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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 Cagliostro drew a key from his pocket, and applied it to the lock; but the door was swollen with the damp, and stiff with age, and it required all his strength to open it.
acquainted
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From this reading When Cagliostro arrived at the deserted house in the Rue St. Claude, with which our readers are already acquainted, it was getting dark, and but few people were to be seen in the streets.
age
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From this reading Cagliostro drew a key from his pocket, and applied it to the lock; but the door was swollen with the damp, and stiff with age, and it required all his strength to open it.
all
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From this reading Cagliostro drew a key from his pocket, and applied it to the lock; but the door was swollen with the damp, and stiff with age, and it required all his strength to open it.
alreadynounUS /already/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading When Cagliostro arrived at the deserted house in the Rue St. Claude, with which our readers are already acquainted, it was getting dark, and but few people were to be seen in the streets.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading When Cagliostro arrived at the deserted house in the Rue St. Claude, with which our readers are already acquainted, it was getting dark, and but few people were to be seen in the streets.
applied
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From this reading Cagliostro drew a key from his pocket, and applied it to the lock; but the door was swollen with the damp, and stiff with age, and it required all his strength to open it.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading When Cagliostro arrived at the deserted house in the Rue St. Claude, with which our readers are already acquainted, it was getting dark, and but few people were to be seen in the streets.
arrived
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From this reading When Cagliostro arrived at the deserted house in the Rue St. Claude, with which our readers are already acquainted, it was getting dark, and but few people were to be seen in the streets.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading When Cagliostro arrived at the deserted house in the Rue St. Claude, with which our readers are already acquainted, it was getting dark, and but few people were to be seen in the streets.
away
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From this reading The courtyard was overgrown with moss, the steps crumbling away; all looked desolate and deserted.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading When Cagliostro arrived at the deserted house in the Rue St. Claude, with which our readers are already acquainted, it was getting dark, and but few people were to be seen in the streets.
broughtnounUS /ˈbrought/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading He entered the hall, and lighted a lamp which he had brought with him.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading When Cagliostro arrived at the deserted house in the Rue St. Claude, with which our readers are already acquainted, it was getting dark, and but few people were to be seen in the streets.
Cagliostro
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From this reading When Cagliostro arrived at the deserted house in the Rue St. Claude, with which our readers are already acquainted, it was getting dark, and but few people were to be seen in the streets.
Claude
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From this reading When Cagliostro arrived at the deserted house in the Rue St. Claude, with which our readers are already acquainted, it was getting dark, and but few people were to be seen in the streets.
courtyardnounUS /ˈkɔːrtjɑːrd/
an open area surrounded by the walls of a building
From this reading The courtyard was overgrown with moss, the steps crumbling away; all looked desolate and deserted.
crumbling
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From this reading The courtyard was overgrown with moss, the steps crumbling away; all looked desolate and deserted.
damp
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From this reading Cagliostro drew a key from his pocket, and applied it to the lock; but the door was swollen with the damp, and stiff with age, and it required all his strength to open it.
dark
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From this reading When Cagliostro arrived at the deserted house in the Rue St. Claude, with which our readers are already acquainted, it was getting dark, and but few people were to be seen in the streets.
DESERTEDverbUS /dɪˈzɜːrtɪd/
left a place or vessel without intending to return
From this reading THE DESERTED HOUSE.
desolate
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From this reading The courtyard was overgrown with moss, the steps crumbling away; all looked desolate and deserted.
door
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From this reading Cagliostro drew a key from his pocket, and applied it to the lock; but the door was swollen with the damp, and stiff with age, and it required all his strength to open it.
drewnounUS /drew/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Cagliostro drew a key from his pocket, and applied it to the lock; but the door was swollen with the damp, and stiff with age, and it required all his strength to open it.
entered
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From this reading He entered the hall, and lighted a lamp which he had brought with him.
few
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From this reading When Cagliostro arrived at the deserted house in the Rue St. Claude, with which our readers are already acquainted, it was getting dark, and but few people were to be seen in the streets.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Cagliostro drew a key from his pocket, and applied it to the lock; but the door was swollen with the damp, and stiff with age, and it required all his strength to open it.
getting
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From this reading When Cagliostro arrived at the deserted house in the Rue St. Claude, with which our readers are already acquainted, it was getting dark, and but few people were to be seen in the streets.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He entered the hall, and lighted a lamp which he had brought with him.
hall
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From this reading He entered the hall, and lighted a lamp which he had brought with him.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He entered the hall, and lighted a lamp which he had brought with him.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He entered the hall, and lighted a lamp which he had brought with him.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Cagliostro drew a key from his pocket, and applied it to the lock; but the door was swollen with the damp, and stiff with age, and it required all his strength to open it.
HOUSE
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From this reading THE DESERTED HOUSE.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading When Cagliostro arrived at the deserted house in the Rue St. Claude, with which our readers are already acquainted, it was getting dark, and but few people were to be seen in the streets.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading When Cagliostro arrived at the deserted house in the Rue St. Claude, with which our readers are already acquainted, it was getting dark, and but few people were to be seen in the streets.
key
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cagliostro drew a key from his pocket, and applied it to the lock; but the door was swollen with the damp, and stiff with age, and it required all his strength to open it.
lamp
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He entered the hall, and lighted a lamp which he had brought with him.
lighted
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From this reading He entered the hall, and lighted a lamp which he had brought with him.
lock
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From this reading Cagliostro drew a key from his pocket, and applied it to the lock; but the door was swollen with the damp, and stiff with age, and it required all his strength to open it.
lookednounUS /looked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The courtyard was overgrown with moss, the steps crumbling away; all looked desolate and deserted.
moss
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From this reading The courtyard was overgrown with moss, the steps crumbling away; all looked desolate and deserted.
openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/
To move from a closed position.
From this reading Cagliostro drew a key from his pocket, and applied it to the lock; but the door was swollen with the damp, and stiff with age, and it required all his strength to open it.
ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading When Cagliostro arrived at the deserted house in the Rue St. Claude, with which our readers are already acquainted, it was getting dark, and but few people were to be seen in the streets.
overgrown
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The courtyard was overgrown with moss, the steps crumbling away; all looked desolate and deserted.
people
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From this reading When Cagliostro arrived at the deserted house in the Rue St. Claude, with which our readers are already acquainted, it was getting dark, and but few people were to be seen in the streets.
pocket
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From this reading Cagliostro drew a key from his pocket, and applied it to the lock; but the door was swollen with the damp, and stiff with age, and it required all his strength to open it.
readers
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From this reading When Cagliostro arrived at the deserted house in the Rue St. Claude, with which our readers are already acquainted, it was getting dark, and but few people were to be seen in the streets.
requirednounUS /required/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Cagliostro drew a key from his pocket, and applied it to the lock; but the door was swollen with the damp, and stiff with age, and it required all his strength to open it.
Rue
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From this reading When Cagliostro arrived at the deserted house in the Rue St. Claude, with which our readers are already acquainted, it was getting dark, and but few people were to be seen in the streets.
seen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Cagliostro arrived at the deserted house in the Rue St. Claude, with which our readers are already acquainted, it was getting dark, and but few people were to be seen in the streets.
St
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Cagliostro arrived at the deserted house in the Rue St. Claude, with which our readers are already acquainted, it was getting dark, and but few people were to be seen in the streets.
steps
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The courtyard was overgrown with moss, the steps crumbling away; all looked desolate and deserted.
stiff
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cagliostro drew a key from his pocket, and applied it to the lock; but the door was swollen with the damp, and stiff with age, and it required all his strength to open it.
streets
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Cagliostro arrived at the deserted house in the Rue St. Claude, with which our readers are already acquainted, it was getting dark, and but few people were to be seen in the streets.
strengthnounUS /ˈstrength/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Cagliostro drew a key from his pocket, and applied it to the lock; but the door was swollen with the damp, and stiff with age, and it required all his strength to open it.
swollen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cagliostro drew a key from his pocket, and applied it to the lock; but the door was swollen with the damp, and stiff with age, and it required all his strength to open it.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE DESERTED HOUSE.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading When Cagliostro arrived at the deserted house in the Rue St. Claude, with which our readers are already acquainted, it was getting dark, and but few people were to be seen in the streets.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading When Cagliostro arrived at the deserted house in the Rue St. Claude, with which our readers are already acquainted, it was getting dark, and but few people were to be seen in the streets.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading When Cagliostro arrived at the deserted house in the Rue St. Claude, with which our readers are already acquainted, it was getting dark, and but few people were to be seen in the streets.
WhenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading When Cagliostro arrived at the deserted house in the Rue St. Claude, with which our readers are already acquainted, it was getting dark, and but few people were to be seen in the streets.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading When Cagliostro arrived at the deserted house in the Rue St. Claude, with which our readers are already acquainted, it was getting dark, and but few people were to be seen in the streets.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading When Cagliostro arrived at the deserted house in the Rue St. Claude, with which our readers are already acquainted, it was getting dark, and but few people were to be seen in the streets.