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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 With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
aback
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From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
admitted
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From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
also
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!
back
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From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
best
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
Breen
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From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
bring
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From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.
cellar
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
change
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From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
characters
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From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
closing
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From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
Co
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
coal-hole
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.
couldn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!
covered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.
departing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
door
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
emptiness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.
exceptprepositionUS /ɪkˈsept/
apart from; not including
From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!
financiers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
finest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
firm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
front
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
GentlemannounUS /ˈgentleman/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
get
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!
halfnounUS /half/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
head
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!
house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!
important
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
intelligence
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.
intervals
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.
jolt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.
lid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.
light
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.
man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!
marked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Well, that's one on me!”
mechanism
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
mental
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
moment
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
most
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!
night
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
Old
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Well, that's one on me!”
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Well, that's one on me!”
openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/
To move from a closed position.
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
Parkins
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
Parkins's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.
place
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
Portman
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!
rare
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!
received
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.
rush
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
said
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!
Send
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!
several
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
shrewdest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
table
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!
taken
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
that's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Well, that's one on me!”
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
tooknounUS /took/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
undecided
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
upper
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The lid that covered the upper half of Parkins's intelligence also received a jolt; it was a coal-hole lid that covered emptiness, but now and then admitted the light.
visitor
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
Well
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Well, that's one on me!”
whetherconjunctionUS /ˈweðər/
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading The head of the firm of Breen & Co. was so taken aback that for the moment that shrewdest of financiers was undecided as to whether he or Parkins should rush out into the night after the departing visitor and bring him back, and open the best in the cellar.
whompronounUS /huːm/
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “Send a man out of my house,” he said to himself, “whom Portman couldn't get to his table except at rare intervals!
WithprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.
World
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With the closing of the front door upon the finest Old Gentleman in the World, a marked change took place in the mental mechanism of several of our most important characters.