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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 In point of fact, it was merely a dinner for business men—small business men, of course.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was just before Ernest ran for Congress, on the socialist ticket, that father gave what he privately called his “Profit and Loss” dinner.
any
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From this reading I doubt if one of them was interested in any business the total capitalization of which exceeded a couple of hundred thousand dollars.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading It was just before Ernest ran for Congress, on the socialist ticket, that father gave what he privately called his “Profit and Loss” dinner.
Breakers
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From this reading Ernest called it the dinner of the Machine Breakers.
business
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From this reading In point of fact, it was merely a dinner for business men—small business men, of course.
called
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From this reading It was just before Ernest ran for Congress, on the socialist ticket, that father gave what he privately called his “Profit and Loss” dinner.
capitalization
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From this reading I doubt if one of them was interested in any business the total capitalization of which exceeded a couple of hundred thousand dollars.
Congress
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From this reading It was just before Ernest ran for Congress, on the socialist ticket, that father gave what he privately called his “Profit and Loss” dinner.
couplenounUS /ˈkʌpəl/
two people or things considered together
From this reading I doubt if one of them was interested in any business the total capitalization of which exceeded a couple of hundred thousand dollars.
coursenounUS /course/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading In point of fact, it was merely a dinner for business men—small business men, of course.
dinner
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From this reading It was just before Ernest ran for Congress, on the socialist ticket, that father gave what he privately called his “Profit and Loss” dinner.
dollars
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From this reading I doubt if one of them was interested in any business the total capitalization of which exceeded a couple of hundred thousand dollars.
doubt
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From this reading I doubt if one of them was interested in any business the total capitalization of which exceeded a couple of hundred thousand dollars.
Ernest
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From this reading It was just before Ernest ran for Congress, on the socialist ticket, that father gave what he privately called his “Profit and Loss” dinner.
exceeded
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From this reading I doubt if one of them was interested in any business the total capitalization of which exceeded a couple of hundred thousand dollars.
fact
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From this reading In point of fact, it was merely a dinner for business men—small business men, of course.
father
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was just before Ernest ran for Congress, on the socialist ticket, that father gave what he privately called his “Profit and Loss” dinner.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It was just before Ernest ran for Congress, on the socialist ticket, that father gave what he privately called his “Profit and Loss” dinner.
gave
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was just before Ernest ran for Congress, on the socialist ticket, that father gave what he privately called his “Profit and Loss” dinner.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was just before Ernest ran for Congress, on the socialist ticket, that father gave what he privately called his “Profit and Loss” dinner.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading It was just before Ernest ran for Congress, on the socialist ticket, that father gave what he privately called his “Profit and Loss” dinner.
hundred
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I doubt if one of them was interested in any business the total capitalization of which exceeded a couple of hundred thousand dollars.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I doubt if one of them was interested in any business the total capitalization of which exceeded a couple of hundred thousand dollars.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading I doubt if one of them was interested in any business the total capitalization of which exceeded a couple of hundred thousand dollars.
InprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In point of fact, it was merely a dinner for business men—small business men, of course.
interested
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I doubt if one of them was interested in any business the total capitalization of which exceeded a couple of hundred thousand dollars.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was just before Ernest ran for Congress, on the socialist ticket, that father gave what he privately called his “Profit and Loss” dinner.
just
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From this reading It was just before Ernest ran for Congress, on the socialist ticket, that father gave what he privately called his “Profit and Loss” dinner.
Loss
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From this reading It was just before Ernest ran for Congress, on the socialist ticket, that father gave what he privately called his “Profit and Loss” dinner.
Machine
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From this reading Ernest called it the dinner of the Machine Breakers.
men
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In point of fact, it was merely a dinner for business men—small business men, of course.
merely
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From this reading In point of fact, it was merely a dinner for business men—small business men, of course.
middle-class
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From this reading They were truly representative middle-class business men.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Ernest called it the dinner of the Machine Breakers.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It was just before Ernest ran for Congress, on the socialist ticket, that father gave what he privately called his “Profit and Loss” dinner.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading I doubt if one of them was interested in any business the total capitalization of which exceeded a couple of hundred thousand dollars.
pointnounUS /pɔɪnt/
the main matter or purpose being discussed
From this reading In point of fact, it was merely a dinner for business men—small business men, of course.
privately
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was just before Ernest ran for Congress, on the socialist ticket, that father gave what he privately called his “Profit and Loss” dinner.
Profit
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From this reading It was just before Ernest ran for Congress, on the socialist ticket, that father gave what he privately called his “Profit and Loss” dinner.
ran
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From this reading It was just before Ernest ran for Congress, on the socialist ticket, that father gave what he privately called his “Profit and Loss” dinner.
representative
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were truly representative middle-class business men.
small
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In point of fact, it was merely a dinner for business men—small business men, of course.
socialist
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was just before Ernest ran for Congress, on the socialist ticket, that father gave what he privately called his “Profit and Loss” dinner.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was just before Ernest ran for Congress, on the socialist ticket, that father gave what he privately called his “Profit and Loss” dinner.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was just before Ernest ran for Congress, on the socialist ticket, that father gave what he privately called his “Profit and Loss” dinner.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading I doubt if one of them was interested in any business the total capitalization of which exceeded a couple of hundred thousand dollars.
TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were truly representative middle-class business men.
thousand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I doubt if one of them was interested in any business the total capitalization of which exceeded a couple of hundred thousand dollars.
ticket
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was just before Ernest ran for Congress, on the socialist ticket, that father gave what he privately called his “Profit and Loss” dinner.
total
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I doubt if one of them was interested in any business the total capitalization of which exceeded a couple of hundred thousand dollars.
truly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were truly representative middle-class business men.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was just before Ernest ran for Congress, on the socialist ticket, that father gave what he privately called his “Profit and Loss” dinner.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were truly representative middle-class business men.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading It was just before Ernest ran for Congress, on the socialist ticket, that father gave what he privately called his “Profit and Loss” dinner.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading I doubt if one of them was interested in any business the total capitalization of which exceeded a couple of hundred thousand dollars.
