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alonenounUS /alone/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Between these two certainties he balanced in secret torture, one factor alone constant--that his sense of security was shaken to the foundations.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Belief in his own value had never been thus assailed before; that he was indispensable had been an ultimate assurance.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading His vanity and self-esteem now toppled ominously.
assailed
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From this reading Belief in his own value had never been thus assailed before; that he was indispensable had been an ultimate assurance.
assurance
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From this reading Belief in his own value had never been thus assailed before; that he was indispensable had been an ultimate assurance.
balanced
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From this reading Between these two certainties he balanced in secret torture, one factor alone constant--that his sense of security was shaken to the foundations.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Belief in his own value had never been thus assailed before; that he was indispensable had been an ultimate assurance.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Belief in his own value had never been thus assailed before; that he was indispensable had been an ultimate assurance.
Belief
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From this reading Belief in his own value had never been thus assailed before; that he was indispensable had been an ultimate assurance.
BetweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading Between these two certainties he balanced in secret torture, one factor alone constant--that his sense of security was shaken to the foundations.
certainties
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From this reading Between these two certainties he balanced in secret torture, one factor alone constant--that his sense of security was shaken to the foundations.
clear
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From this reading One minute he felt sure of Lettice, the next the opposite was clear.
conflict
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From this reading The conflict in Tom's puzzled heart sharpened that evening into dreadful edges that cut him mercilessly whichever way he turned.
constant
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From this reading Between these two certainties he balanced in secret torture, one factor alone constant--that his sense of security was shaken to the foundations.
cut
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From this reading The conflict in Tom's puzzled heart sharpened that evening into dreadful edges that cut him mercilessly whichever way he turned.
dreadfuladjectiveUS /ˈdrɛdfəl/
extremely frightening or unpleasant
From this reading The conflict in Tom's puzzled heart sharpened that evening into dreadful edges that cut him mercilessly whichever way he turned.
edges
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From this reading The conflict in Tom's puzzled heart sharpened that evening into dreadful edges that cut him mercilessly whichever way he turned.
evening
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From this reading The conflict in Tom's puzzled heart sharpened that evening into dreadful edges that cut him mercilessly whichever way he turned.
factor
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From this reading Between these two certainties he balanced in secret torture, one factor alone constant--that his sense of security was shaken to the foundations.
felt
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From this reading One minute he felt sure of Lettice, the next the opposite was clear.
foundations
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From this reading Between these two certainties he balanced in secret torture, one factor alone constant--that his sense of security was shaken to the foundations.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Belief in his own value had never been thus assailed before; that he was indispensable had been an ultimate assurance.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The conflict in Tom's puzzled heart sharpened that evening into dreadful edges that cut him mercilessly whichever way he turned.
heart
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From this reading The conflict in Tom's puzzled heart sharpened that evening into dreadful edges that cut him mercilessly whichever way he turned.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The conflict in Tom's puzzled heart sharpened that evening into dreadful edges that cut him mercilessly whichever way he turned.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Between these two certainties he balanced in secret torture, one factor alone constant--that his sense of security was shaken to the foundations.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The conflict in Tom's puzzled heart sharpened that evening into dreadful edges that cut him mercilessly whichever way he turned.
indispensable
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From this reading Belief in his own value had never been thus assailed before; that he was indispensable had been an ultimate assurance.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The conflict in Tom's puzzled heart sharpened that evening into dreadful edges that cut him mercilessly whichever way he turned.
Lettice
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From this reading One minute he felt sure of Lettice, the next the opposite was clear.
mercilessly
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From this reading The conflict in Tom's puzzled heart sharpened that evening into dreadful edges that cut him mercilessly whichever way he turned.
minute
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From this reading One minute he felt sure of Lettice, the next the opposite was clear.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Belief in his own value had never been thus assailed before; that he was indispensable had been an ultimate assurance.
nextnounUS /next/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading One minute he felt sure of Lettice, the next the opposite was clear.
now
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From this reading His vanity and self-esteem now toppled ominously.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading One minute he felt sure of Lettice, the next the opposite was clear.
ominously
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From this reading His vanity and self-esteem now toppled ominously.
OnepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One minute he felt sure of Lettice, the next the opposite was clear.
opposite
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From this reading One minute he felt sure of Lettice, the next the opposite was clear.
own
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From this reading Belief in his own value had never been thus assailed before; that he was indispensable had been an ultimate assurance.
puzzled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The conflict in Tom's puzzled heart sharpened that evening into dreadful edges that cut him mercilessly whichever way he turned.
secretnounUS /ˈsiː.krət/
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading Between these two certainties he balanced in secret torture, one factor alone constant--that his sense of security was shaken to the foundations.
security
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Between these two certainties he balanced in secret torture, one factor alone constant--that his sense of security was shaken to the foundations.
self-esteem
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His vanity and self-esteem now toppled ominously.
sense
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Between these two certainties he balanced in secret torture, one factor alone constant--that his sense of security was shaken to the foundations.
shaken
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Between these two certainties he balanced in secret torture, one factor alone constant--that his sense of security was shaken to the foundations.
sharpened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The conflict in Tom's puzzled heart sharpened that evening into dreadful edges that cut him mercilessly whichever way he turned.
surenounUS /sure/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading One minute he felt sure of Lettice, the next the opposite was clear.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The conflict in Tom's puzzled heart sharpened that evening into dreadful edges that cut him mercilessly whichever way he turned.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The conflict in Tom's puzzled heart sharpened that evening into dreadful edges that cut him mercilessly whichever way he turned.
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Between these two certainties he balanced in secret torture, one factor alone constant--that his sense of security was shaken to the foundations.
thus
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Belief in his own value had never been thus assailed before; that he was indispensable had been an ultimate assurance.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Between these two certainties he balanced in secret torture, one factor alone constant--that his sense of security was shaken to the foundations.
Tom's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The conflict in Tom's puzzled heart sharpened that evening into dreadful edges that cut him mercilessly whichever way he turned.
toppled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His vanity and self-esteem now toppled ominously.
torture
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Between these two certainties he balanced in secret torture, one factor alone constant--that his sense of security was shaken to the foundations.
turned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The conflict in Tom's puzzled heart sharpened that evening into dreadful edges that cut him mercilessly whichever way he turned.
two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Between these two certainties he balanced in secret torture, one factor alone constant--that his sense of security was shaken to the foundations.
ultimate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Belief in his own value had never been thus assailed before; that he was indispensable had been an ultimate assurance.
value
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Belief in his own value had never been thus assailed before; that he was indispensable had been an ultimate assurance.
vanity
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His vanity and self-esteem now toppled ominously.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading One minute he felt sure of Lettice, the next the opposite was clear.
way
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The conflict in Tom's puzzled heart sharpened that evening into dreadful edges that cut him mercilessly whichever way he turned.
whicheverdeterminerUS /wɪˈtʃevər/
any one of a set, it does not matter which
From this reading The conflict in Tom's puzzled heart sharpened that evening into dreadful edges that cut him mercilessly whichever way he turned.
