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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 Just then she heard the tread of bare feet in the hall, and a low-mumbled monologue.
act
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Lord, my God, pardon me for this last act,” she was praying.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Just then she heard the tread of bare feet in the hall, and a low-mumbled monologue.
averted
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From this reading The old woman's face was averted, and she seemed unaware of her daughter's presence.
back
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Going softly to the door, she peered out, and there, in a thin, white dress, stood Mrs. Porter, Nathan's double-barrelled shot-gun clutched in her hand, her long hair hanging loose on her back.
bare
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just then she heard the tread of bare feet in the hall, and a low-mumbled monologue.
clutched
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Going softly to the door, she peered out, and there, in a thin, white dress, stood Mrs. Porter, Nathan's double-barrelled shot-gun clutched in her hand, her long hair hanging loose on her back.
daughter's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The old woman's face was averted, and she seemed unaware of her daughter's presence.
door
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Going softly to the door, she peered out, and there, in a thin, white dress, stood Mrs. Porter, Nathan's double-barrelled shot-gun clutched in her hand, her long hair hanging loose on her back.
double-barrelled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Going softly to the door, she peered out, and there, in a thin, white dress, stood Mrs. Porter, Nathan's double-barrelled shot-gun clutched in her hand, her long hair hanging loose on her back.
dress
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Going softly to the door, she peered out, and there, in a thin, white dress, stood Mrs. Porter, Nathan's double-barrelled shot-gun clutched in her hand, her long hair hanging loose on her back.
face
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The old woman's face was averted, and she seemed unaware of her daughter's presence.
feet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just then she heard the tread of bare feet in the hall, and a low-mumbled monologue.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Her heart stood still, for she recognized her mother's voice.
God
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Lord, my God, pardon me for this last act,” she was praying.
Going
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Going softly to the door, she peered out, and there, in a thin, white dress, stood Mrs. Porter, Nathan's double-barrelled shot-gun clutched in her hand, her long hair hanging loose on her back.
hair
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Going softly to the door, she peered out, and there, in a thin, white dress, stood Mrs. Porter, Nathan's double-barrelled shot-gun clutched in her hand, her long hair hanging loose on her back.
hall
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just then she heard the tread of bare feet in the hall, and a low-mumbled monologue.
hand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Going softly to the door, she peered out, and there, in a thin, white dress, stood Mrs. Porter, Nathan's double-barrelled shot-gun clutched in her hand, her long hair hanging loose on her back.
hanging
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Going softly to the door, she peered out, and there, in a thin, white dress, stood Mrs. Porter, Nathan's double-barrelled shot-gun clutched in her hand, her long hair hanging loose on her back.
heard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just then she heard the tread of bare feet in the hall, and a low-mumbled monologue.
heart
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her heart stood still, for she recognized her mother's voice.
HerdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Her heart stood still, for she recognized her mother's voice.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Just then she heard the tread of bare feet in the hall, and a low-mumbled monologue.
Just
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just then she heard the tread of bare feet in the hall, and a low-mumbled monologue.
lastnounUS /last/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Lord, my God, pardon me for this last act,” she was praying.
longnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Going softly to the door, she peered out, and there, in a thin, white dress, stood Mrs. Porter, Nathan's double-barrelled shot-gun clutched in her hand, her long hair hanging loose on her back.
loose
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Going softly to the door, she peered out, and there, in a thin, white dress, stood Mrs. Porter, Nathan's double-barrelled shot-gun clutched in her hand, her long hair hanging loose on her back.
Lord
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Lord, my God, pardon me for this last act,” she was praying.
low-mumbled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just then she heard the tread of bare feet in the hall, and a low-mumbled monologue.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “Lord, my God, pardon me for this last act,” she was praying.
monologue
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just then she heard the tread of bare feet in the hall, and a low-mumbled monologue.
mother's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her heart stood still, for she recognized her mother's voice.
Mrs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Going softly to the door, she peered out, and there, in a thin, white dress, stood Mrs. Porter, Nathan's double-barrelled shot-gun clutched in her hand, her long hair hanging loose on her back.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “Lord, my God, pardon me for this last act,” she was praying.
Nathan's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Going softly to the door, she peered out, and there, in a thin, white dress, stood Mrs. Porter, Nathan's double-barrelled shot-gun clutched in her hand, her long hair hanging loose on her back.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Just then she heard the tread of bare feet in the hall, and a low-mumbled monologue.
old
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The old woman's face was averted, and she seemed unaware of her daughter's presence.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Going softly to the door, she peered out, and there, in a thin, white dress, stood Mrs. Porter, Nathan's double-barrelled shot-gun clutched in her hand, her long hair hanging loose on her back.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Going softly to the door, she peered out, and there, in a thin, white dress, stood Mrs. Porter, Nathan's double-barrelled shot-gun clutched in her hand, her long hair hanging loose on her back.
pardon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Lord, my God, pardon me for this last act,” she was praying.
peered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Going softly to the door, she peered out, and there, in a thin, white dress, stood Mrs. Porter, Nathan's double-barrelled shot-gun clutched in her hand, her long hair hanging loose on her back.
Porter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Going softly to the door, she peered out, and there, in a thin, white dress, stood Mrs. Porter, Nathan's double-barrelled shot-gun clutched in her hand, her long hair hanging loose on her back.
praying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Lord, my God, pardon me for this last act,” she was praying.
presence
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The old woman's face was averted, and she seemed unaware of her daughter's presence.
recognized
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her heart stood still, for she recognized her mother's voice.
seemednounUS /seemed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The old woman's face was averted, and she seemed unaware of her daughter's presence.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Just then she heard the tread of bare feet in the hall, and a low-mumbled monologue.
shot-gun
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Going softly to the door, she peered out, and there, in a thin, white dress, stood Mrs. Porter, Nathan's double-barrelled shot-gun clutched in her hand, her long hair hanging loose on her back.
softly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Going softly to the door, she peered out, and there, in a thin, white dress, stood Mrs. Porter, Nathan's double-barrelled shot-gun clutched in her hand, her long hair hanging loose on her back.
stillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Her heart stood still, for she recognized her mother's voice.
stoodnounUS /stood/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Her heart stood still, for she recognized her mother's voice.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Just then she heard the tread of bare feet in the hall, and a low-mumbled monologue.
then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just then she heard the tread of bare feet in the hall, and a low-mumbled monologue.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Going softly to the door, she peered out, and there, in a thin, white dress, stood Mrs. Porter, Nathan's double-barrelled shot-gun clutched in her hand, her long hair hanging loose on her back.
thinadjectiveUS /θɪn/
Having little thickness or extent.
From this reading Going softly to the door, she peered out, and there, in a thin, white dress, stood Mrs. Porter, Nathan's double-barrelled shot-gun clutched in her hand, her long hair hanging loose on her back.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “Lord, my God, pardon me for this last act,” she was praying.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Going softly to the door, she peered out, and there, in a thin, white dress, stood Mrs. Porter, Nathan's double-barrelled shot-gun clutched in her hand, her long hair hanging loose on her back.
tread
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just then she heard the tread of bare feet in the hall, and a low-mumbled monologue.
unaware
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The old woman's face was averted, and she seemed unaware of her daughter's presence.
voice
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her heart stood still, for she recognized her mother's voice.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The old woman's face was averted, and she seemed unaware of her daughter's presence.
white
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Going softly to the door, she peered out, and there, in a thin, white dress, stood Mrs. Porter, Nathan's double-barrelled shot-gun clutched in her hand, her long hair hanging loose on her back.
woman's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The old woman's face was averted, and she seemed unaware of her daughter's presence.
