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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 desert itself sank down into a hollow that seemed to fling those dark Theban hills upwards--towards the stars.
againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
animate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Everything, animate and inanimate, rose out of a common ultimate--the Sea.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Everything, as it were, went into its background.
away
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
background
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Everything, as it were, went into its background.
bank
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
BehindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
beyondprepositionUS /bɪˈɑːnd/
on the far side of; further than
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
boat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The boat swung out into mid-stream.
bodynounUS /body/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
bougainvillaea
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
clover
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
common
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Everything, animate and inanimate, rose out of a common ultimate--the Sea.
dark
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The desert itself sank down into a hollow that seemed to fling those dark Theban hills upwards--towards the stars.
desert
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
down
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The desert itself sank down into a hollow that seemed to fling those dark Theban hills upwards--towards the stars.
EverythingpronounUS /ˈevriθɪŋ/
all things; all of a situation
From this reading Everything, as it were, went into its background.
faded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
fields
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
figure
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
fling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The desert itself sank down into a hollow that seemed to fling those dark Theban hills upwards--towards the stars.
front
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
greatnounUS /great/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
Haughstone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
head
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
hills
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The desert itself sank down into a hollow that seemed to fling those dark Theban hills upwards--towards the stars.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
hollow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The desert itself sank down into a hollow that seemed to fling those dark Theban hills upwards--towards the stars.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
inanimate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Everything, animate and inanimate, rose out of a common ultimate--the Sea.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The boat swung out into mid-stream.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Everything, as it were, went into its background.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Everything, as it were, went into its background.
itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading The desert itself sank down into a hollow that seemed to fling those dark Theban hills upwards--towards the stars.
merged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
mid-stream
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The boat swung out into mid-stream.
Mohammed's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
moon-fed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
Mrs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
opposite
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The boat swung out into mid-stream.
palms
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
rose
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Everything, animate and inanimate, rose out of a common ultimate--the Sea.
sank
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The desert itself sank down into a hollow that seemed to fling those dark Theban hills upwards--towards the stars.
Sea
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Everything, animate and inanimate, rose out of a common ultimate--the Sea.
seemednounUS /seemed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The desert itself sank down into a hollow that seemed to fling those dark Theban hills upwards--towards the stars.
shadowy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
shoulders
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
slipped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
spectral
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
stars
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The desert itself sank down into a hollow that seemed to fling those dark Theban hills upwards--towards the stars.
swung
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The boat swung out into mid-stream.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The desert itself sank down into a hollow that seemed to fling those dark Theban hills upwards--towards the stars.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The boat swung out into mid-stream.
Theban
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The desert itself sank down into a hollow that seemed to fling those dark Theban hills upwards--towards the stars.
thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading The desert itself sank down into a hollow that seemed to fling those dark Theban hills upwards--towards the stars.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The desert itself sank down into a hollow that seemed to fling those dark Theban hills upwards--towards the stars.
towardsprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrdz/
in the direction of
From this reading The desert itself sank down into a hollow that seemed to fling those dark Theban hills upwards--towards the stars.
ultimate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Everything, animate and inanimate, rose out of a common ultimate--the Sea.
upwards
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The desert itself sank down into a hollow that seemed to fling those dark Theban hills upwards--towards the stars.
wall
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
wentnounUS /went/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Everything, as it were, went into its background.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Everything, as it were, went into its background.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Behind him the figure of Mrs. Haughstone faded away against the bougainvillaea on the wall; in front, Mohammed's head and shoulders merged with the opposite bank; beyond, the spectral palms and the shadowy fields of clover slipped into the great body of the moon-fed desert.
