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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 That a person in their employ should differ from them boldly, and condemn their course openly, was an extraordinary event; that a young man in the outset of his career should dare so much was unprecedented.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading It would be a ruinous thing, they said among themselves, for so young a man to lose so important a position on the very threshold of his professional life, and they were convinced that his knowledge of this would restrain him.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading That a person in their employ should differ from them boldly, and condemn their course openly, was an extraordinary event; that a young man in the outset of his career should dare so much was unprecedented.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading That a person in their employ should differ from them boldly, and condemn their course openly, was an extraordinary event; that a young man in the outset of his career should dare so much was unprecedented.
astounded
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From this reading But they were astounded to find that it did not.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It would be a ruinous thing, they said among themselves, for so young a man to lose so important a position on the very threshold of his professional life, and they were convinced that his knowledge of this would restrain him.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading He brought his plans with him, and laid them before them.
boldly
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From this reading That a person in their employ should differ from them boldly, and condemn their course openly, was an extraordinary event; that a young man in the outset of his career should dare so much was unprecedented.
broughtnounUS /ˈbrought/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading He brought his plans with him, and laid them before them.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But they were astounded to find that it did not.
career
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That a person in their employ should differ from them boldly, and condemn their course openly, was an extraordinary event; that a young man in the outset of his career should dare so much was unprecedented.
collieries
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From this reading The owners of the Riggan collieries held their meeting.
condemn
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From this reading That a person in their employ should differ from them boldly, and condemn their course openly, was an extraordinary event; that a young man in the outset of his career should dare so much was unprecedented.
convinced
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From this reading It would be a ruinous thing, they said among themselves, for so young a man to lose so important a position on the very threshold of his professional life, and they were convinced that his knowledge of this would restrain him.
coursenounUS /course/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading That a person in their employ should differ from them boldly, and condemn their course openly, was an extraordinary event; that a young man in the outset of his career should dare so much was unprecedented.
dare
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From this reading That a person in their employ should differ from them boldly, and condemn their course openly, was an extraordinary event; that a young man in the outset of his career should dare so much was unprecedented.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading But they were astounded to find that it did not.
differ
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From this reading That a person in their employ should differ from them boldly, and condemn their course openly, was an extraordinary event; that a young man in the outset of his career should dare so much was unprecedented.
employ
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That a person in their employ should differ from them boldly, and condemn their course openly, was an extraordinary event; that a young man in the outset of his career should dare so much was unprecedented.
event
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From this reading That a person in their employ should differ from them boldly, and condemn their course openly, was an extraordinary event; that a young man in the outset of his career should dare so much was unprecedented.
extraordinary
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From this reading That a person in their employ should differ from them boldly, and condemn their course openly, was an extraordinary event; that a young man in the outset of his career should dare so much was unprecedented.
find
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From this reading But they were astounded to find that it did not.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It would be a ruinous thing, they said among themselves, for so young a man to lose so important a position on the very threshold of his professional life, and they were convinced that his knowledge of this would restrain him.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading That a person in their employ should differ from them boldly, and condemn their course openly, was an extraordinary event; that a young man in the outset of his career should dare so much was unprecedented.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He brought his plans with him, and laid them before them.
held
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From this reading The owners of the Riggan collieries held their meeting.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It would be a ruinous thing, they said among themselves, for so young a man to lose so important a position on the very threshold of his professional life, and they were convinced that his knowledge of this would restrain him.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading That a person in their employ should differ from them boldly, and condemn their course openly, was an extraordinary event; that a young man in the outset of his career should dare so much was unprecedented.
important
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From this reading It would be a ruinous thing, they said among themselves, for so young a man to lose so important a position on the very threshold of his professional life, and they were convinced that his knowledge of this would restrain him.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading That a person in their employ should differ from them boldly, and condemn their course openly, was an extraordinary event; that a young man in the outset of his career should dare so much was unprecedented.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It would be a ruinous thing, they said among themselves, for so young a man to lose so important a position on the very threshold of his professional life, and they were convinced that his knowledge of this would restrain him.
knowledge
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It would be a ruinous thing, they said among themselves, for so young a man to lose so important a position on the very threshold of his professional life, and they were convinced that his knowledge of this would restrain him.
laid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He brought his plans with him, and laid them before them.
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It would be a ruinous thing, they said among themselves, for so young a man to lose so important a position on the very threshold of his professional life, and they were convinced that his knowledge of this would restrain him.
lose
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From this reading It would be a ruinous thing, they said among themselves, for so young a man to lose so important a position on the very threshold of his professional life, and they were convinced that his knowledge of this would restrain him.
man
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From this reading That a person in their employ should differ from them boldly, and condemn their course openly, was an extraordinary event; that a young man in the outset of his career should dare so much was unprecedented.
meeting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The owners of the Riggan collieries held their meeting.
much
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From this reading That a person in their employ should differ from them boldly, and condemn their course openly, was an extraordinary event; that a young man in the outset of his career should dare so much was unprecedented.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But they were astounded to find that it did not.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The owners of the Riggan collieries held their meeting.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It would be a ruinous thing, they said among themselves, for so young a man to lose so important a position on the very threshold of his professional life, and they were convinced that his knowledge of this would restrain him.
openly
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From this reading That a person in their employ should differ from them boldly, and condemn their course openly, was an extraordinary event; that a young man in the outset of his career should dare so much was unprecedented.
outset
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From this reading That a person in their employ should differ from them boldly, and condemn their course openly, was an extraordinary event; that a young man in the outset of his career should dare so much was unprecedented.
owners
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The owners of the Riggan collieries held their meeting.
person
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From this reading That a person in their employ should differ from them boldly, and condemn their course openly, was an extraordinary event; that a young man in the outset of his career should dare so much was unprecedented.
plans
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He brought his plans with him, and laid them before them.
position
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From this reading It would be a ruinous thing, they said among themselves, for so young a man to lose so important a position on the very threshold of his professional life, and they were convinced that his knowledge of this would restrain him.
professional
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It would be a ruinous thing, they said among themselves, for so young a man to lose so important a position on the very threshold of his professional life, and they were convinced that his knowledge of this would restrain him.
restrain
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From this reading It would be a ruinous thing, they said among themselves, for so young a man to lose so important a position on the very threshold of his professional life, and they were convinced that his knowledge of this would restrain him.
Riggan
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The owners of the Riggan collieries held their meeting.
ruinous
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From this reading It would be a ruinous thing, they said among themselves, for so young a man to lose so important a position on the very threshold of his professional life, and they were convinced that his knowledge of this would restrain him.
said
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From this reading It would be a ruinous thing, they said among themselves, for so young a man to lose so important a position on the very threshold of his professional life, and they were convinced that his knowledge of this would restrain him.
shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading That a person in their employ should differ from them boldly, and condemn their course openly, was an extraordinary event; that a young man in the outset of his career should dare so much was unprecedented.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading That a person in their employ should differ from them boldly, and condemn their course openly, was an extraordinary event; that a young man in the outset of his career should dare so much was unprecedented.
ThatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That a person in their employ should differ from them boldly, and condemn their course openly, was an extraordinary event; that a young man in the outset of his career should dare so much was unprecedented.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The owners of the Riggan collieries held their meeting.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The owners of the Riggan collieries held their meeting.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading That a person in their employ should differ from them boldly, and condemn their course openly, was an extraordinary event; that a young man in the outset of his career should dare so much was unprecedented.
themselvespronounUS /ðemˈselvz/
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading It would be a ruinous thing, they said among themselves, for so young a man to lose so important a position on the very threshold of his professional life, and they were convinced that his knowledge of this would restrain him.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It would be a ruinous thing, they said among themselves, for so young a man to lose so important a position on the very threshold of his professional life, and they were convinced that his knowledge of this would restrain him.
thingnounUS /thing/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It would be a ruinous thing, they said among themselves, for so young a man to lose so important a position on the very threshold of his professional life, and they were convinced that his knowledge of this would restrain him.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading It would be a ruinous thing, they said among themselves, for so young a man to lose so important a position on the very threshold of his professional life, and they were convinced that his knowledge of this would restrain him.
threshold
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It would be a ruinous thing, they said among themselves, for so young a man to lose so important a position on the very threshold of his professional life, and they were convinced that his knowledge of this would restrain him.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It would be a ruinous thing, they said among themselves, for so young a man to lose so important a position on the very threshold of his professional life, and they were convinced that his knowledge of this would restrain him.
unprecedented
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That a person in their employ should differ from them boldly, and condemn their course openly, was an extraordinary event; that a young man in the outset of his career should dare so much was unprecedented.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It would be a ruinous thing, they said among themselves, for so young a man to lose so important a position on the very threshold of his professional life, and they were convinced that his knowledge of this would restrain him.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading That a person in their employ should differ from them boldly, and condemn their course openly, was an extraordinary event; that a young man in the outset of his career should dare so much was unprecedented.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading It would be a ruinous thing, they said among themselves, for so young a man to lose so important a position on the very threshold of his professional life, and they were convinced that his knowledge of this would restrain him.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading He brought his plans with him, and laid them before them.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading It would be a ruinous thing, they said among themselves, for so young a man to lose so important a position on the very threshold of his professional life, and they were convinced that his knowledge of this would restrain him.
young
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That a person in their employ should differ from them boldly, and condemn their course openly, was an extraordinary event; that a young man in the outset of his career should dare so much was unprecedented.