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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 carried with him four letters: the letter of Justinian to Belisarius, the letters of the King of the Franks to Cethegus and Belisarius, and a letter from Belisarius to Witichis.
ambassador
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From this reading The ambassador had no suspicion of the mood in which he should find the King of the Goths and his beautiful Queen.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He carried with him four letters: the letter of Justinian to Belisarius, the letters of the King of the Franks to Cethegus and Belisarius, and a letter from Belisarius to Witichis.
AtprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At mid-day Procopius rode into Ravenna.
beautiful
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The ambassador had no suspicion of the mood in which he should find the King of the Goths and his beautiful Queen.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading This last had been written by Procopius and dictated by Cethegus.
begun
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From this reading The healthy but simple mind of the King had begun to darken, if not to despair, under the pressure of continual misfortune.
Belisarius
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From this reading He carried with him four letters: the letter of Justinian to Belisarius, the letters of the King of the Franks to Cethegus and Belisarius, and a letter from Belisarius to Witichis.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The healthy but simple mind of the King had begun to darken, if not to despair, under the pressure of continual misfortune.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading This last had been written by Procopius and dictated by Cethegus.
carried
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From this reading He carried with him four letters: the letter of Justinian to Belisarius, the letters of the King of the Franks to Cethegus and Belisarius, and a letter from Belisarius to Witichis.
Cethegus
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From this reading He carried with him four letters: the letter of Justinian to Belisarius, the letters of the King of the Franks to Cethegus and Belisarius, and a letter from Belisarius to Witichis.
continual
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From this reading The healthy but simple mind of the King had begun to darken, if not to despair, under the pressure of continual misfortune.
darken
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From this reading The healthy but simple mind of the King had begun to darken, if not to despair, under the pressure of continual misfortune.
despair
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From this reading The healthy but simple mind of the King had begun to darken, if not to despair, under the pressure of continual misfortune.
dictated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This last had been written by Procopius and dictated by Cethegus.
find
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From this reading The ambassador had no suspicion of the mood in which he should find the King of the Goths and his beautiful Queen.
four
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He carried with him four letters: the letter of Justinian to Belisarius, the letters of the King of the Franks to Cethegus and Belisarius, and a letter from Belisarius to Witichis.
Franks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He carried with him four letters: the letter of Justinian to Belisarius, the letters of the King of the Franks to Cethegus and Belisarius, and a letter from Belisarius to Witichis.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He carried with him four letters: the letter of Justinian to Belisarius, the letters of the King of the Franks to Cethegus and Belisarius, and a letter from Belisarius to Witichis.
Goths
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From this reading The ambassador had no suspicion of the mood in which he should find the King of the Goths and his beautiful Queen.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading This last had been written by Procopius and dictated by Cethegus.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He carried with him four letters: the letter of Justinian to Belisarius, the letters of the King of the Franks to Cethegus and Belisarius, and a letter from Belisarius to Witichis.
healthy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The healthy but simple mind of the King had begun to darken, if not to despair, under the pressure of continual misfortune.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He carried with him four letters: the letter of Justinian to Belisarius, the letters of the King of the Franks to Cethegus and Belisarius, and a letter from Belisarius to Witichis.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The ambassador had no suspicion of the mood in which he should find the King of the Goths and his beautiful Queen.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading The healthy but simple mind of the King had begun to darken, if not to despair, under the pressure of continual misfortune.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The ambassador had no suspicion of the mood in which he should find the King of the Goths and his beautiful Queen.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading At mid-day Procopius rode into Ravenna.
Justinian
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From this reading He carried with him four letters: the letter of Justinian to Belisarius, the letters of the King of the Franks to Cethegus and Belisarius, and a letter from Belisarius to Witichis.
King
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He carried with him four letters: the letter of Justinian to Belisarius, the letters of the King of the Franks to Cethegus and Belisarius, and a letter from Belisarius to Witichis.
lastnounUS /last/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading This last had been written by Procopius and dictated by Cethegus.
letter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He carried with him four letters: the letter of Justinian to Belisarius, the letters of the King of the Franks to Cethegus and Belisarius, and a letter from Belisarius to Witichis.
letters
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He carried with him four letters: the letter of Justinian to Belisarius, the letters of the King of the Franks to Cethegus and Belisarius, and a letter from Belisarius to Witichis.
mid-day
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From this reading At mid-day Procopius rode into Ravenna.
mindnounUS /mind/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The healthy but simple mind of the King had begun to darken, if not to despair, under the pressure of continual misfortune.
misfortune
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The healthy but simple mind of the King had begun to darken, if not to despair, under the pressure of continual misfortune.
mood
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The ambassador had no suspicion of the mood in which he should find the King of the Goths and his beautiful Queen.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading The ambassador had no suspicion of the mood in which he should find the King of the Goths and his beautiful Queen.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The healthy but simple mind of the King had begun to darken, if not to despair, under the pressure of continual misfortune.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He carried with him four letters: the letter of Justinian to Belisarius, the letters of the King of the Franks to Cethegus and Belisarius, and a letter from Belisarius to Witichis.
pressure
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The healthy but simple mind of the King had begun to darken, if not to despair, under the pressure of continual misfortune.
Procopius
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At mid-day Procopius rode into Ravenna.
Queen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The ambassador had no suspicion of the mood in which he should find the King of the Goths and his beautiful Queen.
Ravenna
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At mid-day Procopius rode into Ravenna.
rode
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At mid-day Procopius rode into Ravenna.
shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading The ambassador had no suspicion of the mood in which he should find the King of the Goths and his beautiful Queen.
simple
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The healthy but simple mind of the King had begun to darken, if not to despair, under the pressure of continual misfortune.
suspicion
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The ambassador had no suspicion of the mood in which he should find the King of the Goths and his beautiful Queen.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He carried with him four letters: the letter of Justinian to Belisarius, the letters of the King of the Franks to Cethegus and Belisarius, and a letter from Belisarius to Witichis.
ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This last had been written by Procopius and dictated by Cethegus.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He carried with him four letters: the letter of Justinian to Belisarius, the letters of the King of the Franks to Cethegus and Belisarius, and a letter from Belisarius to Witichis.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading The healthy but simple mind of the King had begun to darken, if not to despair, under the pressure of continual misfortune.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The ambassador had no suspicion of the mood in which he should find the King of the Goths and his beautiful Queen.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading He carried with him four letters: the letter of Justinian to Belisarius, the letters of the King of the Franks to Cethegus and Belisarius, and a letter from Belisarius to Witichis.
Witichis
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He carried with him four letters: the letter of Justinian to Belisarius, the letters of the King of the Franks to Cethegus and Belisarius, and a letter from Belisarius to Witichis.
written
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This last had been written by Procopius and dictated by Cethegus.
