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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 It was still dark when he awoke with a violent start, dreaming of loud trumpets, and found himself sitting upright on his cot, staring into obscurity.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading "We're not an army--we're not yet an army; that's what's the matter.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was still dark when he awoke with a violent start, dreaming of loud trumpets, and found himself sitting upright on his cot, staring into obscurity.
army
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From this reading "We're not an army--we're not yet an army; that's what's the matter.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Outside on the veranda a multitude of heavy steps echoed and re-echoed over the creaking boards; spurs clinked, sabres dragged and clanked; a man's harsh, nasal voice sounded irritably at intervals:
awoke
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From this reading It was still dark when he awoke with a violent start, dreaming of loud trumpets, and found himself sitting upright on his cot, staring into obscurity.
boards
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From this reading Outside on the veranda a multitude of heavy steps echoed and re-echoed over the creaking boards; spurs clinked, sabres dragged and clanked; a man's harsh, nasal voice sounded irritably at intervals:
brigading
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From this reading You can't manufacture an army by brigading regiments--by creating divisions and forming army corps.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading You can't erect an army by uniforming and drilling a few hundred thousand clerks and farmers.
can't
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From this reading You can't erect an army by uniforming and drilling a few hundred thousand clerks and farmers.
clanked
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From this reading Outside on the veranda a multitude of heavy steps echoed and re-echoed over the creaking boards; spurs clinked, sabres dragged and clanked; a man's harsh, nasal voice sounded irritably at intervals:
clerks
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From this reading You can't erect an army by uniforming and drilling a few hundred thousand clerks and farmers.
clinked
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From this reading Outside on the veranda a multitude of heavy steps echoed and re-echoed over the creaking boards; spurs clinked, sabres dragged and clanked; a man's harsh, nasal voice sounded irritably at intervals:
corps
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From this reading You can't manufacture an army by brigading regiments--by creating divisions and forming army corps.
cot
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From this reading It was still dark when he awoke with a violent start, dreaming of loud trumpets, and found himself sitting upright on his cot, staring into obscurity.
creaking
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From this reading Outside on the veranda a multitude of heavy steps echoed and re-echoed over the creaking boards; spurs clinked, sabres dragged and clanked; a man's harsh, nasal voice sounded irritably at intervals:
creating
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From this reading You can't manufacture an army by brigading regiments--by creating divisions and forming army corps.
dark
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From this reading It was still dark when he awoke with a violent start, dreaming of loud trumpets, and found himself sitting upright on his cot, staring into obscurity.
divisions
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From this reading You can't manufacture an army by brigading regiments--by creating divisions and forming army corps.
dragged
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From this reading Outside on the veranda a multitude of heavy steps echoed and re-echoed over the creaking boards; spurs clinked, sabres dragged and clanked; a man's harsh, nasal voice sounded irritably at intervals:
dreaming
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From this reading It was still dark when he awoke with a violent start, dreaming of loud trumpets, and found himself sitting upright on his cot, staring into obscurity.
drilling
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From this reading You can't erect an army by uniforming and drilling a few hundred thousand clerks and farmers.
echoed
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From this reading Outside on the veranda a multitude of heavy steps echoed and re-echoed over the creaking boards; spurs clinked, sabres dragged and clanked; a man's harsh, nasal voice sounded irritably at intervals:
erect
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading You can't erect an army by uniforming and drilling a few hundred thousand clerks and farmers.
farmers
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From this reading You can't erect an army by uniforming and drilling a few hundred thousand clerks and farmers.
few
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From this reading You can't erect an army by uniforming and drilling a few hundred thousand clerks and farmers.
forming
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From this reading You can't manufacture an army by brigading regiments--by creating divisions and forming army corps.
foundnounUS /found/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was still dark when he awoke with a violent start, dreaming of loud trumpets, and found himself sitting upright on his cot, staring into obscurity.
harsh
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From this reading Outside on the veranda a multitude of heavy steps echoed and re-echoed over the creaking boards; spurs clinked, sabres dragged and clanked; a man's harsh, nasal voice sounded irritably at intervals:
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was still dark when he awoke with a violent start, dreaming of loud trumpets, and found himself sitting upright on his cot, staring into obscurity.
heavy
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From this reading Outside on the veranda a multitude of heavy steps echoed and re-echoed over the creaking boards; spurs clinked, sabres dragged and clanked; a man's harsh, nasal voice sounded irritably at intervals:
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading It was still dark when he awoke with a violent start, dreaming of loud trumpets, and found himself sitting upright on his cot, staring into obscurity.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading It was still dark when he awoke with a violent start, dreaming of loud trumpets, and found himself sitting upright on his cot, staring into obscurity.
hundred
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading You can't erect an army by uniforming and drilling a few hundred thousand clerks and farmers.
intervals
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From this reading Outside on the veranda a multitude of heavy steps echoed and re-echoed over the creaking boards; spurs clinked, sabres dragged and clanked; a man's harsh, nasal voice sounded irritably at intervals:
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading It was still dark when he awoke with a violent start, dreaming of loud trumpets, and found himself sitting upright on his cot, staring into obscurity.
irritably
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From this reading Outside on the veranda a multitude of heavy steps echoed and re-echoed over the creaking boards; spurs clinked, sabres dragged and clanked; a man's harsh, nasal voice sounded irritably at intervals:
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was still dark when he awoke with a violent start, dreaming of loud trumpets, and found himself sitting upright on his cot, staring into obscurity.
loud
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From this reading It was still dark when he awoke with a violent start, dreaming of loud trumpets, and found himself sitting upright on his cot, staring into obscurity.
man's
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From this reading Outside on the veranda a multitude of heavy steps echoed and re-echoed over the creaking boards; spurs clinked, sabres dragged and clanked; a man's harsh, nasal voice sounded irritably at intervals:
manufacture
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading You can't manufacture an army by brigading regiments--by creating divisions and forming army corps.
matter
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From this reading "We're not an army--we're not yet an army; that's what's the matter.
multitude
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From this reading Outside on the veranda a multitude of heavy steps echoed and re-echoed over the creaking boards; spurs clinked, sabres dragged and clanked; a man's harsh, nasal voice sounded irritably at intervals:
nasal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Outside on the veranda a multitude of heavy steps echoed and re-echoed over the creaking boards; spurs clinked, sabres dragged and clanked; a man's harsh, nasal voice sounded irritably at intervals:
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "We're not an army--we're not yet an army; that's what's the matter.
obscurity
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was still dark when he awoke with a violent start, dreaming of loud trumpets, and found himself sitting upright on his cot, staring into obscurity.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was still dark when he awoke with a violent start, dreaming of loud trumpets, and found himself sitting upright on his cot, staring into obscurity.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It was still dark when he awoke with a violent start, dreaming of loud trumpets, and found himself sitting upright on his cot, staring into obscurity.
OutsidenounUS /ˈoutside/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Outside on the veranda a multitude of heavy steps echoed and re-echoed over the creaking boards; spurs clinked, sabres dragged and clanked; a man's harsh, nasal voice sounded irritably at intervals:
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Outside on the veranda a multitude of heavy steps echoed and re-echoed over the creaking boards; spurs clinked, sabres dragged and clanked; a man's harsh, nasal voice sounded irritably at intervals:
re-echoed
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From this reading Outside on the veranda a multitude of heavy steps echoed and re-echoed over the creaking boards; spurs clinked, sabres dragged and clanked; a man's harsh, nasal voice sounded irritably at intervals:
regiments
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading You can't manufacture an army by brigading regiments--by creating divisions and forming army corps.
sabres
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From this reading Outside on the veranda a multitude of heavy steps echoed and re-echoed over the creaking boards; spurs clinked, sabres dragged and clanked; a man's harsh, nasal voice sounded irritably at intervals:
sitting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was still dark when he awoke with a violent start, dreaming of loud trumpets, and found himself sitting upright on his cot, staring into obscurity.
sounded
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From this reading Outside on the veranda a multitude of heavy steps echoed and re-echoed over the creaking boards; spurs clinked, sabres dragged and clanked; a man's harsh, nasal voice sounded irritably at intervals:
spurs
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From this reading Outside on the veranda a multitude of heavy steps echoed and re-echoed over the creaking boards; spurs clinked, sabres dragged and clanked; a man's harsh, nasal voice sounded irritably at intervals:
staring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was still dark when he awoke with a violent start, dreaming of loud trumpets, and found himself sitting upright on his cot, staring into obscurity.
startnounUS /start/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was still dark when he awoke with a violent start, dreaming of loud trumpets, and found himself sitting upright on his cot, staring into obscurity.
steps
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Outside on the veranda a multitude of heavy steps echoed and re-echoed over the creaking boards; spurs clinked, sabres dragged and clanked; a man's harsh, nasal voice sounded irritably at intervals:
stillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was still dark when he awoke with a violent start, dreaming of loud trumpets, and found himself sitting upright on his cot, staring into obscurity.
that's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "We're not an army--we're not yet an army; that's what's the matter.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Outside on the veranda a multitude of heavy steps echoed and re-echoed over the creaking boards; spurs clinked, sabres dragged and clanked; a man's harsh, nasal voice sounded irritably at intervals:
thousand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading You can't erect an army by uniforming and drilling a few hundred thousand clerks and farmers.
trumpets
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was still dark when he awoke with a violent start, dreaming of loud trumpets, and found himself sitting upright on his cot, staring into obscurity.
uniforming
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading You can't erect an army by uniforming and drilling a few hundred thousand clerks and farmers.
upright
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was still dark when he awoke with a violent start, dreaming of loud trumpets, and found himself sitting upright on his cot, staring into obscurity.
veranda
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Outside on the veranda a multitude of heavy steps echoed and re-echoed over the creaking boards; spurs clinked, sabres dragged and clanked; a man's harsh, nasal voice sounded irritably at intervals:
violentnounUS /ˈviolent/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading It was still dark when he awoke with a violent start, dreaming of loud trumpets, and found himself sitting upright on his cot, staring into obscurity.
voice
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Outside on the veranda a multitude of heavy steps echoed and re-echoed over the creaking boards; spurs clinked, sabres dragged and clanked; a man's harsh, nasal voice sounded irritably at intervals:
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was still dark when he awoke with a violent start, dreaming of loud trumpets, and found himself sitting upright on his cot, staring into obscurity.
We're
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "We're not an army--we're not yet an army; that's what's the matter.
what's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "We're not an army--we're not yet an army; that's what's the matter.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading It was still dark when he awoke with a violent start, dreaming of loud trumpets, and found himself sitting upright on his cot, staring into obscurity.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading It was still dark when he awoke with a violent start, dreaming of loud trumpets, and found himself sitting upright on his cot, staring into obscurity.
yetconjunctionUS /jet/
but in spite of that
From this reading "We're not an army--we're not yet an army; that's what's the matter.
YoupronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading You can't erect an army by uniforming and drilling a few hundred thousand clerks and farmers.
