adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading For months Rudolph Klein had been living in a little Mexican town on the border.
adobenounUS /əˈdoʊbi/
the clay from which adobe bricks are made
From this reading The American side was bright and clean, orderly and self-respecting, but only a hundred feet away, unkempt, dusty, with adobe buildings and a notorious gambling-hell in plain view, was Mexico itself--leisurely, improvident, not overscrupulous Mexico.
AlongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading Along this strip ran the border itself, with a tent pitched on the American side, and patrols of soldiers guarding it.
AmericannounUS /əˈmerəkən/
a native or inhabitant of the United States
From this reading Along this strip ran the border itself, with a tent pitched on the American side, and patrols of soldiers guarding it.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Along this strip ran the border itself, with a tent pitched on the American side, and patrols of soldiers guarding it.
AtprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At first Rudolph was fairly contented.
awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The American side was bright and clean, orderly and self-respecting, but only a hundred feet away, unkempt, dusty, with adobe buildings and a notorious gambling-hell in plain view, was Mexico itself--leisurely, improvident, not overscrupulous Mexico.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading For months Rudolph Klein had been living in a little Mexican town on the border.
betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading There were really two towns, but they were built together with only a strip of a hundred feet between.
bordernounUS /ˈbɔːrdər/
a line that indicates a boundary
From this reading For months Rudolph Klein had been living in a little Mexican town on the border.
brightadjectiveUS /braɪt/
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading The American side was bright and clean, orderly and self-respecting, but only a hundred feet away, unkempt, dusty, with adobe buildings and a notorious gambling-hell in plain view, was Mexico itself--leisurely, improvident, not overscrupulous Mexico.
buildingsnounUS /ˈbɪldɪŋz/
plural of “building” — a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place
From this reading The American side was bright and clean, orderly and self-respecting, but only a hundred feet away, unkempt, dusty, with adobe buildings and a notorious gambling-hell in plain view, was Mexico itself--leisurely, improvident, not overscrupulous Mexico.
builtadjectiveUS /bɪlt/
(used of soaps or cleaning agents) having a substance (an abrasive or filler) added to increase effectiveness
From this reading There were really two towns, but they were built together with only a strip of a hundred feet between.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading There were really two towns, but they were built together with only a strip of a hundred feet between.
cleanadjectiveUS /kliːn/
free from dirt or impurities; or having clean habits
From this reading The American side was bright and clean, orderly and self-respecting, but only a hundred feet away, unkempt, dusty, with adobe buildings and a notorious gambling-hell in plain view, was Mexico itself--leisurely, improvident, not overscrupulous Mexico.
contentedadjectiveUS /kənˈtentəd/
satisfied or showing satisfaction with things as they are
From this reading At first Rudolph was fairly contented.
dustyadjectiveUS /ˈdʌsti/
covered with a layer of dust
From this reading The American side was bright and clean, orderly and self-respecting, but only a hundred feet away, unkempt, dusty, with adobe buildings and a notorious gambling-hell in plain view, was Mexico itself--leisurely, improvident, not overscrupulous Mexico.
fairlyadverbUS /ˈferli/
to certain extent or degree
From this reading At first Rudolph was fairly contented.
feetnounUS /fiːt/
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading There were really two towns, but they were built together with only a strip of a hundred feet between.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading At first Rudolph was fairly contented.
ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For months Rudolph Klein had been living in a little Mexican town on the border.
gambling-hell
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The American side was bright and clean, orderly and self-respecting, but only a hundred feet away, unkempt, dusty, with adobe buildings and a notorious gambling-hell in plain view, was Mexico itself--leisurely, improvident, not overscrupulous Mexico.
guardingverbUS /ˈɡɑːrdɪŋ/
-ing form of “guard” — to keep watch over
From this reading Along this strip ran the border itself, with a tent pitched on the American side, and patrols of soldiers guarding it.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading For months Rudolph Klein had been living in a little Mexican town on the border.
hundrednounUS /ˈhʌndrəd/
ten 10s
From this reading There were really two towns, but they were built together with only a strip of a hundred feet between.
improvidentadjective
not provident; not providing for the future
From this reading The American side was bright and clean, orderly and self-respecting, but only a hundred feet away, unkempt, dusty, with adobe buildings and a notorious gambling-hell in plain view, was Mexico itself--leisurely, improvident, not overscrupulous Mexico.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading For months Rudolph Klein had been living in a little Mexican town on the border.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Along this strip ran the border itself, with a tent pitched on the American side, and patrols of soldiers guarding it.
itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading Along this strip ran the border itself, with a tent pitched on the American side, and patrols of soldiers guarding it.
KleinnounUS /klaɪn/
German mathematician who created the Klein bottle (1849-1925)
From this reading For months Rudolph Klein had been living in a little Mexican town on the border.
leisurelyadverbUS /ˈliːzərli/
in an unhurried way or at one's convenience
From this reading The American side was bright and clean, orderly and self-respecting, but only a hundred feet away, unkempt, dusty, with adobe buildings and a notorious gambling-hell in plain view, was Mexico itself--leisurely, improvident, not overscrupulous Mexico.
littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading For months Rudolph Klein had been living in a little Mexican town on the border.
livingnounUS /ˈlɪvɪŋ/
the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities
From this reading For months Rudolph Klein had been living in a little Mexican town on the border.
MexicannounUS /ˈmeksəkən/
a native or inhabitant of Mexico
From this reading For months Rudolph Klein had been living in a little Mexican town on the border.
MexiconounUS /ˈmeksəkoʊ/
a republic in southern North America; became independent from Spain in 1810
From this reading The American side was bright and clean, orderly and self-respecting, but only a hundred feet away, unkempt, dusty, with adobe buildings and a notorious gambling-hell in plain view, was Mexico itself--leisurely, improvident, not overscrupulous Mexico.
monthsnounUS /mʌnθs/
plural of “month” — one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year
From this reading For months Rudolph Klein had been living in a little Mexican town on the border.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The American side was bright and clean, orderly and self-respecting, but only a hundred feet away, unkempt, dusty, with adobe buildings and a notorious gambling-hell in plain view, was Mexico itself--leisurely, improvident, not overscrupulous Mexico.
notoriousadjectiveUS /noʊˈtɔːriəs/
known widely and usually unfavorably
From this reading The American side was bright and clean, orderly and self-respecting, but only a hundred feet away, unkempt, dusty, with adobe buildings and a notorious gambling-hell in plain view, was Mexico itself--leisurely, improvident, not overscrupulous Mexico.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading There were really two towns, but they were built together with only a strip of a hundred feet between.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading For months Rudolph Klein had been living in a little Mexican town on the border.
onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/
and nothing more
From this reading There were really two towns, but they were built together with only a strip of a hundred feet between.
orderlynounUS /ˈɔːrdərli/
a soldier who serves as an attendant to a superior officer
From this reading The American side was bright and clean, orderly and self-respecting, but only a hundred feet away, unkempt, dusty, with adobe buildings and a notorious gambling-hell in plain view, was Mexico itself--leisurely, improvident, not overscrupulous Mexico.
overscrupulous
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The American side was bright and clean, orderly and self-respecting, but only a hundred feet away, unkempt, dusty, with adobe buildings and a notorious gambling-hell in plain view, was Mexico itself--leisurely, improvident, not overscrupulous Mexico.
patrolsnounUS /pəˈtroʊlz/
plural of “patrol” — a detachment used for security or reconnaissance
From this reading Along this strip ran the border itself, with a tent pitched on the American side, and patrols of soldiers guarding it.
pitchedadjectiveUS /pɪtʃt/
(of sound) set to a certain pitch or key; usually used as a combining form
From this reading Along this strip ran the border itself, with a tent pitched on the American side, and patrols of soldiers guarding it.
plainadjectiveUS /pleɪn/
clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment
From this reading The American side was bright and clean, orderly and self-respecting, but only a hundred feet away, unkempt, dusty, with adobe buildings and a notorious gambling-hell in plain view, was Mexico itself--leisurely, improvident, not overscrupulous Mexico.
ranverbUS /ræn/
inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading Along this strip ran the border itself, with a tent pitched on the American side, and patrols of soldiers guarding it.
reallyadverbUS /ˈrɪli/
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading There were really two towns, but they were built together with only a strip of a hundred feet between.
Rudolph
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For months Rudolph Klein had been living in a little Mexican town on the border.
self-respectingadjectiveUS /ˌselfrɪˈspektɪŋ/
having or showing self-esteem
From this reading The American side was bright and clean, orderly and self-respecting, but only a hundred feet away, unkempt, dusty, with adobe buildings and a notorious gambling-hell in plain view, was Mexico itself--leisurely, improvident, not overscrupulous Mexico.
sidenounUS /saɪd/
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading Along this strip ran the border itself, with a tent pitched on the American side, and patrols of soldiers guarding it.
soldiersnounUS /ˈsoʊldʒərz/
plural of “soldier” — an enlisted man or woman who serves in an army
From this reading Along this strip ran the border itself, with a tent pitched on the American side, and patrols of soldiers guarding it.
stripverbUS /strɪp/
take away possessions from someone
From this reading There were really two towns, but they were built together with only a strip of a hundred feet between.
tentnounUS /tent/
a portable shelter (usually of canvas stretched over supporting poles and fastened to the ground with ropes and pegs)
From this reading Along this strip ran the border itself, with a tent pitched on the American side, and patrols of soldiers guarding it.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading For months Rudolph Klein had been living in a little Mexican town on the border.
ThereadverbUS /ðer/
in or at that place or location
From this reading There were really two towns, but they were built together with only a strip of a hundred feet between.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading There were really two towns, but they were built together with only a strip of a hundred feet between.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Along this strip ran the border itself, with a tent pitched on the American side, and patrols of soldiers guarding it.
togetheradverbUS /təˈɡeðər/
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading There were really two towns, but they were built together with only a strip of a hundred feet between.
townnounUS /taʊn/
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading For months Rudolph Klein had been living in a little Mexican town on the border.
townsnounUS /taʊnz/
plural of “town” — an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading There were really two towns, but they were built together with only a strip of a hundred feet between.
twonounUS /tuː/
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading There were really two towns, but they were built together with only a strip of a hundred feet between.
unkemptadjectiveUS /ənˈkempt/
not neatly combed
From this reading The American side was bright and clean, orderly and self-respecting, but only a hundred feet away, unkempt, dusty, with adobe buildings and a notorious gambling-hell in plain view, was Mexico itself--leisurely, improvident, not overscrupulous Mexico.
viewnounUS /vjuː/
a way of regarding situations or topics etc.
From this reading The American side was bright and clean, orderly and self-respecting, but only a hundred feet away, unkempt, dusty, with adobe buildings and a notorious gambling-hell in plain view, was Mexico itself--leisurely, improvident, not overscrupulous Mexico.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The American side was bright and clean, orderly and self-respecting, but only a hundred feet away, unkempt, dusty, with adobe buildings and a notorious gambling-hell in plain view, was Mexico itself--leisurely, improvident, not overscrupulous Mexico.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There were really two towns, but they were built together with only a strip of a hundred feet between.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading There were really two towns, but they were built together with only a strip of a hundred feet between.
