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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 WITHIN A HAIRSBREADTH Major Borsch stood gloating over me as I read the telegram.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He expected me to be completely crushed, so I shook off my first feeling of dismay and looked up with a bland smile.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading WITHIN A HAIRSBREADTH Major Borsch stood gloating over me as I read the telegram.
Baron
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Well, what do you think of your friend the Baron, now?" he sneered.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He expected me to be completely crushed, so I shook off my first feeling of dismay and looked up with a bland smile.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading I must have done it pretty well, for even Nessa, who had been overwhelmed by the news, was surprised and pulled herself together.
bland
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He expected me to be completely crushed, so I shook off my first feeling of dismay and looked up with a bland smile.
Borsch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading WITHIN A HAIRSBREADTH Major Borsch stood gloating over me as I read the telegram.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading I must have done it pretty well, for even Nessa, who had been overwhelmed by the news, was surprised and pulled herself together.
completely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He expected me to be completely crushed, so I shook off my first feeling of dismay and looked up with a bland smile.
crushed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He expected me to be completely crushed, so I shook off my first feeling of dismay and looked up with a bland smile.
dismay
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He expected me to be completely crushed, so I shook off my first feeling of dismay and looked up with a bland smile.
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "Well, what do you think of your friend the Baron, now?" he sneered.
donenounUS /done/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I must have done it pretty well, for even Nessa, who had been overwhelmed by the news, was surprised and pulled herself together.
evennounUS /even/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I must have done it pretty well, for even Nessa, who had been overwhelmed by the news, was surprised and pulled herself together.
expected
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He expected me to be completely crushed, so I shook off my first feeling of dismay and looked up with a bland smile.
feelingnounUS /ˈfeeling/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading He expected me to be completely crushed, so I shook off my first feeling of dismay and looked up with a bland smile.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He expected me to be completely crushed, so I shook off my first feeling of dismay and looked up with a bland smile.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "I'm much obliged to you for showing it to me," I replied, as if it were the merest trifle.
friend
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Well, what do you think of your friend the Baron, now?" he sneered.
gloating
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading WITHIN A HAIRSBREADTH Major Borsch stood gloating over me as I read the telegram.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I must have done it pretty well, for even Nessa, who had been overwhelmed by the news, was surprised and pulled herself together.
HAIRSBREADTH
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading WITHIN A HAIRSBREADTH Major Borsch stood gloating over me as I read the telegram.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading I must have done it pretty well, for even Nessa, who had been overwhelmed by the news, was surprised and pulled herself together.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Well, what do you think of your friend the Baron, now?" he sneered.
herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading I must have done it pretty well, for even Nessa, who had been overwhelmed by the news, was surprised and pulled herself together.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading WITHIN A HAIRSBREADTH Major Borsch stood gloating over me as I read the telegram.
I'm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I'm much obliged to you for showing it to me," I replied, as if it were the merest trifle.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading "I'm much obliged to you for showing it to me," I replied, as if it were the merest trifle.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "I'm much obliged to you for showing it to me," I replied, as if it were the merest trifle.
lookednounUS /looked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He expected me to be completely crushed, so I shook off my first feeling of dismay and looked up with a bland smile.
Major
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading WITHIN A HAIRSBREADTH Major Borsch stood gloating over me as I read the telegram.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading WITHIN A HAIRSBREADTH Major Borsch stood gloating over me as I read the telegram.
merest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I'm much obliged to you for showing it to me," I replied, as if it were the merest trifle.
much
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I'm much obliged to you for showing it to me," I replied, as if it were the merest trifle.
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading I must have done it pretty well, for even Nessa, who had been overwhelmed by the news, was surprised and pulled herself together.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading He expected me to be completely crushed, so I shook off my first feeling of dismay and looked up with a bland smile.
Nessa
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I must have done it pretty well, for even Nessa, who had been overwhelmed by the news, was surprised and pulled herself together.
news
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I must have done it pretty well, for even Nessa, who had been overwhelmed by the news, was surprised and pulled herself together.
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Well, what do you think of your friend the Baron, now?" he sneered.
obliged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I'm much obliged to you for showing it to me," I replied, as if it were the merest trifle.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "Well, what do you think of your friend the Baron, now?" he sneered.
off
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He expected me to be completely crushed, so I shook off my first feeling of dismay and looked up with a bland smile.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading WITHIN A HAIRSBREADTH Major Borsch stood gloating over me as I read the telegram.
overwhelmed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I must have done it pretty well, for even Nessa, who had been overwhelmed by the news, was surprised and pulled herself together.
pretty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I must have done it pretty well, for even Nessa, who had been overwhelmed by the news, was surprised and pulled herself together.
pullednounUS /pulled/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I must have done it pretty well, for even Nessa, who had been overwhelmed by the news, was surprised and pulled herself together.
read
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading WITHIN A HAIRSBREADTH Major Borsch stood gloating over me as I read the telegram.
repliednounUS /replied/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "I'm much obliged to you for showing it to me," I replied, as if it were the merest trifle.
shook
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He expected me to be completely crushed, so I shook off my first feeling of dismay and looked up with a bland smile.
showing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I'm much obliged to you for showing it to me," I replied, as if it were the merest trifle.
smile
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He expected me to be completely crushed, so I shook off my first feeling of dismay and looked up with a bland smile.
sneered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Well, what do you think of your friend the Baron, now?" he sneered.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading He expected me to be completely crushed, so I shook off my first feeling of dismay and looked up with a bland smile.
stoodnounUS /stood/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading WITHIN A HAIRSBREADTH Major Borsch stood gloating over me as I read the telegram.
surprisednounUS /surprised/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I must have done it pretty well, for even Nessa, who had been overwhelmed by the news, was surprised and pulled herself together.
telegram
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading WITHIN A HAIRSBREADTH Major Borsch stood gloating over me as I read the telegram.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading WITHIN A HAIRSBREADTH Major Borsch stood gloating over me as I read the telegram.
thinknounUS /think/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "Well, what do you think of your friend the Baron, now?" he sneered.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He expected me to be completely crushed, so I shook off my first feeling of dismay and looked up with a bland smile.
together
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I must have done it pretty well, for even Nessa, who had been overwhelmed by the news, was surprised and pulled herself together.
triflenounUS /ˈtraɪfəl/
something that needs very little effort
From this reading "I'm much obliged to you for showing it to me," I replied, as if it were the merest trifle.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He expected me to be completely crushed, so I shook off my first feeling of dismay and looked up with a bland smile.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I must have done it pretty well, for even Nessa, who had been overwhelmed by the news, was surprised and pulled herself together.
Well
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Well, what do you think of your friend the Baron, now?" he sneered.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "I'm much obliged to you for showing it to me," I replied, as if it were the merest trifle.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "Well, what do you think of your friend the Baron, now?" he sneered.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading I must have done it pretty well, for even Nessa, who had been overwhelmed by the news, was surprised and pulled herself together.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading He expected me to be completely crushed, so I shook off my first feeling of dismay and looked up with a bland smile.
WITHINprepositionUS /wɪˈðɪn/
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading WITHIN A HAIRSBREADTH Major Borsch stood gloating over me as I read the telegram.
youpronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Well, what do you think of your friend the Baron, now?" he sneered.
yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Well, what do you think of your friend the Baron, now?" he sneered.
