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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 He plunged into the stream of pedestrians and it struck him how thickly, heavily clothed they were; the street resembled a sluggish river of dark liquid; he struggled through it, immersed to his shoulders.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading And the flock of curious, elusive thoughts, half-formed, fluttered above his mind just near enough to drop their shadows before they scattered and passed on.
air
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'A new language is wanted,' he decided, 'a flying language, with a rapid air vocabulary, condensed, intense.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He plunged into the stream of pedestrians and it struck him how thickly, heavily clothed they were; the street resembled a sluggish river of dark liquid; he struggled through it, immersed to his shoulders.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Much as a kitten pounces on the shadow of shifting foliage on a lawn his brain pursued and pounced upon them, bringing up the best words available, yet that did not suit because the necessary words do not exist.
available
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Much as a kitten pounces on the shadow of shifting foliage on a lawn his brain pursued and pounced upon them, bringing up the best words available, yet that did not suit because the necessary words do not exist.
becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/
for the reason that
From this reading Much as a kitten pounces on the shadow of shifting foliage on a lawn his brain pursued and pounced upon them, bringing up the best words available, yet that did not suit because the necessary words do not exist.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading And the flock of curious, elusive thoughts, half-formed, fluttered above his mind just near enough to drop their shadows before they scattered and passed on.
best
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Much as a kitten pounces on the shadow of shifting foliage on a lawn his brain pursued and pounced upon them, bringing up the best words available, yet that did not suit because the necessary words do not exist.
brain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Much as a kitten pounces on the shadow of shifting foliage on a lawn his brain pursued and pounced upon them, bringing up the best words available, yet that did not suit because the necessary words do not exist.
bringing
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From this reading Much as a kitten pounces on the shadow of shifting foliage on a lawn his brain pursued and pounced upon them, bringing up the best words available, yet that did not suit because the necessary words do not exist.
captured
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From this reading It was only the shadow of the ideas he captured.
clothed
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From this reading He plunged into the stream of pedestrians and it struck him how thickly, heavily clothed they were; the street resembled a sluggish river of dark liquid; he struggled through it, immersed to his shoulders.
condensed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'A new language is wanted,' he decided, 'a flying language, with a rapid air vocabulary, condensed, intense.
curious
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And the flock of curious, elusive thoughts, half-formed, fluttered above his mind just near enough to drop their shadows before they scattered and passed on.
dark
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From this reading He plunged into the stream of pedestrians and it struck him how thickly, heavily clothed they were; the street resembled a sluggish river of dark liquid; he struggled through it, immersed to his shoulders.
decided
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'A new language is wanted,' he decided, 'a flying language, with a rapid air vocabulary, condensed, intense.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Much as a kitten pounces on the shadow of shifting foliage on a lawn his brain pursued and pounced upon them, bringing up the best words available, yet that did not suit because the necessary words do not exist.
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading Much as a kitten pounces on the shadow of shifting foliage on a lawn his brain pursued and pounced upon them, bringing up the best words available, yet that did not suit because the necessary words do not exist.
drop
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And the flock of curious, elusive thoughts, half-formed, fluttered above his mind just near enough to drop their shadows before they scattered and passed on.
elusive
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And the flock of curious, elusive thoughts, half-formed, fluttered above his mind just near enough to drop their shadows before they scattered and passed on.
enough
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And the flock of curious, elusive thoughts, half-formed, fluttered above his mind just near enough to drop their shadows before they scattered and passed on.
exist
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Much as a kitten pounces on the shadow of shifting foliage on a lawn his brain pursued and pounced upon them, bringing up the best words available, yet that did not suit because the necessary words do not exist.
flock
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And the flock of curious, elusive thoughts, half-formed, fluttered above his mind just near enough to drop their shadows before they scattered and passed on.
fluttered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And the flock of curious, elusive thoughts, half-formed, fluttered above his mind just near enough to drop their shadows before they scattered and passed on.
flying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'A new language is wanted,' he decided, 'a flying language, with a rapid air vocabulary, condensed, intense.
foliage
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Much as a kitten pounces on the shadow of shifting foliage on a lawn his brain pursued and pounced upon them, bringing up the best words available, yet that did not suit because the necessary words do not exist.
half-formed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And the flock of curious, elusive thoughts, half-formed, fluttered above his mind just near enough to drop their shadows before they scattered and passed on.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He plunged into the stream of pedestrians and it struck him how thickly, heavily clothed they were; the street resembled a sluggish river of dark liquid; he struggled through it, immersed to his shoulders.
heavily
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He plunged into the stream of pedestrians and it struck him how thickly, heavily clothed they were; the street resembled a sluggish river of dark liquid; he struggled through it, immersed to his shoulders.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He plunged into the stream of pedestrians and it struck him how thickly, heavily clothed they were; the street resembled a sluggish river of dark liquid; he struggled through it, immersed to his shoulders.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He plunged into the stream of pedestrians and it struck him how thickly, heavily clothed they were; the street resembled a sluggish river of dark liquid; he struggled through it, immersed to his shoulders.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He plunged into the stream of pedestrians and it struck him how thickly, heavily clothed they were; the street resembled a sluggish river of dark liquid; he struggled through it, immersed to his shoulders.
ideas
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was only the shadow of the ideas he captured.
immersed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He plunged into the stream of pedestrians and it struck him how thickly, heavily clothed they were; the street resembled a sluggish river of dark liquid; he struggled through it, immersed to his shoulders.
intense
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'A new language is wanted,' he decided, 'a flying language, with a rapid air vocabulary, condensed, intense.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading He plunged into the stream of pedestrians and it struck him how thickly, heavily clothed they were; the street resembled a sluggish river of dark liquid; he struggled through it, immersed to his shoulders.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading 'A new language is wanted,' he decided, 'a flying language, with a rapid air vocabulary, condensed, intense.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He plunged into the stream of pedestrians and it struck him how thickly, heavily clothed they were; the street resembled a sluggish river of dark liquid; he struggled through it, immersed to his shoulders.
just
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And the flock of curious, elusive thoughts, half-formed, fluttered above his mind just near enough to drop their shadows before they scattered and passed on.
kitten
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Much as a kitten pounces on the shadow of shifting foliage on a lawn his brain pursued and pounced upon them, bringing up the best words available, yet that did not suit because the necessary words do not exist.
language
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'A new language is wanted,' he decided, 'a flying language, with a rapid air vocabulary, condensed, intense.
lawn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Much as a kitten pounces on the shadow of shifting foliage on a lawn his brain pursued and pounced upon them, bringing up the best words available, yet that did not suit because the necessary words do not exist.
liquid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He plunged into the stream of pedestrians and it struck him how thickly, heavily clothed they were; the street resembled a sluggish river of dark liquid; he struggled through it, immersed to his shoulders.
mindnounUS /mind/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading And the flock of curious, elusive thoughts, half-formed, fluttered above his mind just near enough to drop their shadows before they scattered and passed on.
Much
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Much as a kitten pounces on the shadow of shifting foliage on a lawn his brain pursued and pounced upon them, bringing up the best words available, yet that did not suit because the necessary words do not exist.
near
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And the flock of curious, elusive thoughts, half-formed, fluttered above his mind just near enough to drop their shadows before they scattered and passed on.
necessary
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Much as a kitten pounces on the shadow of shifting foliage on a lawn his brain pursued and pounced upon them, bringing up the best words available, yet that did not suit because the necessary words do not exist.
new
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'A new language is wanted,' he decided, 'a flying language, with a rapid air vocabulary, condensed, intense.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Much as a kitten pounces on the shadow of shifting foliage on a lawn his brain pursued and pounced upon them, bringing up the best words available, yet that did not suit because the necessary words do not exist.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He plunged into the stream of pedestrians and it struck him how thickly, heavily clothed they were; the street resembled a sluggish river of dark liquid; he struggled through it, immersed to his shoulders.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading And the flock of curious, elusive thoughts, half-formed, fluttered above his mind just near enough to drop their shadows before they scattered and passed on.
only
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was only the shadow of the ideas he captured.
passednounUS /passed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading And the flock of curious, elusive thoughts, half-formed, fluttered above his mind just near enough to drop their shadows before they scattered and passed on.
pedestrians
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He plunged into the stream of pedestrians and it struck him how thickly, heavily clothed they were; the street resembled a sluggish river of dark liquid; he struggled through it, immersed to his shoulders.
plunged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He plunged into the stream of pedestrians and it struck him how thickly, heavily clothed they were; the street resembled a sluggish river of dark liquid; he struggled through it, immersed to his shoulders.
pounced
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Much as a kitten pounces on the shadow of shifting foliage on a lawn his brain pursued and pounced upon them, bringing up the best words available, yet that did not suit because the necessary words do not exist.
pounces
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Much as a kitten pounces on the shadow of shifting foliage on a lawn his brain pursued and pounced upon them, bringing up the best words available, yet that did not suit because the necessary words do not exist.
pursued
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Much as a kitten pounces on the shadow of shifting foliage on a lawn his brain pursued and pounced upon them, bringing up the best words available, yet that did not suit because the necessary words do not exist.
rapid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'A new language is wanted,' he decided, 'a flying language, with a rapid air vocabulary, condensed, intense.
resembled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He plunged into the stream of pedestrians and it struck him how thickly, heavily clothed they were; the street resembled a sluggish river of dark liquid; he struggled through it, immersed to his shoulders.
river
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He plunged into the stream of pedestrians and it struck him how thickly, heavily clothed they were; the street resembled a sluggish river of dark liquid; he struggled through it, immersed to his shoulders.
scattered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And the flock of curious, elusive thoughts, half-formed, fluttered above his mind just near enough to drop their shadows before they scattered and passed on.
shadownounUS /ˈʃæd.oʊ/
A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
From this reading Much as a kitten pounces on the shadow of shifting foliage on a lawn his brain pursued and pounced upon them, bringing up the best words available, yet that did not suit because the necessary words do not exist.
shadows
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And the flock of curious, elusive thoughts, half-formed, fluttered above his mind just near enough to drop their shadows before they scattered and passed on.
shifting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Much as a kitten pounces on the shadow of shifting foliage on a lawn his brain pursued and pounced upon them, bringing up the best words available, yet that did not suit because the necessary words do not exist.
shoulders
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He plunged into the stream of pedestrians and it struck him how thickly, heavily clothed they were; the street resembled a sluggish river of dark liquid; he struggled through it, immersed to his shoulders.
sluggish
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He plunged into the stream of pedestrians and it struck him how thickly, heavily clothed they were; the street resembled a sluggish river of dark liquid; he struggled through it, immersed to his shoulders.
stream
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He plunged into the stream of pedestrians and it struck him how thickly, heavily clothed they were; the street resembled a sluggish river of dark liquid; he struggled through it, immersed to his shoulders.
street
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He plunged into the stream of pedestrians and it struck him how thickly, heavily clothed they were; the street resembled a sluggish river of dark liquid; he struggled through it, immersed to his shoulders.
strucknounUS /struck/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He plunged into the stream of pedestrians and it struck him how thickly, heavily clothed they were; the street resembled a sluggish river of dark liquid; he struggled through it, immersed to his shoulders.
struggled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He plunged into the stream of pedestrians and it struck him how thickly, heavily clothed they were; the street resembled a sluggish river of dark liquid; he struggled through it, immersed to his shoulders.
suit
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Much as a kitten pounces on the shadow of shifting foliage on a lawn his brain pursued and pounced upon them, bringing up the best words available, yet that did not suit because the necessary words do not exist.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Much as a kitten pounces on the shadow of shifting foliage on a lawn his brain pursued and pounced upon them, bringing up the best words available, yet that did not suit because the necessary words do not exist.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He plunged into the stream of pedestrians and it struck him how thickly, heavily clothed they were; the street resembled a sluggish river of dark liquid; he struggled through it, immersed to his shoulders.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading And the flock of curious, elusive thoughts, half-formed, fluttered above his mind just near enough to drop their shadows before they scattered and passed on.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Much as a kitten pounces on the shadow of shifting foliage on a lawn his brain pursued and pounced upon them, bringing up the best words available, yet that did not suit because the necessary words do not exist.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He plunged into the stream of pedestrians and it struck him how thickly, heavily clothed they were; the street resembled a sluggish river of dark liquid; he struggled through it, immersed to his shoulders.
thickly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He plunged into the stream of pedestrians and it struck him how thickly, heavily clothed they were; the street resembled a sluggish river of dark liquid; he struggled through it, immersed to his shoulders.
thoughts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And the flock of curious, elusive thoughts, half-formed, fluttered above his mind just near enough to drop their shadows before they scattered and passed on.
throughnounUS /ˈthrough/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading He plunged into the stream of pedestrians and it struck him how thickly, heavily clothed they were; the street resembled a sluggish river of dark liquid; he struggled through it, immersed to his shoulders.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He plunged into the stream of pedestrians and it struck him how thickly, heavily clothed they were; the street resembled a sluggish river of dark liquid; he struggled through it, immersed to his shoulders.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Much as a kitten pounces on the shadow of shifting foliage on a lawn his brain pursued and pounced upon them, bringing up the best words available, yet that did not suit because the necessary words do not exist.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Much as a kitten pounces on the shadow of shifting foliage on a lawn his brain pursued and pounced upon them, bringing up the best words available, yet that did not suit because the necessary words do not exist.
vocabulary
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'A new language is wanted,' he decided, 'a flying language, with a rapid air vocabulary, condensed, intense.
wanted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'A new language is wanted,' he decided, 'a flying language, with a rapid air vocabulary, condensed, intense.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was only the shadow of the ideas he captured.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading He plunged into the stream of pedestrians and it struck him how thickly, heavily clothed they were; the street resembled a sluggish river of dark liquid; he struggled through it, immersed to his shoulders.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading 'A new language is wanted,' he decided, 'a flying language, with a rapid air vocabulary, condensed, intense.
words
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Much as a kitten pounces on the shadow of shifting foliage on a lawn his brain pursued and pounced upon them, bringing up the best words available, yet that did not suit because the necessary words do not exist.
yetconjunctionUS /jet/
but in spite of that
From this reading Much as a kitten pounces on the shadow of shifting foliage on a lawn his brain pursued and pounced upon them, bringing up the best words available, yet that did not suit because the necessary words do not exist.