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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 told himself that the proposed trip could not be otherwise than the stiffest kind of an ordeal to a man in his position, an ordeal calling for well-nigh superhuman self-control.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading THE FIRST STAGE For two days Stonor went about his preparations with an air of dogged determination.
air
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From this reading THE FIRST STAGE For two days Stonor went about his preparations with an air of dogged determination.
all
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From this reading It seemed to him that all the light had gone out of his life, and hope was dead.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading THE FIRST STAGE For two days Stonor went about his preparations with an air of dogged determination.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It seemed to him that all the light had gone out of his life, and hope was dead.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He told himself that the proposed trip could not be otherwise than the stiffest kind of an ordeal to a man in his position, an ordeal calling for well-nigh superhuman self-control.
begannounUS /began/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading And then on the third day his spirits unaccountably began to rise.
calling
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From this reading He told himself that the proposed trip could not be otherwise than the stiffest kind of an ordeal to a man in his position, an ordeal calling for well-nigh superhuman self-control.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He told himself that the proposed trip could not be otherwise than the stiffest kind of an ordeal to a man in his position, an ordeal calling for well-nigh superhuman self-control.
day
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From this reading And then on the third day his spirits unaccountably began to rise.
days
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From this reading THE FIRST STAGE For two days Stonor went about his preparations with an air of dogged determination.
deadnounUS /dead/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It seemed to him that all the light had gone out of his life, and hope was dead.
determination
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From this reading THE FIRST STAGE For two days Stonor went about his preparations with an air of dogged determination.
dogged
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From this reading THE FIRST STAGE For two days Stonor went about his preparations with an air of dogged determination.
FIRSTnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading THE FIRST STAGE For two days Stonor went about his preparations with an air of dogged determination.
ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading THE FIRST STAGE For two days Stonor went about his preparations with an air of dogged determination.
given
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From this reading How gladly would he have given it up, had he not given his word.
gladly
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From this reading How gladly would he have given it up, had he not given his word.
gone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It seemed to him that all the light had gone out of his life, and hope was dead.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It seemed to him that all the light had gone out of his life, and hope was dead.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading How gladly would he have given it up, had he not given his word.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He told himself that the proposed trip could not be otherwise than the stiffest kind of an ordeal to a man in his position, an ordeal calling for well-nigh superhuman self-control.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It seemed to him that all the light had gone out of his life, and hope was dead.
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He told himself that the proposed trip could not be otherwise than the stiffest kind of an ordeal to a man in his position, an ordeal calling for well-nigh superhuman self-control.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading THE FIRST STAGE For two days Stonor went about his preparations with an air of dogged determination.
hope
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From this reading It seemed to him that all the light had gone out of his life, and hope was dead.
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How gladly would he have given it up, had he not given his word.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He told himself that the proposed trip could not be otherwise than the stiffest kind of an ordeal to a man in his position, an ordeal calling for well-nigh superhuman self-control.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It seemed to him that all the light had gone out of his life, and hope was dead.
kind
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From this reading He told himself that the proposed trip could not be otherwise than the stiffest kind of an ordeal to a man in his position, an ordeal calling for well-nigh superhuman self-control.
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It seemed to him that all the light had gone out of his life, and hope was dead.
light
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From this reading It seemed to him that all the light had gone out of his life, and hope was dead.
man
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From this reading He told himself that the proposed trip could not be otherwise than the stiffest kind of an ordeal to a man in his position, an ordeal calling for well-nigh superhuman self-control.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He told himself that the proposed trip could not be otherwise than the stiffest kind of an ordeal to a man in his position, an ordeal calling for well-nigh superhuman self-control.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE FIRST STAGE For two days Stonor went about his preparations with an air of dogged determination.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading And then on the third day his spirits unaccountably began to rise.
ordeal
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From this reading He told himself that the proposed trip could not be otherwise than the stiffest kind of an ordeal to a man in his position, an ordeal calling for well-nigh superhuman self-control.
otherwise
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He told himself that the proposed trip could not be otherwise than the stiffest kind of an ordeal to a man in his position, an ordeal calling for well-nigh superhuman self-control.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It seemed to him that all the light had gone out of his life, and hope was dead.
position
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From this reading He told himself that the proposed trip could not be otherwise than the stiffest kind of an ordeal to a man in his position, an ordeal calling for well-nigh superhuman self-control.
preparations
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FIRST STAGE For two days Stonor went about his preparations with an air of dogged determination.
proposed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He told himself that the proposed trip could not be otherwise than the stiffest kind of an ordeal to a man in his position, an ordeal calling for well-nigh superhuman self-control.
rise
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And then on the third day his spirits unaccountably began to rise.
seemednounUS /seemed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It seemed to him that all the light had gone out of his life, and hope was dead.
self-control
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He told himself that the proposed trip could not be otherwise than the stiffest kind of an ordeal to a man in his position, an ordeal calling for well-nigh superhuman self-control.
spirits
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And then on the third day his spirits unaccountably began to rise.
STAGE
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From this reading THE FIRST STAGE For two days Stonor went about his preparations with an air of dogged determination.
stiffest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He told himself that the proposed trip could not be otherwise than the stiffest kind of an ordeal to a man in his position, an ordeal calling for well-nigh superhuman self-control.
Stonor
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From this reading THE FIRST STAGE For two days Stonor went about his preparations with an air of dogged determination.
superhuman
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From this reading He told himself that the proposed trip could not be otherwise than the stiffest kind of an ordeal to a man in his position, an ordeal calling for well-nigh superhuman self-control.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading He told himself that the proposed trip could not be otherwise than the stiffest kind of an ordeal to a man in his position, an ordeal calling for well-nigh superhuman self-control.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It seemed to him that all the light had gone out of his life, and hope was dead.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE FIRST STAGE For two days Stonor went about his preparations with an air of dogged determination.
then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And then on the third day his spirits unaccountably began to rise.
thirdnounUS /third/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading And then on the third day his spirits unaccountably began to rise.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It seemed to him that all the light had gone out of his life, and hope was dead.
toldnounUS /told/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He told himself that the proposed trip could not be otherwise than the stiffest kind of an ordeal to a man in his position, an ordeal calling for well-nigh superhuman self-control.
trip
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He told himself that the proposed trip could not be otherwise than the stiffest kind of an ordeal to a man in his position, an ordeal calling for well-nigh superhuman self-control.
two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FIRST STAGE For two days Stonor went about his preparations with an air of dogged determination.
unaccountably
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And then on the third day his spirits unaccountably began to rise.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How gladly would he have given it up, had he not given his word.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It seemed to him that all the light had gone out of his life, and hope was dead.
well-nigh
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He told himself that the proposed trip could not be otherwise than the stiffest kind of an ordeal to a man in his position, an ordeal calling for well-nigh superhuman self-control.
wentnounUS /went/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading THE FIRST STAGE For two days Stonor went about his preparations with an air of dogged determination.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading THE FIRST STAGE For two days Stonor went about his preparations with an air of dogged determination.
word
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How gladly would he have given it up, had he not given his word.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading How gladly would he have given it up, had he not given his word.