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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 Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading As for Jimmy, his mouth opened and shut like that of an expiring fish.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
aright
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From this reading He could scarcely believe he had heard aright.
AsconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As for Jimmy, his mouth opened and shut like that of an expiring fish.
attributed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Browne felt that his face was visibly paling, and that guilt must be written on every inch of it.
believenounUS /ˈbelieve/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading He could scarcely believe he had heard aright.
bombshell
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
bring
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From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
Browne
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From this reading Browne felt that his face was visibly paling, and that guilt must be written on every inch of it.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
caused
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
centre
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
certainly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
consternation
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading Browne felt that his face was visibly paling, and that guilt must be written on every inch of it.
expiring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As for Jimmy, his mouth opened and shut like that of an expiring fish.
face
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Browne felt that his face was visibly paling, and that guilt must be written on every inch of it.
fallen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
fashion
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
felt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Browne felt that his face was visibly paling, and that guilt must be written on every inch of it.
fish
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As for Jimmy, his mouth opened and shut like that of an expiring fish.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading As for Jimmy, his mouth opened and shut like that of an expiring fish.
greater
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
guilt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Browne felt that his face was visibly paling, and that guilt must be written on every inch of it.
Hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He could scarcely believe he had heard aright.
heard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could scarcely believe he had heard aright.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Browne felt that his face was visibly paling, and that guilt must be written on every inch of it.
idle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
inch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Browne felt that his face was visibly paling, and that guilt must be written on every inch of it.
induced
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
Jimmy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As for Jimmy, his mouth opened and shut like that of an expiring fish.
joked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
latter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As for Jimmy, his mouth opened and shut like that of an expiring fish.
Maas
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
Maas's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
moment
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
mouth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As for Jimmy, his mouth opened and shut like that of an expiring fish.
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading Browne felt that his face was visibly paling, and that guilt must be written on every inch of it.
nerves
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Browne felt that his face was visibly paling, and that guilt must be written on every inch of it.
once
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
opened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As for Jimmy, his mouth opened and shut like that of an expiring fish.
paling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Browne felt that his face was visibly paling, and that guilt must be written on every inch of it.
remark
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
rememberverbUS /rɪˈmɛm.bər/
To recall to mind.
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
saloon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
scarcely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
settled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
shut
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As for Jimmy, his mouth opened and shut like that of an expiring fish.
simple
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
skylight
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
stretched
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
table
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Browne felt that his face was visibly paling, and that guilt must be written on every inch of it.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
throughnounUS /ˈthrough/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did Maas's simple remark.
tightly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
times
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
visibly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Browne felt that his face was visibly paling, and that guilt must be written on every inch of it.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Browne felt that his face was visibly paling, and that guilt must be written on every inch of it.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading He had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion Maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched?
written
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Browne felt that his face was visibly paling, and that guilt must be written on every inch of it.
