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1866
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From this reading Indeed, in the spring of 1866 the impulse of expansion was not yet visibly felt anywhere; the enormous material growth that followed the civil war had not yet begun.
adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading We had expected to stay in Boston only until we could find a house in Old Cambridge.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading In Cambridge the houses to be let were few, and such as there were fell either below our pride or rose above our purse.
alive
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From this reading I wish I might tell how at last we bought a house; we had no money, but we were rich in friends, who are still alive to shrink from the story of their constant faith in a financial future which we sometimes doubted, and who backed their credulity with their credit.
ancientadjectiveUS /ˈeɪn.ʃənt/
Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.
From this reading This was not so simple a matter as it might seem; for the ancient town had not yet quickened its scholarly pace to the modern step.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading In Cambridge the houses to be let were few, and such as there were fell either below our pride or rose above our purse.
anywhere
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From this reading Indeed, in the spring of 1866 the impulse of expansion was not yet visibly felt anywhere; the enormous material growth that followed the civil war had not yet begun.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading I wish I might tell how at last we bought a house; we had no money, but we were rich in friends, who are still alive to shrink from the story of their constant faith in a financial future which we sometimes doubted, and who backed their credulity with their credit.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading This was not so simple a matter as it might seem; for the ancient town had not yet quickened its scholarly pace to the modern step.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading I wish I might tell how at last we bought a house; we had no money, but we were rich in friends, who are still alive to shrink from the story of their constant faith in a financial future which we sometimes doubted, and who backed their credulity with their credit.
backed
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From this reading I wish I might tell how at last we bought a house; we had no money, but we were rich in friends, who are still alive to shrink from the story of their constant faith in a financial future which we sometimes doubted, and who backed their credulity with their credit.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading In Cambridge the houses to be let were few, and such as there were fell either below our pride or rose above our purse.
begun
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From this reading Indeed, in the spring of 1866 the impulse of expansion was not yet visibly felt anywhere; the enormous material growth that followed the civil war had not yet begun.
belowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/
at or to a lower level than something
From this reading In Cambridge the houses to be let were few, and such as there were fell either below our pride or rose above our purse.
Boston
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From this reading We had expected to stay in Boston only until we could find a house in Old Cambridge.
bought
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From this reading I wish I might tell how at last we bought a house; we had no money, but we were rich in friends, who are still alive to shrink from the story of their constant faith in a financial future which we sometimes doubted, and who backed their credulity with their credit.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading I wish I might tell how at last we bought a house; we had no money, but we were rich in friends, who are still alive to shrink from the story of their constant faith in a financial future which we sometimes doubted, and who backed their credulity with their credit.
Cambridge
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We had expected to stay in Boston only until we could find a house in Old Cambridge.
civil
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From this reading Indeed, in the spring of 1866 the impulse of expansion was not yet visibly felt anywhere; the enormous material growth that followed the civil war had not yet begun.
constant
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I wish I might tell how at last we bought a house; we had no money, but we were rich in friends, who are still alive to shrink from the story of their constant faith in a financial future which we sometimes doubted, and who backed their credulity with their credit.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading We had expected to stay in Boston only until we could find a house in Old Cambridge.
credit
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From this reading I wish I might tell how at last we bought a house; we had no money, but we were rich in friends, who are still alive to shrink from the story of their constant faith in a financial future which we sometimes doubted, and who backed their credulity with their credit.
credulity
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From this reading I wish I might tell how at last we bought a house; we had no money, but we were rich in friends, who are still alive to shrink from the story of their constant faith in a financial future which we sometimes doubted, and who backed their credulity with their credit.
doubted
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From this reading I wish I might tell how at last we bought a house; we had no money, but we were rich in friends, who are still alive to shrink from the story of their constant faith in a financial future which we sometimes doubted, and who backed their credulity with their credit.
eitherdeterminerUS /ˈiːðər/
one or the other of two
From this reading In Cambridge the houses to be let were few, and such as there were fell either below our pride or rose above our purse.
enormous
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From this reading Indeed, in the spring of 1866 the impulse of expansion was not yet visibly felt anywhere; the enormous material growth that followed the civil war had not yet begun.
expansion
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From this reading Indeed, in the spring of 1866 the impulse of expansion was not yet visibly felt anywhere; the enormous material growth that followed the civil war had not yet begun.
expected
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From this reading We had expected to stay in Boston only until we could find a house in Old Cambridge.
faith
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From this reading I wish I might tell how at last we bought a house; we had no money, but we were rich in friends, who are still alive to shrink from the story of their constant faith in a financial future which we sometimes doubted, and who backed their credulity with their credit.
fell
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In Cambridge the houses to be let were few, and such as there were fell either below our pride or rose above our purse.
felt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Indeed, in the spring of 1866 the impulse of expansion was not yet visibly felt anywhere; the enormous material growth that followed the civil war had not yet begun.
few
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From this reading In Cambridge the houses to be let were few, and such as there were fell either below our pride or rose above our purse.
financial
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From this reading I wish I might tell how at last we bought a house; we had no money, but we were rich in friends, who are still alive to shrink from the story of their constant faith in a financial future which we sometimes doubted, and who backed their credulity with their credit.
find
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We had expected to stay in Boston only until we could find a house in Old Cambridge.
followed
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From this reading Indeed, in the spring of 1866 the impulse of expansion was not yet visibly felt anywhere; the enormous material growth that followed the civil war had not yet begun.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading This was not so simple a matter as it might seem; for the ancient town had not yet quickened its scholarly pace to the modern step.
friends
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I wish I might tell how at last we bought a house; we had no money, but we were rich in friends, who are still alive to shrink from the story of their constant faith in a financial future which we sometimes doubted, and who backed their credulity with their credit.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading I wish I might tell how at last we bought a house; we had no money, but we were rich in friends, who are still alive to shrink from the story of their constant faith in a financial future which we sometimes doubted, and who backed their credulity with their credit.
future
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I wish I might tell how at last we bought a house; we had no money, but we were rich in friends, who are still alive to shrink from the story of their constant faith in a financial future which we sometimes doubted, and who backed their credulity with their credit.
growth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Indeed, in the spring of 1866 the impulse of expansion was not yet visibly felt anywhere; the enormous material growth that followed the civil war had not yet begun.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading We had expected to stay in Boston only until we could find a house in Old Cambridge.
house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We had expected to stay in Boston only until we could find a house in Old Cambridge.
houses
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In Cambridge the houses to be let were few, and such as there were fell either below our pride or rose above our purse.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I wish I might tell how at last we bought a house; we had no money, but we were rich in friends, who are still alive to shrink from the story of their constant faith in a financial future which we sometimes doubted, and who backed their credulity with their credit.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I wish I might tell how at last we bought a house; we had no money, but we were rich in friends, who are still alive to shrink from the story of their constant faith in a financial future which we sometimes doubted, and who backed their credulity with their credit.
impulsenounUS /ˈɪmpʌls/
a sudden strong desire to act
From this reading Indeed, in the spring of 1866 the impulse of expansion was not yet visibly felt anywhere; the enormous material growth that followed the civil war had not yet begun.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading We had expected to stay in Boston only until we could find a house in Old Cambridge.
Indeed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Indeed, in the spring of 1866 the impulse of expansion was not yet visibly felt anywhere; the enormous material growth that followed the civil war had not yet begun.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading This was not so simple a matter as it might seem; for the ancient town had not yet quickened its scholarly pace to the modern step.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading This was not so simple a matter as it might seem; for the ancient town had not yet quickened its scholarly pace to the modern step.
lastnounUS /last/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I wish I might tell how at last we bought a house; we had no money, but we were rich in friends, who are still alive to shrink from the story of their constant faith in a financial future which we sometimes doubted, and who backed their credulity with their credit.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading In Cambridge the houses to be let were few, and such as there were fell either below our pride or rose above our purse.
material
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Indeed, in the spring of 1866 the impulse of expansion was not yet visibly felt anywhere; the enormous material growth that followed the civil war had not yet begun.
matter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was not so simple a matter as it might seem; for the ancient town had not yet quickened its scholarly pace to the modern step.
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading This was not so simple a matter as it might seem; for the ancient town had not yet quickened its scholarly pace to the modern step.
modern
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was not so simple a matter as it might seem; for the ancient town had not yet quickened its scholarly pace to the modern step.
money
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I wish I might tell how at last we bought a house; we had no money, but we were rich in friends, who are still alive to shrink from the story of their constant faith in a financial future which we sometimes doubted, and who backed their credulity with their credit.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading I wish I might tell how at last we bought a house; we had no money, but we were rich in friends, who are still alive to shrink from the story of their constant faith in a financial future which we sometimes doubted, and who backed their credulity with their credit.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading This was not so simple a matter as it might seem; for the ancient town had not yet quickened its scholarly pace to the modern step.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Indeed, in the spring of 1866 the impulse of expansion was not yet visibly felt anywhere; the enormous material growth that followed the civil war had not yet begun.
Old
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We had expected to stay in Boston only until we could find a house in Old Cambridge.
only
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We had expected to stay in Boston only until we could find a house in Old Cambridge.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading In Cambridge the houses to be let were few, and such as there were fell either below our pride or rose above our purse.
ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading In Cambridge the houses to be let were few, and such as there were fell either below our pride or rose above our purse.
pace
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was not so simple a matter as it might seem; for the ancient town had not yet quickened its scholarly pace to the modern step.
pride
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In Cambridge the houses to be let were few, and such as there were fell either below our pride or rose above our purse.
purse
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In Cambridge the houses to be let were few, and such as there were fell either below our pride or rose above our purse.
quickened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was not so simple a matter as it might seem; for the ancient town had not yet quickened its scholarly pace to the modern step.
rich
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I wish I might tell how at last we bought a house; we had no money, but we were rich in friends, who are still alive to shrink from the story of their constant faith in a financial future which we sometimes doubted, and who backed their credulity with their credit.
rose
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In Cambridge the houses to be let were few, and such as there were fell either below our pride or rose above our purse.
scholarly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was not so simple a matter as it might seem; for the ancient town had not yet quickened its scholarly pace to the modern step.
seem
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was not so simple a matter as it might seem; for the ancient town had not yet quickened its scholarly pace to the modern step.
shrink
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I wish I might tell how at last we bought a house; we had no money, but we were rich in friends, who are still alive to shrink from the story of their constant faith in a financial future which we sometimes doubted, and who backed their credulity with their credit.
simple
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was not so simple a matter as it might seem; for the ancient town had not yet quickened its scholarly pace to the modern step.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading This was not so simple a matter as it might seem; for the ancient town had not yet quickened its scholarly pace to the modern step.
sometimes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I wish I might tell how at last we bought a house; we had no money, but we were rich in friends, who are still alive to shrink from the story of their constant faith in a financial future which we sometimes doubted, and who backed their credulity with their credit.
spring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Indeed, in the spring of 1866 the impulse of expansion was not yet visibly felt anywhere; the enormous material growth that followed the civil war had not yet begun.
stay
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We had expected to stay in Boston only until we could find a house in Old Cambridge.
stepnounUS /step/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading This was not so simple a matter as it might seem; for the ancient town had not yet quickened its scholarly pace to the modern step.
stillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I wish I might tell how at last we bought a house; we had no money, but we were rich in friends, who are still alive to shrink from the story of their constant faith in a financial future which we sometimes doubted, and who backed their credulity with their credit.
story
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I wish I might tell how at last we bought a house; we had no money, but we were rich in friends, who are still alive to shrink from the story of their constant faith in a financial future which we sometimes doubted, and who backed their credulity with their credit.
suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading In Cambridge the houses to be let were few, and such as there were fell either below our pride or rose above our purse.
tellnounUS /tell/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I wish I might tell how at last we bought a house; we had no money, but we were rich in friends, who are still alive to shrink from the story of their constant faith in a financial future which we sometimes doubted, and who backed their credulity with their credit.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Indeed, in the spring of 1866 the impulse of expansion was not yet visibly felt anywhere; the enormous material growth that followed the civil war had not yet begun.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading This was not so simple a matter as it might seem; for the ancient town had not yet quickened its scholarly pace to the modern step.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading I wish I might tell how at last we bought a house; we had no money, but we were rich in friends, who are still alive to shrink from the story of their constant faith in a financial future which we sometimes doubted, and who backed their credulity with their credit.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In Cambridge the houses to be let were few, and such as there were fell either below our pride or rose above our purse.
ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This was not so simple a matter as it might seem; for the ancient town had not yet quickened its scholarly pace to the modern step.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading We had expected to stay in Boston only until we could find a house in Old Cambridge.
town
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was not so simple a matter as it might seem; for the ancient town had not yet quickened its scholarly pace to the modern step.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading We had expected to stay in Boston only until we could find a house in Old Cambridge.
visibly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Indeed, in the spring of 1866 the impulse of expansion was not yet visibly felt anywhere; the enormous material growth that followed the civil war had not yet begun.
war
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Indeed, in the spring of 1866 the impulse of expansion was not yet visibly felt anywhere; the enormous material growth that followed the civil war had not yet begun.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading This was not so simple a matter as it might seem; for the ancient town had not yet quickened its scholarly pace to the modern step.
WepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We had expected to stay in Boston only until we could find a house in Old Cambridge.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading In Cambridge the houses to be let were few, and such as there were fell either below our pride or rose above our purse.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading I wish I might tell how at last we bought a house; we had no money, but we were rich in friends, who are still alive to shrink from the story of their constant faith in a financial future which we sometimes doubted, and who backed their credulity with their credit.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading I wish I might tell how at last we bought a house; we had no money, but we were rich in friends, who are still alive to shrink from the story of their constant faith in a financial future which we sometimes doubted, and who backed their credulity with their credit.
wish
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I wish I might tell how at last we bought a house; we had no money, but we were rich in friends, who are still alive to shrink from the story of their constant faith in a financial future which we sometimes doubted, and who backed their credulity with their credit.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading I wish I might tell how at last we bought a house; we had no money, but we were rich in friends, who are still alive to shrink from the story of their constant faith in a financial future which we sometimes doubted, and who backed their credulity with their credit.
yetconjunctionUS /jet/
but in spite of that
From this reading This was not so simple a matter as it might seem; for the ancient town had not yet quickened its scholarly pace to the modern step.
