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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 sort of melodrama about her situation that keyed her up.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
acquired
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From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
activity
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From this reading Every activity of the house she scrutinized with suspicion.
admit
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From this reading She would never admit it, but, nevertheless, there were times when she really enjoyed herself.
affairs
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From this reading She felt that affairs went forward there under the surface which she could only guess at but could not detect.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading She felt that affairs went forward there under the surface which she could only guess at but could not detect.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading She felt that affairs went forward there under the surface which she could only guess at but could not detect.
corners
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From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading She felt that affairs went forward there under the surface which she could only guess at but could not detect.
detect
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She felt that affairs went forward there under the surface which she could only guess at but could not detect.
enjoyed
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From this reading She would never admit it, but, nevertheless, there were times when she really enjoyed herself.
entered
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From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
EverydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading Every activity of the house she scrutinized with suspicion.
father's
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From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
felt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She felt that affairs went forward there under the surface which she could only guess at but could not detect.
forwardnounUS /forward/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She felt that affairs went forward there under the surface which she could only guess at but could not detect.
guess
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She felt that affairs went forward there under the surface which she could only guess at but could not detect.
habit
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From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading She would never admit it, but, nevertheless, there were times when she really enjoyed herself.
Hildegarde
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From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading She would never admit it, but, nevertheless, there were times when she really enjoyed herself.
keyed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a sort of melodrama about her situation that keyed her up.
listen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
melodrama
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a sort of melodrama about her situation that keyed her up.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She would never admit it, but, nevertheless, there were times when she really enjoyed herself.
neverthelessadverbUS /ˌnevərðəˈles/
in spite of what has just been said
From this reading She would never admit it, but, nevertheless, there were times when she really enjoyed herself.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading She felt that affairs went forward there under the surface which she could only guess at but could not detect.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
only
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She felt that affairs went forward there under the surface which she could only guess at but could not detect.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
really
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She would never admit it, but, nevertheless, there were times when she really enjoyed herself.
rooms
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
scrutinized
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Every activity of the house she scrutinized with suspicion.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
situation
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a sort of melodrama about her situation that keyed her up.
softly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
sort
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a sort of melodrama about her situation that keyed her up.
stepping
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
stopping
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
surface
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She felt that affairs went forward there under the surface which she could only guess at but could not detect.
suspicion
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Every activity of the house she scrutinized with suspicion.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading She felt that affairs went forward there under the surface which she could only guess at but could not detect.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She felt that affairs went forward there under the surface which she could only guess at but could not detect.
times
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She would never admit it, but, nevertheless, there were times when she really enjoyed herself.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
turned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading She felt that affairs went forward there under the surface which she could only guess at but could not detect.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a sort of melodrama about her situation that keyed her up.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was a sort of melodrama about her situation that keyed her up.
wentnounUS /went/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Hildegarde had acquired the habit of stepping softly as she went about her father's house; of stopping to listen before she turned corners or entered rooms.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading She would never admit it, but, nevertheless, there were times when she really enjoyed herself.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading She would never admit it, but, nevertheless, there were times when she really enjoyed herself.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading She felt that affairs went forward there under the surface which she could only guess at but could not detect.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Every activity of the house she scrutinized with suspicion.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading She would never admit it, but, nevertheless, there were times when she really enjoyed herself.
