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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 Von Bülow's sword swept through the air with a flash like lightning.
advance
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From this reading His adversary paused, perplexed, then swung round so as to face him, but did not immediately advance.
adversary
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From this reading His adversary paused, perplexed, then swung round so as to face him, but did not immediately advance.
air
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From this reading Von Bülow's sword swept through the air with a flash like lightning.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Warned by the instinct of a true fencer, the blades had barely crossed when Benedict sprang swiftly aside and remained standing unguarded, his point lowered, and his mocking smile disclosing a fine set of teeth.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading His adversary paused, perplexed, then swung round so as to face him, but did not immediately advance.
aside
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From this reading Warned by the instinct of a true fencer, the blades had barely crossed when Benedict sprang swiftly aside and remained standing unguarded, his point lowered, and his mocking smile disclosing a fine set of teeth.
barely
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From this reading Warned by the instinct of a true fencer, the blades had barely crossed when Benedict sprang swiftly aside and remained standing unguarded, his point lowered, and his mocking smile disclosing a fine set of teeth.
Benedict
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From this reading Warned by the instinct of a true fencer, the blades had barely crossed when Benedict sprang swiftly aside and remained standing unguarded, his point lowered, and his mocking smile disclosing a fine set of teeth.
blades
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From this reading Warned by the instinct of a true fencer, the blades had barely crossed when Benedict sprang swiftly aside and remained standing unguarded, his point lowered, and his mocking smile disclosing a fine set of teeth.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But, rapid though it was, it descended in empty space.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Warned by the instinct of a true fencer, the blades had barely crossed when Benedict sprang swiftly aside and remained standing unguarded, his point lowered, and his mocking smile disclosing a fine set of teeth.
Bülow's
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From this reading Von Bülow's sword swept through the air with a flash like lightning.
colonel
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From this reading THE TWO DUELS "Engage, gentlemen!" cried the colonel.
criednounUS /cried/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading THE TWO DUELS "Engage, gentlemen!" cried the colonel.
crossed
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From this reading Warned by the instinct of a true fencer, the blades had barely crossed when Benedict sprang swiftly aside and remained standing unguarded, his point lowered, and his mocking smile disclosing a fine set of teeth.
descendednounUS /ˈdescended/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading But, rapid though it was, it descended in empty space.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading His adversary paused, perplexed, then swung round so as to face him, but did not immediately advance.
disclosing
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From this reading Warned by the instinct of a true fencer, the blades had barely crossed when Benedict sprang swiftly aside and remained standing unguarded, his point lowered, and his mocking smile disclosing a fine set of teeth.
DUELS
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From this reading THE TWO DUELS "Engage, gentlemen!" cried the colonel.
empty
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From this reading But, rapid though it was, it descended in empty space.
Engage
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From this reading THE TWO DUELS "Engage, gentlemen!" cried the colonel.
face
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From this reading His adversary paused, perplexed, then swung round so as to face him, but did not immediately advance.
fencer
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From this reading Warned by the instinct of a true fencer, the blades had barely crossed when Benedict sprang swiftly aside and remained standing unguarded, his point lowered, and his mocking smile disclosing a fine set of teeth.
finenounUS /fine/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Warned by the instinct of a true fencer, the blades had barely crossed when Benedict sprang swiftly aside and remained standing unguarded, his point lowered, and his mocking smile disclosing a fine set of teeth.
flash
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From this reading Von Bülow's sword swept through the air with a flash like lightning.
gentlemennounUS /gentlemen/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading THE TWO DUELS "Engage, gentlemen!" cried the colonel.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Warned by the instinct of a true fencer, the blades had barely crossed when Benedict sprang swiftly aside and remained standing unguarded, his point lowered, and his mocking smile disclosing a fine set of teeth.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading His adversary paused, perplexed, then swung round so as to face him, but did not immediately advance.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Warned by the instinct of a true fencer, the blades had barely crossed when Benedict sprang swiftly aside and remained standing unguarded, his point lowered, and his mocking smile disclosing a fine set of teeth.
immediately
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From this reading His adversary paused, perplexed, then swung round so as to face him, but did not immediately advance.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading But, rapid though it was, it descended in empty space.
instinct
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From this reading Warned by the instinct of a true fencer, the blades had barely crossed when Benedict sprang swiftly aside and remained standing unguarded, his point lowered, and his mocking smile disclosing a fine set of teeth.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading But, rapid though it was, it descended in empty space.
lightning
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From this reading Von Bülow's sword swept through the air with a flash like lightning.
like
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From this reading Von Bülow's sword swept through the air with a flash like lightning.
lowered
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From this reading Warned by the instinct of a true fencer, the blades had barely crossed when Benedict sprang swiftly aside and remained standing unguarded, his point lowered, and his mocking smile disclosing a fine set of teeth.
mocking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Warned by the instinct of a true fencer, the blades had barely crossed when Benedict sprang swiftly aside and remained standing unguarded, his point lowered, and his mocking smile disclosing a fine set of teeth.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading His adversary paused, perplexed, then swung round so as to face him, but did not immediately advance.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Warned by the instinct of a true fencer, the blades had barely crossed when Benedict sprang swiftly aside and remained standing unguarded, his point lowered, and his mocking smile disclosing a fine set of teeth.
paused
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From this reading His adversary paused, perplexed, then swung round so as to face him, but did not immediately advance.
perplexed
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From this reading His adversary paused, perplexed, then swung round so as to face him, but did not immediately advance.
pointnounUS /pɔɪnt/
the main matter or purpose being discussed
From this reading Warned by the instinct of a true fencer, the blades had barely crossed when Benedict sprang swiftly aside and remained standing unguarded, his point lowered, and his mocking smile disclosing a fine set of teeth.
rapid
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From this reading But, rapid though it was, it descended in empty space.
remainednounUS /ˈremained/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Warned by the instinct of a true fencer, the blades had barely crossed when Benedict sprang swiftly aside and remained standing unguarded, his point lowered, and his mocking smile disclosing a fine set of teeth.
round
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From this reading His adversary paused, perplexed, then swung round so as to face him, but did not immediately advance.
set
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From this reading Warned by the instinct of a true fencer, the blades had barely crossed when Benedict sprang swiftly aside and remained standing unguarded, his point lowered, and his mocking smile disclosing a fine set of teeth.
smile
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Warned by the instinct of a true fencer, the blades had barely crossed when Benedict sprang swiftly aside and remained standing unguarded, his point lowered, and his mocking smile disclosing a fine set of teeth.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading His adversary paused, perplexed, then swung round so as to face him, but did not immediately advance.
space
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From this reading But, rapid though it was, it descended in empty space.
sprang
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From this reading Warned by the instinct of a true fencer, the blades had barely crossed when Benedict sprang swiftly aside and remained standing unguarded, his point lowered, and his mocking smile disclosing a fine set of teeth.
standingnounUS /ˈstanding/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Warned by the instinct of a true fencer, the blades had barely crossed when Benedict sprang swiftly aside and remained standing unguarded, his point lowered, and his mocking smile disclosing a fine set of teeth.
swept
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From this reading Von Bülow's sword swept through the air with a flash like lightning.
swiftly
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From this reading Warned by the instinct of a true fencer, the blades had barely crossed when Benedict sprang swiftly aside and remained standing unguarded, his point lowered, and his mocking smile disclosing a fine set of teeth.
sword
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From this reading Von Bülow's sword swept through the air with a flash like lightning.
swung
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From this reading His adversary paused, perplexed, then swung round so as to face him, but did not immediately advance.
teeth
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From this reading Warned by the instinct of a true fencer, the blades had barely crossed when Benedict sprang swiftly aside and remained standing unguarded, his point lowered, and his mocking smile disclosing a fine set of teeth.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE TWO DUELS "Engage, gentlemen!" cried the colonel.
then
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From this reading His adversary paused, perplexed, then swung round so as to face him, but did not immediately advance.
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading But, rapid though it was, it descended in empty space.
throughnounUS /ˈthrough/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Von Bülow's sword swept through the air with a flash like lightning.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading His adversary paused, perplexed, then swung round so as to face him, but did not immediately advance.
true
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Warned by the instinct of a true fencer, the blades had barely crossed when Benedict sprang swiftly aside and remained standing unguarded, his point lowered, and his mocking smile disclosing a fine set of teeth.
TWO
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From this reading THE TWO DUELS "Engage, gentlemen!" cried the colonel.
unguarded
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From this reading Warned by the instinct of a true fencer, the blades had barely crossed when Benedict sprang swiftly aside and remained standing unguarded, his point lowered, and his mocking smile disclosing a fine set of teeth.
Von
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Von Bülow's sword swept through the air with a flash like lightning.
Warned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Warned by the instinct of a true fencer, the blades had barely crossed when Benedict sprang swiftly aside and remained standing unguarded, his point lowered, and his mocking smile disclosing a fine set of teeth.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But, rapid though it was, it descended in empty space.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading Warned by the instinct of a true fencer, the blades had barely crossed when Benedict sprang swiftly aside and remained standing unguarded, his point lowered, and his mocking smile disclosing a fine set of teeth.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Von Bülow's sword swept through the air with a flash like lightning.
