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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 It struck him, as he turned it, that he had never heard a lock that moved so silently, or a bolt that slipped so easily into its groove.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading /Mr. Reeder/ closed the door, put on the lights, and set himself to unravel the inexplicable mystery of its opening.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It struck him, as he turned it, that he had never heard a lock that moved so silently, or a bolt that slipped so easily into its groove.
baffling
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From this reading He began a scrutiny of the inside face of the door, and found a simple solution of the somewhat baffling incident of its opening.
bed
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From this reading Before he went to bed he had shot home the bolt, had turned the key in the lock, and the key was still on the inside.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Both lock and bolt had been recently oiled.
BeforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Before he went to bed he had shot home the bolt, had turned the key in the lock, and the key was still on the inside.
begannounUS /began/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He began a scrutiny of the inside face of the door, and found a simple solution of the somewhat baffling incident of its opening.
bolt
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From this reading Before he went to bed he had shot home the bolt, had turned the key in the lock, and the key was still on the inside.
BothdeterminerUS /boʊθ/
the two together, not just one
From this reading Both lock and bolt had been recently oiled.
closed
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From this reading /Mr. Reeder/ closed the door, put on the lights, and set himself to unravel the inexplicable mystery of its opening.
door
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading /Mr. Reeder/ closed the door, put on the lights, and set himself to unravel the inexplicable mystery of its opening.
easily
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It struck him, as he turned it, that he had never heard a lock that moved so silently, or a bolt that slipped so easily into its groove.
face
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He began a scrutiny of the inside face of the door, and found a simple solution of the somewhat baffling incident of its opening.
foundnounUS /found/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He began a scrutiny of the inside face of the door, and found a simple solution of the somewhat baffling incident of its opening.
groove
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From this reading It struck him, as he turned it, that he had never heard a lock that moved so silently, or a bolt that slipped so easily into its groove.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Before he went to bed he had shot home the bolt, had turned the key in the lock, and the key was still on the inside.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Before he went to bed he had shot home the bolt, had turned the key in the lock, and the key was still on the inside.
heard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It struck him, as he turned it, that he had never heard a lock that moved so silently, or a bolt that slipped so easily into its groove.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It struck him, as he turned it, that he had never heard a lock that moved so silently, or a bolt that slipped so easily into its groove.
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading /Mr. Reeder/ closed the door, put on the lights, and set himself to unravel the inexplicable mystery of its opening.
home
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before he went to bed he had shot home the bolt, had turned the key in the lock, and the key was still on the inside.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Before he went to bed he had shot home the bolt, had turned the key in the lock, and the key was still on the inside.
incident
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He began a scrutiny of the inside face of the door, and found a simple solution of the somewhat baffling incident of its opening.
inexplicablenounUS /inexplicable/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading /Mr. Reeder/ closed the door, put on the lights, and set himself to unravel the inexplicable mystery of its opening.
inside
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before he went to bed he had shot home the bolt, had turned the key in the lock, and the key was still on the inside.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading It struck him, as he turned it, that he had never heard a lock that moved so silently, or a bolt that slipped so easily into its groove.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It struck him, as he turned it, that he had never heard a lock that moved so silently, or a bolt that slipped so easily into its groove.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading /Mr. Reeder/ closed the door, put on the lights, and set himself to unravel the inexplicable mystery of its opening.
key
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From this reading Before he went to bed he had shot home the bolt, had turned the key in the lock, and the key was still on the inside.
lights
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading /Mr. Reeder/ closed the door, put on the lights, and set himself to unravel the inexplicable mystery of its opening.
lock
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before he went to bed he had shot home the bolt, had turned the key in the lock, and the key was still on the inside.
moved
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It struck him, as he turned it, that he had never heard a lock that moved so silently, or a bolt that slipped so easily into its groove.
Mr
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading /Mr. Reeder/ closed the door, put on the lights, and set himself to unravel the inexplicable mystery of its opening.
mystery
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading /Mr. Reeder/ closed the door, put on the lights, and set himself to unravel the inexplicable mystery of its opening.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It struck him, as he turned it, that he had never heard a lock that moved so silently, or a bolt that slipped so easily into its groove.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading /Mr. Reeder/ closed the door, put on the lights, and set himself to unravel the inexplicable mystery of its opening.
oiled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Both lock and bolt had been recently oiled.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading /Mr. Reeder/ closed the door, put on the lights, and set himself to unravel the inexplicable mystery of its opening.
opening
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading /Mr. Reeder/ closed the door, put on the lights, and set himself to unravel the inexplicable mystery of its opening.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading It struck him, as he turned it, that he had never heard a lock that moved so silently, or a bolt that slipped so easily into its groove.
put
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading /Mr. Reeder/ closed the door, put on the lights, and set himself to unravel the inexplicable mystery of its opening.
recently
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Both lock and bolt had been recently oiled.
Reeder
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading /Mr. Reeder/ closed the door, put on the lights, and set himself to unravel the inexplicable mystery of its opening.
scrutiny
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He began a scrutiny of the inside face of the door, and found a simple solution of the somewhat baffling incident of its opening.
set
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading /Mr. Reeder/ closed the door, put on the lights, and set himself to unravel the inexplicable mystery of its opening.
shot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before he went to bed he had shot home the bolt, had turned the key in the lock, and the key was still on the inside.
silently
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It struck him, as he turned it, that he had never heard a lock that moved so silently, or a bolt that slipped so easily into its groove.
simple
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He began a scrutiny of the inside face of the door, and found a simple solution of the somewhat baffling incident of its opening.
slipped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It struck him, as he turned it, that he had never heard a lock that moved so silently, or a bolt that slipped so easily into its groove.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading It struck him, as he turned it, that he had never heard a lock that moved so silently, or a bolt that slipped so easily into its groove.
solution
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He began a scrutiny of the inside face of the door, and found a simple solution of the somewhat baffling incident of its opening.
somewhat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He began a scrutiny of the inside face of the door, and found a simple solution of the somewhat baffling incident of its opening.
stillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Before he went to bed he had shot home the bolt, had turned the key in the lock, and the key was still on the inside.
strucknounUS /struck/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It struck him, as he turned it, that he had never heard a lock that moved so silently, or a bolt that slipped so easily into its groove.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It struck him, as he turned it, that he had never heard a lock that moved so silently, or a bolt that slipped so easily into its groove.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading /Mr. Reeder/ closed the door, put on the lights, and set himself to unravel the inexplicable mystery of its opening.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading /Mr. Reeder/ closed the door, put on the lights, and set himself to unravel the inexplicable mystery of its opening.
turned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before he went to bed he had shot home the bolt, had turned the key in the lock, and the key was still on the inside.
unravel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading /Mr. Reeder/ closed the door, put on the lights, and set himself to unravel the inexplicable mystery of its opening.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Before he went to bed he had shot home the bolt, had turned the key in the lock, and the key was still on the inside.
wentnounUS /went/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Before he went to bed he had shot home the bolt, had turned the key in the lock, and the key was still on the inside.
