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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 IN TOWN Night, in that maze of alleys, was but a more sinister day.
alleys
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading IN TOWN Night, in that maze of alleys, was but a more sinister day.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The curtained window of a fantan shop still glowed in orange translucency, and from behind it came the murmur and the endless chinking of cash, where Fortune, a bedraggled, trade-fallen goddess, split hairs with coolies for poverty or zero.
bedraggled
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From this reading The curtained window of a fantan shop still glowed in orange translucency, and from behind it came the murmur and the endless chinking of cash, where Fortune, a bedraggled, trade-fallen goddess, split hairs with coolies for poverty or zero.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading The curtained window of a fantan shop still glowed in orange translucency, and from behind it came the murmur and the endless chinking of cash, where Fortune, a bedraggled, trade-fallen goddess, split hairs with coolies for poverty or zero.
bent
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From this reading Under lamps, the shaven foreheads still bent toward microscopic labor.
brokennounUS /broken/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The same slant-eyed men, in broken files, went scuffing over filthy stone, like wanderers lost in a tunnel.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading IN TOWN Night, in that maze of alleys, was but a more sinister day.
came
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The curtained window of a fantan shop still glowed in orange translucency, and from behind it came the murmur and the endless chinking of cash, where Fortune, a bedraggled, trade-fallen goddess, split hairs with coolies for poverty or zero.
cash
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The curtained window of a fantan shop still glowed in orange translucency, and from behind it came the murmur and the endless chinking of cash, where Fortune, a bedraggled, trade-fallen goddess, split hairs with coolies for poverty or zero.
chinking
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From this reading The curtained window of a fantan shop still glowed in orange translucency, and from behind it came the murmur and the endless chinking of cash, where Fortune, a bedraggled, trade-fallen goddess, split hairs with coolies for poverty or zero.
coolies
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From this reading The curtained window of a fantan shop still glowed in orange translucency, and from behind it came the murmur and the endless chinking of cash, where Fortune, a bedraggled, trade-fallen goddess, split hairs with coolies for poverty or zero.
curtained
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From this reading The curtained window of a fantan shop still glowed in orange translucency, and from behind it came the murmur and the endless chinking of cash, where Fortune, a bedraggled, trade-fallen goddess, split hairs with coolies for poverty or zero.
day
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From this reading IN TOWN Night, in that maze of alleys, was but a more sinister day.
endless
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From this reading The curtained window of a fantan shop still glowed in orange translucency, and from behind it came the murmur and the endless chinking of cash, where Fortune, a bedraggled, trade-fallen goddess, split hairs with coolies for poverty or zero.
endured
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From this reading The same inexplicable noises endured, the same smells.
fantan
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From this reading The curtained window of a fantan shop still glowed in orange translucency, and from behind it came the murmur and the endless chinking of cash, where Fortune, a bedraggled, trade-fallen goddess, split hairs with coolies for poverty or zero.
files
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From this reading The same slant-eyed men, in broken files, went scuffing over filthy stone, like wanderers lost in a tunnel.
filthy
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From this reading The same slant-eyed men, in broken files, went scuffing over filthy stone, like wanderers lost in a tunnel.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The curtained window of a fantan shop still glowed in orange translucency, and from behind it came the murmur and the endless chinking of cash, where Fortune, a bedraggled, trade-fallen goddess, split hairs with coolies for poverty or zero.
foreheads
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Under lamps, the shaven foreheads still bent toward microscopic labor.
FortunenounUS /ˈfortune/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading The curtained window of a fantan shop still glowed in orange translucency, and from behind it came the murmur and the endless chinking of cash, where Fortune, a bedraggled, trade-fallen goddess, split hairs with coolies for poverty or zero.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The curtained window of a fantan shop still glowed in orange translucency, and from behind it came the murmur and the endless chinking of cash, where Fortune, a bedraggled, trade-fallen goddess, split hairs with coolies for poverty or zero.
glowed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The curtained window of a fantan shop still glowed in orange translucency, and from behind it came the murmur and the endless chinking of cash, where Fortune, a bedraggled, trade-fallen goddess, split hairs with coolies for poverty or zero.
goddess
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The curtained window of a fantan shop still glowed in orange translucency, and from behind it came the murmur and the endless chinking of cash, where Fortune, a bedraggled, trade-fallen goddess, split hairs with coolies for poverty or zero.
hairs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The curtained window of a fantan shop still glowed in orange translucency, and from behind it came the murmur and the endless chinking of cash, where Fortune, a bedraggled, trade-fallen goddess, split hairs with coolies for poverty or zero.
INprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading IN TOWN Night, in that maze of alleys, was but a more sinister day.
inexplicablenounUS /inexplicable/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The same inexplicable noises endured, the same smells.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The curtained window of a fantan shop still glowed in orange translucency, and from behind it came the murmur and the endless chinking of cash, where Fortune, a bedraggled, trade-fallen goddess, split hairs with coolies for poverty or zero.
labor
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Under lamps, the shaven foreheads still bent toward microscopic labor.
lamps
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Under lamps, the shaven foreheads still bent toward microscopic labor.
like
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From this reading The same slant-eyed men, in broken files, went scuffing over filthy stone, like wanderers lost in a tunnel.
lost
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The same slant-eyed men, in broken files, went scuffing over filthy stone, like wanderers lost in a tunnel.
maze
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From this reading IN TOWN Night, in that maze of alleys, was but a more sinister day.
men
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From this reading The same slant-eyed men, in broken files, went scuffing over filthy stone, like wanderers lost in a tunnel.
microscopic
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Under lamps, the shaven foreheads still bent toward microscopic labor.
more
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading IN TOWN Night, in that maze of alleys, was but a more sinister day.
murmur
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From this reading The curtained window of a fantan shop still glowed in orange translucency, and from behind it came the murmur and the endless chinking of cash, where Fortune, a bedraggled, trade-fallen goddess, split hairs with coolies for poverty or zero.
Night
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading IN TOWN Night, in that maze of alleys, was but a more sinister day.
noises
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The same inexplicable noises endured, the same smells.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading IN TOWN Night, in that maze of alleys, was but a more sinister day.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The curtained window of a fantan shop still glowed in orange translucency, and from behind it came the murmur and the endless chinking of cash, where Fortune, a bedraggled, trade-fallen goddess, split hairs with coolies for poverty or zero.
orange
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The curtained window of a fantan shop still glowed in orange translucency, and from behind it came the murmur and the endless chinking of cash, where Fortune, a bedraggled, trade-fallen goddess, split hairs with coolies for poverty or zero.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The same slant-eyed men, in broken files, went scuffing over filthy stone, like wanderers lost in a tunnel.
poverty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The curtained window of a fantan shop still glowed in orange translucency, and from behind it came the murmur and the endless chinking of cash, where Fortune, a bedraggled, trade-fallen goddess, split hairs with coolies for poverty or zero.
samenounUS /same/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The same slant-eyed men, in broken files, went scuffing over filthy stone, like wanderers lost in a tunnel.
scuffing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The same slant-eyed men, in broken files, went scuffing over filthy stone, like wanderers lost in a tunnel.
shaven
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Under lamps, the shaven foreheads still bent toward microscopic labor.
shop
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The curtained window of a fantan shop still glowed in orange translucency, and from behind it came the murmur and the endless chinking of cash, where Fortune, a bedraggled, trade-fallen goddess, split hairs with coolies for poverty or zero.
sinister
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading IN TOWN Night, in that maze of alleys, was but a more sinister day.
slant-eyed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The same slant-eyed men, in broken files, went scuffing over filthy stone, like wanderers lost in a tunnel.
smells
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The same inexplicable noises endured, the same smells.
split
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The curtained window of a fantan shop still glowed in orange translucency, and from behind it came the murmur and the endless chinking of cash, where Fortune, a bedraggled, trade-fallen goddess, split hairs with coolies for poverty or zero.
stillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Under lamps, the shaven foreheads still bent toward microscopic labor.
stone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The same slant-eyed men, in broken files, went scuffing over filthy stone, like wanderers lost in a tunnel.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading IN TOWN Night, in that maze of alleys, was but a more sinister day.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The same slant-eyed men, in broken files, went scuffing over filthy stone, like wanderers lost in a tunnel.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading Under lamps, the shaven foreheads still bent toward microscopic labor.
TOWN
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading IN TOWN Night, in that maze of alleys, was but a more sinister day.
trade-fallen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The curtained window of a fantan shop still glowed in orange translucency, and from behind it came the murmur and the endless chinking of cash, where Fortune, a bedraggled, trade-fallen goddess, split hairs with coolies for poverty or zero.
translucency
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The curtained window of a fantan shop still glowed in orange translucency, and from behind it came the murmur and the endless chinking of cash, where Fortune, a bedraggled, trade-fallen goddess, split hairs with coolies for poverty or zero.
tunnel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The same slant-eyed men, in broken files, went scuffing over filthy stone, like wanderers lost in a tunnel.
UnderprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading Under lamps, the shaven foreheads still bent toward microscopic labor.
wanderers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The same slant-eyed men, in broken files, went scuffing over filthy stone, like wanderers lost in a tunnel.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading IN TOWN Night, in that maze of alleys, was but a more sinister day.
wentnounUS /went/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The same slant-eyed men, in broken files, went scuffing over filthy stone, like wanderers lost in a tunnel.
whereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading The curtained window of a fantan shop still glowed in orange translucency, and from behind it came the murmur and the endless chinking of cash, where Fortune, a bedraggled, trade-fallen goddess, split hairs with coolies for poverty or zero.
window
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The curtained window of a fantan shop still glowed in orange translucency, and from behind it came the murmur and the endless chinking of cash, where Fortune, a bedraggled, trade-fallen goddess, split hairs with coolies for poverty or zero.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading The curtained window of a fantan shop still glowed in orange translucency, and from behind it came the murmur and the endless chinking of cash, where Fortune, a bedraggled, trade-fallen goddess, split hairs with coolies for poverty or zero.
zero
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The curtained window of a fantan shop still glowed in orange translucency, and from behind it came the murmur and the endless chinking of cash, where Fortune, a bedraggled, trade-fallen goddess, split hairs with coolies for poverty or zero.
