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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 Wiltstoken Castle was a square building with circular bastions at the corners, each bastion terminating skyward in a Turkish minaret.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The arch was enshrined by a Palladian portico, which rose to the roof, and was surmounted by an open pediment, in the cleft of which stood a black-marble figure of an Egyptian, erect, and gazing steadfastly at the midday sun.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The southwest face was the front, and was pierced by a Moorish arch fitted with glass doors, which could be secured on occasion by gates of fantastically hammered iron.
arch
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From this reading The southwest face was the front, and was pierced by a Moorish arch fitted with glass doors, which could be secured on occasion by gates of fantastically hammered iron.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Wiltstoken Castle was a square building with circular bastions at the corners, each bastion terminating skyward in a Turkish minaret.
balustrade
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From this reading On the ground beneath was an Italian terrace with two great stone elephants at the ends of the balustrade.
bastion
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From this reading Wiltstoken Castle was a square building with circular bastions at the corners, each bastion terminating skyward in a Turkish minaret.
bastions
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From this reading Wiltstoken Castle was a square building with circular bastions at the corners, each bastion terminating skyward in a Turkish minaret.
bays
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From this reading The windows on the upper story were, like the entrance, Moorish; but the principal ones below were square bays, mullioned.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The southwest face was the front, and was pierced by a Moorish arch fitted with glass doors, which could be secured on occasion by gates of fantastically hammered iron.
belowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/
at or to a lower level than something
From this reading The windows on the upper story were, like the entrance, Moorish; but the principal ones below were square bays, mullioned.
beneathprepositionUS /bɪˈniːθ/
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading On the ground beneath was an Italian terrace with two great stone elephants at the ends of the balustrade.
black-marble
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From this reading The arch was enshrined by a Palladian portico, which rose to the roof, and was surmounted by an open pediment, in the cleft of which stood a black-marble figure of an Egyptian, erect, and gazing steadfastly at the midday sun.
building
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From this reading Wiltstoken Castle was a square building with circular bastions at the corners, each bastion terminating skyward in a Turkish minaret.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The windows on the upper story were, like the entrance, Moorish; but the principal ones below were square bays, mullioned.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The southwest face was the front, and was pierced by a Moorish arch fitted with glass doors, which could be secured on occasion by gates of fantastically hammered iron.
Castle
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From this reading Wiltstoken Castle was a square building with circular bastions at the corners, each bastion terminating skyward in a Turkish minaret.
circular
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From this reading Wiltstoken Castle was a square building with circular bastions at the corners, each bastion terminating skyward in a Turkish minaret.
cleft
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From this reading The arch was enshrined by a Palladian portico, which rose to the roof, and was surmounted by an open pediment, in the cleft of which stood a black-marble figure of an Egyptian, erect, and gazing steadfastly at the midday sun.
corners
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From this reading Wiltstoken Castle was a square building with circular bastions at the corners, each bastion terminating skyward in a Turkish minaret.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The southwest face was the front, and was pierced by a Moorish arch fitted with glass doors, which could be secured on occasion by gates of fantastically hammered iron.
doors
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From this reading The southwest face was the front, and was pierced by a Moorish arch fitted with glass doors, which could be secured on occasion by gates of fantastically hammered iron.
eachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading Wiltstoken Castle was a square building with circular bastions at the corners, each bastion terminating skyward in a Turkish minaret.
Egyptian
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From this reading The arch was enshrined by a Palladian portico, which rose to the roof, and was surmounted by an open pediment, in the cleft of which stood a black-marble figure of an Egyptian, erect, and gazing steadfastly at the midday sun.
elephants
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From this reading On the ground beneath was an Italian terrace with two great stone elephants at the ends of the balustrade.
ends
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From this reading On the ground beneath was an Italian terrace with two great stone elephants at the ends of the balustrade.
enshrined
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From this reading The arch was enshrined by a Palladian portico, which rose to the roof, and was surmounted by an open pediment, in the cleft of which stood a black-marble figure of an Egyptian, erect, and gazing steadfastly at the midday sun.
entrance
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From this reading The windows on the upper story were, like the entrance, Moorish; but the principal ones below were square bays, mullioned.
erect
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From this reading The arch was enshrined by a Palladian portico, which rose to the roof, and was surmounted by an open pediment, in the cleft of which stood a black-marble figure of an Egyptian, erect, and gazing steadfastly at the midday sun.
face
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From this reading The southwest face was the front, and was pierced by a Moorish arch fitted with glass doors, which could be secured on occasion by gates of fantastically hammered iron.
fantastically
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From this reading The southwest face was the front, and was pierced by a Moorish arch fitted with glass doors, which could be secured on occasion by gates of fantastically hammered iron.
figure
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From this reading The arch was enshrined by a Palladian portico, which rose to the roof, and was surmounted by an open pediment, in the cleft of which stood a black-marble figure of an Egyptian, erect, and gazing steadfastly at the midday sun.
fittedadjectiveUS /ˈfɪtɪd/
prepared and equipped for a particular purpose
From this reading The southwest face was the front, and was pierced by a Moorish arch fitted with glass doors, which could be secured on occasion by gates of fantastically hammered iron.
front
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From this reading The southwest face was the front, and was pierced by a Moorish arch fitted with glass doors, which could be secured on occasion by gates of fantastically hammered iron.
gates
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From this reading The southwest face was the front, and was pierced by a Moorish arch fitted with glass doors, which could be secured on occasion by gates of fantastically hammered iron.
gazing
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From this reading The arch was enshrined by a Palladian portico, which rose to the roof, and was surmounted by an open pediment, in the cleft of which stood a black-marble figure of an Egyptian, erect, and gazing steadfastly at the midday sun.
glass
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The southwest face was the front, and was pierced by a Moorish arch fitted with glass doors, which could be secured on occasion by gates of fantastically hammered iron.
greatnounUS /great/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading On the ground beneath was an Italian terrace with two great stone elephants at the ends of the balustrade.
ground
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From this reading On the ground beneath was an Italian terrace with two great stone elephants at the ends of the balustrade.
hammered
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From this reading The southwest face was the front, and was pierced by a Moorish arch fitted with glass doors, which could be secured on occasion by gates of fantastically hammered iron.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Wiltstoken Castle was a square building with circular bastions at the corners, each bastion terminating skyward in a Turkish minaret.
iron
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From this reading The southwest face was the front, and was pierced by a Moorish arch fitted with glass doors, which could be secured on occasion by gates of fantastically hammered iron.
Italian
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From this reading On the ground beneath was an Italian terrace with two great stone elephants at the ends of the balustrade.
like
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From this reading The windows on the upper story were, like the entrance, Moorish; but the principal ones below were square bays, mullioned.
midday
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From this reading The arch was enshrined by a Palladian portico, which rose to the roof, and was surmounted by an open pediment, in the cleft of which stood a black-marble figure of an Egyptian, erect, and gazing steadfastly at the midday sun.
minaret
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From this reading Wiltstoken Castle was a square building with circular bastions at the corners, each bastion terminating skyward in a Turkish minaret.
Moorish
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From this reading The southwest face was the front, and was pierced by a Moorish arch fitted with glass doors, which could be secured on occasion by gates of fantastically hammered iron.
mullioned
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From this reading The windows on the upper story were, like the entrance, Moorish; but the principal ones below were square bays, mullioned.
occasion
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From this reading The southwest face was the front, and was pierced by a Moorish arch fitted with glass doors, which could be secured on occasion by gates of fantastically hammered iron.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The southwest face was the front, and was pierced by a Moorish arch fitted with glass doors, which could be secured on occasion by gates of fantastically hammered iron.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The southwest face was the front, and was pierced by a Moorish arch fitted with glass doors, which could be secured on occasion by gates of fantastically hammered iron.
ones
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The windows on the upper story were, like the entrance, Moorish; but the principal ones below were square bays, mullioned.
openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/
To move from a closed position.
From this reading The arch was enshrined by a Palladian portico, which rose to the roof, and was surmounted by an open pediment, in the cleft of which stood a black-marble figure of an Egyptian, erect, and gazing steadfastly at the midday sun.
Palladian
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From this reading The arch was enshrined by a Palladian portico, which rose to the roof, and was surmounted by an open pediment, in the cleft of which stood a black-marble figure of an Egyptian, erect, and gazing steadfastly at the midday sun.
pediment
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The arch was enshrined by a Palladian portico, which rose to the roof, and was surmounted by an open pediment, in the cleft of which stood a black-marble figure of an Egyptian, erect, and gazing steadfastly at the midday sun.
pierced
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From this reading The southwest face was the front, and was pierced by a Moorish arch fitted with glass doors, which could be secured on occasion by gates of fantastically hammered iron.
portico
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From this reading The arch was enshrined by a Palladian portico, which rose to the roof, and was surmounted by an open pediment, in the cleft of which stood a black-marble figure of an Egyptian, erect, and gazing steadfastly at the midday sun.
principal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The windows on the upper story were, like the entrance, Moorish; but the principal ones below were square bays, mullioned.
roof
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From this reading The arch was enshrined by a Palladian portico, which rose to the roof, and was surmounted by an open pediment, in the cleft of which stood a black-marble figure of an Egyptian, erect, and gazing steadfastly at the midday sun.
rose
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The arch was enshrined by a Palladian portico, which rose to the roof, and was surmounted by an open pediment, in the cleft of which stood a black-marble figure of an Egyptian, erect, and gazing steadfastly at the midday sun.
secured
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From this reading The southwest face was the front, and was pierced by a Moorish arch fitted with glass doors, which could be secured on occasion by gates of fantastically hammered iron.
skyward
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From this reading Wiltstoken Castle was a square building with circular bastions at the corners, each bastion terminating skyward in a Turkish minaret.
southwest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The southwest face was the front, and was pierced by a Moorish arch fitted with glass doors, which could be secured on occasion by gates of fantastically hammered iron.
square
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Wiltstoken Castle was a square building with circular bastions at the corners, each bastion terminating skyward in a Turkish minaret.
steadfastly
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From this reading The arch was enshrined by a Palladian portico, which rose to the roof, and was surmounted by an open pediment, in the cleft of which stood a black-marble figure of an Egyptian, erect, and gazing steadfastly at the midday sun.
stone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On the ground beneath was an Italian terrace with two great stone elephants at the ends of the balustrade.
stoodnounUS /stood/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The arch was enshrined by a Palladian portico, which rose to the roof, and was surmounted by an open pediment, in the cleft of which stood a black-marble figure of an Egyptian, erect, and gazing steadfastly at the midday sun.
story
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The windows on the upper story were, like the entrance, Moorish; but the principal ones below were square bays, mullioned.
sun
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The arch was enshrined by a Palladian portico, which rose to the roof, and was surmounted by an open pediment, in the cleft of which stood a black-marble figure of an Egyptian, erect, and gazing steadfastly at the midday sun.
surmounted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The arch was enshrined by a Palladian portico, which rose to the roof, and was surmounted by an open pediment, in the cleft of which stood a black-marble figure of an Egyptian, erect, and gazing steadfastly at the midday sun.
terminating
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From this reading Wiltstoken Castle was a square building with circular bastions at the corners, each bastion terminating skyward in a Turkish minaret.
terrace
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On the ground beneath was an Italian terrace with two great stone elephants at the ends of the balustrade.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Wiltstoken Castle was a square building with circular bastions at the corners, each bastion terminating skyward in a Turkish minaret.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The arch was enshrined by a Palladian portico, which rose to the roof, and was surmounted by an open pediment, in the cleft of which stood a black-marble figure of an Egyptian, erect, and gazing steadfastly at the midday sun.
Turkish
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From this reading Wiltstoken Castle was a square building with circular bastions at the corners, each bastion terminating skyward in a Turkish minaret.
two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On the ground beneath was an Italian terrace with two great stone elephants at the ends of the balustrade.
upper
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The windows on the upper story were, like the entrance, Moorish; but the principal ones below were square bays, mullioned.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Wiltstoken Castle was a square building with circular bastions at the corners, each bastion terminating skyward in a Turkish minaret.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The windows on the upper story were, like the entrance, Moorish; but the principal ones below were square bays, mullioned.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The southwest face was the front, and was pierced by a Moorish arch fitted with glass doors, which could be secured on occasion by gates of fantastically hammered iron.
Wiltstoken
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From this reading Wiltstoken Castle was a square building with circular bastions at the corners, each bastion terminating skyward in a Turkish minaret.
windows
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The windows on the upper story were, like the entrance, Moorish; but the principal ones below were square bays, mullioned.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Wiltstoken Castle was a square building with circular bastions at the corners, each bastion terminating skyward in a Turkish minaret.
