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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 A SURPRISE FOR MAISON-ROUGE There was narrow foothold, and my head whirled for an instant as I clung to the bars with one hand and looked down at the flickering torches in the court below and along the outer wall.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading But the giddiness passed, and I leaned far out and vainly tried to pierce the darkness above me.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading A SURPRISE FOR MAISON-ROUGE There was narrow foothold, and my head whirled for an instant as I clung to the bars with one hand and looked down at the flickering torches in the court below and along the outer wall.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading A SURPRISE FOR MAISON-ROUGE There was narrow foothold, and my head whirled for an instant as I clung to the bars with one hand and looked down at the flickering torches in the court below and along the outer wall.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A SURPRISE FOR MAISON-ROUGE There was narrow foothold, and my head whirled for an instant as I clung to the bars with one hand and looked down at the flickering torches in the court below and along the outer wall.
arm
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From this reading Once, twice, I threw, with a long, outward sweep of the arm, and each time the rope fell back past me.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading A SURPRISE FOR MAISON-ROUGE There was narrow foothold, and my head whirled for an instant as I clung to the bars with one hand and looked down at the flickering torches in the court below and along the outer wall.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading A SURPRISE FOR MAISON-ROUGE There was narrow foothold, and my head whirled for an instant as I clung to the bars with one hand and looked down at the flickering torches in the court below and along the outer wall.
back
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From this reading Once, twice, I threw, with a long, outward sweep of the arm, and each time the rope fell back past me.
bars
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From this reading A SURPRISE FOR MAISON-ROUGE There was narrow foothold, and my head whirled for an instant as I clung to the bars with one hand and looked down at the flickering torches in the court below and along the outer wall.
belowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/
at or to a lower level than something
From this reading A SURPRISE FOR MAISON-ROUGE There was narrow foothold, and my head whirled for an instant as I clung to the bars with one hand and looked down at the flickering torches in the court below and along the outer wall.
breath
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From this reading It was over one of these that I must throw my rope, and I drew a deep breath as I nerved myself for the effort.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But the giddiness passed, and I leaned far out and vainly tried to pierce the darkness above me.
clung
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From this reading A SURPRISE FOR MAISON-ROUGE There was narrow foothold, and my head whirled for an instant as I clung to the bars with one hand and looked down at the flickering torches in the court below and along the outer wall.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The wall sloped outward at the height of my head, so that I could not see the top, but I had seen the parapet in daylight from a distance and knew that the merlons were narrow and spiked along the crest.
court
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From this reading A SURPRISE FOR MAISON-ROUGE There was narrow foothold, and my head whirled for an instant as I clung to the bars with one hand and looked down at the flickering torches in the court below and along the outer wall.
crest
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From this reading The wall sloped outward at the height of my head, so that I could not see the top, but I had seen the parapet in daylight from a distance and knew that the merlons were narrow and spiked along the crest.
darkness
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From this reading But the giddiness passed, and I leaned far out and vainly tried to pierce the darkness above me.
daylight
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From this reading The wall sloped outward at the height of my head, so that I could not see the top, but I had seen the parapet in daylight from a distance and knew that the merlons were narrow and spiked along the crest.
deep
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From this reading It was over one of these that I must throw my rope, and I drew a deep breath as I nerved myself for the effort.
distance
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From this reading The wall sloped outward at the height of my head, so that I could not see the top, but I had seen the parapet in daylight from a distance and knew that the merlons were narrow and spiked along the crest.
down
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From this reading A SURPRISE FOR MAISON-ROUGE There was narrow foothold, and my head whirled for an instant as I clung to the bars with one hand and looked down at the flickering torches in the court below and along the outer wall.
drew
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From this reading It was over one of these that I must throw my rope, and I drew a deep breath as I nerved myself for the effort.
eachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading Once, twice, I threw, with a long, outward sweep of the arm, and each time the rope fell back past me.
effort
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From this reading It was over one of these that I must throw my rope, and I drew a deep breath as I nerved myself for the effort.
far
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From this reading But the giddiness passed, and I leaned far out and vainly tried to pierce the darkness above me.
fell
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From this reading Once, twice, I threw, with a long, outward sweep of the arm, and each time the rope fell back past me.
flickering
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From this reading A SURPRISE FOR MAISON-ROUGE There was narrow foothold, and my head whirled for an instant as I clung to the bars with one hand and looked down at the flickering torches in the court below and along the outer wall.
foothold
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From this reading A SURPRISE FOR MAISON-ROUGE There was narrow foothold, and my head whirled for an instant as I clung to the bars with one hand and looked down at the flickering torches in the court below and along the outer wall.
FORprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading A SURPRISE FOR MAISON-ROUGE There was narrow foothold, and my head whirled for an instant as I clung to the bars with one hand and looked down at the flickering torches in the court below and along the outer wall.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The wall sloped outward at the height of my head, so that I could not see the top, but I had seen the parapet in daylight from a distance and knew that the merlons were narrow and spiked along the crest.
giddiness
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From this reading But the giddiness passed, and I leaned far out and vainly tried to pierce the darkness above me.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The wall sloped outward at the height of my head, so that I could not see the top, but I had seen the parapet in daylight from a distance and knew that the merlons were narrow and spiked along the crest.
hand
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From this reading A SURPRISE FOR MAISON-ROUGE There was narrow foothold, and my head whirled for an instant as I clung to the bars with one hand and looked down at the flickering torches in the court below and along the outer wall.
head
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A SURPRISE FOR MAISON-ROUGE There was narrow foothold, and my head whirled for an instant as I clung to the bars with one hand and looked down at the flickering torches in the court below and along the outer wall.
height
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The wall sloped outward at the height of my head, so that I could not see the top, but I had seen the parapet in daylight from a distance and knew that the merlons were narrow and spiked along the crest.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading A SURPRISE FOR MAISON-ROUGE There was narrow foothold, and my head whirled for an instant as I clung to the bars with one hand and looked down at the flickering torches in the court below and along the outer wall.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A SURPRISE FOR MAISON-ROUGE There was narrow foothold, and my head whirled for an instant as I clung to the bars with one hand and looked down at the flickering torches in the court below and along the outer wall.
instant
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A SURPRISE FOR MAISON-ROUGE There was narrow foothold, and my head whirled for an instant as I clung to the bars with one hand and looked down at the flickering torches in the court below and along the outer wall.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was over one of these that I must throw my rope, and I drew a deep breath as I nerved myself for the effort.
knew
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From this reading The wall sloped outward at the height of my head, so that I could not see the top, but I had seen the parapet in daylight from a distance and knew that the merlons were narrow and spiked along the crest.
leaned
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From this reading But the giddiness passed, and I leaned far out and vainly tried to pierce the darkness above me.
long
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From this reading Once, twice, I threw, with a long, outward sweep of the arm, and each time the rope fell back past me.
looked
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From this reading A SURPRISE FOR MAISON-ROUGE There was narrow foothold, and my head whirled for an instant as I clung to the bars with one hand and looked down at the flickering torches in the court below and along the outer wall.
MAISON-ROUGE
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From this reading A SURPRISE FOR MAISON-ROUGE There was narrow foothold, and my head whirled for an instant as I clung to the bars with one hand and looked down at the flickering torches in the court below and along the outer wall.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading But the giddiness passed, and I leaned far out and vainly tried to pierce the darkness above me.
merlons
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The wall sloped outward at the height of my head, so that I could not see the top, but I had seen the parapet in daylight from a distance and knew that the merlons were narrow and spiked along the crest.
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading It was over one of these that I must throw my rope, and I drew a deep breath as I nerved myself for the effort.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading A SURPRISE FOR MAISON-ROUGE There was narrow foothold, and my head whirled for an instant as I clung to the bars with one hand and looked down at the flickering torches in the court below and along the outer wall.
myselfpronounUS /ˌmaɪˈself/
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading It was over one of these that I must throw my rope, and I drew a deep breath as I nerved myself for the effort.
narrow
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From this reading A SURPRISE FOR MAISON-ROUGE There was narrow foothold, and my head whirled for an instant as I clung to the bars with one hand and looked down at the flickering torches in the court below and along the outer wall.
nerved
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was over one of these that I must throw my rope, and I drew a deep breath as I nerved myself for the effort.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The wall sloped outward at the height of my head, so that I could not see the top, but I had seen the parapet in daylight from a distance and knew that the merlons were narrow and spiked along the crest.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The wall sloped outward at the height of my head, so that I could not see the top, but I had seen the parapet in daylight from a distance and knew that the merlons were narrow and spiked along the crest.
Once
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From this reading Once, twice, I threw, with a long, outward sweep of the arm, and each time the rope fell back past me.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading A SURPRISE FOR MAISON-ROUGE There was narrow foothold, and my head whirled for an instant as I clung to the bars with one hand and looked down at the flickering torches in the court below and along the outer wall.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But the giddiness passed, and I leaned far out and vainly tried to pierce the darkness above me.
outer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A SURPRISE FOR MAISON-ROUGE There was narrow foothold, and my head whirled for an instant as I clung to the bars with one hand and looked down at the flickering torches in the court below and along the outer wall.
outward
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The wall sloped outward at the height of my head, so that I could not see the top, but I had seen the parapet in daylight from a distance and knew that the merlons were narrow and spiked along the crest.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading It was over one of these that I must throw my rope, and I drew a deep breath as I nerved myself for the effort.
parapet
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From this reading The wall sloped outward at the height of my head, so that I could not see the top, but I had seen the parapet in daylight from a distance and knew that the merlons were narrow and spiked along the crest.
passed
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From this reading But the giddiness passed, and I leaned far out and vainly tried to pierce the darkness above me.
past
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From this reading Once, twice, I threw, with a long, outward sweep of the arm, and each time the rope fell back past me.
pierce
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From this reading But the giddiness passed, and I leaned far out and vainly tried to pierce the darkness above me.
rope
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From this reading It was over one of these that I must throw my rope, and I drew a deep breath as I nerved myself for the effort.
see
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The wall sloped outward at the height of my head, so that I could not see the top, but I had seen the parapet in daylight from a distance and knew that the merlons were narrow and spiked along the crest.
seen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The wall sloped outward at the height of my head, so that I could not see the top, but I had seen the parapet in daylight from a distance and knew that the merlons were narrow and spiked along the crest.
sloped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The wall sloped outward at the height of my head, so that I could not see the top, but I had seen the parapet in daylight from a distance and knew that the merlons were narrow and spiked along the crest.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The wall sloped outward at the height of my head, so that I could not see the top, but I had seen the parapet in daylight from a distance and knew that the merlons were narrow and spiked along the crest.
spiked
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From this reading The wall sloped outward at the height of my head, so that I could not see the top, but I had seen the parapet in daylight from a distance and knew that the merlons were narrow and spiked along the crest.
SURPRISE
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From this reading A SURPRISE FOR MAISON-ROUGE There was narrow foothold, and my head whirled for an instant as I clung to the bars with one hand and looked down at the flickering torches in the court below and along the outer wall.
sweep
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once, twice, I threw, with a long, outward sweep of the arm, and each time the rope fell back past me.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The wall sloped outward at the height of my head, so that I could not see the top, but I had seen the parapet in daylight from a distance and knew that the merlons were narrow and spiked along the crest.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A SURPRISE FOR MAISON-ROUGE There was narrow foothold, and my head whirled for an instant as I clung to the bars with one hand and looked down at the flickering torches in the court below and along the outer wall.
There
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A SURPRISE FOR MAISON-ROUGE There was narrow foothold, and my head whirled for an instant as I clung to the bars with one hand and looked down at the flickering torches in the court below and along the outer wall.
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading It was over one of these that I must throw my rope, and I drew a deep breath as I nerved myself for the effort.
threw
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once, twice, I threw, with a long, outward sweep of the arm, and each time the rope fell back past me.
throw
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was over one of these that I must throw my rope, and I drew a deep breath as I nerved myself for the effort.
time
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Once, twice, I threw, with a long, outward sweep of the arm, and each time the rope fell back past me.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A SURPRISE FOR MAISON-ROUGE There was narrow foothold, and my head whirled for an instant as I clung to the bars with one hand and looked down at the flickering torches in the court below and along the outer wall.
top
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The wall sloped outward at the height of my head, so that I could not see the top, but I had seen the parapet in daylight from a distance and knew that the merlons were narrow and spiked along the crest.
torches
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A SURPRISE FOR MAISON-ROUGE There was narrow foothold, and my head whirled for an instant as I clung to the bars with one hand and looked down at the flickering torches in the court below and along the outer wall.
tried
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But the giddiness passed, and I leaned far out and vainly tried to pierce the darkness above me.
twice
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From this reading Once, twice, I threw, with a long, outward sweep of the arm, and each time the rope fell back past me.
vainly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But the giddiness passed, and I leaned far out and vainly tried to pierce the darkness above me.
wall
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A SURPRISE FOR MAISON-ROUGE There was narrow foothold, and my head whirled for an instant as I clung to the bars with one hand and looked down at the flickering torches in the court below and along the outer wall.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A SURPRISE FOR MAISON-ROUGE There was narrow foothold, and my head whirled for an instant as I clung to the bars with one hand and looked down at the flickering torches in the court below and along the outer wall.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The wall sloped outward at the height of my head, so that I could not see the top, but I had seen the parapet in daylight from a distance and knew that the merlons were narrow and spiked along the crest.
whirled
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From this reading A SURPRISE FOR MAISON-ROUGE There was narrow foothold, and my head whirled for an instant as I clung to the bars with one hand and looked down at the flickering torches in the court below and along the outer wall.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading A SURPRISE FOR MAISON-ROUGE There was narrow foothold, and my head whirled for an instant as I clung to the bars with one hand and looked down at the flickering torches in the court below and along the outer wall.