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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 A long couch of ebony, untouched by silver or by gold, stood under one of the gigantic black marble statues, which represented an Ethiopian slave or some wild beast, holding in hand or mouth a lamp with shade of flaming orange, the one touch of colour in the whole room.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading A long couch of ebony, untouched by silver or by gold, stood under one of the gigantic black marble statues, which represented an Ethiopian slave or some wild beast, holding in hand or mouth a lamp with shade of flaming orange, the one touch of colour in the whole room.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Out on to the balcony and back, this way, that way, to and fro, paced Jill in her black room.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Curtains of scented leather, as soft and supple as satin, hung before the doors let into the walls of black carved wood.
back
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From this reading Out on to the balcony and back, this way, that way, to and fro, paced Jill in her black room.
balcony
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From this reading Out on to the balcony and back, this way, that way, to and fro, paced Jill in her black room.
beast
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From this reading A long couch of ebony, untouched by silver or by gold, stood under one of the gigantic black marble statues, which represented an Ethiopian slave or some wild beast, holding in hand or mouth a lamp with shade of flaming orange, the one touch of colour in the whole room.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Curtains of scented leather, as soft and supple as satin, hung before the doors let into the walls of black carved wood.
black
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From this reading Out on to the balcony and back, this way, that way, to and fro, paced Jill in her black room.
brazier
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From this reading There was no sound save for the occasional crackle of resinous log burning in a brazier placed in a far corner, before which Jill suddenly crouched, shivering, though the night was warm.
burning
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From this reading There was no sound save for the occasional crackle of resinous log burning in a brazier placed in a far corner, before which Jill suddenly crouched, shivering, though the night was warm.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading A long couch of ebony, untouched by silver or by gold, stood under one of the gigantic black marble statues, which represented an Ethiopian slave or some wild beast, holding in hand or mouth a lamp with shade of flaming orange, the one touch of colour in the whole room.
carved
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Curtains of scented leather, as soft and supple as satin, hung before the doors let into the walls of black carved wood.
colour
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From this reading A long couch of ebony, untouched by silver or by gold, stood under one of the gigantic black marble statues, which represented an Ethiopian slave or some wild beast, holding in hand or mouth a lamp with shade of flaming orange, the one touch of colour in the whole room.
corner
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no sound save for the occasional crackle of resinous log burning in a brazier placed in a far corner, before which Jill suddenly crouched, shivering, though the night was warm.
couch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A long couch of ebony, untouched by silver or by gold, stood under one of the gigantic black marble statues, which represented an Ethiopian slave or some wild beast, holding in hand or mouth a lamp with shade of flaming orange, the one touch of colour in the whole room.
crackle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no sound save for the occasional crackle of resinous log burning in a brazier placed in a far corner, before which Jill suddenly crouched, shivering, though the night was warm.
crouched
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From this reading There was no sound save for the occasional crackle of resinous log burning in a brazier placed in a far corner, before which Jill suddenly crouched, shivering, though the night was warm.
Curtains
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Curtains of scented leather, as soft and supple as satin, hung before the doors let into the walls of black carved wood.
cushions
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Black skins lay upon the black marble floor, black satin cushions upon the skins.
doors
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From this reading Curtains of scented leather, as soft and supple as satin, hung before the doors let into the walls of black carved wood.
ebony
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From this reading A long couch of ebony, untouched by silver or by gold, stood under one of the gigantic black marble statues, which represented an Ethiopian slave or some wild beast, holding in hand or mouth a lamp with shade of flaming orange, the one touch of colour in the whole room.
Ethiopian
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From this reading A long couch of ebony, untouched by silver or by gold, stood under one of the gigantic black marble statues, which represented an Ethiopian slave or some wild beast, holding in hand or mouth a lamp with shade of flaming orange, the one touch of colour in the whole room.
far
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no sound save for the occasional crackle of resinous log burning in a brazier placed in a far corner, before which Jill suddenly crouched, shivering, though the night was warm.
flaming
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A long couch of ebony, untouched by silver or by gold, stood under one of the gigantic black marble statues, which represented an Ethiopian slave or some wild beast, holding in hand or mouth a lamp with shade of flaming orange, the one touch of colour in the whole room.
floor
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Black skins lay upon the black marble floor, black satin cushions upon the skins.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading There was no sound save for the occasional crackle of resinous log burning in a brazier placed in a far corner, before which Jill suddenly crouched, shivering, though the night was warm.
fro
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Out on to the balcony and back, this way, that way, to and fro, paced Jill in her black room.
gigantic
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From this reading A long couch of ebony, untouched by silver or by gold, stood under one of the gigantic black marble statues, which represented an Ethiopian slave or some wild beast, holding in hand or mouth a lamp with shade of flaming orange, the one touch of colour in the whole room.
gold
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A long couch of ebony, untouched by silver or by gold, stood under one of the gigantic black marble statues, which represented an Ethiopian slave or some wild beast, holding in hand or mouth a lamp with shade of flaming orange, the one touch of colour in the whole room.
hand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A long couch of ebony, untouched by silver or by gold, stood under one of the gigantic black marble statues, which represented an Ethiopian slave or some wild beast, holding in hand or mouth a lamp with shade of flaming orange, the one touch of colour in the whole room.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Out on to the balcony and back, this way, that way, to and fro, paced Jill in her black room.
holding
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A long couch of ebony, untouched by silver or by gold, stood under one of the gigantic black marble statues, which represented an Ethiopian slave or some wild beast, holding in hand or mouth a lamp with shade of flaming orange, the one touch of colour in the whole room.
hung
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Curtains of scented leather, as soft and supple as satin, hung before the doors let into the walls of black carved wood.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Out on to the balcony and back, this way, that way, to and fro, paced Jill in her black room.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Curtains of scented leather, as soft and supple as satin, hung before the doors let into the walls of black carved wood.
Jill
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From this reading Out on to the balcony and back, this way, that way, to and fro, paced Jill in her black room.
lamp
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A long couch of ebony, untouched by silver or by gold, stood under one of the gigantic black marble statues, which represented an Ethiopian slave or some wild beast, holding in hand or mouth a lamp with shade of flaming orange, the one touch of colour in the whole room.
lay
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Black skins lay upon the black marble floor, black satin cushions upon the skins.
leather
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Curtains of scented leather, as soft and supple as satin, hung before the doors let into the walls of black carved wood.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading Curtains of scented leather, as soft and supple as satin, hung before the doors let into the walls of black carved wood.
log
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no sound save for the occasional crackle of resinous log burning in a brazier placed in a far corner, before which Jill suddenly crouched, shivering, though the night was warm.
longnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading A long couch of ebony, untouched by silver or by gold, stood under one of the gigantic black marble statues, which represented an Ethiopian slave or some wild beast, holding in hand or mouth a lamp with shade of flaming orange, the one touch of colour in the whole room.
marble
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Black skins lay upon the black marble floor, black satin cushions upon the skins.
mouth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A long couch of ebony, untouched by silver or by gold, stood under one of the gigantic black marble statues, which represented an Ethiopian slave or some wild beast, holding in hand or mouth a lamp with shade of flaming orange, the one touch of colour in the whole room.
night
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no sound save for the occasional crackle of resinous log burning in a brazier placed in a far corner, before which Jill suddenly crouched, shivering, though the night was warm.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading There was no sound save for the occasional crackle of resinous log burning in a brazier placed in a far corner, before which Jill suddenly crouched, shivering, though the night was warm.
occasional
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no sound save for the occasional crackle of resinous log burning in a brazier placed in a far corner, before which Jill suddenly crouched, shivering, though the night was warm.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Curtains of scented leather, as soft and supple as satin, hung before the doors let into the walls of black carved wood.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Out on to the balcony and back, this way, that way, to and fro, paced Jill in her black room.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading A long couch of ebony, untouched by silver or by gold, stood under one of the gigantic black marble statues, which represented an Ethiopian slave or some wild beast, holding in hand or mouth a lamp with shade of flaming orange, the one touch of colour in the whole room.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading A long couch of ebony, untouched by silver or by gold, stood under one of the gigantic black marble statues, which represented an Ethiopian slave or some wild beast, holding in hand or mouth a lamp with shade of flaming orange, the one touch of colour in the whole room.
orange
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A long couch of ebony, untouched by silver or by gold, stood under one of the gigantic black marble statues, which represented an Ethiopian slave or some wild beast, holding in hand or mouth a lamp with shade of flaming orange, the one touch of colour in the whole room.
Out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Out on to the balcony and back, this way, that way, to and fro, paced Jill in her black room.
paced
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Out on to the balcony and back, this way, that way, to and fro, paced Jill in her black room.
placed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no sound save for the occasional crackle of resinous log burning in a brazier placed in a far corner, before which Jill suddenly crouched, shivering, though the night was warm.
represented
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A long couch of ebony, untouched by silver or by gold, stood under one of the gigantic black marble statues, which represented an Ethiopian slave or some wild beast, holding in hand or mouth a lamp with shade of flaming orange, the one touch of colour in the whole room.
resinous
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no sound save for the occasional crackle of resinous log burning in a brazier placed in a far corner, before which Jill suddenly crouched, shivering, though the night was warm.
room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Out on to the balcony and back, this way, that way, to and fro, paced Jill in her black room.
satin
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Black skins lay upon the black marble floor, black satin cushions upon the skins.
saveprepositionUS /seɪv/
except for; apart from
From this reading There was no sound save for the occasional crackle of resinous log burning in a brazier placed in a far corner, before which Jill suddenly crouched, shivering, though the night was warm.
scented
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Curtains of scented leather, as soft and supple as satin, hung before the doors let into the walls of black carved wood.
shade
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A long couch of ebony, untouched by silver or by gold, stood under one of the gigantic black marble statues, which represented an Ethiopian slave or some wild beast, holding in hand or mouth a lamp with shade of flaming orange, the one touch of colour in the whole room.
shivering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no sound save for the occasional crackle of resinous log burning in a brazier placed in a far corner, before which Jill suddenly crouched, shivering, though the night was warm.
silver
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A long couch of ebony, untouched by silver or by gold, stood under one of the gigantic black marble statues, which represented an Ethiopian slave or some wild beast, holding in hand or mouth a lamp with shade of flaming orange, the one touch of colour in the whole room.
skins
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Black skins lay upon the black marble floor, black satin cushions upon the skins.
slave
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A long couch of ebony, untouched by silver or by gold, stood under one of the gigantic black marble statues, which represented an Ethiopian slave or some wild beast, holding in hand or mouth a lamp with shade of flaming orange, the one touch of colour in the whole room.
soft
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Curtains of scented leather, as soft and supple as satin, hung before the doors let into the walls of black carved wood.
some
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A long couch of ebony, untouched by silver or by gold, stood under one of the gigantic black marble statues, which represented an Ethiopian slave or some wild beast, holding in hand or mouth a lamp with shade of flaming orange, the one touch of colour in the whole room.
sound
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no sound save for the occasional crackle of resinous log burning in a brazier placed in a far corner, before which Jill suddenly crouched, shivering, though the night was warm.
statues
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A long couch of ebony, untouched by silver or by gold, stood under one of the gigantic black marble statues, which represented an Ethiopian slave or some wild beast, holding in hand or mouth a lamp with shade of flaming orange, the one touch of colour in the whole room.
stoodnounUS /stood/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading A long couch of ebony, untouched by silver or by gold, stood under one of the gigantic black marble statues, which represented an Ethiopian slave or some wild beast, holding in hand or mouth a lamp with shade of flaming orange, the one touch of colour in the whole room.
suddenlynounUS /ˈsuddenly/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading There was no sound save for the occasional crackle of resinous log burning in a brazier placed in a far corner, before which Jill suddenly crouched, shivering, though the night was warm.
supple
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Curtains of scented leather, as soft and supple as satin, hung before the doors let into the walls of black carved wood.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Out on to the balcony and back, this way, that way, to and fro, paced Jill in her black room.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Out on to the balcony and back, this way, that way, to and fro, paced Jill in her black room.
There
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no sound save for the occasional crackle of resinous log burning in a brazier placed in a far corner, before which Jill suddenly crouched, shivering, though the night was warm.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Out on to the balcony and back, this way, that way, to and fro, paced Jill in her black room.
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading There was no sound save for the occasional crackle of resinous log burning in a brazier placed in a far corner, before which Jill suddenly crouched, shivering, though the night was warm.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Out on to the balcony and back, this way, that way, to and fro, paced Jill in her black room.
touch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A long couch of ebony, untouched by silver or by gold, stood under one of the gigantic black marble statues, which represented an Ethiopian slave or some wild beast, holding in hand or mouth a lamp with shade of flaming orange, the one touch of colour in the whole room.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading A long couch of ebony, untouched by silver or by gold, stood under one of the gigantic black marble statues, which represented an Ethiopian slave or some wild beast, holding in hand or mouth a lamp with shade of flaming orange, the one touch of colour in the whole room.
untouched
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A long couch of ebony, untouched by silver or by gold, stood under one of the gigantic black marble statues, which represented an Ethiopian slave or some wild beast, holding in hand or mouth a lamp with shade of flaming orange, the one touch of colour in the whole room.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Black skins lay upon the black marble floor, black satin cushions upon the skins.
walls
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Curtains of scented leather, as soft and supple as satin, hung before the doors let into the walls of black carved wood.
warm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no sound save for the occasional crackle of resinous log burning in a brazier placed in a far corner, before which Jill suddenly crouched, shivering, though the night was warm.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was no sound save for the occasional crackle of resinous log burning in a brazier placed in a far corner, before which Jill suddenly crouched, shivering, though the night was warm.
way
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Out on to the balcony and back, this way, that way, to and fro, paced Jill in her black room.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading A long couch of ebony, untouched by silver or by gold, stood under one of the gigantic black marble statues, which represented an Ethiopian slave or some wild beast, holding in hand or mouth a lamp with shade of flaming orange, the one touch of colour in the whole room.
whole
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A long couch of ebony, untouched by silver or by gold, stood under one of the gigantic black marble statues, which represented an Ethiopian slave or some wild beast, holding in hand or mouth a lamp with shade of flaming orange, the one touch of colour in the whole room.
wild
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A long couch of ebony, untouched by silver or by gold, stood under one of the gigantic black marble statues, which represented an Ethiopian slave or some wild beast, holding in hand or mouth a lamp with shade of flaming orange, the one touch of colour in the whole room.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading A long couch of ebony, untouched by silver or by gold, stood under one of the gigantic black marble statues, which represented an Ethiopian slave or some wild beast, holding in hand or mouth a lamp with shade of flaming orange, the one touch of colour in the whole room.
wood
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Curtains of scented leather, as soft and supple as satin, hung before the doors let into the walls of black carved wood.
