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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 THE LITTLE FIGURE IN BLACK A season of intense depression, almost of melancholia, came to Douglas.
absence
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From this reading He avoided the club, where his absence was commented upon, and where he was in a fair way to become a popular member.
almost
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From this reading THE LITTLE FIGURE IN BLACK A season of intense depression, almost of melancholia, came to Douglas.
aloofness
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From this reading He grew more reserved than ever with his colleagues on the staff of the Courier, who regretted his aloofness and would gladly have drawn him into the ranks of their pleasant comradeship.
ambitions
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From this reading On the threshold of his ambitions, when the way seemed fair before him, life had suddenly become distasteful.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He grew more reserved than ever with his colleagues on the staff of the Courier, who regretted his aloofness and would gladly have drawn him into the ranks of their pleasant comradeship.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading With a fierce effort of concentration he continued to work at his novel, which yet progressed but slowly.
avoided
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From this reading He avoided the club, where his absence was commented upon, and where he was in a fair way to become a popular member.
become
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From this reading He avoided the club, where his absence was commented upon, and where he was in a fair way to become a popular member.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading On the threshold of his ambitions, when the way seemed fair before him, life had suddenly become distasteful.
BLACK
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From this reading THE LITTLE FIGURE IN BLACK A season of intense depression, almost of melancholia, came to Douglas.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading With a fierce effort of concentration he continued to work at his novel, which yet progressed but slowly.
came
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From this reading THE LITTLE FIGURE IN BLACK A season of intense depression, almost of melancholia, came to Douglas.
club
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From this reading He avoided the club, where his absence was commented upon, and where he was in a fair way to become a popular member.
colleagues
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From this reading He grew more reserved than ever with his colleagues on the staff of the Courier, who regretted his aloofness and would gladly have drawn him into the ranks of their pleasant comradeship.
commented
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From this reading He avoided the club, where his absence was commented upon, and where he was in a fair way to become a popular member.
comradeship
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From this reading He grew more reserved than ever with his colleagues on the staff of the Courier, who regretted his aloofness and would gladly have drawn him into the ranks of their pleasant comradeship.
concentration
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From this reading With a fierce effort of concentration he continued to work at his novel, which yet progressed but slowly.
continuednounUS /ˈcontinued/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading With a fierce effort of concentration he continued to work at his novel, which yet progressed but slowly.
Courier
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From this reading He grew more reserved than ever with his colleagues on the staff of the Courier, who regretted his aloofness and would gladly have drawn him into the ranks of their pleasant comradeship.
depression
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From this reading THE LITTLE FIGURE IN BLACK A season of intense depression, almost of melancholia, came to Douglas.
distasteful
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From this reading On the threshold of his ambitions, when the way seemed fair before him, life had suddenly become distasteful.
Douglas
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From this reading THE LITTLE FIGURE IN BLACK A season of intense depression, almost of melancholia, came to Douglas.
drawn
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From this reading He grew more reserved than ever with his colleagues on the staff of the Courier, who regretted his aloofness and would gladly have drawn him into the ranks of their pleasant comradeship.
effort
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With a fierce effort of concentration he continued to work at his novel, which yet progressed but slowly.
evernounUS /ever/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He grew more reserved than ever with his colleagues on the staff of the Courier, who regretted his aloofness and would gladly have drawn him into the ranks of their pleasant comradeship.
fairnounUS /fair/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He avoided the club, where his absence was commented upon, and where he was in a fair way to become a popular member.
fierce
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From this reading With a fierce effort of concentration he continued to work at his novel, which yet progressed but slowly.
FIGURE
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From this reading THE LITTLE FIGURE IN BLACK A season of intense depression, almost of melancholia, came to Douglas.
gladly
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From this reading He grew more reserved than ever with his colleagues on the staff of the Courier, who regretted his aloofness and would gladly have drawn him into the ranks of their pleasant comradeship.
grew
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From this reading He grew more reserved than ever with his colleagues on the staff of the Courier, who regretted his aloofness and would gladly have drawn him into the ranks of their pleasant comradeship.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading On the threshold of his ambitions, when the way seemed fair before him, life had suddenly become distasteful.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading He grew more reserved than ever with his colleagues on the staff of the Courier, who regretted his aloofness and would gladly have drawn him into the ranks of their pleasant comradeship.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He grew more reserved than ever with his colleagues on the staff of the Courier, who regretted his aloofness and would gladly have drawn him into the ranks of their pleasant comradeship.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He grew more reserved than ever with his colleagues on the staff of the Courier, who regretted his aloofness and would gladly have drawn him into the ranks of their pleasant comradeship.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He grew more reserved than ever with his colleagues on the staff of the Courier, who regretted his aloofness and would gladly have drawn him into the ranks of their pleasant comradeship.
INprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE LITTLE FIGURE IN BLACK A season of intense depression, almost of melancholia, came to Douglas.
intense
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From this reading THE LITTLE FIGURE IN BLACK A season of intense depression, almost of melancholia, came to Douglas.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading He grew more reserved than ever with his colleagues on the staff of the Courier, who regretted his aloofness and would gladly have drawn him into the ranks of their pleasant comradeship.
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading On the threshold of his ambitions, when the way seemed fair before him, life had suddenly become distasteful.
LITTLEnounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading THE LITTLE FIGURE IN BLACK A season of intense depression, almost of melancholia, came to Douglas.
melancholia
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE LITTLE FIGURE IN BLACK A season of intense depression, almost of melancholia, came to Douglas.
member
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He avoided the club, where his absence was commented upon, and where he was in a fair way to become a popular member.
more
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He grew more reserved than ever with his colleagues on the staff of the Courier, who regretted his aloofness and would gladly have drawn him into the ranks of their pleasant comradeship.
novel
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From this reading With a fierce effort of concentration he continued to work at his novel, which yet progressed but slowly.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE LITTLE FIGURE IN BLACK A season of intense depression, almost of melancholia, came to Douglas.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He grew more reserved than ever with his colleagues on the staff of the Courier, who regretted his aloofness and would gladly have drawn him into the ranks of their pleasant comradeship.
pleasantnounUS /pleasant/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He grew more reserved than ever with his colleagues on the staff of the Courier, who regretted his aloofness and would gladly have drawn him into the ranks of their pleasant comradeship.
popular
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He avoided the club, where his absence was commented upon, and where he was in a fair way to become a popular member.
progressed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With a fierce effort of concentration he continued to work at his novel, which yet progressed but slowly.
ranks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He grew more reserved than ever with his colleagues on the staff of the Courier, who regretted his aloofness and would gladly have drawn him into the ranks of their pleasant comradeship.
regretted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He grew more reserved than ever with his colleagues on the staff of the Courier, who regretted his aloofness and would gladly have drawn him into the ranks of their pleasant comradeship.
reserved
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He grew more reserved than ever with his colleagues on the staff of the Courier, who regretted his aloofness and would gladly have drawn him into the ranks of their pleasant comradeship.
season
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE LITTLE FIGURE IN BLACK A season of intense depression, almost of melancholia, came to Douglas.
seemednounUS /seemed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading On the threshold of his ambitions, when the way seemed fair before him, life had suddenly become distasteful.
slowly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With a fierce effort of concentration he continued to work at his novel, which yet progressed but slowly.
staff
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He grew more reserved than ever with his colleagues on the staff of the Courier, who regretted his aloofness and would gladly have drawn him into the ranks of their pleasant comradeship.
suddenlynounUS /ˈsuddenly/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading On the threshold of his ambitions, when the way seemed fair before him, life had suddenly become distasteful.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading He grew more reserved than ever with his colleagues on the staff of the Courier, who regretted his aloofness and would gladly have drawn him into the ranks of their pleasant comradeship.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE LITTLE FIGURE IN BLACK A season of intense depression, almost of melancholia, came to Douglas.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading He grew more reserved than ever with his colleagues on the staff of the Courier, who regretted his aloofness and would gladly have drawn him into the ranks of their pleasant comradeship.
threshold
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On the threshold of his ambitions, when the way seemed fair before him, life had suddenly become distasteful.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE LITTLE FIGURE IN BLACK A season of intense depression, almost of melancholia, came to Douglas.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading He avoided the club, where his absence was commented upon, and where he was in a fair way to become a popular member.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He avoided the club, where his absence was commented upon, and where he was in a fair way to become a popular member.
way
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He avoided the club, where his absence was commented upon, and where he was in a fair way to become a popular member.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading On the threshold of his ambitions, when the way seemed fair before him, life had suddenly become distasteful.
whereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading He avoided the club, where his absence was commented upon, and where he was in a fair way to become a popular member.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading With a fierce effort of concentration he continued to work at his novel, which yet progressed but slowly.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading He grew more reserved than ever with his colleagues on the staff of the Courier, who regretted his aloofness and would gladly have drawn him into the ranks of their pleasant comradeship.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading He grew more reserved than ever with his colleagues on the staff of the Courier, who regretted his aloofness and would gladly have drawn him into the ranks of their pleasant comradeship.
work
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With a fierce effort of concentration he continued to work at his novel, which yet progressed but slowly.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading He grew more reserved than ever with his colleagues on the staff of the Courier, who regretted his aloofness and would gladly have drawn him into the ranks of their pleasant comradeship.
yetconjunctionUS /jet/
but in spite of that
From this reading With a fierce effort of concentration he continued to work at his novel, which yet progressed but slowly.
