adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He found the young man in a curiously excited and optimistic frame of mind, radically different from that of the past few months.
againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading The captain promised promptly enough, but the Fates were against him.
alsoadverbUS /ˈɔːlsoʊ/
in addition
From this reading The manuscript of the novel was before him on the desk, also plenty of blank paper.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He made it his business to go to town the very next day and called upon his friend.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Promises of that kind are easier to make than to keep.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The manuscript of the novel was before him on the desk, also plenty of blank paper.
blankadjectiveUS /blæŋk/
(of a surface) not written or printed on
From this reading The manuscript of the novel was before him on the desk, also plenty of blank paper.
businessnounUS /ˈbɪznəs/
a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
From this reading He made it his business to go to town the very next day and called upon his friend.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The captain promised promptly enough, but the Fates were against him.
calledverbUS /kɔːld/
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading He made it his business to go to town the very next day and called upon his friend.
captainnounUS /ˈkæptən/
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading The captain promised promptly enough, but the Fates were against him.
curiouslyadverbUS /ˈkjʊriəsli/
in a manner differing from the usual or expected
From this reading He found the young man in a curiously excited and optimistic frame of mind, radically different from that of the past few months.
daynounUS /deɪ/
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading He made it his business to go to town the very next day and called upon his friend.
desknounUS /desk/
a piece of furniture with a writing surface and usually drawers or other compartments
From this reading The manuscript of the novel was before him on the desk, also plenty of blank paper.
differentadjectiveUS /ˈdɪfərənt/
unlike in nature or quality or form or degree
From this reading He found the young man in a curiously excited and optimistic frame of mind, radically different from that of the past few months.
easieradjectiveUS /ˈiːziər/
comparative of “easy” — posing no difficulty; requiring little effort
From this reading Promises of that kind are easier to make than to keep.
enoughnounUS /ɪˈnʌf/
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading The captain promised promptly enough, but the Fates were against him.
excitedadjectiveUS /ɪkˈsaɪtəd/
(of persons) excessively affected by emotion
From this reading He found the young man in a curiously excited and optimistic frame of mind, radically different from that of the past few months.
FatesnounUS /feɪts/
plural of “fate” — an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future
From this reading The captain promised promptly enough, but the Fates were against him.
fewadjectiveUS /fjuː/
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading He found the young man in a curiously excited and optimistic frame of mind, radically different from that of the past few months.
foundverbUS /faʊnd/
set up or found
From this reading He found the young man in a curiously excited and optimistic frame of mind, radically different from that of the past few months.
frameverbUS /freɪm/
enclose in or as if in a frame
From this reading He found the young man in a curiously excited and optimistic frame of mind, radically different from that of the past few months.
friendnounUS /frend/
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading He made it his business to go to town the very next day and called upon his friend.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He found the young man in a curiously excited and optimistic frame of mind, radically different from that of the past few months.
goverbUS /ɡoʊ/
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading He made it his business to go to town the very next day and called upon his friend.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He made it his business to go to town the very next day and called upon his friend.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The captain promised promptly enough, but the Fates were against him.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He made it his business to go to town the very next day and called upon his friend.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He found the young man in a curiously excited and optimistic frame of mind, radically different from that of the past few months.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He made it his business to go to town the very next day and called upon his friend.
keepverbUS /kiːp/
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading Promises of that kind are easier to make than to keep.
kindadjectiveUS /kaɪnd/
having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
From this reading Promises of that kind are easier to make than to keep.
madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading He made it his business to go to town the very next day and called upon his friend.
makeverbUS /meɪk/
engage in
From this reading Promises of that kind are easier to make than to keep.
mannounUS /mæn/
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading He found the young man in a curiously excited and optimistic frame of mind, radically different from that of the past few months.
manuscriptnounUS /ˈmæn.jə.skrɪpt/
A book, document, or piece of music written by hand rather than typed or printed.
From this reading The manuscript of the novel was before him on the desk, also plenty of blank paper.
mindnounUS /maɪnd/
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading He found the young man in a curiously excited and optimistic frame of mind, radically different from that of the past few months.
monthsnounUS /mʌnθs/
plural of “month” — one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year
From this reading He found the young man in a curiously excited and optimistic frame of mind, radically different from that of the past few months.
nextadjectiveUS /nekst/
immediately following in time or order
From this reading He made it his business to go to town the very next day and called upon his friend.
novelnounUS /ˈnɑːvəl/
an extended fictional work in prose; usually in the form of a story
From this reading The manuscript of the novel was before him on the desk, also plenty of blank paper.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Promises of that kind are easier to make than to keep.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The manuscript of the novel was before him on the desk, also plenty of blank paper.
optimisticadjectiveUS /ˌɑːptəˈmɪstɪk/
expecting the best in this best of all possible worlds
From this reading He found the young man in a curiously excited and optimistic frame of mind, radically different from that of the past few months.
papernounUS /ˈpeɪpər/
a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses
From this reading The manuscript of the novel was before him on the desk, also plenty of blank paper.
pastnounUS /pæst/
the time that has elapsed
From this reading He found the young man in a curiously excited and optimistic frame of mind, radically different from that of the past few months.
plentynounUS /ˈplenti/
a full supply
From this reading The manuscript of the novel was before him on the desk, also plenty of blank paper.
promisedverbUS /ˈprɑːməst/
past form of “promise” — make a promise or commitment
From this reading The captain promised promptly enough, but the Fates were against him.
PromisesnounUS /ˈprɑːməsəz/
plural of “promise” — a verbal commitment by one person to another agreeing to do (or not to do) something in the future
From this reading Promises of that kind are easier to make than to keep.
promptlyadverbUS /ˈprɑːmptli/
with little or no delay
From this reading The captain promised promptly enough, but the Fates were against him.
radicallyadverbUS /ˈrædɪkli/
in a radical manner
From this reading He found the young man in a curiously excited and optimistic frame of mind, radically different from that of the past few months.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Promises of that kind are easier to make than to keep.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Promises of that kind are easier to make than to keep.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The captain promised promptly enough, but the Fates were against him.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Promises of that kind are easier to make than to keep.
townnounUS /taʊn/
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading He made it his business to go to town the very next day and called upon his friend.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading He made it his business to go to town the very next day and called upon his friend.
veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/
precisely as stated
From this reading He made it his business to go to town the very next day and called upon his friend.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The manuscript of the novel was before him on the desk, also plenty of blank paper.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The captain promised promptly enough, but the Fates were against him.
youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading He found the young man in a curiously excited and optimistic frame of mind, radically different from that of the past few months.
