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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 She stood very straight, with her lips tightly pressed together, and with a strained look on her white face, as if with her every faculty she was bent on following the words, without missing a syllable or an accent, and, if possible, reading any hidden meaning which might lie behind them.
accent
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From this reading She stood very straight, with her lips tightly pressed together, and with a strained look on her white face, as if with her every faculty she was bent on following the words, without missing a syllable or an accent, and, if possible, reading any hidden meaning which might lie behind them.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading The Story of what Happened after the Easter Ball So far the only sounds heard in the billiard-room had been the questions and the answers.
almost
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From this reading Her immobility was so continuous as to be almost unnatural.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading She stood very straight, with her lips tightly pressed together, and with a strained look on her white face, as if with her every faculty she was bent on following the words, without missing a syllable or an accent, and, if possible, reading any hidden meaning which might lie behind them.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The Story of what Happened after the Easter Ball So far the only sounds heard in the billiard-room had been the questions and the answers.
answers
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From this reading The Story of what Happened after the Easter Ball So far the only sounds heard in the billiard-room had been the questions and the answers.
any
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From this reading She stood very straight, with her lips tightly pressed together, and with a strained look on her white face, as if with her every faculty she was bent on following the words, without missing a syllable or an accent, and, if possible, reading any hidden meaning which might lie behind them.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She gripped with her gloved hand the back of the chair as if from the very intensity of the grip she derived moral support.
back
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From this reading She gripped with her gloved hand the back of the chair as if from the very intensity of the grip she derived moral support.
Ball
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From this reading The Story of what Happened after the Easter Ball So far the only sounds heard in the billiard-room had been the questions and the answers.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The listeners had been so still; particularly had this seemed to be the case with Violet Forster.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The Story of what Happened after the Easter Ball So far the only sounds heard in the billiard-room had been the questions and the answers.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading She stood very straight, with her lips tightly pressed together, and with a strained look on her white face, as if with her every faculty she was bent on following the words, without missing a syllable or an accent, and, if possible, reading any hidden meaning which might lie behind them.
bent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She stood very straight, with her lips tightly pressed together, and with a strained look on her white face, as if with her every faculty she was bent on following the words, without missing a syllable or an accent, and, if possible, reading any hidden meaning which might lie behind them.
billiard-room
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From this reading The Story of what Happened after the Easter Ball So far the only sounds heard in the billiard-room had been the questions and the answers.
case
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The listeners had been so still; particularly had this seemed to be the case with Violet Forster.
chair
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From this reading She gripped with her gloved hand the back of the chair as if from the very intensity of the grip she derived moral support.
continuous
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From this reading Her immobility was so continuous as to be almost unnatural.
derived
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From this reading She gripped with her gloved hand the back of the chair as if from the very intensity of the grip she derived moral support.
Easter
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From this reading The Story of what Happened after the Easter Ball So far the only sounds heard in the billiard-room had been the questions and the answers.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading She stood very straight, with her lips tightly pressed together, and with a strained look on her white face, as if with her every faculty she was bent on following the words, without missing a syllable or an accent, and, if possible, reading any hidden meaning which might lie behind them.
face
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She stood very straight, with her lips tightly pressed together, and with a strained look on her white face, as if with her every faculty she was bent on following the words, without missing a syllable or an accent, and, if possible, reading any hidden meaning which might lie behind them.
faculty
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From this reading She stood very straight, with her lips tightly pressed together, and with a strained look on her white face, as if with her every faculty she was bent on following the words, without missing a syllable or an accent, and, if possible, reading any hidden meaning which might lie behind them.
far
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From this reading The Story of what Happened after the Easter Ball So far the only sounds heard in the billiard-room had been the questions and the answers.
following
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She stood very straight, with her lips tightly pressed together, and with a strained look on her white face, as if with her every faculty she was bent on following the words, without missing a syllable or an accent, and, if possible, reading any hidden meaning which might lie behind them.
Forster
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From this reading The listeners had been so still; particularly had this seemed to be the case with Violet Forster.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading She gripped with her gloved hand the back of the chair as if from the very intensity of the grip she derived moral support.
gloved
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From this reading She gripped with her gloved hand the back of the chair as if from the very intensity of the grip she derived moral support.
grip
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From this reading She gripped with her gloved hand the back of the chair as if from the very intensity of the grip she derived moral support.
gripped
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From this reading She gripped with her gloved hand the back of the chair as if from the very intensity of the grip she derived moral support.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The Story of what Happened after the Easter Ball So far the only sounds heard in the billiard-room had been the questions and the answers.
hand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She gripped with her gloved hand the back of the chair as if from the very intensity of the grip she derived moral support.
Happened
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From this reading The Story of what Happened after the Easter Ball So far the only sounds heard in the billiard-room had been the questions and the answers.
heard
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From this reading The Story of what Happened after the Easter Ball So far the only sounds heard in the billiard-room had been the questions and the answers.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She gripped with her gloved hand the back of the chair as if from the very intensity of the grip she derived moral support.
hidden
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She stood very straight, with her lips tightly pressed together, and with a strained look on her white face, as if with her every faculty she was bent on following the words, without missing a syllable or an accent, and, if possible, reading any hidden meaning which might lie behind them.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading She gripped with her gloved hand the back of the chair as if from the very intensity of the grip she derived moral support.
immobility
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her immobility was so continuous as to be almost unnatural.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The Story of what Happened after the Easter Ball So far the only sounds heard in the billiard-room had been the questions and the answers.
intensity
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From this reading She gripped with her gloved hand the back of the chair as if from the very intensity of the grip she derived moral support.
lie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She stood very straight, with her lips tightly pressed together, and with a strained look on her white face, as if with her every faculty she was bent on following the words, without missing a syllable or an accent, and, if possible, reading any hidden meaning which might lie behind them.
lips
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She stood very straight, with her lips tightly pressed together, and with a strained look on her white face, as if with her every faculty she was bent on following the words, without missing a syllable or an accent, and, if possible, reading any hidden meaning which might lie behind them.
listeners
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The listeners had been so still; particularly had this seemed to be the case with Violet Forster.
looknounUS /look/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She stood very straight, with her lips tightly pressed together, and with a strained look on her white face, as if with her every faculty she was bent on following the words, without missing a syllable or an accent, and, if possible, reading any hidden meaning which might lie behind them.
meaning
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She stood very straight, with her lips tightly pressed together, and with a strained look on her white face, as if with her every faculty she was bent on following the words, without missing a syllable or an accent, and, if possible, reading any hidden meaning which might lie behind them.
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading She stood very straight, with her lips tightly pressed together, and with a strained look on her white face, as if with her every faculty she was bent on following the words, without missing a syllable or an accent, and, if possible, reading any hidden meaning which might lie behind them.
missing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She stood very straight, with her lips tightly pressed together, and with a strained look on her white face, as if with her every faculty she was bent on following the words, without missing a syllable or an accent, and, if possible, reading any hidden meaning which might lie behind them.
moral
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She gripped with her gloved hand the back of the chair as if from the very intensity of the grip she derived moral support.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The Story of what Happened after the Easter Ball So far the only sounds heard in the billiard-room had been the questions and the answers.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading She stood very straight, with her lips tightly pressed together, and with a strained look on her white face, as if with her every faculty she was bent on following the words, without missing a syllable or an accent, and, if possible, reading any hidden meaning which might lie behind them.
only
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Story of what Happened after the Easter Ball So far the only sounds heard in the billiard-room had been the questions and the answers.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading She stood very straight, with her lips tightly pressed together, and with a strained look on her white face, as if with her every faculty she was bent on following the words, without missing a syllable or an accent, and, if possible, reading any hidden meaning which might lie behind them.
particularly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The listeners had been so still; particularly had this seemed to be the case with Violet Forster.
possible
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She stood very straight, with her lips tightly pressed together, and with a strained look on her white face, as if with her every faculty she was bent on following the words, without missing a syllable or an accent, and, if possible, reading any hidden meaning which might lie behind them.
pressed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She stood very straight, with her lips tightly pressed together, and with a strained look on her white face, as if with her every faculty she was bent on following the words, without missing a syllable or an accent, and, if possible, reading any hidden meaning which might lie behind them.
questions
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Story of what Happened after the Easter Ball So far the only sounds heard in the billiard-room had been the questions and the answers.
reading
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She stood very straight, with her lips tightly pressed together, and with a strained look on her white face, as if with her every faculty she was bent on following the words, without missing a syllable or an accent, and, if possible, reading any hidden meaning which might lie behind them.
seemednounUS /seemed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The listeners had been so still; particularly had this seemed to be the case with Violet Forster.
ShepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She gripped with her gloved hand the back of the chair as if from the very intensity of the grip she derived moral support.
SoconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The Story of what Happened after the Easter Ball So far the only sounds heard in the billiard-room had been the questions and the answers.
sounds
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Story of what Happened after the Easter Ball So far the only sounds heard in the billiard-room had been the questions and the answers.
stillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The listeners had been so still; particularly had this seemed to be the case with Violet Forster.
stoodnounUS /stood/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She stood very straight, with her lips tightly pressed together, and with a strained look on her white face, as if with her every faculty she was bent on following the words, without missing a syllable or an accent, and, if possible, reading any hidden meaning which might lie behind them.
Story
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Story of what Happened after the Easter Ball So far the only sounds heard in the billiard-room had been the questions and the answers.
straight
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She stood very straight, with her lips tightly pressed together, and with a strained look on her white face, as if with her every faculty she was bent on following the words, without missing a syllable or an accent, and, if possible, reading any hidden meaning which might lie behind them.
strained
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She stood very straight, with her lips tightly pressed together, and with a strained look on her white face, as if with her every faculty she was bent on following the words, without missing a syllable or an accent, and, if possible, reading any hidden meaning which might lie behind them.
supportverbUS /səˈpɔːrt/
to provide what someone needs in order to live
From this reading She gripped with her gloved hand the back of the chair as if from the very intensity of the grip she derived moral support.
syllable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She stood very straight, with her lips tightly pressed together, and with a strained look on her white face, as if with her every faculty she was bent on following the words, without missing a syllable or an accent, and, if possible, reading any hidden meaning which might lie behind them.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Story of what Happened after the Easter Ball So far the only sounds heard in the billiard-room had been the questions and the answers.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading She stood very straight, with her lips tightly pressed together, and with a strained look on her white face, as if with her every faculty she was bent on following the words, without missing a syllable or an accent, and, if possible, reading any hidden meaning which might lie behind them.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The listeners had been so still; particularly had this seemed to be the case with Violet Forster.
tightly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She stood very straight, with her lips tightly pressed together, and with a strained look on her white face, as if with her every faculty she was bent on following the words, without missing a syllable or an accent, and, if possible, reading any hidden meaning which might lie behind them.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The listeners had been so still; particularly had this seemed to be the case with Violet Forster.
together
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She stood very straight, with her lips tightly pressed together, and with a strained look on her white face, as if with her every faculty she was bent on following the words, without missing a syllable or an accent, and, if possible, reading any hidden meaning which might lie behind them.
unnatural
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her immobility was so continuous as to be almost unnatural.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She gripped with her gloved hand the back of the chair as if from the very intensity of the grip she derived moral support.
Violet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The listeners had been so still; particularly had this seemed to be the case with Violet Forster.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She stood very straight, with her lips tightly pressed together, and with a strained look on her white face, as if with her every faculty she was bent on following the words, without missing a syllable or an accent, and, if possible, reading any hidden meaning which might lie behind them.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading The Story of what Happened after the Easter Ball So far the only sounds heard in the billiard-room had been the questions and the answers.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading She stood very straight, with her lips tightly pressed together, and with a strained look on her white face, as if with her every faculty she was bent on following the words, without missing a syllable or an accent, and, if possible, reading any hidden meaning which might lie behind them.
white
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She stood very straight, with her lips tightly pressed together, and with a strained look on her white face, as if with her every faculty she was bent on following the words, without missing a syllable or an accent, and, if possible, reading any hidden meaning which might lie behind them.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading The listeners had been so still; particularly had this seemed to be the case with Violet Forster.
withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading She stood very straight, with her lips tightly pressed together, and with a strained look on her white face, as if with her every faculty she was bent on following the words, without missing a syllable or an accent, and, if possible, reading any hidden meaning which might lie behind them.
words
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She stood very straight, with her lips tightly pressed together, and with a strained look on her white face, as if with her every faculty she was bent on following the words, without missing a syllable or an accent, and, if possible, reading any hidden meaning which might lie behind them.
