading But though repeatedly he strove And stamped and said things to himself, And sometimes something seemed to yield, He gained no foothold, but pursued His journey down from field to field.
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading But though repeatedly he strove And stamped and said things to himself, And sometimes something seemed to yield, He gained no foothold, but pursued His journey down from field to field.
three
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BROWN'S DESCENT OR THE WILLY-NILLY SLIDE Brown lived at such a lofty farm That everyone for miles could see His lantern when he did his chores In winter after half-past three.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading But though repeatedly he strove And stamped and said things to himself, And sometimes something seemed to yield, He gained no foothold, but pursued His journey down from field to field.
trees
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Walls were all buried, trees were few: He saw no stay unless he stove A hole in somewhere with his heel.
unlessconjunctionUS /ənˈles/
except if; if not
From this reading Walls were all buried, trees were few: He saw no stay unless he stove A hole in somewhere with his heel.
walls
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And many must have seen him make His wild descent from there one night, 'Cross lots, 'cross walls, 'cross everything, Describing rings of lantern light.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Between the house and barn the gale Got him by something he had on And blew him out on the icy crust That cased the world, and he was gone!
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Walls were all buried, trees were few: He saw no stay unless he stove A hole in somewhere with his heel.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading BROWN'S DESCENT OR THE WILLY-NILLY SLIDE Brown lived at such a lofty farm That everyone for miles could see His lantern when he did his chores In winter after half-past three.
wild
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From this reading And many must have seen him make His wild descent from there one night, 'Cross lots, 'cross walls, 'cross everything, Describing rings of lantern light.
WILLY-NILLY
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From this reading BROWN'S DESCENT OR THE WILLY-NILLY SLIDE Brown lived at such a lofty farm That everyone for miles could see His lantern when he did his chores In winter after half-past three.
winter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BROWN'S DESCENT OR THE WILLY-NILLY SLIDE Brown lived at such a lofty farm That everyone for miles could see His lantern when he did his chores In winter after half-past three.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Walls were all buried, trees were few: He saw no stay unless he stove A hole in somewhere with his heel.
world
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From this reading Between the house and barn the gale Got him by something he had on And blew him out on the icy crust That cased the world, and he was gone!
yield
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From this reading But though repeatedly he strove And stamped and said things to himself, And sometimes something seemed to yield, He gained no foothold, but pursued His journey down from field to field.