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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 Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.
Aaron
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From this reading Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.
any
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From this reading The Murnan laborers seemed to think midwinter as appropriate as any other time for building; they said the Mother slept, and would not be disturbed.
appropriate
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From this reading The Murnan laborers seemed to think midwinter as appropriate as any other time for building; they said the Mother slept, and would not be disturbed.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The Murnan laborers seemed to think midwinter as appropriate as any other time for building; they said the Mother slept, and would not be disturbed.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Martha served coffee and buttermilk-pop at break-time, and presided over noontime feasts, served in several sittings, in the tent.
back
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From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.
bank
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.
barn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.
beard
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From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.
BeforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.
bishop
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.
bit
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.
blink
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From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.
break-time
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Martha served coffee and buttermilk-pop at break-time, and presided over noontime feasts, served in several sittings, in the tent.
building
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Murnan laborers seemed to think midwinter as appropriate as any other time for building; they said the Mother slept, and would not be disturbed.
buttermilk-pop
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Martha served coffee and buttermilk-pop at break-time, and presided over noontime feasts, served in several sittings, in the tent.
canmodal verbUS /kæn/
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.
cider
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.
coffee
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Martha served coffee and buttermilk-pop at break-time, and presided over noontime feasts, served in several sittings, in the tent.
cold
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.
common
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From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.
disturbed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Murnan laborers seemed to think midwinter as appropriate as any other time for building; they said the Mother slept, and would not be disturbed.
drink
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From this reading Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.
eachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.
earn
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From this reading Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.
earth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.
enough
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From this reading Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.
evening
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.
example
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.
feasts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Martha served coffee and buttermilk-pop at break-time, and presided over noontime feasts, served in several sittings, in the tent.
feelingnounUS /ˈfeeling/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The Murnan laborers seemed to think midwinter as appropriate as any other time for building; they said the Mother slept, and would not be disturbed.
frozen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.
give
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.
gouging
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.
guitar
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.
hard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.
heaped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.
heavy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Martha served coffee and buttermilk-pop at break-time, and presided over noontime feasts, served in several sittings, in the tent.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.
keep
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.
laborers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Murnan laborers seemed to think midwinter as appropriate as any other time for building; they said the Mother slept, and would not be disturbed.
leading
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.
leftnounUS /left/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.
Martha
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Martha served coffee and buttermilk-pop at break-time, and presided over noontime feasts, served in several sittings, in the tent.
matters
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.
mattocks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.
midwinter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Murnan laborers seemed to think midwinter as appropriate as any other time for building; they said the Mother slept, and would not be disturbed.
Mother
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Murnan laborers seemed to think midwinter as appropriate as any other time for building; they said the Mother slept, and would not be disturbed.
Murnan
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Murnan laborers seemed to think midwinter as appropriate as any other time for building; they said the Mother slept, and would not be disturbed.
mused
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.
noontime
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Martha served coffee and buttermilk-pop at break-time, and presided over noontime feasts, served in several sittings, in the tent.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The Murnan laborers seemed to think midwinter as appropriate as any other time for building; they said the Mother slept, and would not be disturbed.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.
one's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.
other
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Murnan laborers seemed to think midwinter as appropriate as any other time for building; they said the Mother slept, and would not be disturbed.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Martha served coffee and buttermilk-pop at break-time, and presided over noontime feasts, served in several sittings, in the tent.
plucking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.
presided
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Martha served coffee and buttermilk-pop at break-time, and presided over noontime feasts, served in several sittings, in the tent.
raise
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.
raised
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.
said
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Murnan laborers seemed to think midwinter as appropriate as any other time for building; they said the Mother slept, and would not be disturbed.
scharifer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.
secretly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.
seemednounUS /seemed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The Murnan laborers seemed to think midwinter as appropriate as any other time for building; they said the Mother slept, and would not be disturbed.
sense
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.
served
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Martha served coffee and buttermilk-pop at break-time, and presided over noontime feasts, served in several sittings, in the tent.
several
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Martha served coffee and buttermilk-pop at break-time, and presided over noontime feasts, served in several sittings, in the tent.
sip
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.
sittings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Martha served coffee and buttermilk-pop at break-time, and presided over noontime feasts, served in several sittings, in the tent.
slept
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Murnan laborers seemed to think midwinter as appropriate as any other time for building; they said the Mother slept, and would not be disturbed.
somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
a thing, without saying which
From this reading Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.
soup
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.
spirits
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.
steamed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.
tent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Martha served coffee and buttermilk-pop at break-time, and presided over noontime feasts, served in several sittings, in the tent.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.
There
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The Murnan laborers seemed to think midwinter as appropriate as any other time for building; they said the Mother slept, and would not be disturbed.
they'd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.
thinknounUS /think/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The Murnan laborers seemed to think midwinter as appropriate as any other time for building; they said the Mother slept, and would not be disturbed.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The Murnan laborers seemed to think midwinter as appropriate as any other time for building; they said the Mother slept, and would not be disturbed.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.
trimming
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.
volatile
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.
week
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading There are matters, he mused, in which common sense can blink at a bishop; as in secretly trimming one's beard a bit, for example, to keep it out of one's soup; or plucking a guitar to raise the spirits.
work
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading * * * * * It was cold the week the barn was raised, and the mattocks had heavy work gouging out frozen earth to be heaped into the bank leading up the back.
workers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before the workers left in the evening, Aaron would give each a drink out back, scharifer cider, feeling that they'd steamed hard enough to earn a sip of something volatile.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading The Murnan laborers seemed to think midwinter as appropriate as any other time for building; they said the Mother slept, and would not be disturbed.