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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 Alf had a feeling that now, at any rate, his disastrous venture into high life and the public eye was really behind him.
afraid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He determined that it should continue to hang there; he was afraid to dispose of it, in case it should fall into the hands of some other man and be used for unimaginable evil.
Alf
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Alf had a feeling that now, at any rate, his disastrous venture into high life and the public eye was really behind him.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He could slip back thankfully into his old routine as an unconsidered cog in an enormous machine, and be lost in the friendly obscurity.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Alf had a feeling that now, at any rate, his disastrous venture into high life and the public eye was really behind him.
any
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Alf had a feeling that now, at any rate, his disastrous venture into high life and the public eye was really behind him.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He could slip back thankfully into his old routine as an unconsidered cog in an enormous machine, and be lost in the friendly obscurity.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Alf had a feeling that now, at any rate, his disastrous venture into high life and the public eye was really behind him.
back
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could slip back thankfully into his old routine as an unconsidered cog in an enormous machine, and be lost in the friendly obscurity.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He could slip back thankfully into his old routine as an unconsidered cog in an enormous machine, and be lost in the friendly obscurity.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Alf had a feeling that now, at any rate, his disastrous venture into high life and the public eye was really behind him.
BUTTON
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FATE OF THE BUTTON Neither of the two friends could have said with truth that he was sorry to see France once more.
case
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From this reading He determined that it should continue to hang there; he was afraid to dispose of it, in case it should fall into the hands of some other man and be used for unimaginable evil.
cog
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From this reading He could slip back thankfully into his old routine as an unconsidered cog in an enormous machine, and be lost in the friendly obscurity.
continue
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From this reading He determined that it should continue to hang there; he was afraid to dispose of it, in case it should fall into the hands of some other man and be used for unimaginable evil.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading THE FATE OF THE BUTTON Neither of the two friends could have said with truth that he was sorry to see France once more.
determinedadjectiveUS /dɪˈtɜrmɪnd/
having firmly decided to do something
From this reading He determined that it should continue to hang there; he was afraid to dispose of it, in case it should fall into the hands of some other man and be used for unimaginable evil.
disastrous
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Alf had a feeling that now, at any rate, his disastrous venture into high life and the public eye was really behind him.
dispose
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From this reading He determined that it should continue to hang there; he was afraid to dispose of it, in case it should fall into the hands of some other man and be used for unimaginable evil.
enormous
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could slip back thankfully into his old routine as an unconsidered cog in an enormous machine, and be lost in the friendly obscurity.
evil
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He determined that it should continue to hang there; he was afraid to dispose of it, in case it should fall into the hands of some other man and be used for unimaginable evil.
eye
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Alf had a feeling that now, at any rate, his disastrous venture into high life and the public eye was really behind him.
fall
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He determined that it should continue to hang there; he was afraid to dispose of it, in case it should fall into the hands of some other man and be used for unimaginable evil.
FATE
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FATE OF THE BUTTON Neither of the two friends could have said with truth that he was sorry to see France once more.
feelingnounUS /ˈfeeling/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Alf had a feeling that now, at any rate, his disastrous venture into high life and the public eye was really behind him.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He determined that it should continue to hang there; he was afraid to dispose of it, in case it should fall into the hands of some other man and be used for unimaginable evil.
France
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FATE OF THE BUTTON Neither of the two friends could have said with truth that he was sorry to see France once more.
friendly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could slip back thankfully into his old routine as an unconsidered cog in an enormous machine, and be lost in the friendly obscurity.
friends
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FATE OF THE BUTTON Neither of the two friends could have said with truth that he was sorry to see France once more.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The Button still hung from its string round his neck.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Alf had a feeling that now, at any rate, his disastrous venture into high life and the public eye was really behind him.
handsplural nounUS /hændz/
members of a ship’s crew
From this reading He determined that it should continue to hang there; he was afraid to dispose of it, in case it should fall into the hands of some other man and be used for unimaginable evil.
hang
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He determined that it should continue to hang there; he was afraid to dispose of it, in case it should fall into the hands of some other man and be used for unimaginable evil.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading THE FATE OF THE BUTTON Neither of the two friends could have said with truth that he was sorry to see France once more.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading THE FATE OF THE BUTTON Neither of the two friends could have said with truth that he was sorry to see France once more.
high
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Alf had a feeling that now, at any rate, his disastrous venture into high life and the public eye was really behind him.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Alf had a feeling that now, at any rate, his disastrous venture into high life and the public eye was really behind him.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Alf had a feeling that now, at any rate, his disastrous venture into high life and the public eye was really behind him.
hung
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Button still hung from its string round his neck.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He could slip back thankfully into his old routine as an unconsidered cog in an enormous machine, and be lost in the friendly obscurity.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Alf had a feeling that now, at any rate, his disastrous venture into high life and the public eye was really behind him.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He determined that it should continue to hang there; he was afraid to dispose of it, in case it should fall into the hands of some other man and be used for unimaginable evil.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The Button still hung from its string round his neck.
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Alf had a feeling that now, at any rate, his disastrous venture into high life and the public eye was really behind him.
lost
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could slip back thankfully into his old routine as an unconsidered cog in an enormous machine, and be lost in the friendly obscurity.
machine
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could slip back thankfully into his old routine as an unconsidered cog in an enormous machine, and be lost in the friendly obscurity.
man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He determined that it should continue to hang there; he was afraid to dispose of it, in case it should fall into the hands of some other man and be used for unimaginable evil.
more
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FATE OF THE BUTTON Neither of the two friends could have said with truth that he was sorry to see France once more.
neck
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Button still hung from its string round his neck.
NeitherdeterminerUS /ˈniːðər/
not one and not the other of two
From this reading THE FATE OF THE BUTTON Neither of the two friends could have said with truth that he was sorry to see France once more.
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Alf had a feeling that now, at any rate, his disastrous venture into high life and the public eye was really behind him.
obscurity
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could slip back thankfully into his old routine as an unconsidered cog in an enormous machine, and be lost in the friendly obscurity.
OFprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE FATE OF THE BUTTON Neither of the two friends could have said with truth that he was sorry to see France once more.
old
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could slip back thankfully into his old routine as an unconsidered cog in an enormous machine, and be lost in the friendly obscurity.
once
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FATE OF THE BUTTON Neither of the two friends could have said with truth that he was sorry to see France once more.
other
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He determined that it should continue to hang there; he was afraid to dispose of it, in case it should fall into the hands of some other man and be used for unimaginable evil.
public
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Alf had a feeling that now, at any rate, his disastrous venture into high life and the public eye was really behind him.
rate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Alf had a feeling that now, at any rate, his disastrous venture into high life and the public eye was really behind him.
really
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Alf had a feeling that now, at any rate, his disastrous venture into high life and the public eye was really behind him.
round
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Button still hung from its string round his neck.
routine
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could slip back thankfully into his old routine as an unconsidered cog in an enormous machine, and be lost in the friendly obscurity.
said
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FATE OF THE BUTTON Neither of the two friends could have said with truth that he was sorry to see France once more.
see
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FATE OF THE BUTTON Neither of the two friends could have said with truth that he was sorry to see France once more.
shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading He determined that it should continue to hang there; he was afraid to dispose of it, in case it should fall into the hands of some other man and be used for unimaginable evil.
slip
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could slip back thankfully into his old routine as an unconsidered cog in an enormous machine, and be lost in the friendly obscurity.
some
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He determined that it should continue to hang there; he was afraid to dispose of it, in case it should fall into the hands of some other man and be used for unimaginable evil.
sorry
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FATE OF THE BUTTON Neither of the two friends could have said with truth that he was sorry to see France once more.
stillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The Button still hung from its string round his neck.
string
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Button still hung from its string round his neck.
thankfully
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could slip back thankfully into his old routine as an unconsidered cog in an enormous machine, and be lost in the friendly obscurity.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading THE FATE OF THE BUTTON Neither of the two friends could have said with truth that he was sorry to see France once more.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE FATE OF THE BUTTON Neither of the two friends could have said with truth that he was sorry to see France once more.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He determined that it should continue to hang there; he was afraid to dispose of it, in case it should fall into the hands of some other man and be used for unimaginable evil.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE FATE OF THE BUTTON Neither of the two friends could have said with truth that he was sorry to see France once more.
truth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FATE OF THE BUTTON Neither of the two friends could have said with truth that he was sorry to see France once more.
two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FATE OF THE BUTTON Neither of the two friends could have said with truth that he was sorry to see France once more.
unconsidered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He could slip back thankfully into his old routine as an unconsidered cog in an enormous machine, and be lost in the friendly obscurity.
unimaginable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He determined that it should continue to hang there; he was afraid to dispose of it, in case it should fall into the hands of some other man and be used for unimaginable evil.
used
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He determined that it should continue to hang there; he was afraid to dispose of it, in case it should fall into the hands of some other man and be used for unimaginable evil.
venture
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Alf had a feeling that now, at any rate, his disastrous venture into high life and the public eye was really behind him.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE FATE OF THE BUTTON Neither of the two friends could have said with truth that he was sorry to see France once more.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading THE FATE OF THE BUTTON Neither of the two friends could have said with truth that he was sorry to see France once more.
