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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 raised his head from the drawing-board with the false gesture of fatigued impatience which, as a business man, he had long since acquired, and took the instrument.
acquired
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From this reading He raised his head from the drawing-board with the false gesture of fatigued impatience which, as a business man, he had long since acquired, and took the instrument.
affect
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From this reading Nevertheless, though he was quite alone, he had to affect that the telephone was his bane.
alonenounUS /alone/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Nevertheless, though he was quite alone, he had to affect that the telephone was his bane.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He raised his head from the drawing-board with the false gesture of fatigued impatience which, as a business man, he had long since acquired, and took the instrument.
Artists
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From this reading "Can Sir Isaac Davids speak to you, sir, from the Artists Club?"
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He raised his head from the drawing-board with the false gesture of fatigued impatience which, as a business man, he had long since acquired, and took the instrument.
bane
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From this reading Nevertheless, though he was quite alone, he had to affect that the telephone was his bane.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading As a fact he was not really busy; he was only pretending to be busy; and he rather enjoyed the summons of the telephone, with its eternal promise of some romantic new turn of existence.
business
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He raised his head from the drawing-board with the false gesture of fatigued impatience which, as a business man, he had long since acquired, and took the instrument.
busy
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From this reading As a fact he was not really busy; he was only pretending to be busy; and he rather enjoyed the summons of the telephone, with its eternal promise of some romantic new turn of existence.
Canmodal verbUS /kæn/
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading "Can Sir Isaac Davids speak to you, sir, from the Artists Club?"
Club
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From this reading "Can Sir Isaac Davids speak to you, sir, from the Artists Club?"
Davids
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From this reading "Can Sir Isaac Davids speak to you, sir, from the Artists Club?"
drawing-board
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From this reading He raised his head from the drawing-board with the false gesture of fatigued impatience which, as a business man, he had long since acquired, and took the instrument.
enjoyed
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From this reading As a fact he was not really busy; he was only pretending to be busy; and he rather enjoyed the summons of the telephone, with its eternal promise of some romantic new turn of existence.
eternal
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From this reading As a fact he was not really busy; he was only pretending to be busy; and he rather enjoyed the summons of the telephone, with its eternal promise of some romantic new turn of existence.
existence
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From this reading As a fact he was not really busy; he was only pretending to be busy; and he rather enjoyed the summons of the telephone, with its eternal promise of some romantic new turn of existence.
fact
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From this reading As a fact he was not really busy; he was only pretending to be busy; and he rather enjoyed the summons of the telephone, with its eternal promise of some romantic new turn of existence.
false
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From this reading He raised his head from the drawing-board with the false gesture of fatigued impatience which, as a business man, he had long since acquired, and took the instrument.
fatigued
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From this reading He raised his head from the drawing-board with the false gesture of fatigued impatience which, as a business man, he had long since acquired, and took the instrument.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He raised his head from the drawing-board with the false gesture of fatigued impatience which, as a business man, he had long since acquired, and took the instrument.
George's
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From this reading THE ROLL-CALL I The telephone rang in the principal's room of George's office in Museum Street.
gesture
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From this reading He raised his head from the drawing-board with the false gesture of fatigued impatience which, as a business man, he had long since acquired, and took the instrument.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He raised his head from the drawing-board with the false gesture of fatigued impatience which, as a business man, he had long since acquired, and took the instrument.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He raised his head from the drawing-board with the false gesture of fatigued impatience which, as a business man, he had long since acquired, and took the instrument.
head
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From this reading He raised his head from the drawing-board with the false gesture of fatigued impatience which, as a business man, he had long since acquired, and took the instrument.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He raised his head from the drawing-board with the false gesture of fatigued impatience which, as a business man, he had long since acquired, and took the instrument.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading THE ROLL-CALL I The telephone rang in the principal's room of George's office in Museum Street.
impatience
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From this reading He raised his head from the drawing-board with the false gesture of fatigued impatience which, as a business man, he had long since acquired, and took the instrument.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE ROLL-CALL I The telephone rang in the principal's room of George's office in Museum Street.
instrument
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From this reading He raised his head from the drawing-board with the false gesture of fatigued impatience which, as a business man, he had long since acquired, and took the instrument.
Isaac
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Can Sir Isaac Davids speak to you, sir, from the Artists Club?"
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading As a fact he was not really busy; he was only pretending to be busy; and he rather enjoyed the summons of the telephone, with its eternal promise of some romantic new turn of existence.
longnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He raised his head from the drawing-board with the false gesture of fatigued impatience which, as a business man, he had long since acquired, and took the instrument.
man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He raised his head from the drawing-board with the false gesture of fatigued impatience which, as a business man, he had long since acquired, and took the instrument.
Museum
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From this reading THE ROLL-CALL I The telephone rang in the principal's room of George's office in Museum Street.
NeverthelessadverbUS /ˌnevərðəˈles/
in spite of what has just been said
From this reading Nevertheless, though he was quite alone, he had to affect that the telephone was his bane.
new
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a fact he was not really busy; he was only pretending to be busy; and he rather enjoyed the summons of the telephone, with its eternal promise of some romantic new turn of existence.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading As a fact he was not really busy; he was only pretending to be busy; and he rather enjoyed the summons of the telephone, with its eternal promise of some romantic new turn of existence.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE ROLL-CALL I The telephone rang in the principal's room of George's office in Museum Street.
office
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE ROLL-CALL I The telephone rang in the principal's room of George's office in Museum Street.
only
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a fact he was not really busy; he was only pretending to be busy; and he rather enjoyed the summons of the telephone, with its eternal promise of some romantic new turn of existence.
pretending
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a fact he was not really busy; he was only pretending to be busy; and he rather enjoyed the summons of the telephone, with its eternal promise of some romantic new turn of existence.
principal's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE ROLL-CALL I The telephone rang in the principal's room of George's office in Museum Street.
promise
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a fact he was not really busy; he was only pretending to be busy; and he rather enjoyed the summons of the telephone, with its eternal promise of some romantic new turn of existence.
quitenounUS /quite/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Nevertheless, though he was quite alone, he had to affect that the telephone was his bane.
raised
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From this reading He raised his head from the drawing-board with the false gesture of fatigued impatience which, as a business man, he had long since acquired, and took the instrument.
rang
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE ROLL-CALL I The telephone rang in the principal's room of George's office in Museum Street.
rather
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a fact he was not really busy; he was only pretending to be busy; and he rather enjoyed the summons of the telephone, with its eternal promise of some romantic new turn of existence.
really
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a fact he was not really busy; he was only pretending to be busy; and he rather enjoyed the summons of the telephone, with its eternal promise of some romantic new turn of existence.
ROLL-CALL
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE ROLL-CALL I The telephone rang in the principal's room of George's office in Museum Street.
romantic
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a fact he was not really busy; he was only pretending to be busy; and he rather enjoyed the summons of the telephone, with its eternal promise of some romantic new turn of existence.
room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE ROLL-CALL I The telephone rang in the principal's room of George's office in Museum Street.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading He raised his head from the drawing-board with the false gesture of fatigued impatience which, as a business man, he had long since acquired, and took the instrument.
Sir
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Can Sir Isaac Davids speak to you, sir, from the Artists Club?"
some
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a fact he was not really busy; he was only pretending to be busy; and he rather enjoyed the summons of the telephone, with its eternal promise of some romantic new turn of existence.
speak
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Can Sir Isaac Davids speak to you, sir, from the Artists Club?"
Street
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE ROLL-CALL I The telephone rang in the principal's room of George's office in Museum Street.
summonsnounUS /ˈsʌmənz/
an official order to appear or respond
From this reading As a fact he was not really busy; he was only pretending to be busy; and he rather enjoyed the summons of the telephone, with its eternal promise of some romantic new turn of existence.
telephone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE ROLL-CALL I The telephone rang in the principal's room of George's office in Museum Street.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Nevertheless, though he was quite alone, he had to affect that the telephone was his bane.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE ROLL-CALL I The telephone rang in the principal's room of George's office in Museum Street.
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Nevertheless, though he was quite alone, he had to affect that the telephone was his bane.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading As a fact he was not really busy; he was only pretending to be busy; and he rather enjoyed the summons of the telephone, with its eternal promise of some romantic new turn of existence.
tooknounUS /took/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He raised his head from the drawing-board with the false gesture of fatigued impatience which, as a business man, he had long since acquired, and took the instrument.
turn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As a fact he was not really busy; he was only pretending to be busy; and he rather enjoyed the summons of the telephone, with its eternal promise of some romantic new turn of existence.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading As a fact he was not really busy; he was only pretending to be busy; and he rather enjoyed the summons of the telephone, with its eternal promise of some romantic new turn of existence.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He raised his head from the drawing-board with the false gesture of fatigued impatience which, as a business man, he had long since acquired, and took the instrument.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading He raised his head from the drawing-board with the false gesture of fatigued impatience which, as a business man, he had long since acquired, and took the instrument.
youpronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Can Sir Isaac Davids speak to you, sir, from the Artists Club?"
