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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 Twenty-one men, a lad and a woman, they went at the despoiling of it with a sort of obsession, led, rather than driven, by Lund, who worked among the rest of them like a Hercules.
almost
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From this reading From the beginning the tongue of shingle promised to be almost incredibly rich.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading Twenty-one men, a lad and a woman, they went at the despoiling of it with a sort of obsession, led, rather than driven, by Lund, who worked among the rest of them like a Hercules.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading MY MATE From the day following the arrival and departure of the Japanese gunboat, they attacked the little U-shaped beach that lay between two buttresses of the volcano and sloped sharply down to the sea.
arrival
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From this reading MY MATE From the day following the arrival and departure of the Japanese gunboat, they attacked the little U-shaped beach that lay between two buttresses of the volcano and sloped sharply down to the sea.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Twenty-one men, a lad and a woman, they went at the despoiling of it with a sort of obsession, led, rather than driven, by Lund, who worked among the rest of them like a Hercules.
attacked
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From this reading MY MATE From the day following the arrival and departure of the Japanese gunboat, they attacked the little U-shaped beach that lay between two buttresses of the volcano and sloped sharply down to the sea.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading From the beginning the tongue of shingle promised to be almost incredibly rich.
beach
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From this reading MY MATE From the day following the arrival and departure of the Japanese gunboat, they attacked the little U-shaped beach that lay between two buttresses of the volcano and sloped sharply down to the sea.
beaten
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From this reading Ebb tides had worked it in among the gravel, floods had beaten it down; the deeper they went to bedrock, the richer the pan.
bedrock
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From this reading Ebb tides had worked it in among the gravel, floods had beaten it down; the deeper they went to bedrock, the richer the pan.
beginningnounUS /ˈbeginning/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading From the beginning the tongue of shingle promised to be almost incredibly rich.
betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading MY MATE From the day following the arrival and departure of the Japanese gunboat, they attacked the little U-shaped beach that lay between two buttresses of the volcano and sloped sharply down to the sea.
buttresses
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From this reading MY MATE From the day following the arrival and departure of the Japanese gunboat, they attacked the little U-shaped beach that lay between two buttresses of the volcano and sloped sharply down to the sea.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Twenty-one men, a lad and a woman, they went at the despoiling of it with a sort of obsession, led, rather than driven, by Lund, who worked among the rest of them like a Hercules.
day
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From this reading MY MATE From the day following the arrival and departure of the Japanese gunboat, they attacked the little U-shaped beach that lay between two buttresses of the volcano and sloped sharply down to the sea.
deeper
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ebb tides had worked it in among the gravel, floods had beaten it down; the deeper they went to bedrock, the richer the pan.
departure
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From this reading MY MATE From the day following the arrival and departure of the Japanese gunboat, they attacked the little U-shaped beach that lay between two buttresses of the volcano and sloped sharply down to the sea.
despoiling
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From this reading Twenty-one men, a lad and a woman, they went at the despoiling of it with a sort of obsession, led, rather than driven, by Lund, who worked among the rest of them like a Hercules.
down
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From this reading MY MATE From the day following the arrival and departure of the Japanese gunboat, they attacked the little U-shaped beach that lay between two buttresses of the volcano and sloped sharply down to the sea.
driven
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Twenty-one men, a lad and a woman, they went at the despoiling of it with a sort of obsession, led, rather than driven, by Lund, who worked among the rest of them like a Hercules.
EbbnounUS /ɛb/
the movement of the tide away from the land
From this reading Ebb tides had worked it in among the gravel, floods had beaten it down; the deeper they went to bedrock, the richer the pan.
floods
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From this reading Ebb tides had worked it in among the gravel, floods had beaten it down; the deeper they went to bedrock, the richer the pan.
flung
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From this reading Between these two spurs of mountain the tide had washed and flung the rich, free-flaking gold of a submarine vein, piling it up for unguessable years.
following
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MY MATE From the day following the arrival and departure of the Japanese gunboat, they attacked the little U-shaped beach that lay between two buttresses of the volcano and sloped sharply down to the sea.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Between these two spurs of mountain the tide had washed and flung the rich, free-flaking gold of a submarine vein, piling it up for unguessable years.
free-flaking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Between these two spurs of mountain the tide had washed and flung the rich, free-flaking gold of a submarine vein, piling it up for unguessable years.
FromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading MY MATE From the day following the arrival and departure of the Japanese gunboat, they attacked the little U-shaped beach that lay between two buttresses of the volcano and sloped sharply down to the sea.
gold
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Between these two spurs of mountain the tide had washed and flung the rich, free-flaking gold of a submarine vein, piling it up for unguessable years.
gravel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ebb tides had worked it in among the gravel, floods had beaten it down; the deeper they went to bedrock, the richer the pan.
gunboat
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From this reading MY MATE From the day following the arrival and departure of the Japanese gunboat, they attacked the little U-shaped beach that lay between two buttresses of the volcano and sloped sharply down to the sea.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Between these two spurs of mountain the tide had washed and flung the rich, free-flaking gold of a submarine vein, piling it up for unguessable years.
Hercules
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Twenty-one men, a lad and a woman, they went at the despoiling of it with a sort of obsession, led, rather than driven, by Lund, who worked among the rest of them like a Hercules.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Ebb tides had worked it in among the gravel, floods had beaten it down; the deeper they went to bedrock, the richer the pan.
incredibly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the beginning the tongue of shingle promised to be almost incredibly rich.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Twenty-one men, a lad and a woman, they went at the despoiling of it with a sort of obsession, led, rather than driven, by Lund, who worked among the rest of them like a Hercules.
Japanese
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From this reading MY MATE From the day following the arrival and departure of the Japanese gunboat, they attacked the little U-shaped beach that lay between two buttresses of the volcano and sloped sharply down to the sea.
lad
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Twenty-one men, a lad and a woman, they went at the despoiling of it with a sort of obsession, led, rather than driven, by Lund, who worked among the rest of them like a Hercules.
lay
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MY MATE From the day following the arrival and departure of the Japanese gunboat, they attacked the little U-shaped beach that lay between two buttresses of the volcano and sloped sharply down to the sea.
led
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Twenty-one men, a lad and a woman, they went at the despoiling of it with a sort of obsession, led, rather than driven, by Lund, who worked among the rest of them like a Hercules.
like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Twenty-one men, a lad and a woman, they went at the despoiling of it with a sort of obsession, led, rather than driven, by Lund, who worked among the rest of them like a Hercules.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading MY MATE From the day following the arrival and departure of the Japanese gunboat, they attacked the little U-shaped beach that lay between two buttresses of the volcano and sloped sharply down to the sea.
Lund
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Twenty-one men, a lad and a woman, they went at the despoiling of it with a sort of obsession, led, rather than driven, by Lund, who worked among the rest of them like a Hercules.
MATE
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From this reading MY MATE From the day following the arrival and departure of the Japanese gunboat, they attacked the little U-shaped beach that lay between two buttresses of the volcano and sloped sharply down to the sea.
men
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Twenty-one men, a lad and a woman, they went at the despoiling of it with a sort of obsession, led, rather than driven, by Lund, who worked among the rest of them like a Hercules.
mountain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Between these two spurs of mountain the tide had washed and flung the rich, free-flaking gold of a submarine vein, piling it up for unguessable years.
MYdeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading MY MATE From the day following the arrival and departure of the Japanese gunboat, they attacked the little U-shaped beach that lay between two buttresses of the volcano and sloped sharply down to the sea.
obsession
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Twenty-one men, a lad and a woman, they went at the despoiling of it with a sort of obsession, led, rather than driven, by Lund, who worked among the rest of them like a Hercules.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading MY MATE From the day following the arrival and departure of the Japanese gunboat, they attacked the little U-shaped beach that lay between two buttresses of the volcano and sloped sharply down to the sea.
pan
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ebb tides had worked it in among the gravel, floods had beaten it down; the deeper they went to bedrock, the richer the pan.
piling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Between these two spurs of mountain the tide had washed and flung the rich, free-flaking gold of a submarine vein, piling it up for unguessable years.
promised
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From this reading From the beginning the tongue of shingle promised to be almost incredibly rich.
rather
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Twenty-one men, a lad and a woman, they went at the despoiling of it with a sort of obsession, led, rather than driven, by Lund, who worked among the rest of them like a Hercules.
restnounUS /rest/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Twenty-one men, a lad and a woman, they went at the despoiling of it with a sort of obsession, led, rather than driven, by Lund, who worked among the rest of them like a Hercules.
rich
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the beginning the tongue of shingle promised to be almost incredibly rich.
richer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ebb tides had worked it in among the gravel, floods had beaten it down; the deeper they went to bedrock, the richer the pan.
sea
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MY MATE From the day following the arrival and departure of the Japanese gunboat, they attacked the little U-shaped beach that lay between two buttresses of the volcano and sloped sharply down to the sea.
sharplynounUS /ˈsharply/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading MY MATE From the day following the arrival and departure of the Japanese gunboat, they attacked the little U-shaped beach that lay between two buttresses of the volcano and sloped sharply down to the sea.
shingle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the beginning the tongue of shingle promised to be almost incredibly rich.
sloped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MY MATE From the day following the arrival and departure of the Japanese gunboat, they attacked the little U-shaped beach that lay between two buttresses of the volcano and sloped sharply down to the sea.
sort
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Twenty-one men, a lad and a woman, they went at the despoiling of it with a sort of obsession, led, rather than driven, by Lund, who worked among the rest of them like a Hercules.
spurs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Between these two spurs of mountain the tide had washed and flung the rich, free-flaking gold of a submarine vein, piling it up for unguessable years.
submarine
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Between these two spurs of mountain the tide had washed and flung the rich, free-flaking gold of a submarine vein, piling it up for unguessable years.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Twenty-one men, a lad and a woman, they went at the despoiling of it with a sort of obsession, led, rather than driven, by Lund, who worked among the rest of them like a Hercules.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading MY MATE From the day following the arrival and departure of the Japanese gunboat, they attacked the little U-shaped beach that lay between two buttresses of the volcano and sloped sharply down to the sea.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading MY MATE From the day following the arrival and departure of the Japanese gunboat, they attacked the little U-shaped beach that lay between two buttresses of the volcano and sloped sharply down to the sea.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Twenty-one men, a lad and a woman, they went at the despoiling of it with a sort of obsession, led, rather than driven, by Lund, who worked among the rest of them like a Hercules.
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Between these two spurs of mountain the tide had washed and flung the rich, free-flaking gold of a submarine vein, piling it up for unguessable years.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading MY MATE From the day following the arrival and departure of the Japanese gunboat, they attacked the little U-shaped beach that lay between two buttresses of the volcano and sloped sharply down to the sea.
tide
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Between these two spurs of mountain the tide had washed and flung the rich, free-flaking gold of a submarine vein, piling it up for unguessable years.
tides
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ebb tides had worked it in among the gravel, floods had beaten it down; the deeper they went to bedrock, the richer the pan.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading MY MATE From the day following the arrival and departure of the Japanese gunboat, they attacked the little U-shaped beach that lay between two buttresses of the volcano and sloped sharply down to the sea.
tonguenounUS /tongue/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading From the beginning the tongue of shingle promised to be almost incredibly rich.
Twenty-one
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Twenty-one men, a lad and a woman, they went at the despoiling of it with a sort of obsession, led, rather than driven, by Lund, who worked among the rest of them like a Hercules.
two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MY MATE From the day following the arrival and departure of the Japanese gunboat, they attacked the little U-shaped beach that lay between two buttresses of the volcano and sloped sharply down to the sea.
U-shaped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MY MATE From the day following the arrival and departure of the Japanese gunboat, they attacked the little U-shaped beach that lay between two buttresses of the volcano and sloped sharply down to the sea.
unguessable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Between these two spurs of mountain the tide had washed and flung the rich, free-flaking gold of a submarine vein, piling it up for unguessable years.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Between these two spurs of mountain the tide had washed and flung the rich, free-flaking gold of a submarine vein, piling it up for unguessable years.
vein
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Between these two spurs of mountain the tide had washed and flung the rich, free-flaking gold of a submarine vein, piling it up for unguessable years.
volcano
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MY MATE From the day following the arrival and departure of the Japanese gunboat, they attacked the little U-shaped beach that lay between two buttresses of the volcano and sloped sharply down to the sea.
washed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Between these two spurs of mountain the tide had washed and flung the rich, free-flaking gold of a submarine vein, piling it up for unguessable years.
wentnounUS /went/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Twenty-one men, a lad and a woman, they went at the despoiling of it with a sort of obsession, led, rather than driven, by Lund, who worked among the rest of them like a Hercules.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading Twenty-one men, a lad and a woman, they went at the despoiling of it with a sort of obsession, led, rather than driven, by Lund, who worked among the rest of them like a Hercules.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Twenty-one men, a lad and a woman, they went at the despoiling of it with a sort of obsession, led, rather than driven, by Lund, who worked among the rest of them like a Hercules.
woman
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Twenty-one men, a lad and a woman, they went at the despoiling of it with a sort of obsession, led, rather than driven, by Lund, who worked among the rest of them like a Hercules.
worked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Twenty-one men, a lad and a woman, they went at the despoiling of it with a sort of obsession, led, rather than driven, by Lund, who worked among the rest of them like a Hercules.
years
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Between these two spurs of mountain the tide had washed and flung the rich, free-flaking gold of a submarine vein, piling it up for unguessable years.
