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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 A WOMAN’S DECISION There was a moment’s stupefied silence, while the prince looked triumphantly at each of them in turn, his gaze lingering upon Selden an instant longer than upon the others, as though asking what he did there.
againnounUS /again/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Come!” he said again, as Madame Ghita made no move.
air
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His eyes were shining strangely, and there was something defiant in his face, something reckless in his air, as of a man who had started forth upon some desperate venture and burned his boats behind him.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading A WOMAN’S DECISION There was a moment’s stupefied silence, while the prince looked triumphantly at each of them in turn, his gaze lingering upon Selden an instant longer than upon the others, as though asking what he did there.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading His eyes were shining strangely, and there was something defiant in his face, something reckless in his air, as of a man who had started forth upon some desperate venture and burned his boats behind him.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading A WOMAN’S DECISION There was a moment’s stupefied silence, while the prince looked triumphantly at each of them in turn, his gaze lingering upon Selden an instant longer than upon the others, as though asking what he did there.
asking
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From this reading A WOMAN’S DECISION There was a moment’s stupefied silence, while the prince looked triumphantly at each of them in turn, his gaze lingering upon Selden an instant longer than upon the others, as though asking what he did there.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading A WOMAN’S DECISION There was a moment’s stupefied silence, while the prince looked triumphantly at each of them in turn, his gaze lingering upon Selden an instant longer than upon the others, as though asking what he did there.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading His eyes were shining strangely, and there was something defiant in his face, something reckless in his air, as of a man who had started forth upon some desperate venture and burned his boats behind him.
boats
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His eyes were shining strangely, and there was something defiant in his face, something reckless in his air, as of a man who had started forth upon some desperate venture and burned his boats behind him.
burned
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From this reading His eyes were shining strangely, and there was something defiant in his face, something reckless in his air, as of a man who had started forth upon some desperate venture and burned his boats behind him.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading “But I do not understand!” she protested.
champagne
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I have had enough of it!” said the prince, and he filled himself a glass of champagne and gulped it down.
ComenounUS /come/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Come!” he said again, as Madame Ghita made no move.
DECISION
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From this reading A WOMAN’S DECISION There was a moment’s stupefied silence, while the prince looked triumphantly at each of them in turn, his gaze lingering upon Selden an instant longer than upon the others, as though asking what he did there.
defiant
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His eyes were shining strangely, and there was something defiant in his face, something reckless in his air, as of a man who had started forth upon some desperate venture and burned his boats behind him.
desperate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His eyes were shining strangely, and there was something defiant in his face, something reckless in his air, as of a man who had started forth upon some desperate venture and burned his boats behind him.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading A WOMAN’S DECISION There was a moment’s stupefied silence, while the prince looked triumphantly at each of them in turn, his gaze lingering upon Selden an instant longer than upon the others, as though asking what he did there.
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading “But I do not understand!” she protested.
down
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I have had enough of it!” said the prince, and he filled himself a glass of champagne and gulped it down.
eachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading A WOMAN’S DECISION There was a moment’s stupefied silence, while the prince looked triumphantly at each of them in turn, his gaze lingering upon Selden an instant longer than upon the others, as though asking what he did there.
enough
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I have had enough of it!” said the prince, and he filled himself a glass of champagne and gulped it down.
eyes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His eyes were shining strangely, and there was something defiant in his face, something reckless in his air, as of a man who had started forth upon some desperate venture and burned his boats behind him.
face
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His eyes were shining strangely, and there was something defiant in his face, something reckless in his air, as of a man who had started forth upon some desperate venture and burned his boats behind him.
filled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I have had enough of it!” said the prince, and he filled himself a glass of champagne and gulped it down.
forth
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From this reading His eyes were shining strangely, and there was something defiant in his face, something reckless in his air, as of a man who had started forth upon some desperate venture and burned his boats behind him.
gaze
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A WOMAN’S DECISION There was a moment’s stupefied silence, while the prince looked triumphantly at each of them in turn, his gaze lingering upon Selden an instant longer than upon the others, as though asking what he did there.
Ghita
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Come!” he said again, as Madame Ghita made no move.
glass
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I have had enough of it!” said the prince, and he filled himself a glass of champagne and gulped it down.
gulped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I have had enough of it!” said the prince, and he filled himself a glass of champagne and gulped it down.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading His eyes were shining strangely, and there was something defiant in his face, something reckless in his air, as of a man who had started forth upon some desperate venture and burned his boats behind him.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “I have had enough of it!” said the prince, and he filled himself a glass of champagne and gulped it down.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading A WOMAN’S DECISION There was a moment’s stupefied silence, while the prince looked triumphantly at each of them in turn, his gaze lingering upon Selden an instant longer than upon the others, as though asking what he did there.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading His eyes were shining strangely, and there was something defiant in his face, something reckless in his air, as of a man who had started forth upon some desperate venture and burned his boats behind him.
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading “I have had enough of it!” said the prince, and he filled himself a glass of champagne and gulped it down.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading A WOMAN’S DECISION There was a moment’s stupefied silence, while the prince looked triumphantly at each of them in turn, his gaze lingering upon Selden an instant longer than upon the others, as though asking what he did there.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “But I do not understand!” she protested.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A WOMAN’S DECISION There was a moment’s stupefied silence, while the prince looked triumphantly at each of them in turn, his gaze lingering upon Selden an instant longer than upon the others, as though asking what he did there.
instant
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A WOMAN’S DECISION There was a moment’s stupefied silence, while the prince looked triumphantly at each of them in turn, his gaze lingering upon Selden an instant longer than upon the others, as though asking what he did there.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “I have had enough of it!” said the prince, and he filled himself a glass of champagne and gulped it down.
lingering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A WOMAN’S DECISION There was a moment’s stupefied silence, while the prince looked triumphantly at each of them in turn, his gaze lingering upon Selden an instant longer than upon the others, as though asking what he did there.
longer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A WOMAN’S DECISION There was a moment’s stupefied silence, while the prince looked triumphantly at each of them in turn, his gaze lingering upon Selden an instant longer than upon the others, as though asking what he did there.
lookednounUS /looked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading A WOMAN’S DECISION There was a moment’s stupefied silence, while the prince looked triumphantly at each of them in turn, his gaze lingering upon Selden an instant longer than upon the others, as though asking what he did there.
Madame
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Come!” he said again, as Madame Ghita made no move.
made
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Come!” he said again, as Madame Ghita made no move.
man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His eyes were shining strangely, and there was something defiant in his face, something reckless in his air, as of a man who had started forth upon some desperate venture and burned his boats behind him.
moment's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A WOMAN’S DECISION There was a moment’s stupefied silence, while the prince looked triumphantly at each of them in turn, his gaze lingering upon Selden an instant longer than upon the others, as though asking what he did there.
move
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Come!” he said again, as Madame Ghita made no move.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading “Come!” he said again, as Madame Ghita made no move.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading “But I do not understand!” she protested.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A WOMAN’S DECISION There was a moment’s stupefied silence, while the prince looked triumphantly at each of them in turn, his gaze lingering upon Selden an instant longer than upon the others, as though asking what he did there.
others
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A WOMAN’S DECISION There was a moment’s stupefied silence, while the prince looked triumphantly at each of them in turn, his gaze lingering upon Selden an instant longer than upon the others, as though asking what he did there.
prince
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A WOMAN’S DECISION There was a moment’s stupefied silence, while the prince looked triumphantly at each of them in turn, his gaze lingering upon Selden an instant longer than upon the others, as though asking what he did there.
protested
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “But I do not understand!” she protested.
reckless
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His eyes were shining strangely, and there was something defiant in his face, something reckless in his air, as of a man who had started forth upon some desperate venture and burned his boats behind him.
said
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Come!” he said again, as Madame Ghita made no move.
Selden
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A WOMAN’S DECISION There was a moment’s stupefied silence, while the prince looked triumphantly at each of them in turn, his gaze lingering upon Selden an instant longer than upon the others, as though asking what he did there.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “But I do not understand!” she protested.
shining
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His eyes were shining strangely, and there was something defiant in his face, something reckless in his air, as of a man who had started forth upon some desperate venture and burned his boats behind him.
silencenounUS /ˈsaɪ.ləns/
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading A WOMAN’S DECISION There was a moment’s stupefied silence, while the prince looked triumphantly at each of them in turn, his gaze lingering upon Selden an instant longer than upon the others, as though asking what he did there.
some
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His eyes were shining strangely, and there was something defiant in his face, something reckless in his air, as of a man who had started forth upon some desperate venture and burned his boats behind him.
somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
a thing, without saying which
From this reading His eyes were shining strangely, and there was something defiant in his face, something reckless in his air, as of a man who had started forth upon some desperate venture and burned his boats behind him.
started
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His eyes were shining strangely, and there was something defiant in his face, something reckless in his air, as of a man who had started forth upon some desperate venture and burned his boats behind him.
strangelynounUS /ˈstrangely/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading His eyes were shining strangely, and there was something defiant in his face, something reckless in his air, as of a man who had started forth upon some desperate venture and burned his boats behind him.
stupefied
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A WOMAN’S DECISION There was a moment’s stupefied silence, while the prince looked triumphantly at each of them in turn, his gaze lingering upon Selden an instant longer than upon the others, as though asking what he did there.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading A WOMAN’S DECISION There was a moment’s stupefied silence, while the prince looked triumphantly at each of them in turn, his gaze lingering upon Selden an instant longer than upon the others, as though asking what he did there.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A WOMAN’S DECISION There was a moment’s stupefied silence, while the prince looked triumphantly at each of them in turn, his gaze lingering upon Selden an instant longer than upon the others, as though asking what he did there.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading A WOMAN’S DECISION There was a moment’s stupefied silence, while the prince looked triumphantly at each of them in turn, his gaze lingering upon Selden an instant longer than upon the others, as though asking what he did there.
There
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A WOMAN’S DECISION There was a moment’s stupefied silence, while the prince looked triumphantly at each of them in turn, his gaze lingering upon Selden an instant longer than upon the others, as though asking what he did there.
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading A WOMAN’S DECISION There was a moment’s stupefied silence, while the prince looked triumphantly at each of them in turn, his gaze lingering upon Selden an instant longer than upon the others, as though asking what he did there.
triumphantly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A WOMAN’S DECISION There was a moment’s stupefied silence, while the prince looked triumphantly at each of them in turn, his gaze lingering upon Selden an instant longer than upon the others, as though asking what he did there.
turn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A WOMAN’S DECISION There was a moment’s stupefied silence, while the prince looked triumphantly at each of them in turn, his gaze lingering upon Selden an instant longer than upon the others, as though asking what he did there.
understandnounUS /understand/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “But I do not understand!” she protested.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading A WOMAN’S DECISION There was a moment’s stupefied silence, while the prince looked triumphantly at each of them in turn, his gaze lingering upon Selden an instant longer than upon the others, as though asking what he did there.
venture
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His eyes were shining strangely, and there was something defiant in his face, something reckless in his air, as of a man who had started forth upon some desperate venture and burned his boats behind him.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A WOMAN’S DECISION There was a moment’s stupefied silence, while the prince looked triumphantly at each of them in turn, his gaze lingering upon Selden an instant longer than upon the others, as though asking what he did there.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading His eyes were shining strangely, and there was something defiant in his face, something reckless in his air, as of a man who had started forth upon some desperate venture and burned his boats behind him.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading A WOMAN’S DECISION There was a moment’s stupefied silence, while the prince looked triumphantly at each of them in turn, his gaze lingering upon Selden an instant longer than upon the others, as though asking what he did there.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading A WOMAN’S DECISION There was a moment’s stupefied silence, while the prince looked triumphantly at each of them in turn, his gaze lingering upon Selden an instant longer than upon the others, as though asking what he did there.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading His eyes were shining strangely, and there was something defiant in his face, something reckless in his air, as of a man who had started forth upon some desperate venture and burned his boats behind him.
WOMAN'S
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A WOMAN’S DECISION There was a moment’s stupefied silence, while the prince looked triumphantly at each of them in turn, his gaze lingering upon Selden an instant longer than upon the others, as though asking what he did there.