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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 The youth was armed, carrying a pistol by Tom Dillon's orders.
againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading Now, as he backed against the nearest rock, he drew the weapon and pointed it at the beast.
all
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From this reading IN THE MOUNTAIN CAVE Dave had been in perilous situations before, and had learned the important lesson that if he lost his wits all would be lost.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading IN THE MOUNTAIN CAVE Dave had been in perilous situations before, and had learned the important lesson that if he lost his wits all would be lost.
armed
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From this reading The youth was armed, carrying a pistol by Tom Dillon's orders.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Now, as he backed against the nearest rock, he drew the weapon and pointed it at the beast.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Now, as he backed against the nearest rock, he drew the weapon and pointed it at the beast.
backed
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From this reading Now, as he backed against the nearest rock, he drew the weapon and pointed it at the beast.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading IN THE MOUNTAIN CAVE Dave had been in perilous situations before, and had learned the important lesson that if he lost his wits all would be lost.
beast
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now, as he backed against the nearest rock, he drew the weapon and pointed it at the beast.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading IN THE MOUNTAIN CAVE Dave had been in perilous situations before, and had learned the important lesson that if he lost his wits all would be lost.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading IN THE MOUNTAIN CAVE Dave had been in perilous situations before, and had learned the important lesson that if he lost his wits all would be lost.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The youth was armed, carrying a pistol by Tom Dillon's orders.
carrying
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From this reading The youth was armed, carrying a pistol by Tom Dillon's orders.
CAVE
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From this reading IN THE MOUNTAIN CAVE Dave had been in perilous situations before, and had learned the important lesson that if he lost his wits all would be lost.
creaturenounUS /ˈcreature/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading The mountain lion crouched still lower and the tail of the creature moved from side to side with greater swiftness.
crouched
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From this reading The mountain lion crouched still lower and the tail of the creature moved from side to side with greater swiftness.
Dave
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From this reading IN THE MOUNTAIN CAVE Dave had been in perilous situations before, and had learned the important lesson that if he lost his wits all would be lost.
Dillon's
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From this reading The youth was armed, carrying a pistol by Tom Dillon's orders.
drewnounUS /drew/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Now, as he backed against the nearest rock, he drew the weapon and pointed it at the beast.
evidently
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From this reading The mountain lion was large and powerful and evidently in full fighting humor.
fighting
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From this reading The mountain lion was large and powerful and evidently in full fighting humor.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The mountain lion crouched still lower and the tail of the creature moved from side to side with greater swiftness.
full
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From this reading The mountain lion was large and powerful and evidently in full fighting humor.
greater
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The mountain lion crouched still lower and the tail of the creature moved from side to side with greater swiftness.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading IN THE MOUNTAIN CAVE Dave had been in perilous situations before, and had learned the important lesson that if he lost his wits all would be lost.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading IN THE MOUNTAIN CAVE Dave had been in perilous situations before, and had learned the important lesson that if he lost his wits all would be lost.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading IN THE MOUNTAIN CAVE Dave had been in perilous situations before, and had learned the important lesson that if he lost his wits all would be lost.
humor
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The mountain lion was large and powerful and evidently in full fighting humor.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading IN THE MOUNTAIN CAVE Dave had been in perilous situations before, and had learned the important lesson that if he lost his wits all would be lost.
important
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading IN THE MOUNTAIN CAVE Dave had been in perilous situations before, and had learned the important lesson that if he lost his wits all would be lost.
INprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading IN THE MOUNTAIN CAVE Dave had been in perilous situations before, and had learned the important lesson that if he lost his wits all would be lost.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Now, as he backed against the nearest rock, he drew the weapon and pointed it at the beast.
large
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From this reading The mountain lion was large and powerful and evidently in full fighting humor.
learned
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From this reading IN THE MOUNTAIN CAVE Dave had been in perilous situations before, and had learned the important lesson that if he lost his wits all would be lost.
lesson
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From this reading IN THE MOUNTAIN CAVE Dave had been in perilous situations before, and had learned the important lesson that if he lost his wits all would be lost.
lion
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From this reading The mountain lion was large and powerful and evidently in full fighting humor.
lost
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading IN THE MOUNTAIN CAVE Dave had been in perilous situations before, and had learned the important lesson that if he lost his wits all would be lost.
lower
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The mountain lion crouched still lower and the tail of the creature moved from side to side with greater swiftness.
MOUNTAIN
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From this reading IN THE MOUNTAIN CAVE Dave had been in perilous situations before, and had learned the important lesson that if he lost his wits all would be lost.
moved
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The mountain lion crouched still lower and the tail of the creature moved from side to side with greater swiftness.
nearest
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From this reading Now, as he backed against the nearest rock, he drew the weapon and pointed it at the beast.
Now
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From this reading Now, as he backed against the nearest rock, he drew the weapon and pointed it at the beast.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The mountain lion crouched still lower and the tail of the creature moved from side to side with greater swiftness.
orders
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From this reading The youth was armed, carrying a pistol by Tom Dillon's orders.
perilous
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading IN THE MOUNTAIN CAVE Dave had been in perilous situations before, and had learned the important lesson that if he lost his wits all would be lost.
pistol
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The youth was armed, carrying a pistol by Tom Dillon's orders.
pointed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now, as he backed against the nearest rock, he drew the weapon and pointed it at the beast.
powerful
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The mountain lion was large and powerful and evidently in full fighting humor.
rock
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now, as he backed against the nearest rock, he drew the weapon and pointed it at the beast.
side
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The mountain lion crouched still lower and the tail of the creature moved from side to side with greater swiftness.
situations
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading IN THE MOUNTAIN CAVE Dave had been in perilous situations before, and had learned the important lesson that if he lost his wits all would be lost.
stillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The mountain lion crouched still lower and the tail of the creature moved from side to side with greater swiftness.
swiftness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The mountain lion crouched still lower and the tail of the creature moved from side to side with greater swiftness.
tail
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The mountain lion crouched still lower and the tail of the creature moved from side to side with greater swiftness.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading IN THE MOUNTAIN CAVE Dave had been in perilous situations before, and had learned the important lesson that if he lost his wits all would be lost.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading IN THE MOUNTAIN CAVE Dave had been in perilous situations before, and had learned the important lesson that if he lost his wits all would be lost.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The mountain lion crouched still lower and the tail of the creature moved from side to side with greater swiftness.
Tom
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The youth was armed, carrying a pistol by Tom Dillon's orders.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The mountain lion was large and powerful and evidently in full fighting humor.
weapon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now, as he backed against the nearest rock, he drew the weapon and pointed it at the beast.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading The mountain lion crouched still lower and the tail of the creature moved from side to side with greater swiftness.
wits
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading IN THE MOUNTAIN CAVE Dave had been in perilous situations before, and had learned the important lesson that if he lost his wits all would be lost.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading IN THE MOUNTAIN CAVE Dave had been in perilous situations before, and had learned the important lesson that if he lost his wits all would be lost.
youth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The youth was armed, carrying a pistol by Tom Dillon's orders.
