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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 August was a month of drought and intense heat that year; by the first week in September the stream had dwindled to the merest silver thread, its wasted waters floating upward in clouds of impalpable mist at dawn and evening to be lost forever in the empty vault of heaven.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading August was a month of drought and intense heat that year; by the first week in September the stream had dwindled to the merest silver thread, its wasted waters floating upward in clouds of impalpable mist at dawn and evening to be lost forever in the empty vault of heaven.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading August was a month of drought and intense heat that year; by the first week in September the stream had dwindled to the merest silver thread, its wasted waters floating upward in clouds of impalpable mist at dawn and evening to be lost forever in the empty vault of heaven.
August
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading August was a month of drought and intense heat that year; by the first week in September the stream had dwindled to the merest silver thread, its wasted waters floating upward in clouds of impalpable mist at dawn and evening to be lost forever in the empty vault of heaven.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading August was a month of drought and intense heat that year; by the first week in September the stream had dwindled to the merest silver thread, its wasted waters floating upward in clouds of impalpable mist at dawn and evening to be lost forever in the empty vault of heaven.
BehindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Behind the closed shutters of the village houses, women fanned themselves in the intervals of labor over superheated cookstoves.
bucket
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From this reading Wells and cisterns yielded little save the hollow sound of the questing bucket.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading August was a month of drought and intense heat that year; by the first week in September the stream had dwindled to the merest silver thread, its wasted waters floating upward in clouds of impalpable mist at dawn and evening to be lost forever in the empty vault of heaven.
ceased
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From this reading Springs reputed to be unfailing gradually ceased their cool trickle.
cisterns
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Wells and cisterns yielded little save the hollow sound of the questing bucket.
closed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind the closed shutters of the village houses, women fanned themselves in the intervals of labor over superheated cookstoves.
clouds
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From this reading August was a month of drought and intense heat that year; by the first week in September the stream had dwindled to the merest silver thread, its wasted waters floating upward in clouds of impalpable mist at dawn and evening to be lost forever in the empty vault of heaven.
consulted
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From this reading Men consulted their thermometers with incredulous eyes.
cookstoves
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From this reading Behind the closed shutters of the village houses, women fanned themselves in the intervals of labor over superheated cookstoves.
cool
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From this reading Springs reputed to be unfailing gradually ceased their cool trickle.
dawn
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From this reading August was a month of drought and intense heat that year; by the first week in September the stream had dwindled to the merest silver thread, its wasted waters floating upward in clouds of impalpable mist at dawn and evening to be lost forever in the empty vault of heaven.
drought
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From this reading August was a month of drought and intense heat that year; by the first week in September the stream had dwindled to the merest silver thread, its wasted waters floating upward in clouds of impalpable mist at dawn and evening to be lost forever in the empty vault of heaven.
dwindled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading August was a month of drought and intense heat that year; by the first week in September the stream had dwindled to the merest silver thread, its wasted waters floating upward in clouds of impalpable mist at dawn and evening to be lost forever in the empty vault of heaven.
empty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading August was a month of drought and intense heat that year; by the first week in September the stream had dwindled to the merest silver thread, its wasted waters floating upward in clouds of impalpable mist at dawn and evening to be lost forever in the empty vault of heaven.
evening
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading August was a month of drought and intense heat that year; by the first week in September the stream had dwindled to the merest silver thread, its wasted waters floating upward in clouds of impalpable mist at dawn and evening to be lost forever in the empty vault of heaven.
eyes
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From this reading Men consulted their thermometers with incredulous eyes.
fanned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind the closed shutters of the village houses, women fanned themselves in the intervals of labor over superheated cookstoves.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading August was a month of drought and intense heat that year; by the first week in September the stream had dwindled to the merest silver thread, its wasted waters floating upward in clouds of impalpable mist at dawn and evening to be lost forever in the empty vault of heaven.
floating
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading August was a month of drought and intense heat that year; by the first week in September the stream had dwindled to the merest silver thread, its wasted waters floating upward in clouds of impalpable mist at dawn and evening to be lost forever in the empty vault of heaven.
forever
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading August was a month of drought and intense heat that year; by the first week in September the stream had dwindled to the merest silver thread, its wasted waters floating upward in clouds of impalpable mist at dawn and evening to be lost forever in the empty vault of heaven.
gradually
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Springs reputed to be unfailing gradually ceased their cool trickle.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading August was a month of drought and intense heat that year; by the first week in September the stream had dwindled to the merest silver thread, its wasted waters floating upward in clouds of impalpable mist at dawn and evening to be lost forever in the empty vault of heaven.
heat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading August was a month of drought and intense heat that year; by the first week in September the stream had dwindled to the merest silver thread, its wasted waters floating upward in clouds of impalpable mist at dawn and evening to be lost forever in the empty vault of heaven.
heaven
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading August was a month of drought and intense heat that year; by the first week in September the stream had dwindled to the merest silver thread, its wasted waters floating upward in clouds of impalpable mist at dawn and evening to be lost forever in the empty vault of heaven.
hollow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Wells and cisterns yielded little save the hollow sound of the questing bucket.
houses
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From this reading Behind the closed shutters of the village houses, women fanned themselves in the intervals of labor over superheated cookstoves.
impalpable
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading August was a month of drought and intense heat that year; by the first week in September the stream had dwindled to the merest silver thread, its wasted waters floating upward in clouds of impalpable mist at dawn and evening to be lost forever in the empty vault of heaven.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading August was a month of drought and intense heat that year; by the first week in September the stream had dwindled to the merest silver thread, its wasted waters floating upward in clouds of impalpable mist at dawn and evening to be lost forever in the empty vault of heaven.
incredulous
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Men consulted their thermometers with incredulous eyes.
intense
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading August was a month of drought and intense heat that year; by the first week in September the stream had dwindled to the merest silver thread, its wasted waters floating upward in clouds of impalpable mist at dawn and evening to be lost forever in the empty vault of heaven.
intervals
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind the closed shutters of the village houses, women fanned themselves in the intervals of labor over superheated cookstoves.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading August was a month of drought and intense heat that year; by the first week in September the stream had dwindled to the merest silver thread, its wasted waters floating upward in clouds of impalpable mist at dawn and evening to be lost forever in the empty vault of heaven.
labor
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind the closed shutters of the village houses, women fanned themselves in the intervals of labor over superheated cookstoves.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Wells and cisterns yielded little save the hollow sound of the questing bucket.
lost
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading August was a month of drought and intense heat that year; by the first week in September the stream had dwindled to the merest silver thread, its wasted waters floating upward in clouds of impalpable mist at dawn and evening to be lost forever in the empty vault of heaven.
Men
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From this reading Men consulted their thermometers with incredulous eyes.
merest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading August was a month of drought and intense heat that year; by the first week in September the stream had dwindled to the merest silver thread, its wasted waters floating upward in clouds of impalpable mist at dawn and evening to be lost forever in the empty vault of heaven.
mist
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading August was a month of drought and intense heat that year; by the first week in September the stream had dwindled to the merest silver thread, its wasted waters floating upward in clouds of impalpable mist at dawn and evening to be lost forever in the empty vault of heaven.
month
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading August was a month of drought and intense heat that year; by the first week in September the stream had dwindled to the merest silver thread, its wasted waters floating upward in clouds of impalpable mist at dawn and evening to be lost forever in the empty vault of heaven.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading August was a month of drought and intense heat that year; by the first week in September the stream had dwindled to the merest silver thread, its wasted waters floating upward in clouds of impalpable mist at dawn and evening to be lost forever in the empty vault of heaven.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Behind the closed shutters of the village houses, women fanned themselves in the intervals of labor over superheated cookstoves.
questing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Wells and cisterns yielded little save the hollow sound of the questing bucket.
reputed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Springs reputed to be unfailing gradually ceased their cool trickle.
saveprepositionUS /seɪv/
except for; apart from
From this reading Wells and cisterns yielded little save the hollow sound of the questing bucket.
September
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading August was a month of drought and intense heat that year; by the first week in September the stream had dwindled to the merest silver thread, its wasted waters floating upward in clouds of impalpable mist at dawn and evening to be lost forever in the empty vault of heaven.
shutters
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind the closed shutters of the village houses, women fanned themselves in the intervals of labor over superheated cookstoves.
silver
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading August was a month of drought and intense heat that year; by the first week in September the stream had dwindled to the merest silver thread, its wasted waters floating upward in clouds of impalpable mist at dawn and evening to be lost forever in the empty vault of heaven.
sound
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Wells and cisterns yielded little save the hollow sound of the questing bucket.
Springs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Springs reputed to be unfailing gradually ceased their cool trickle.
stream
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading August was a month of drought and intense heat that year; by the first week in September the stream had dwindled to the merest silver thread, its wasted waters floating upward in clouds of impalpable mist at dawn and evening to be lost forever in the empty vault of heaven.
superheated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind the closed shutters of the village houses, women fanned themselves in the intervals of labor over superheated cookstoves.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading August was a month of drought and intense heat that year; by the first week in September the stream had dwindled to the merest silver thread, its wasted waters floating upward in clouds of impalpable mist at dawn and evening to be lost forever in the empty vault of heaven.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading August was a month of drought and intense heat that year; by the first week in September the stream had dwindled to the merest silver thread, its wasted waters floating upward in clouds of impalpable mist at dawn and evening to be lost forever in the empty vault of heaven.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Men consulted their thermometers with incredulous eyes.
themselvespronounUS /ðemˈselvz/
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading Behind the closed shutters of the village houses, women fanned themselves in the intervals of labor over superheated cookstoves.
thermometers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Men consulted their thermometers with incredulous eyes.
thread
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading August was a month of drought and intense heat that year; by the first week in September the stream had dwindled to the merest silver thread, its wasted waters floating upward in clouds of impalpable mist at dawn and evening to be lost forever in the empty vault of heaven.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading August was a month of drought and intense heat that year; by the first week in September the stream had dwindled to the merest silver thread, its wasted waters floating upward in clouds of impalpable mist at dawn and evening to be lost forever in the empty vault of heaven.
trickle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Springs reputed to be unfailing gradually ceased their cool trickle.
unfailing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Springs reputed to be unfailing gradually ceased their cool trickle.
upward
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading August was a month of drought and intense heat that year; by the first week in September the stream had dwindled to the merest silver thread, its wasted waters floating upward in clouds of impalpable mist at dawn and evening to be lost forever in the empty vault of heaven.
vaultnounUS /vɔːlt/
a stone room, often below a church, used for burial
From this reading August was a month of drought and intense heat that year; by the first week in September the stream had dwindled to the merest silver thread, its wasted waters floating upward in clouds of impalpable mist at dawn and evening to be lost forever in the empty vault of heaven.
village
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind the closed shutters of the village houses, women fanned themselves in the intervals of labor over superheated cookstoves.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading August was a month of drought and intense heat that year; by the first week in September the stream had dwindled to the merest silver thread, its wasted waters floating upward in clouds of impalpable mist at dawn and evening to be lost forever in the empty vault of heaven.
wasted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading August was a month of drought and intense heat that year; by the first week in September the stream had dwindled to the merest silver thread, its wasted waters floating upward in clouds of impalpable mist at dawn and evening to be lost forever in the empty vault of heaven.
waters
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading August was a month of drought and intense heat that year; by the first week in September the stream had dwindled to the merest silver thread, its wasted waters floating upward in clouds of impalpable mist at dawn and evening to be lost forever in the empty vault of heaven.
week
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading August was a month of drought and intense heat that year; by the first week in September the stream had dwindled to the merest silver thread, its wasted waters floating upward in clouds of impalpable mist at dawn and evening to be lost forever in the empty vault of heaven.
Wells
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Wells and cisterns yielded little save the hollow sound of the questing bucket.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Men consulted their thermometers with incredulous eyes.
women
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind the closed shutters of the village houses, women fanned themselves in the intervals of labor over superheated cookstoves.
year
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading August was a month of drought and intense heat that year; by the first week in September the stream had dwindled to the merest silver thread, its wasted waters floating upward in clouds of impalpable mist at dawn and evening to be lost forever in the empty vault of heaven.
yielded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Wells and cisterns yielded little save the hollow sound of the questing bucket.
