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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 THE FLIGHT There never was a feud, nor yet a war, which did not revert to barbarism; for reprisal invites reprisal, and hot blood breeds new excesses until it ends in a mad swirl of killing.
absolute
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For the object of warfare, of course, is to kill; and why stop short of the absolute?
all
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From this reading Why leave boys to grow to manhood, or women to breed more boys, or old men to nurse the spark of future wars; why not kill them all, as speedily as possible, and with the least possible danger to ourselves?
always
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From this reading And always the human reason, ever the servant to our passions, finds a way to justify the slaughter.
ambush
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From this reading There we have the justification not only of war, but of feuds and murder from ambush; but the murders come first and reason follows tardily to lull the protests of conscience.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE FLIGHT There never was a feud, nor yet a war, which did not revert to barbarism; for reprisal invites reprisal, and hot blood breeds new excesses until it ends in a mad swirl of killing.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Why leave boys to grow to manhood, or women to breed more boys, or old men to nurse the spark of future wars; why not kill them all, as speedily as possible, and with the least possible danger to ourselves?
barbarism
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From this reading THE FLIGHT There never was a feud, nor yet a war, which did not revert to barbarism; for reprisal invites reprisal, and hot blood breeds new excesses until it ends in a mad swirl of killing.
bloodnounUS /blood/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading THE FLIGHT There never was a feud, nor yet a war, which did not revert to barbarism; for reprisal invites reprisal, and hot blood breeds new excesses until it ends in a mad swirl of killing.
boys
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From this reading Why leave boys to grow to manhood, or women to breed more boys, or old men to nurse the spark of future wars; why not kill them all, as speedily as possible, and with the least possible danger to ourselves?
breed
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From this reading Why leave boys to grow to manhood, or women to breed more boys, or old men to nurse the spark of future wars; why not kill them all, as speedily as possible, and with the least possible danger to ourselves?
breeds
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From this reading THE FLIGHT There never was a feud, nor yet a war, which did not revert to barbarism; for reprisal invites reprisal, and hot blood breeds new excesses until it ends in a mad swirl of killing.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading There we have the justification not only of war, but of feuds and murder from ambush; but the murders come first and reason follows tardily to lull the protests of conscience.
comenounUS /come/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There we have the justification not only of war, but of feuds and murder from ambush; but the murders come first and reason follows tardily to lull the protests of conscience.
consciencenounUS /ˈkɑːnʃəns/
the inner sense of right and wrong
From this reading There we have the justification not only of war, but of feuds and murder from ambush; but the murders come first and reason follows tardily to lull the protests of conscience.
coursenounUS /course/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading For the object of warfare, of course, is to kill; and why stop short of the absolute?
danger
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Why leave boys to grow to manhood, or women to breed more boys, or old men to nurse the spark of future wars; why not kill them all, as speedily as possible, and with the least possible danger to ourselves?
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading THE FLIGHT There never was a feud, nor yet a war, which did not revert to barbarism; for reprisal invites reprisal, and hot blood breeds new excesses until it ends in a mad swirl of killing.
ends
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From this reading THE FLIGHT There never was a feud, nor yet a war, which did not revert to barbarism; for reprisal invites reprisal, and hot blood breeds new excesses until it ends in a mad swirl of killing.
evernounUS /ever/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading And always the human reason, ever the servant to our passions, finds a way to justify the slaughter.
excesses
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From this reading THE FLIGHT There never was a feud, nor yet a war, which did not revert to barbarism; for reprisal invites reprisal, and hot blood breeds new excesses until it ends in a mad swirl of killing.
feud
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FLIGHT There never was a feud, nor yet a war, which did not revert to barbarism; for reprisal invites reprisal, and hot blood breeds new excesses until it ends in a mad swirl of killing.
feuds
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There we have the justification not only of war, but of feuds and murder from ambush; but the murders come first and reason follows tardily to lull the protests of conscience.
finds
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And always the human reason, ever the servant to our passions, finds a way to justify the slaughter.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There we have the justification not only of war, but of feuds and murder from ambush; but the murders come first and reason follows tardily to lull the protests of conscience.
FLIGHT
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FLIGHT There never was a feud, nor yet a war, which did not revert to barbarism; for reprisal invites reprisal, and hot blood breeds new excesses until it ends in a mad swirl of killing.
follows
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There we have the justification not only of war, but of feuds and murder from ambush; but the murders come first and reason follows tardily to lull the protests of conscience.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading THE FLIGHT There never was a feud, nor yet a war, which did not revert to barbarism; for reprisal invites reprisal, and hot blood breeds new excesses until it ends in a mad swirl of killing.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading There we have the justification not only of war, but of feuds and murder from ambush; but the murders come first and reason follows tardily to lull the protests of conscience.
future
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Why leave boys to grow to manhood, or women to breed more boys, or old men to nurse the spark of future wars; why not kill them all, as speedily as possible, and with the least possible danger to ourselves?
grow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Why leave boys to grow to manhood, or women to breed more boys, or old men to nurse the spark of future wars; why not kill them all, as speedily as possible, and with the least possible danger to ourselves?
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading There we have the justification not only of war, but of feuds and murder from ambush; but the murders come first and reason follows tardily to lull the protests of conscience.
hot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FLIGHT There never was a feud, nor yet a war, which did not revert to barbarism; for reprisal invites reprisal, and hot blood breeds new excesses until it ends in a mad swirl of killing.
human
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And always the human reason, ever the servant to our passions, finds a way to justify the slaughter.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE FLIGHT There never was a feud, nor yet a war, which did not revert to barbarism; for reprisal invites reprisal, and hot blood breeds new excesses until it ends in a mad swirl of killing.
invites
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FLIGHT There never was a feud, nor yet a war, which did not revert to barbarism; for reprisal invites reprisal, and hot blood breeds new excesses until it ends in a mad swirl of killing.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading For the object of warfare, of course, is to kill; and why stop short of the absolute?
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading THE FLIGHT There never was a feud, nor yet a war, which did not revert to barbarism; for reprisal invites reprisal, and hot blood breeds new excesses until it ends in a mad swirl of killing.
justification
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There we have the justification not only of war, but of feuds and murder from ambush; but the murders come first and reason follows tardily to lull the protests of conscience.
justify
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And always the human reason, ever the servant to our passions, finds a way to justify the slaughter.
kill
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For the object of warfare, of course, is to kill; and why stop short of the absolute?
killing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FLIGHT There never was a feud, nor yet a war, which did not revert to barbarism; for reprisal invites reprisal, and hot blood breeds new excesses until it ends in a mad swirl of killing.
leastnounUS /least/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Why leave boys to grow to manhood, or women to breed more boys, or old men to nurse the spark of future wars; why not kill them all, as speedily as possible, and with the least possible danger to ourselves?
leave
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Why leave boys to grow to manhood, or women to breed more boys, or old men to nurse the spark of future wars; why not kill them all, as speedily as possible, and with the least possible danger to ourselves?
lull
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There we have the justification not only of war, but of feuds and murder from ambush; but the murders come first and reason follows tardily to lull the protests of conscience.
mad
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From this reading THE FLIGHT There never was a feud, nor yet a war, which did not revert to barbarism; for reprisal invites reprisal, and hot blood breeds new excesses until it ends in a mad swirl of killing.
manhood
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Why leave boys to grow to manhood, or women to breed more boys, or old men to nurse the spark of future wars; why not kill them all, as speedily as possible, and with the least possible danger to ourselves?
men
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From this reading Why leave boys to grow to manhood, or women to breed more boys, or old men to nurse the spark of future wars; why not kill them all, as speedily as possible, and with the least possible danger to ourselves?
more
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Why leave boys to grow to manhood, or women to breed more boys, or old men to nurse the spark of future wars; why not kill them all, as speedily as possible, and with the least possible danger to ourselves?
murder
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There we have the justification not only of war, but of feuds and murder from ambush; but the murders come first and reason follows tardily to lull the protests of conscience.
murders
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There we have the justification not only of war, but of feuds and murder from ambush; but the murders come first and reason follows tardily to lull the protests of conscience.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading THE FLIGHT There never was a feud, nor yet a war, which did not revert to barbarism; for reprisal invites reprisal, and hot blood breeds new excesses until it ends in a mad swirl of killing.
new
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FLIGHT There never was a feud, nor yet a war, which did not revert to barbarism; for reprisal invites reprisal, and hot blood breeds new excesses until it ends in a mad swirl of killing.
norconjunctionUS /nɔːr/
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading THE FLIGHT There never was a feud, nor yet a war, which did not revert to barbarism; for reprisal invites reprisal, and hot blood breeds new excesses until it ends in a mad swirl of killing.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading THE FLIGHT There never was a feud, nor yet a war, which did not revert to barbarism; for reprisal invites reprisal, and hot blood breeds new excesses until it ends in a mad swirl of killing.
nurse
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Why leave boys to grow to manhood, or women to breed more boys, or old men to nurse the spark of future wars; why not kill them all, as speedily as possible, and with the least possible danger to ourselves?
object
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For the object of warfare, of course, is to kill; and why stop short of the absolute?
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE FLIGHT There never was a feud, nor yet a war, which did not revert to barbarism; for reprisal invites reprisal, and hot blood breeds new excesses until it ends in a mad swirl of killing.
old
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Why leave boys to grow to manhood, or women to breed more boys, or old men to nurse the spark of future wars; why not kill them all, as speedily as possible, and with the least possible danger to ourselves?
only
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There we have the justification not only of war, but of feuds and murder from ambush; but the murders come first and reason follows tardily to lull the protests of conscience.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Why leave boys to grow to manhood, or women to breed more boys, or old men to nurse the spark of future wars; why not kill them all, as speedily as possible, and with the least possible danger to ourselves?
ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading And always the human reason, ever the servant to our passions, finds a way to justify the slaughter.
ourselvespronounUS /aʊərˈselvz/
used when we are both doing the action and receiving it
From this reading Why leave boys to grow to manhood, or women to breed more boys, or old men to nurse the spark of future wars; why not kill them all, as speedily as possible, and with the least possible danger to ourselves?
passions
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And always the human reason, ever the servant to our passions, finds a way to justify the slaughter.
possible
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Why leave boys to grow to manhood, or women to breed more boys, or old men to nurse the spark of future wars; why not kill them all, as speedily as possible, and with the least possible danger to ourselves?
protests
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There we have the justification not only of war, but of feuds and murder from ambush; but the murders come first and reason follows tardily to lull the protests of conscience.
reason
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And always the human reason, ever the servant to our passions, finds a way to justify the slaughter.
reprisal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FLIGHT There never was a feud, nor yet a war, which did not revert to barbarism; for reprisal invites reprisal, and hot blood breeds new excesses until it ends in a mad swirl of killing.
revert
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FLIGHT There never was a feud, nor yet a war, which did not revert to barbarism; for reprisal invites reprisal, and hot blood breeds new excesses until it ends in a mad swirl of killing.
servant
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And always the human reason, ever the servant to our passions, finds a way to justify the slaughter.
shortadjectiveUS /ʃɔrt/
brief or direct in expression
From this reading For the object of warfare, of course, is to kill; and why stop short of the absolute?
slaughter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And always the human reason, ever the servant to our passions, finds a way to justify the slaughter.
spark
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Why leave boys to grow to manhood, or women to breed more boys, or old men to nurse the spark of future wars; why not kill them all, as speedily as possible, and with the least possible danger to ourselves?
speedily
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Why leave boys to grow to manhood, or women to breed more boys, or old men to nurse the spark of future wars; why not kill them all, as speedily as possible, and with the least possible danger to ourselves?
stop
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For the object of warfare, of course, is to kill; and why stop short of the absolute?
swirl
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FLIGHT There never was a feud, nor yet a war, which did not revert to barbarism; for reprisal invites reprisal, and hot blood breeds new excesses until it ends in a mad swirl of killing.
tardily
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There we have the justification not only of war, but of feuds and murder from ambush; but the murders come first and reason follows tardily to lull the protests of conscience.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE FLIGHT There never was a feud, nor yet a war, which did not revert to barbarism; for reprisal invites reprisal, and hot blood breeds new excesses until it ends in a mad swirl of killing.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Why leave boys to grow to manhood, or women to breed more boys, or old men to nurse the spark of future wars; why not kill them all, as speedily as possible, and with the least possible danger to ourselves?
There
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FLIGHT There never was a feud, nor yet a war, which did not revert to barbarism; for reprisal invites reprisal, and hot blood breeds new excesses until it ends in a mad swirl of killing.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE FLIGHT There never was a feud, nor yet a war, which did not revert to barbarism; for reprisal invites reprisal, and hot blood breeds new excesses until it ends in a mad swirl of killing.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading THE FLIGHT There never was a feud, nor yet a war, which did not revert to barbarism; for reprisal invites reprisal, and hot blood breeds new excesses until it ends in a mad swirl of killing.
war
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FLIGHT There never was a feud, nor yet a war, which did not revert to barbarism; for reprisal invites reprisal, and hot blood breeds new excesses until it ends in a mad swirl of killing.
warfare
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For the object of warfare, of course, is to kill; and why stop short of the absolute?
wars
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Why leave boys to grow to manhood, or women to breed more boys, or old men to nurse the spark of future wars; why not kill them all, as speedily as possible, and with the least possible danger to ourselves?
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE FLIGHT There never was a feud, nor yet a war, which did not revert to barbarism; for reprisal invites reprisal, and hot blood breeds new excesses until it ends in a mad swirl of killing.
way
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And always the human reason, ever the servant to our passions, finds a way to justify the slaughter.
wepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading There we have the justification not only of war, but of feuds and murder from ambush; but the murders come first and reason follows tardily to lull the protests of conscience.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading THE FLIGHT There never was a feud, nor yet a war, which did not revert to barbarism; for reprisal invites reprisal, and hot blood breeds new excesses until it ends in a mad swirl of killing.
why
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For the object of warfare, of course, is to kill; and why stop short of the absolute?
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Why leave boys to grow to manhood, or women to breed more boys, or old men to nurse the spark of future wars; why not kill them all, as speedily as possible, and with the least possible danger to ourselves?
women
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Why leave boys to grow to manhood, or women to breed more boys, or old men to nurse the spark of future wars; why not kill them all, as speedily as possible, and with the least possible danger to ourselves?
yetconjunctionUS /jet/
but in spite of that
From this reading THE FLIGHT There never was a feud, nor yet a war, which did not revert to barbarism; for reprisal invites reprisal, and hot blood breeds new excesses until it ends in a mad swirl of killing.
