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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 At their feet lay a shallow valley, hidden close until the very moment of stumbling upon it.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading At their left the shores of the wider part of the lake, the bulb of the gourd, were, in unexpected contrast to the bareness of the uplands, heavily wooded with great cottonwood trees and spruce.
AtprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At their feet lay a shallow valley, hidden close until the very moment of stumbling upon it.
bareness
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From this reading At their left the shores of the wider part of the lake, the bulb of the gourd, were, in unexpected contrast to the bareness of the uplands, heavily wooded with great cottonwood trees and spruce.
barge
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A grassy islet ringed with willows seemed to be moored here like the barge of some woodland princess.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading In it was a sparkling slough but large enough to be dignified with the name of lake.
belowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/
at or to a lower level than something
From this reading It was something the shape of a gourd, with a long end that curved out of sight below, a very girdle of blue velvet binding the waists of the brown hills.
binding
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was something the shape of a gourd, with a long end that curved out of sight below, a very girdle of blue velvet binding the waists of the brown hills.
blue
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From this reading It was something the shape of a gourd, with a long end that curved out of sight below, a very girdle of blue velvet binding the waists of the brown hills.
brown
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From this reading It was something the shape of a gourd, with a long end that curved out of sight below, a very girdle of blue velvet binding the waists of the brown hills.
bulb
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From this reading At their left the shores of the wider part of the lake, the bulb of the gourd, were, in unexpected contrast to the bareness of the uplands, heavily wooded with great cottonwood trees and spruce.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading In it was a sparkling slough but large enough to be dignified with the name of lake.
close
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From this reading At their feet lay a shallow valley, hidden close until the very moment of stumbling upon it.
contrast
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From this reading At their left the shores of the wider part of the lake, the bulb of the gourd, were, in unexpected contrast to the bareness of the uplands, heavily wooded with great cottonwood trees and spruce.
cottonwood
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From this reading At their left the shores of the wider part of the lake, the bulb of the gourd, were, in unexpected contrast to the bareness of the uplands, heavily wooded with great cottonwood trees and spruce.
curved
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From this reading It was something the shape of a gourd, with a long end that curved out of sight below, a very girdle of blue velvet binding the waists of the brown hills.
dignified
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From this reading In it was a sparkling slough but large enough to be dignified with the name of lake.
end
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From this reading It was something the shape of a gourd, with a long end that curved out of sight below, a very girdle of blue velvet binding the waists of the brown hills.
enough
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From this reading In it was a sparkling slough but large enough to be dignified with the name of lake.
feet
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From this reading At their feet lay a shallow valley, hidden close until the very moment of stumbling upon it.
girdle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was something the shape of a gourd, with a long end that curved out of sight below, a very girdle of blue velvet binding the waists of the brown hills.
gourd
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From this reading It was something the shape of a gourd, with a long end that curved out of sight below, a very girdle of blue velvet binding the waists of the brown hills.
grassy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A grassy islet ringed with willows seemed to be moored here like the barge of some woodland princess.
greatnounUS /great/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading At their left the shores of the wider part of the lake, the bulb of the gourd, were, in unexpected contrast to the bareness of the uplands, heavily wooded with great cottonwood trees and spruce.
heavily
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At their left the shores of the wider part of the lake, the bulb of the gourd, were, in unexpected contrast to the bareness of the uplands, heavily wooded with great cottonwood trees and spruce.
herenounUS /here/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading A grassy islet ringed with willows seemed to be moored here like the barge of some woodland princess.
hidden
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At their feet lay a shallow valley, hidden close until the very moment of stumbling upon it.
hills
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was something the shape of a gourd, with a long end that curved out of sight below, a very girdle of blue velvet binding the waists of the brown hills.
InprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In it was a sparkling slough but large enough to be dignified with the name of lake.
islet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A grassy islet ringed with willows seemed to be moored here like the barge of some woodland princess.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading At their feet lay a shallow valley, hidden close until the very moment of stumbling upon it.
lake
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In it was a sparkling slough but large enough to be dignified with the name of lake.
large
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From this reading In it was a sparkling slough but large enough to be dignified with the name of lake.
lay
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At their feet lay a shallow valley, hidden close until the very moment of stumbling upon it.
leftnounUS /left/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading At their left the shores of the wider part of the lake, the bulb of the gourd, were, in unexpected contrast to the bareness of the uplands, heavily wooded with great cottonwood trees and spruce.
like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A grassy islet ringed with willows seemed to be moored here like the barge of some woodland princess.
longnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was something the shape of a gourd, with a long end that curved out of sight below, a very girdle of blue velvet binding the waists of the brown hills.
moment
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At their feet lay a shallow valley, hidden close until the very moment of stumbling upon it.
moored
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A grassy islet ringed with willows seemed to be moored here like the barge of some woodland princess.
namenounUS /name/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading In it was a sparkling slough but large enough to be dignified with the name of lake.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading At their feet lay a shallow valley, hidden close until the very moment of stumbling upon it.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was something the shape of a gourd, with a long end that curved out of sight below, a very girdle of blue velvet binding the waists of the brown hills.
partnounUS /part/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading At their left the shores of the wider part of the lake, the bulb of the gourd, were, in unexpected contrast to the bareness of the uplands, heavily wooded with great cottonwood trees and spruce.
princessnounUS /ˈprɪn.ses/
The daughter of a monarch; a female member of a royal family.
From this reading A grassy islet ringed with willows seemed to be moored here like the barge of some woodland princess.
ringed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A grassy islet ringed with willows seemed to be moored here like the barge of some woodland princess.
seemednounUS /seemed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading A grassy islet ringed with willows seemed to be moored here like the barge of some woodland princess.
shallow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At their feet lay a shallow valley, hidden close until the very moment of stumbling upon it.
shape
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was something the shape of a gourd, with a long end that curved out of sight below, a very girdle of blue velvet binding the waists of the brown hills.
shores
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At their left the shores of the wider part of the lake, the bulb of the gourd, were, in unexpected contrast to the bareness of the uplands, heavily wooded with great cottonwood trees and spruce.
sight
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was something the shape of a gourd, with a long end that curved out of sight below, a very girdle of blue velvet binding the waists of the brown hills.
slough
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In it was a sparkling slough but large enough to be dignified with the name of lake.
some
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A grassy islet ringed with willows seemed to be moored here like the barge of some woodland princess.
somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
a thing, without saying which
From this reading It was something the shape of a gourd, with a long end that curved out of sight below, a very girdle of blue velvet binding the waists of the brown hills.
sparkling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In it was a sparkling slough but large enough to be dignified with the name of lake.
spruce
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At their left the shores of the wider part of the lake, the bulb of the gourd, were, in unexpected contrast to the bareness of the uplands, heavily wooded with great cottonwood trees and spruce.
stumbling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At their feet lay a shallow valley, hidden close until the very moment of stumbling upon it.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was something the shape of a gourd, with a long end that curved out of sight below, a very girdle of blue velvet binding the waists of the brown hills.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading At their feet lay a shallow valley, hidden close until the very moment of stumbling upon it.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading At their feet lay a shallow valley, hidden close until the very moment of stumbling upon it.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading In it was a sparkling slough but large enough to be dignified with the name of lake.
trees
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At their left the shores of the wider part of the lake, the bulb of the gourd, were, in unexpected contrast to the bareness of the uplands, heavily wooded with great cottonwood trees and spruce.
unexpected
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At their left the shores of the wider part of the lake, the bulb of the gourd, were, in unexpected contrast to the bareness of the uplands, heavily wooded with great cottonwood trees and spruce.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading At their feet lay a shallow valley, hidden close until the very moment of stumbling upon it.
uplands
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At their left the shores of the wider part of the lake, the bulb of the gourd, were, in unexpected contrast to the bareness of the uplands, heavily wooded with great cottonwood trees and spruce.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading At their feet lay a shallow valley, hidden close until the very moment of stumbling upon it.
valley
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At their feet lay a shallow valley, hidden close until the very moment of stumbling upon it.
velvet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was something the shape of a gourd, with a long end that curved out of sight below, a very girdle of blue velvet binding the waists of the brown hills.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At their feet lay a shallow valley, hidden close until the very moment of stumbling upon it.
waists
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was something the shape of a gourd, with a long end that curved out of sight below, a very girdle of blue velvet binding the waists of the brown hills.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading In it was a sparkling slough but large enough to be dignified with the name of lake.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading At their left the shores of the wider part of the lake, the bulb of the gourd, were, in unexpected contrast to the bareness of the uplands, heavily wooded with great cottonwood trees and spruce.
wider
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At their left the shores of the wider part of the lake, the bulb of the gourd, were, in unexpected contrast to the bareness of the uplands, heavily wooded with great cottonwood trees and spruce.
willows
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A grassy islet ringed with willows seemed to be moored here like the barge of some woodland princess.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading In it was a sparkling slough but large enough to be dignified with the name of lake.
wooded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At their left the shores of the wider part of the lake, the bulb of the gourd, were, in unexpected contrast to the bareness of the uplands, heavily wooded with great cottonwood trees and spruce.
woodland
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A grassy islet ringed with willows seemed to be moored here like the barge of some woodland princess.
