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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 There was a contained, prophetic energy in his utterances, even on the slightest affairs; he _saw_ the damned thing; if you did not, it must be from perversity of will; and this sent the blood to his head.
affairs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a contained, prophetic energy in his utterances, even on the slightest affairs; he _saw_ the damned thing; if you did not, it must be from perversity of will; and this sent the blood to his head.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading ‘The thing’s right,’ he would say, or ‘the thing’s wrong’; and there was an end of it.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading ‘The thing’s right,’ he would say, or ‘the thing’s wrong’; and there was an end of it.
Apart
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Apart from this, which made him an exacting companion, he was one of the most upright, hot-tempered, hot-headed old gentlemen in England.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading There was a contained, prophetic energy in his utterances, even on the slightest affairs; he _saw_ the damned thing; if you did not, it must be from perversity of will; and this sent the blood to his head.
bloodnounUS /blood/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There was a contained, prophetic energy in his utterances, even on the slightest affairs; he _saw_ the damned thing; if you did not, it must be from perversity of will; and this sent the blood to his head.
class
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From this reading OLD Mr. Naseby had the sturdy, untutored nature of the upper middle class.
companion
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Apart from this, which made him an exacting companion, he was one of the most upright, hot-tempered, hot-headed old gentlemen in England.
contained
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a contained, prophetic energy in his utterances, even on the slightest affairs; he _saw_ the damned thing; if you did not, it must be from perversity of will; and this sent the blood to his head.
damned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a contained, prophetic energy in his utterances, even on the slightest affairs; he _saw_ the damned thing; if you did not, it must be from perversity of will; and this sent the blood to his head.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading There was a contained, prophetic energy in his utterances, even on the slightest affairs; he _saw_ the damned thing; if you did not, it must be from perversity of will; and this sent the blood to his head.
end
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘The thing’s right,’ he would say, or ‘the thing’s wrong’; and there was an end of it.
energy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a contained, prophetic energy in his utterances, even on the slightest affairs; he _saw_ the damned thing; if you did not, it must be from perversity of will; and this sent the blood to his head.
England
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Apart from this, which made him an exacting companion, he was one of the most upright, hot-tempered, hot-headed old gentlemen in England.
evennounUS /even/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There was a contained, prophetic energy in his utterances, even on the slightest affairs; he _saw_ the damned thing; if you did not, it must be from perversity of will; and this sent the blood to his head.
exacting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Apart from this, which made him an exacting companion, he was one of the most upright, hot-tempered, hot-headed old gentlemen in England.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading There was a contained, prophetic energy in his utterances, even on the slightest affairs; he _saw_ the damned thing; if you did not, it must be from perversity of will; and this sent the blood to his head.
gentlemennounUS /gentlemen/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Apart from this, which made him an exacting companion, he was one of the most upright, hot-tempered, hot-headed old gentlemen in England.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading OLD Mr. Naseby had the sturdy, untutored nature of the upper middle class.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading ‘The thing’s right,’ he would say, or ‘the thing’s wrong’; and there was an end of it.
head
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a contained, prophetic energy in his utterances, even on the slightest affairs; he _saw_ the damned thing; if you did not, it must be from perversity of will; and this sent the blood to his head.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The universe seemed plain to him.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading There was a contained, prophetic energy in his utterances, even on the slightest affairs; he _saw_ the damned thing; if you did not, it must be from perversity of will; and this sent the blood to his head.
hot-headed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Apart from this, which made him an exacting companion, he was one of the most upright, hot-tempered, hot-headed old gentlemen in England.
hot-tempered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Apart from this, which made him an exacting companion, he was one of the most upright, hot-tempered, hot-headed old gentlemen in England.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading There was a contained, prophetic energy in his utterances, even on the slightest affairs; he _saw_ the damned thing; if you did not, it must be from perversity of will; and this sent the blood to his head.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading There was a contained, prophetic energy in his utterances, even on the slightest affairs; he _saw_ the damned thing; if you did not, it must be from perversity of will; and this sent the blood to his head.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading ‘The thing’s right,’ he would say, or ‘the thing’s wrong’; and there was an end of it.
made
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Apart from this, which made him an exacting companion, he was one of the most upright, hot-tempered, hot-headed old gentlemen in England.
middle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading OLD Mr. Naseby had the sturdy, untutored nature of the upper middle class.
most
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Apart from this, which made him an exacting companion, he was one of the most upright, hot-tempered, hot-headed old gentlemen in England.
Mr
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading OLD Mr. Naseby had the sturdy, untutored nature of the upper middle class.
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading There was a contained, prophetic energy in his utterances, even on the slightest affairs; he _saw_ the damned thing; if you did not, it must be from perversity of will; and this sent the blood to his head.
Naseby
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading OLD Mr. Naseby had the sturdy, untutored nature of the upper middle class.
nature
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading OLD Mr. Naseby had the sturdy, untutored nature of the upper middle class.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading There was a contained, prophetic energy in his utterances, even on the slightest affairs; he _saw_ the damned thing; if you did not, it must be from perversity of will; and this sent the blood to his head.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading OLD Mr. Naseby had the sturdy, untutored nature of the upper middle class.
OLD
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading OLD Mr. Naseby had the sturdy, untutored nature of the upper middle class.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading There was a contained, prophetic energy in his utterances, even on the slightest affairs; he _saw_ the damned thing; if you did not, it must be from perversity of will; and this sent the blood to his head.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Apart from this, which made him an exacting companion, he was one of the most upright, hot-tempered, hot-headed old gentlemen in England.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading ‘The thing’s right,’ he would say, or ‘the thing’s wrong’; and there was an end of it.
perversity
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a contained, prophetic energy in his utterances, even on the slightest affairs; he _saw_ the damned thing; if you did not, it must be from perversity of will; and this sent the blood to his head.
plain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The universe seemed plain to him.
propheticadjectiveUS /prəˈfɛtɪk/
suggesting what will happen in the future
From this reading There was a contained, prophetic energy in his utterances, even on the slightest affairs; he _saw_ the damned thing; if you did not, it must be from perversity of will; and this sent the blood to his head.
rightnounUS /right/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading ‘The thing’s right,’ he would say, or ‘the thing’s wrong’; and there was an end of it.
saw
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a contained, prophetic energy in his utterances, even on the slightest affairs; he _saw_ the damned thing; if you did not, it must be from perversity of will; and this sent the blood to his head.
say
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘The thing’s right,’ he would say, or ‘the thing’s wrong’; and there was an end of it.
seemednounUS /seemed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The universe seemed plain to him.
sent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a contained, prophetic energy in his utterances, even on the slightest affairs; he _saw_ the damned thing; if you did not, it must be from perversity of will; and this sent the blood to his head.
slightest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a contained, prophetic energy in his utterances, even on the slightest affairs; he _saw_ the damned thing; if you did not, it must be from perversity of will; and this sent the blood to his head.
sturdy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading OLD Mr. Naseby had the sturdy, untutored nature of the upper middle class.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading OLD Mr. Naseby had the sturdy, untutored nature of the upper middle class.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘The thing’s right,’ he would say, or ‘the thing’s wrong’; and there was an end of it.
thingnounUS /thing/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There was a contained, prophetic energy in his utterances, even on the slightest affairs; he _saw_ the damned thing; if you did not, it must be from perversity of will; and this sent the blood to his head.
thing's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘The thing’s right,’ he would say, or ‘the thing’s wrong’; and there was an end of it.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading There was a contained, prophetic energy in his utterances, even on the slightest affairs; he _saw_ the damned thing; if you did not, it must be from perversity of will; and this sent the blood to his head.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The universe seemed plain to him.
universe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The universe seemed plain to him.
untutored
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading OLD Mr. Naseby had the sturdy, untutored nature of the upper middle class.
upper
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading OLD Mr. Naseby had the sturdy, untutored nature of the upper middle class.
upright
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Apart from this, which made him an exacting companion, he was one of the most upright, hot-tempered, hot-headed old gentlemen in England.
utterances
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a contained, prophetic energy in his utterances, even on the slightest affairs; he _saw_ the damned thing; if you did not, it must be from perversity of will; and this sent the blood to his head.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading ‘The thing’s right,’ he would say, or ‘the thing’s wrong’; and there was an end of it.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Apart from this, which made him an exacting companion, he was one of the most upright, hot-tempered, hot-headed old gentlemen in England.
willmodal verbUS /wɪl/
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading There was a contained, prophetic energy in his utterances, even on the slightest affairs; he _saw_ the damned thing; if you did not, it must be from perversity of will; and this sent the blood to his head.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading ‘The thing’s right,’ he would say, or ‘the thing’s wrong’; and there was an end of it.
wrong
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘The thing’s right,’ he would say, or ‘the thing’s wrong’; and there was an end of it.
youpronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading There was a contained, prophetic energy in his utterances, even on the slightest affairs; he _saw_ the damned thing; if you did not, it must be from perversity of will; and this sent the blood to his head.
