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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 Strether had watched him quite as if, there on the pavement without a pretext, he had begun to dance a fancy step.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Chad had thrown back his light coat and thrust each of his thumbs into an armhole of his waistcoat; in which position his fingers played up and down.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Chad had thrown back his light coat and thrust each of his thumbs into an armhole of his waistcoat; in which position his fingers played up and down.
armhole
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Chad had thrown back his light coat and thrust each of his thumbs into an armhole of his waistcoat; in which position his fingers played up and down.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Strether had watched him quite as if, there on the pavement without a pretext, he had begun to dance a fancy step.
attention
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Strether felt a little faint, but he coerced his attention.
back
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Chad had thrown back his light coat and thrust each of his thumbs into an armhole of his waistcoat; in which position his fingers played up and down.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading “Is what you’re thinking of that you yourself, in the case you have in mind, would be the right man?”
begun
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Strether had watched him quite as if, there on the pavement without a pretext, he had begun to dance a fancy step.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading “Why, what is he but what you yourself, as I say, took me for when you first came out?”
came
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Why, what is he but what you yourself, as I say, took me for when you first came out?”
case
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Is what you’re thinking of that you yourself, in the case you have in mind, would be the right man?”
Chad
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Chad had thrown back his light coat and thrust each of his thumbs into an armhole of his waistcoat; in which position his fingers played up and down.
coat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Chad had thrown back his light coat and thrust each of his thumbs into an armhole of his waistcoat; in which position his fingers played up and down.
coerced
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Strether felt a little faint, but he coerced his attention.
dance
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Strether had watched him quite as if, there on the pavement without a pretext, he had begun to dance a fancy step.
down
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Chad had thrown back his light coat and thrust each of his thumbs into an armhole of his waistcoat; in which position his fingers played up and down.
eachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading Chad had thrown back his light coat and thrust each of his thumbs into an armhole of his waistcoat; in which position his fingers played up and down.
faint
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Strether felt a little faint, but he coerced his attention.
fancy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Strether had watched him quite as if, there on the pavement without a pretext, he had begun to dance a fancy step.
felt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Strether felt a little faint, but he coerced his attention.
fingers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Chad had thrown back his light coat and thrust each of his thumbs into an armhole of his waistcoat; in which position his fingers played up and down.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Why, what is he but what you yourself, as I say, took me for when you first came out?”
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading “Why, what is he but what you yourself, as I say, took me for when you first came out?”
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Strether had watched him quite as if, there on the pavement without a pretext, he had begun to dance a fancy step.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “Is what you’re thinking of that you yourself, in the case you have in mind, would be the right man?”
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Strether had watched him quite as if, there on the pavement without a pretext, he had begun to dance a fancy step.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Strether had watched him quite as if, there on the pavement without a pretext, he had begun to dance a fancy step.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Chad had thrown back his light coat and thrust each of his thumbs into an armhole of his waistcoat; in which position his fingers played up and down.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “Why, what is he but what you yourself, as I say, took me for when you first came out?”
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Strether had watched him quite as if, there on the pavement without a pretext, he had begun to dance a fancy step.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “Is what you’re thinking of that you yourself, in the case you have in mind, would be the right man?”
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Chad had thrown back his light coat and thrust each of his thumbs into an armhole of his waistcoat; in which position his fingers played up and down.
Isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “Is what you’re thinking of that you yourself, in the case you have in mind, would be the right man?”
light
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Chad had thrown back his light coat and thrust each of his thumbs into an armhole of his waistcoat; in which position his fingers played up and down.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Strether felt a little faint, but he coerced his attention.
man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Is what you’re thinking of that you yourself, in the case you have in mind, would be the right man?”
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “Why, what is he but what you yourself, as I say, took me for when you first came out?”
mindnounUS /mind/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Is what you’re thinking of that you yourself, in the case you have in mind, would be the right man?”
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “Is what you’re thinking of that you yourself, in the case you have in mind, would be the right man?”
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Strether had watched him quite as if, there on the pavement without a pretext, he had begun to dance a fancy step.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Why, what is he but what you yourself, as I say, took me for when you first came out?”
pavement
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Strether had watched him quite as if, there on the pavement without a pretext, he had begun to dance a fancy step.
played
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Chad had thrown back his light coat and thrust each of his thumbs into an armhole of his waistcoat; in which position his fingers played up and down.
position
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Chad had thrown back his light coat and thrust each of his thumbs into an armhole of his waistcoat; in which position his fingers played up and down.
pretext
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Strether had watched him quite as if, there on the pavement without a pretext, he had begun to dance a fancy step.
quitenounUS /quite/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Strether had watched him quite as if, there on the pavement without a pretext, he had begun to dance a fancy step.
rightnounUS /right/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Is what you’re thinking of that you yourself, in the case you have in mind, would be the right man?”
say
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Why, what is he but what you yourself, as I say, took me for when you first came out?”
stepnounUS /step/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Strether had watched him quite as if, there on the pavement without a pretext, he had begun to dance a fancy step.
Strether
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Strether had watched him quite as if, there on the pavement without a pretext, he had begun to dance a fancy step.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “Is what you’re thinking of that you yourself, in the case you have in mind, would be the right man?”
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Strether had watched him quite as if, there on the pavement without a pretext, he had begun to dance a fancy step.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Strether had watched him quite as if, there on the pavement without a pretext, he had begun to dance a fancy step.
thinkingnounUS /thinking/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Is what you’re thinking of that you yourself, in the case you have in mind, would be the right man?”
thrown
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Chad had thrown back his light coat and thrust each of his thumbs into an armhole of his waistcoat; in which position his fingers played up and down.
thrust
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Chad had thrown back his light coat and thrust each of his thumbs into an armhole of his waistcoat; in which position his fingers played up and down.
thumbs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Chad had thrown back his light coat and thrust each of his thumbs into an armhole of his waistcoat; in which position his fingers played up and down.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Strether had watched him quite as if, there on the pavement without a pretext, he had begun to dance a fancy step.
tooknounUS /took/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Why, what is he but what you yourself, as I say, took me for when you first came out?”
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Chad had thrown back his light coat and thrust each of his thumbs into an armhole of his waistcoat; in which position his fingers played up and down.
waistcoat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Chad had thrown back his light coat and thrust each of his thumbs into an armhole of his waistcoat; in which position his fingers played up and down.
watched
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Strether had watched him quite as if, there on the pavement without a pretext, he had begun to dance a fancy step.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “Is what you’re thinking of that you yourself, in the case you have in mind, would be the right man?”
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading “Why, what is he but what you yourself, as I say, took me for when you first came out?”
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Chad had thrown back his light coat and thrust each of his thumbs into an armhole of his waistcoat; in which position his fingers played up and down.
Why
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Why, what is he but what you yourself, as I say, took me for when you first came out?”
withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading Strether had watched him quite as if, there on the pavement without a pretext, he had begun to dance a fancy step.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading “Is what you’re thinking of that you yourself, in the case you have in mind, would be the right man?”
youpronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Is what you’re thinking of that you yourself, in the case you have in mind, would be the right man?”
you're
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Is what you’re thinking of that you yourself, in the case you have in mind, would be the right man?”
yourselfpronounUS /jərˈself/
used when the person spoken to is also the object of the action
From this reading “Is what you’re thinking of that you yourself, in the case you have in mind, would be the right man?”
