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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 I let him have some two or three minutes, therefore, so that his fears should have full scope; and just as my first question was on my lips, a happy thought occurred to me.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was essential for my purpose that he should be thoroughly frightened; and the suspense was enough to try much stouter nerves than his.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading I let him have some two or three minutes, therefore, so that his fears should have full scope; and just as my first question was on my lips, a happy thought occurred to me.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It was essential for my purpose that he should be thoroughly frightened; and the suspense was enough to try much stouter nerves than his.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The fear which my prisoner displayed led me to prolong the interval before I questioned him.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading I saw that I could make valuable use of the Russian reputation for doing ugly things.
displayed
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From this reading The fear which my prisoner displayed led me to prolong the interval before I questioned him.
doing
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From this reading I saw that I could make valuable use of the Russian reputation for doing ugly things.
enough
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From this reading It was essential for my purpose that he should be thoroughly frightened; and the suspense was enough to try much stouter nerves than his.
essential
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From this reading It was essential for my purpose that he should be thoroughly frightened; and the suspense was enough to try much stouter nerves than his.
fear
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From this reading The fear which my prisoner displayed led me to prolong the interval before I questioned him.
fears
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From this reading I let him have some two or three minutes, therefore, so that his fears should have full scope; and just as my first question was on my lips, a happy thought occurred to me.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I let him have some two or three minutes, therefore, so that his fears should have full scope; and just as my first question was on my lips, a happy thought occurred to me.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It was essential for my purpose that he should be thoroughly frightened; and the suspense was enough to try much stouter nerves than his.
frightened
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From this reading It was essential for my purpose that he should be thoroughly frightened; and the suspense was enough to try much stouter nerves than his.
full
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From this reading I let him have some two or three minutes, therefore, so that his fears should have full scope; and just as my first question was on my lips, a happy thought occurred to me.
happy
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From this reading I let him have some two or three minutes, therefore, so that his fears should have full scope; and just as my first question was on my lips, a happy thought occurred to me.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading I let him have some two or three minutes, therefore, so that his fears should have full scope; and just as my first question was on my lips, a happy thought occurred to me.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was essential for my purpose that he should be thoroughly frightened; and the suspense was enough to try much stouter nerves than his.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The fear which my prisoner displayed led me to prolong the interval before I questioned him.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading It was essential for my purpose that he should be thoroughly frightened; and the suspense was enough to try much stouter nerves than his.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading The fear which my prisoner displayed led me to prolong the interval before I questioned him.
interval
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From this reading The fear which my prisoner displayed led me to prolong the interval before I questioned him.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was essential for my purpose that he should be thoroughly frightened; and the suspense was enough to try much stouter nerves than his.
just
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I let him have some two or three minutes, therefore, so that his fears should have full scope; and just as my first question was on my lips, a happy thought occurred to me.
led
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From this reading The fear which my prisoner displayed led me to prolong the interval before I questioned him.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading I let him have some two or three minutes, therefore, so that his fears should have full scope; and just as my first question was on my lips, a happy thought occurred to me.
lips
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From this reading I let him have some two or three minutes, therefore, so that his fears should have full scope; and just as my first question was on my lips, a happy thought occurred to me.
makenounUS /make/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I saw that I could make valuable use of the Russian reputation for doing ugly things.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The fear which my prisoner displayed led me to prolong the interval before I questioned him.
minutes
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From this reading I let him have some two or three minutes, therefore, so that his fears should have full scope; and just as my first question was on my lips, a happy thought occurred to me.
much
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From this reading It was essential for my purpose that he should be thoroughly frightened; and the suspense was enough to try much stouter nerves than his.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading The fear which my prisoner displayed led me to prolong the interval before I questioned him.
nerves
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From this reading It was essential for my purpose that he should be thoroughly frightened; and the suspense was enough to try much stouter nerves than his.
NIGHT
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From this reading THE NIGHT OF TERROR.
occurred
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From this reading I let him have some two or three minutes, therefore, so that his fears should have full scope; and just as my first question was on my lips, a happy thought occurred to me.
OFprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE NIGHT OF TERROR.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading I let him have some two or three minutes, therefore, so that his fears should have full scope; and just as my first question was on my lips, a happy thought occurred to me.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading I let him have some two or three minutes, therefore, so that his fears should have full scope; and just as my first question was on my lips, a happy thought occurred to me.
prisoner
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The fear which my prisoner displayed led me to prolong the interval before I questioned him.
prolong
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From this reading The fear which my prisoner displayed led me to prolong the interval before I questioned him.
purpose
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From this reading It was essential for my purpose that he should be thoroughly frightened; and the suspense was enough to try much stouter nerves than his.
questionnounUS /ˈquestion/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading I let him have some two or three minutes, therefore, so that his fears should have full scope; and just as my first question was on my lips, a happy thought occurred to me.
questioned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The fear which my prisoner displayed led me to prolong the interval before I questioned him.
reputation
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I saw that I could make valuable use of the Russian reputation for doing ugly things.
Russian
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I saw that I could make valuable use of the Russian reputation for doing ugly things.
saw
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I saw that I could make valuable use of the Russian reputation for doing ugly things.
scope
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I let him have some two or three minutes, therefore, so that his fears should have full scope; and just as my first question was on my lips, a happy thought occurred to me.
shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading It was essential for my purpose that he should be thoroughly frightened; and the suspense was enough to try much stouter nerves than his.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading I let him have some two or three minutes, therefore, so that his fears should have full scope; and just as my first question was on my lips, a happy thought occurred to me.
some
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I let him have some two or three minutes, therefore, so that his fears should have full scope; and just as my first question was on my lips, a happy thought occurred to me.
stouter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was essential for my purpose that he should be thoroughly frightened; and the suspense was enough to try much stouter nerves than his.
suspense
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From this reading It was essential for my purpose that he should be thoroughly frightened; and the suspense was enough to try much stouter nerves than his.
TERROR
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE NIGHT OF TERROR.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading It was essential for my purpose that he should be thoroughly frightened; and the suspense was enough to try much stouter nerves than his.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was essential for my purpose that he should be thoroughly frightened; and the suspense was enough to try much stouter nerves than his.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE NIGHT OF TERROR.
thereforeadverbUS /ˈðerfɔːr/
for that reason; as a result
From this reading I let him have some two or three minutes, therefore, so that his fears should have full scope; and just as my first question was on my lips, a happy thought occurred to me.
things
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I saw that I could make valuable use of the Russian reputation for doing ugly things.
thoroughly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was essential for my purpose that he should be thoroughly frightened; and the suspense was enough to try much stouter nerves than his.
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I let him have some two or three minutes, therefore, so that his fears should have full scope; and just as my first question was on my lips, a happy thought occurred to me.
three
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I let him have some two or three minutes, therefore, so that his fears should have full scope; and just as my first question was on my lips, a happy thought occurred to me.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The fear which my prisoner displayed led me to prolong the interval before I questioned him.
try
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was essential for my purpose that he should be thoroughly frightened; and the suspense was enough to try much stouter nerves than his.
two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I let him have some two or three minutes, therefore, so that his fears should have full scope; and just as my first question was on my lips, a happy thought occurred to me.
ugly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I saw that I could make valuable use of the Russian reputation for doing ugly things.
use
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I saw that I could make valuable use of the Russian reputation for doing ugly things.
valuable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I saw that I could make valuable use of the Russian reputation for doing ugly things.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was essential for my purpose that he should be thoroughly frightened; and the suspense was enough to try much stouter nerves than his.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The fear which my prisoner displayed led me to prolong the interval before I questioned him.
