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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 He was a strong lad and tall for his age, fair of complexion, with a direct look in the eyes and a resolute cast of chin that he had got from "Swiftsure Burke."
age
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At the time of his father’s death, Jimmy Burke was seventeen years of age.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He was a strong lad and tall for his age, fair of complexion, with a direct look in the eyes and a resolute cast of chin that he had got from "Swiftsure Burke."
AtprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At the time of his father’s death, Jimmy Burke was seventeen years of age.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He had had a hard life, even at that age; and a hard life will either mould a boy or break his heart--more often the latter, unless he be made of the right stuff.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading He soon learnt to hold his own, being in more ways than one far better fitted to succeed in the world than his less robust, unhappy father.
better
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From this reading He soon learnt to hold his own, being in more ways than one far better fitted to succeed in the world than his less robust, unhappy father.
boy
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From this reading He had had a hard life, even at that age; and a hard life will either mould a boy or break his heart--more often the latter, unless he be made of the right stuff.
break
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From this reading He had had a hard life, even at that age; and a hard life will either mould a boy or break his heart--more often the latter, unless he be made of the right stuff.
Burke
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From this reading At the time of his father’s death, Jimmy Burke was seventeen years of age.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But Jimmy came of a fighting race.
came
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From this reading But Jimmy came of a fighting race.
cast
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From this reading He was a strong lad and tall for his age, fair of complexion, with a direct look in the eyes and a resolute cast of chin that he had got from "Swiftsure Burke."
chin
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From this reading He was a strong lad and tall for his age, fair of complexion, with a direct look in the eyes and a resolute cast of chin that he had got from "Swiftsure Burke."
complexion
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From this reading He was a strong lad and tall for his age, fair of complexion, with a direct look in the eyes and a resolute cast of chin that he had got from "Swiftsure Burke."
death
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From this reading At the time of his father’s death, Jimmy Burke was seventeen years of age.
direct
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From this reading He was a strong lad and tall for his age, fair of complexion, with a direct look in the eyes and a resolute cast of chin that he had got from "Swiftsure Burke."
eitherdeterminerUS /ˈiːðər/
one or the other of two
From this reading He had had a hard life, even at that age; and a hard life will either mould a boy or break his heart--more often the latter, unless he be made of the right stuff.
evennounUS /even/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He had had a hard life, even at that age; and a hard life will either mould a boy or break his heart--more often the latter, unless he be made of the right stuff.
eyes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a strong lad and tall for his age, fair of complexion, with a direct look in the eyes and a resolute cast of chin that he had got from "Swiftsure Burke."
fairnounUS /fair/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He was a strong lad and tall for his age, fair of complexion, with a direct look in the eyes and a resolute cast of chin that he had got from "Swiftsure Burke."
far
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He soon learnt to hold his own, being in more ways than one far better fitted to succeed in the world than his less robust, unhappy father.
father
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He soon learnt to hold his own, being in more ways than one far better fitted to succeed in the world than his less robust, unhappy father.
father's
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From this reading At the time of his father’s death, Jimmy Burke was seventeen years of age.
fighting
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From this reading But Jimmy came of a fighting race.
fittedadjectiveUS /ˈfɪtɪd/
prepared and equipped for a particular purpose
From this reading He soon learnt to hold his own, being in more ways than one far better fitted to succeed in the world than his less robust, unhappy father.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He was a strong lad and tall for his age, fair of complexion, with a direct look in the eyes and a resolute cast of chin that he had got from "Swiftsure Burke."
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He was a strong lad and tall for his age, fair of complexion, with a direct look in the eyes and a resolute cast of chin that he had got from "Swiftsure Burke."
got
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a strong lad and tall for his age, fair of complexion, with a direct look in the eyes and a resolute cast of chin that he had got from "Swiftsure Burke."
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He was a strong lad and tall for his age, fair of complexion, with a direct look in the eyes and a resolute cast of chin that he had got from "Swiftsure Burke."
hard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had had a hard life, even at that age; and a hard life will either mould a boy or break his heart--more often the latter, unless he be made of the right stuff.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was a strong lad and tall for his age, fair of complexion, with a direct look in the eyes and a resolute cast of chin that he had got from "Swiftsure Burke."
heart
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had had a hard life, even at that age; and a hard life will either mould a boy or break his heart--more often the latter, unless he be made of the right stuff.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading At the time of his father’s death, Jimmy Burke was seventeen years of age.
hold
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He soon learnt to hold his own, being in more ways than one far better fitted to succeed in the world than his less robust, unhappy father.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He was a strong lad and tall for his age, fair of complexion, with a direct look in the eyes and a resolute cast of chin that he had got from "Swiftsure Burke."
Jimmy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At the time of his father’s death, Jimmy Burke was seventeen years of age.
lad
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a strong lad and tall for his age, fair of complexion, with a direct look in the eyes and a resolute cast of chin that he had got from "Swiftsure Burke."
latter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had had a hard life, even at that age; and a hard life will either mould a boy or break his heart--more often the latter, unless he be made of the right stuff.
learnt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He soon learnt to hold his own, being in more ways than one far better fitted to succeed in the world than his less robust, unhappy father.
less
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He soon learnt to hold his own, being in more ways than one far better fitted to succeed in the world than his less robust, unhappy father.
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He had had a hard life, even at that age; and a hard life will either mould a boy or break his heart--more often the latter, unless he be made of the right stuff.
looknounUS /look/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He was a strong lad and tall for his age, fair of complexion, with a direct look in the eyes and a resolute cast of chin that he had got from "Swiftsure Burke."
made
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had had a hard life, even at that age; and a hard life will either mould a boy or break his heart--more often the latter, unless he be made of the right stuff.
more
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had had a hard life, even at that age; and a hard life will either mould a boy or break his heart--more often the latter, unless he be made of the right stuff.
mould
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had had a hard life, even at that age; and a hard life will either mould a boy or break his heart--more often the latter, unless he be made of the right stuff.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading At the time of his father’s death, Jimmy Burke was seventeen years of age.
often
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had had a hard life, even at that age; and a hard life will either mould a boy or break his heart--more often the latter, unless he be made of the right stuff.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading He soon learnt to hold his own, being in more ways than one far better fitted to succeed in the world than his less robust, unhappy father.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading He had had a hard life, even at that age; and a hard life will either mould a boy or break his heart--more often the latter, unless he be made of the right stuff.
own
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He soon learnt to hold his own, being in more ways than one far better fitted to succeed in the world than his less robust, unhappy father.
race
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But Jimmy came of a fighting race.
resolute
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a strong lad and tall for his age, fair of complexion, with a direct look in the eyes and a resolute cast of chin that he had got from "Swiftsure Burke."
rightnounUS /right/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He had had a hard life, even at that age; and a hard life will either mould a boy or break his heart--more often the latter, unless he be made of the right stuff.
robust
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He soon learnt to hold his own, being in more ways than one far better fitted to succeed in the world than his less robust, unhappy father.
seventeen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At the time of his father’s death, Jimmy Burke was seventeen years of age.
soon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He soon learnt to hold his own, being in more ways than one far better fitted to succeed in the world than his less robust, unhappy father.
strong
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a strong lad and tall for his age, fair of complexion, with a direct look in the eyes and a resolute cast of chin that he had got from "Swiftsure Burke."
stuff
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had had a hard life, even at that age; and a hard life will either mould a boy or break his heart--more often the latter, unless he be made of the right stuff.
succeed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He soon learnt to hold his own, being in more ways than one far better fitted to succeed in the world than his less robust, unhappy father.
Swiftsure
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a strong lad and tall for his age, fair of complexion, with a direct look in the eyes and a resolute cast of chin that he had got from "Swiftsure Burke."
tall
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a strong lad and tall for his age, fair of complexion, with a direct look in the eyes and a resolute cast of chin that he had got from "Swiftsure Burke."
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading He soon learnt to hold his own, being in more ways than one far better fitted to succeed in the world than his less robust, unhappy father.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He was a strong lad and tall for his age, fair of complexion, with a direct look in the eyes and a resolute cast of chin that he had got from "Swiftsure Burke."
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading At the time of his father’s death, Jimmy Burke was seventeen years of age.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading At the time of his father’s death, Jimmy Burke was seventeen years of age.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He soon learnt to hold his own, being in more ways than one far better fitted to succeed in the world than his less robust, unhappy father.
unhappy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He soon learnt to hold his own, being in more ways than one far better fitted to succeed in the world than his less robust, unhappy father.
unlessconjunctionUS /ənˈles/
except if; if not
From this reading He had had a hard life, even at that age; and a hard life will either mould a boy or break his heart--more often the latter, unless he be made of the right stuff.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading At the time of his father’s death, Jimmy Burke was seventeen years of age.
ways
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He soon learnt to hold his own, being in more ways than one far better fitted to succeed in the world than his less robust, unhappy father.
willmodal verbUS /wɪl/
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading He had had a hard life, even at that age; and a hard life will either mould a boy or break his heart--more often the latter, unless he be made of the right stuff.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading He was a strong lad and tall for his age, fair of complexion, with a direct look in the eyes and a resolute cast of chin that he had got from "Swiftsure Burke."
world
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He soon learnt to hold his own, being in more ways than one far better fitted to succeed in the world than his less robust, unhappy father.
years
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At the time of his father’s death, Jimmy Burke was seventeen years of age.
