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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 was a tall, healthy figure, strong, but a little slouching, and there was in his walk something between a slight swagger and a seaman's roll; he commonly had his hands in his pockets.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading His hair was dark, straight, and undistinguished; and his face, if one saw it after his figure, was something of a surprise.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He was a tall, healthy figure, strong, but a little slouching, and there was in his walk something between a slight swagger and a seaman's roll; he commonly had his hands in his pockets.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading For while the form might be called big and braggart, the face might have been called weak, and was certainly worried.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading For while the form might be called big and braggart, the face might have been called weak, and was certainly worried.
betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading He was a tall, healthy figure, strong, but a little slouching, and there was in his walk something between a slight swagger and a seaman's roll; he commonly had his hands in his pockets.
big
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For while the form might be called big and braggart, the face might have been called weak, and was certainly worried.
blink
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From this reading It was a hesitating face, which seemed to blink doubtfully in the daylight.
braggart
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From this reading For while the form might be called big and braggart, the face might have been called weak, and was certainly worried.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He was a tall, healthy figure, strong, but a little slouching, and there was in his walk something between a slight swagger and a seaman's roll; he commonly had his hands in his pockets.
call
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From this reading I will call him Simmons.
called
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From this reading For while the form might be called big and braggart, the face might have been called weak, and was certainly worried.
certainly
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From this reading For while the form might be called big and braggart, the face might have been called weak, and was certainly worried.
commonly
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From this reading He was a tall, healthy figure, strong, but a little slouching, and there was in his walk something between a slight swagger and a seaman's roll; he commonly had his hands in his pockets.
dark
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His hair was dark, straight, and undistinguished; and his face, if one saw it after his figure, was something of a surprise.
daylight
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a hesitating face, which seemed to blink doubtfully in the daylight.
doubtfully
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From this reading It was a hesitating face, which seemed to blink doubtfully in the daylight.
face
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His hair was dark, straight, and undistinguished; and his face, if one saw it after his figure, was something of a surprise.
figure
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a tall, healthy figure, strong, but a little slouching, and there was in his walk something between a slight swagger and a seaman's roll; he commonly had his hands in his pockets.
ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For while the form might be called big and braggart, the face might have been called weak, and was certainly worried.
form
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From this reading For while the form might be called big and braggart, the face might have been called weak, and was certainly worried.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He was a tall, healthy figure, strong, but a little slouching, and there was in his walk something between a slight swagger and a seaman's roll; he commonly had his hands in his pockets.
hair
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His hair was dark, straight, and undistinguished; and his face, if one saw it after his figure, was something of a surprise.
handsplural nounUS /hændz/
members of a ship’s crew
From this reading He was a tall, healthy figure, strong, but a little slouching, and there was in his walk something between a slight swagger and a seaman's roll; he commonly had his hands in his pockets.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading For while the form might be called big and braggart, the face might have been called weak, and was certainly worried.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was a tall, healthy figure, strong, but a little slouching, and there was in his walk something between a slight swagger and a seaman's roll; he commonly had his hands in his pockets.
healthy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a tall, healthy figure, strong, but a little slouching, and there was in his walk something between a slight swagger and a seaman's roll; he commonly had his hands in his pockets.
hesitating
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a hesitating face, which seemed to blink doubtfully in the daylight.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I will call him Simmons.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He was a tall, healthy figure, strong, but a little slouching, and there was in his walk something between a slight swagger and a seaman's roll; he commonly had his hands in his pockets.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I will call him Simmons.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading His hair was dark, straight, and undistinguished; and his face, if one saw it after his figure, was something of a surprise.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He was a tall, healthy figure, strong, but a little slouching, and there was in his walk something between a slight swagger and a seaman's roll; he commonly had his hands in his pockets.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading His hair was dark, straight, and undistinguished; and his face, if one saw it after his figure, was something of a surprise.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He was a tall, healthy figure, strong, but a little slouching, and there was in his walk something between a slight swagger and a seaman's roll; he commonly had his hands in his pockets.
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading For while the form might be called big and braggart, the face might have been called weak, and was certainly worried.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading His hair was dark, straight, and undistinguished; and his face, if one saw it after his figure, was something of a surprise.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading His hair was dark, straight, and undistinguished; and his face, if one saw it after his figure, was something of a surprise.
pockets
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a tall, healthy figure, strong, but a little slouching, and there was in his walk something between a slight swagger and a seaman's roll; he commonly had his hands in his pockets.
roll
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a tall, healthy figure, strong, but a little slouching, and there was in his walk something between a slight swagger and a seaman's roll; he commonly had his hands in his pockets.
saw
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His hair was dark, straight, and undistinguished; and his face, if one saw it after his figure, was something of a surprise.
seaman's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a tall, healthy figure, strong, but a little slouching, and there was in his walk something between a slight swagger and a seaman's roll; he commonly had his hands in his pockets.
seemednounUS /seemed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was a hesitating face, which seemed to blink doubtfully in the daylight.
Simmons
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From this reading I will call him Simmons.
slight
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a tall, healthy figure, strong, but a little slouching, and there was in his walk something between a slight swagger and a seaman's roll; he commonly had his hands in his pockets.
slouching
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a tall, healthy figure, strong, but a little slouching, and there was in his walk something between a slight swagger and a seaman's roll; he commonly had his hands in his pockets.
somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
a thing, without saying which
From this reading He was a tall, healthy figure, strong, but a little slouching, and there was in his walk something between a slight swagger and a seaman's roll; he commonly had his hands in his pockets.
straight
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His hair was dark, straight, and undistinguished; and his face, if one saw it after his figure, was something of a surprise.
strong
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a tall, healthy figure, strong, but a little slouching, and there was in his walk something between a slight swagger and a seaman's roll; he commonly had his hands in his pockets.
surprise
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His hair was dark, straight, and undistinguished; and his face, if one saw it after his figure, was something of a surprise.
swagger
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a tall, healthy figure, strong, but a little slouching, and there was in his walk something between a slight swagger and a seaman's roll; he commonly had his hands in his pockets.
tall
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a tall, healthy figure, strong, but a little slouching, and there was in his walk something between a slight swagger and a seaman's roll; he commonly had his hands in his pockets.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading For while the form might be called big and braggart, the face might have been called weak, and was certainly worried.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a tall, healthy figure, strong, but a little slouching, and there was in his walk something between a slight swagger and a seaman's roll; he commonly had his hands in his pockets.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was a hesitating face, which seemed to blink doubtfully in the daylight.
undistinguished
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His hair was dark, straight, and undistinguished; and his face, if one saw it after his figure, was something of a surprise.
walk
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a tall, healthy figure, strong, but a little slouching, and there was in his walk something between a slight swagger and a seaman's roll; he commonly had his hands in his pockets.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was a tall, healthy figure, strong, but a little slouching, and there was in his walk something between a slight swagger and a seaman's roll; he commonly had his hands in his pockets.
weak
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For while the form might be called big and braggart, the face might have been called weak, and was certainly worried.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It was a hesitating face, which seemed to blink doubtfully in the daylight.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading For while the form might be called big and braggart, the face might have been called weak, and was certainly worried.
willmodal verbUS /wɪl/
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading I will call him Simmons.
worried
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For while the form might be called big and braggart, the face might have been called weak, and was certainly worried.