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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 But there was a tense-strung thrill in knowing that they who were being led to them were the Bearers of the Sign.
almost
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could almost have shrieked aloud, in the intensity of his excitement, when the old priest stopped before a big black door!
aloud
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could almost have shrieked aloud, in the intensity of his excitement, when the old priest stopped before a big black door!
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The old priest knew how breathlessly, and he knew what he was bringing them.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The Rat went hot and cold; he gnawed his fingers as he went.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Marco and The Rat, in spite of their fond boy-imaginings, were not quite old enough to know how fierce and full of flaming eagerness the breathless waiting of savage full-grown men could be.
Bearers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But there was a tense-strung thrill in knowing that they who were being led to them were the Bearers of the Sign.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading He could almost have shrieked aloud, in the intensity of his excitement, when the old priest stopped before a big black door!
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading But there was a tense-strung thrill in knowing that they who were being led to them were the Bearers of the Sign.
big
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could almost have shrieked aloud, in the intensity of his excitement, when the old priest stopped before a big black door!
black
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From this reading He could almost have shrieked aloud, in the intensity of his excitement, when the old priest stopped before a big black door!
boy-imaginings
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From this reading Marco and The Rat, in spite of their fond boy-imaginings, were not quite old enough to know how fierce and full of flaming eagerness the breathless waiting of savage full-grown men could be.
breathless
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Marco and The Rat, in spite of their fond boy-imaginings, were not quite old enough to know how fierce and full of flaming eagerness the breathless waiting of savage full-grown men could be.
breathlessly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The old priest knew how breathlessly, and he knew what he was bringing them.
bringing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The old priest knew how breathlessly, and he knew what he was bringing them.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But there was a tense-strung thrill in knowing that they who were being led to them were the Bearers of the Sign.
cold
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From this reading The Rat went hot and cold; he gnawed his fingers as he went.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Marco and The Rat, in spite of their fond boy-imaginings, were not quite old enough to know how fierce and full of flaming eagerness the breathless waiting of savage full-grown men could be.
door
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could almost have shrieked aloud, in the intensity of his excitement, when the old priest stopped before a big black door!
eagerness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Marco and The Rat, in spite of their fond boy-imaginings, were not quite old enough to know how fierce and full of flaming eagerness the breathless waiting of savage full-grown men could be.
enough
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Marco and The Rat, in spite of their fond boy-imaginings, were not quite old enough to know how fierce and full of flaming eagerness the breathless waiting of savage full-grown men could be.
excitement
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could almost have shrieked aloud, in the intensity of his excitement, when the old priest stopped before a big black door!
fierce
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Marco and The Rat, in spite of their fond boy-imaginings, were not quite old enough to know how fierce and full of flaming eagerness the breathless waiting of savage full-grown men could be.
fingers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Rat went hot and cold; he gnawed his fingers as he went.
flaming
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Marco and The Rat, in spite of their fond boy-imaginings, were not quite old enough to know how fierce and full of flaming eagerness the breathless waiting of savage full-grown men could be.
fond
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Marco and The Rat, in spite of their fond boy-imaginings, were not quite old enough to know how fierce and full of flaming eagerness the breathless waiting of savage full-grown men could be.
full
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Marco and The Rat, in spite of their fond boy-imaginings, were not quite old enough to know how fierce and full of flaming eagerness the breathless waiting of savage full-grown men could be.
full-grown
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Marco and The Rat, in spite of their fond boy-imaginings, were not quite old enough to know how fierce and full of flaming eagerness the breathless waiting of savage full-grown men could be.
gnawed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Rat went hot and cold; he gnawed his fingers as he went.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading He could almost have shrieked aloud, in the intensity of his excitement, when the old priest stopped before a big black door!
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The old priest knew how breathlessly, and he knew what he was bringing them.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The Rat went hot and cold; he gnawed his fingers as he went.
hot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Rat went hot and cold; he gnawed his fingers as he went.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The old priest knew how breathlessly, and he knew what he was bringing them.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Marco and The Rat, in spite of their fond boy-imaginings, were not quite old enough to know how fierce and full of flaming eagerness the breathless waiting of savage full-grown men could be.
intensity
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could almost have shrieked aloud, in the intensity of his excitement, when the old priest stopped before a big black door!
knew
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The old priest knew how breathlessly, and he knew what he was bringing them.
knownounUS /know/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Marco and The Rat, in spite of their fond boy-imaginings, were not quite old enough to know how fierce and full of flaming eagerness the breathless waiting of savage full-grown men could be.
knowing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But there was a tense-strung thrill in knowing that they who were being led to them were the Bearers of the Sign.
led
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But there was a tense-strung thrill in knowing that they who were being led to them were the Bearers of the Sign.
Marco
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Marco and The Rat, in spite of their fond boy-imaginings, were not quite old enough to know how fierce and full of flaming eagerness the breathless waiting of savage full-grown men could be.
men
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Marco and The Rat, in spite of their fond boy-imaginings, were not quite old enough to know how fierce and full of flaming eagerness the breathless waiting of savage full-grown men could be.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Marco and The Rat, in spite of their fond boy-imaginings, were not quite old enough to know how fierce and full of flaming eagerness the breathless waiting of savage full-grown men could be.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Marco and The Rat, in spite of their fond boy-imaginings, were not quite old enough to know how fierce and full of flaming eagerness the breathless waiting of savage full-grown men could be.
old
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The old priest knew how breathlessly, and he knew what he was bringing them.
priest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The old priest knew how breathlessly, and he knew what he was bringing them.
quitenounUS /quite/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Marco and The Rat, in spite of their fond boy-imaginings, were not quite old enough to know how fierce and full of flaming eagerness the breathless waiting of savage full-grown men could be.
Rat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Marco and The Rat, in spite of their fond boy-imaginings, were not quite old enough to know how fierce and full of flaming eagerness the breathless waiting of savage full-grown men could be.
savage
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Marco and The Rat, in spite of their fond boy-imaginings, were not quite old enough to know how fierce and full of flaming eagerness the breathless waiting of savage full-grown men could be.
shrieked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could almost have shrieked aloud, in the intensity of his excitement, when the old priest stopped before a big black door!
Sign
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But there was a tense-strung thrill in knowing that they who were being led to them were the Bearers of the Sign.
spite
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Marco and The Rat, in spite of their fond boy-imaginings, were not quite old enough to know how fierce and full of flaming eagerness the breathless waiting of savage full-grown men could be.
stoppednounUS /stopped/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He could almost have shrieked aloud, in the intensity of his excitement, when the old priest stopped before a big black door!
tense-strung
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But there was a tense-strung thrill in knowing that they who were being led to them were the Bearers of the Sign.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading But there was a tense-strung thrill in knowing that they who were being led to them were the Bearers of the Sign.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The old priest knew how breathlessly, and he knew what he was bringing them.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Marco and The Rat, in spite of their fond boy-imaginings, were not quite old enough to know how fierce and full of flaming eagerness the breathless waiting of savage full-grown men could be.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The old priest knew how breathlessly, and he knew what he was bringing them.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But there was a tense-strung thrill in knowing that they who were being led to them were the Bearers of the Sign.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But there was a tense-strung thrill in knowing that they who were being led to them were the Bearers of the Sign.
thrill
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But there was a tense-strung thrill in knowing that they who were being led to them were the Bearers of the Sign.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Marco and The Rat, in spite of their fond boy-imaginings, were not quite old enough to know how fierce and full of flaming eagerness the breathless waiting of savage full-grown men could be.
waiting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Marco and The Rat, in spite of their fond boy-imaginings, were not quite old enough to know how fierce and full of flaming eagerness the breathless waiting of savage full-grown men could be.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The old priest knew how breathlessly, and he knew what he was bringing them.
wentnounUS /went/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The Rat went hot and cold; he gnawed his fingers as he went.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Marco and The Rat, in spite of their fond boy-imaginings, were not quite old enough to know how fierce and full of flaming eagerness the breathless waiting of savage full-grown men could be.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading The old priest knew how breathlessly, and he knew what he was bringing them.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading He could almost have shrieked aloud, in the intensity of his excitement, when the old priest stopped before a big black door!
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading But there was a tense-strung thrill in knowing that they who were being led to them were the Bearers of the Sign.
