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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 Both he and Marion’s mother treated her with a deference that struck me as the most natural thing in the world.
abnormally
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The aunt, Miss Ramboat, was a large, abnormally shy person very like her brother, and I don’t recall anything she said on this occasion.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Both he and Marion’s mother treated her with a deference that struck me as the most natural thing in the world.
anythingpronounUS /ˈeniθɪŋ/
any thing at all
From this reading The aunt, Miss Ramboat, was a large, abnormally shy person very like her brother, and I don’t recall anything she said on this occasion.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Both he and Marion’s mother treated her with a deference that struck me as the most natural thing in the world.
aunt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The aunt, Miss Ramboat, was a large, abnormally shy person very like her brother, and I don’t recall anything she said on this occasion.
authoritative
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her own manner changed, became more authoritative and watchful, her shyness disappeared.
became
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her own manner changed, became more authoritative and watchful, her shyness disappeared.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Her mother must once have been a pretty woman; she had regular features and Marion’s hair without its lustre, but she was thin and careworn.
BothdeterminerUS /boʊθ/
the two together, not just one
From this reading Both he and Marion’s mother treated her with a deference that struck me as the most natural thing in the world.
brokennounUS /broken/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She had taken a line of her own I gathered, draped the mirror, got the second-hand piano, and broken her parents in.
brother
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The aunt, Miss Ramboat, was a large, abnormally shy person very like her brother, and I don’t recall anything she said on this occasion.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Her mother must once have been a pretty woman; she had regular features and Marion’s hair without its lustre, but she was thin and careworn.
careworn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her mother must once have been a pretty woman; she had regular features and Marion’s hair without its lustre, but she was thin and careworn.
changed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her own manner changed, became more authoritative and watchful, her shyness disappeared.
deference
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From this reading Both he and Marion’s mother treated her with a deference that struck me as the most natural thing in the world.
disappearednounUS /ˈdisappeared/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Her own manner changed, became more authoritative and watchful, her shyness disappeared.
don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The aunt, Miss Ramboat, was a large, abnormally shy person very like her brother, and I don’t recall anything she said on this occasion.
draped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had taken a line of her own I gathered, draped the mirror, got the second-hand piano, and broken her parents in.
features
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her mother must once have been a pretty woman; she had regular features and Marion’s hair without its lustre, but she was thin and careworn.
gathered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had taken a line of her own I gathered, draped the mirror, got the second-hand piano, and broken her parents in.
got
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had taken a line of her own I gathered, draped the mirror, got the second-hand piano, and broken her parents in.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She had taken a line of her own I gathered, draped the mirror, got the second-hand piano, and broken her parents in.
hair
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her mother must once have been a pretty woman; she had regular features and Marion’s hair without its lustre, but she was thin and careworn.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Her mother must once have been a pretty woman; she had regular features and Marion’s hair without its lustre, but she was thin and careworn.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Both he and Marion’s mother treated her with a deference that struck me as the most natural thing in the world.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Both he and Marion’s mother treated her with a deference that struck me as the most natural thing in the world.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading She had taken a line of her own I gathered, draped the mirror, got the second-hand piano, and broken her parents in.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Both he and Marion’s mother treated her with a deference that struck me as the most natural thing in the world.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Her mother must once have been a pretty woman; she had regular features and Marion’s hair without its lustre, but she was thin and careworn.
large
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The aunt, Miss Ramboat, was a large, abnormally shy person very like her brother, and I don’t recall anything she said on this occasion.
like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The aunt, Miss Ramboat, was a large, abnormally shy person very like her brother, and I don’t recall anything she said on this occasion.
line
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had taken a line of her own I gathered, draped the mirror, got the second-hand piano, and broken her parents in.
lustre
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her mother must once have been a pretty woman; she had regular features and Marion’s hair without its lustre, but she was thin and careworn.
manner
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her own manner changed, became more authoritative and watchful, her shyness disappeared.
Marion's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Both he and Marion’s mother treated her with a deference that struck me as the most natural thing in the world.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Both he and Marion’s mother treated her with a deference that struck me as the most natural thing in the world.
mirror
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had taken a line of her own I gathered, draped the mirror, got the second-hand piano, and broken her parents in.
Miss
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The aunt, Miss Ramboat, was a large, abnormally shy person very like her brother, and I don’t recall anything she said on this occasion.
more
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her own manner changed, became more authoritative and watchful, her shyness disappeared.
most
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Both he and Marion’s mother treated her with a deference that struck me as the most natural thing in the world.
mother
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Both he and Marion’s mother treated her with a deference that struck me as the most natural thing in the world.
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading Her mother must once have been a pretty woman; she had regular features and Marion’s hair without its lustre, but she was thin and careworn.
natural
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Both he and Marion’s mother treated her with a deference that struck me as the most natural thing in the world.
occasion
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The aunt, Miss Ramboat, was a large, abnormally shy person very like her brother, and I don’t recall anything she said on this occasion.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She had taken a line of her own I gathered, draped the mirror, got the second-hand piano, and broken her parents in.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The aunt, Miss Ramboat, was a large, abnormally shy person very like her brother, and I don’t recall anything she said on this occasion.
once
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her mother must once have been a pretty woman; she had regular features and Marion’s hair without its lustre, but she was thin and careworn.
own
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her own manner changed, became more authoritative and watchful, her shyness disappeared.
parents
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had taken a line of her own I gathered, draped the mirror, got the second-hand piano, and broken her parents in.
person
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The aunt, Miss Ramboat, was a large, abnormally shy person very like her brother, and I don’t recall anything she said on this occasion.
piano
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had taken a line of her own I gathered, draped the mirror, got the second-hand piano, and broken her parents in.
pretty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her mother must once have been a pretty woman; she had regular features and Marion’s hair without its lustre, but she was thin and careworn.
Ramboat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The aunt, Miss Ramboat, was a large, abnormally shy person very like her brother, and I don’t recall anything she said on this occasion.
recall
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The aunt, Miss Ramboat, was a large, abnormally shy person very like her brother, and I don’t recall anything she said on this occasion.
regular
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her mother must once have been a pretty woman; she had regular features and Marion’s hair without its lustre, but she was thin and careworn.
said
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The aunt, Miss Ramboat, was a large, abnormally shy person very like her brother, and I don’t recall anything she said on this occasion.
second-hand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had taken a line of her own I gathered, draped the mirror, got the second-hand piano, and broken her parents in.
ShepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She had taken a line of her own I gathered, draped the mirror, got the second-hand piano, and broken her parents in.
shy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The aunt, Miss Ramboat, was a large, abnormally shy person very like her brother, and I don’t recall anything she said on this occasion.
shyness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her own manner changed, became more authoritative and watchful, her shyness disappeared.
strucknounUS /struck/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Both he and Marion’s mother treated her with a deference that struck me as the most natural thing in the world.
taken
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had taken a line of her own I gathered, draped the mirror, got the second-hand piano, and broken her parents in.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Both he and Marion’s mother treated her with a deference that struck me as the most natural thing in the world.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Both he and Marion’s mother treated her with a deference that struck me as the most natural thing in the world.
thinadjectiveUS /θɪn/
Having little thickness or extent.
From this reading Her mother must once have been a pretty woman; she had regular features and Marion’s hair without its lustre, but she was thin and careworn.
thingnounUS /thing/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Both he and Marion’s mother treated her with a deference that struck me as the most natural thing in the world.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The aunt, Miss Ramboat, was a large, abnormally shy person very like her brother, and I don’t recall anything she said on this occasion.
treated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Both he and Marion’s mother treated her with a deference that struck me as the most natural thing in the world.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The aunt, Miss Ramboat, was a large, abnormally shy person very like her brother, and I don’t recall anything she said on this occasion.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Her mother must once have been a pretty woman; she had regular features and Marion’s hair without its lustre, but she was thin and careworn.
watchful
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her own manner changed, became more authoritative and watchful, her shyness disappeared.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Both he and Marion’s mother treated her with a deference that struck me as the most natural thing in the world.
withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading Her mother must once have been a pretty woman; she had regular features and Marion’s hair without its lustre, but she was thin and careworn.
woman
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her mother must once have been a pretty woman; she had regular features and Marion’s hair without its lustre, but she was thin and careworn.
world
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Both he and Marion’s mother treated her with a deference that struck me as the most natural thing in the world.
