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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 There were always stepladders on the landings, and paper-hangers waiting until a man got out of bed in the morning.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The rector, looking about for his accustomed chair, had been told it was at the upholsterer's, or had found his beloved and ragged old books relegated to dark corners of the bookcases.
accustomed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The rector, looking about for his accustomed chair, had been told it was at the upholsterer's, or had found his beloved and ragged old books relegated to dark corners of the bookcases.
afternoonnounUS /ˈafternoon/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading There was an afternoon reception at the rectory, and the plain old house blossomed with the debutante's bouquets and baskets of flowers.
always
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were always stepladders on the landings, and paper-hangers waiting until a man got out of bed in the morning.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading There was an afternoon reception at the rectory, and the plain old house blossomed with the debutante's bouquets and baskets of flowers.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading There was an afternoon reception at the rectory, and the plain old house blossomed with the debutante's bouquets and baskets of flowers.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading There was an afternoon reception at the rectory, and the plain old house blossomed with the debutante's bouquets and baskets of flowers.
baskets
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was an afternoon reception at the rectory, and the plain old house blossomed with the debutante's bouquets and baskets of flowers.
bed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were always stepladders on the landings, and paper-hangers waiting until a man got out of bed in the morning.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading For weeks before the house had been getting ready.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Two days before Christmas Delight came out.
beloved
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The rector, looking about for his accustomed chair, had been told it was at the upholsterer's, or had found his beloved and ragged old books relegated to dark corners of the bookcases.
blossomed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was an afternoon reception at the rectory, and the plain old house blossomed with the debutante's bouquets and baskets of flowers.
bookcases
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The rector, looking about for his accustomed chair, had been told it was at the upholsterer's, or had found his beloved and ragged old books relegated to dark corners of the bookcases.
booksnounUS /bʊks/
Bound written or printed works.
From this reading The rector, looking about for his accustomed chair, had been told it was at the upholsterer's, or had found his beloved and ragged old books relegated to dark corners of the bookcases.
bouquets
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was an afternoon reception at the rectory, and the plain old house blossomed with the debutante's bouquets and baskets of flowers.
came
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Two days before Christmas Delight came out.
chair
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The rector, looking about for his accustomed chair, had been told it was at the upholsterer's, or had found his beloved and ragged old books relegated to dark corners of the bookcases.
Christmas
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Two days before Christmas Delight came out.
corners
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The rector, looking about for his accustomed chair, had been told it was at the upholsterer's, or had found his beloved and ragged old books relegated to dark corners of the bookcases.
dark
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The rector, looking about for his accustomed chair, had been told it was at the upholsterer's, or had found his beloved and ragged old books relegated to dark corners of the bookcases.
days
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Two days before Christmas Delight came out.
debutante's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was an afternoon reception at the rectory, and the plain old house blossomed with the debutante's bouquets and baskets of flowers.
Delight
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Two days before Christmas Delight came out.
flowers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was an afternoon reception at the rectory, and the plain old house blossomed with the debutante's bouquets and baskets of flowers.
ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For weeks before the house had been getting ready.
foundnounUS /found/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The rector, looking about for his accustomed chair, had been told it was at the upholsterer's, or had found his beloved and ragged old books relegated to dark corners of the bookcases.
getting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For weeks before the house had been getting ready.
got
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were always stepladders on the landings, and paper-hangers waiting until a man got out of bed in the morning.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading For weeks before the house had been getting ready.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The rector, looking about for his accustomed chair, had been told it was at the upholsterer's, or had found his beloved and ragged old books relegated to dark corners of the bookcases.
house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was an afternoon reception at the rectory, and the plain old house blossomed with the debutante's bouquets and baskets of flowers.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading There were always stepladders on the landings, and paper-hangers waiting until a man got out of bed in the morning.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The rector, looking about for his accustomed chair, had been told it was at the upholsterer's, or had found his beloved and ragged old books relegated to dark corners of the bookcases.
landings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were always stepladders on the landings, and paper-hangers waiting until a man got out of bed in the morning.
looking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The rector, looking about for his accustomed chair, had been told it was at the upholsterer's, or had found his beloved and ragged old books relegated to dark corners of the bookcases.
man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were always stepladders on the landings, and paper-hangers waiting until a man got out of bed in the morning.
morningnounUS /morning/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There were always stepladders on the landings, and paper-hangers waiting until a man got out of bed in the morning.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading There was an afternoon reception at the rectory, and the plain old house blossomed with the debutante's bouquets and baskets of flowers.
old
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was an afternoon reception at the rectory, and the plain old house blossomed with the debutante's bouquets and baskets of flowers.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading There were always stepladders on the landings, and paper-hangers waiting until a man got out of bed in the morning.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The rector, looking about for his accustomed chair, had been told it was at the upholsterer's, or had found his beloved and ragged old books relegated to dark corners of the bookcases.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Two days before Christmas Delight came out.
paper-hangers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were always stepladders on the landings, and paper-hangers waiting until a man got out of bed in the morning.
plain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was an afternoon reception at the rectory, and the plain old house blossomed with the debutante's bouquets and baskets of flowers.
ragged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The rector, looking about for his accustomed chair, had been told it was at the upholsterer's, or had found his beloved and ragged old books relegated to dark corners of the bookcases.
ready
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For weeks before the house had been getting ready.
reception
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was an afternoon reception at the rectory, and the plain old house blossomed with the debutante's bouquets and baskets of flowers.
rector
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The rector, looking about for his accustomed chair, had been told it was at the upholsterer's, or had found his beloved and ragged old books relegated to dark corners of the bookcases.
rectory
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was an afternoon reception at the rectory, and the plain old house blossomed with the debutante's bouquets and baskets of flowers.
relegated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The rector, looking about for his accustomed chair, had been told it was at the upholsterer's, or had found his beloved and ragged old books relegated to dark corners of the bookcases.
stepladders
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were always stepladders on the landings, and paper-hangers waiting until a man got out of bed in the morning.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading There was an afternoon reception at the rectory, and the plain old house blossomed with the debutante's bouquets and baskets of flowers.
There
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was an afternoon reception at the rectory, and the plain old house blossomed with the debutante's bouquets and baskets of flowers.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The rector, looking about for his accustomed chair, had been told it was at the upholsterer's, or had found his beloved and ragged old books relegated to dark corners of the bookcases.
toldnounUS /told/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The rector, looking about for his accustomed chair, had been told it was at the upholsterer's, or had found his beloved and ragged old books relegated to dark corners of the bookcases.
Two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Two days before Christmas Delight came out.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading There were always stepladders on the landings, and paper-hangers waiting until a man got out of bed in the morning.
upholsterer's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The rector, looking about for his accustomed chair, had been told it was at the upholsterer's, or had found his beloved and ragged old books relegated to dark corners of the bookcases.
waiting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were always stepladders on the landings, and paper-hangers waiting until a man got out of bed in the morning.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was an afternoon reception at the rectory, and the plain old house blossomed with the debutante's bouquets and baskets of flowers.
weeks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For weeks before the house had been getting ready.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There were always stepladders on the landings, and paper-hangers waiting until a man got out of bed in the morning.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading There was an afternoon reception at the rectory, and the plain old house blossomed with the debutante's bouquets and baskets of flowers.
