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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 At that moment a tall, dark Honduran came walking rapidly across the plaza.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Just as the first faint glow of dawn lighted the shattered walls and yawning windows of the ancient Guatemalan jail from which Johnny Thompson had been so strangely released, the Spanish child in his arms stirred, then sat up to stare about her.
acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/
from one side of something to the other
From this reading At that moment a tall, dark Honduran came walking rapidly across the plaza.
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was the man who owned a fifth of all the banana land in Central America, the man who had ordered him thrown into jail.
America
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was the man who owned a fifth of all the banana land in Central America, the man who had ordered him thrown into jail.
ancientadjectiveUS /ˈeɪn.ʃənt/
Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.
From this reading Just as the first faint glow of dawn lighted the shattered walls and yawning windows of the ancient Guatemalan jail from which Johnny Thompson had been so strangely released, the Spanish child in his arms stirred, then sat up to stare about her.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Just as the first faint glow of dawn lighted the shattered walls and yawning windows of the ancient Guatemalan jail from which Johnny Thompson had been so strangely released, the Spanish child in his arms stirred, then sat up to stare about her.
arms
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just as the first faint glow of dawn lighted the shattered walls and yawning windows of the ancient Guatemalan jail from which Johnny Thompson had been so strangely released, the Spanish child in his arms stirred, then sat up to stare about her.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Just as the first faint glow of dawn lighted the shattered walls and yawning windows of the ancient Guatemalan jail from which Johnny Thompson had been so strangely released, the Spanish child in his arms stirred, then sat up to stare about her.
AtprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At that moment a tall, dark Honduran came walking rapidly across the plaza.
banana
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was the man who owned a fifth of all the banana land in Central America, the man who had ordered him thrown into jail.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Just as the first faint glow of dawn lighted the shattered walls and yawning windows of the ancient Guatemalan jail from which Johnny Thompson had been so strangely released, the Spanish child in his arms stirred, then sat up to stare about her.
came
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At that moment a tall, dark Honduran came walking rapidly across the plaza.
Central
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was the man who owned a fifth of all the banana land in Central America, the man who had ordered him thrown into jail.
child
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just as the first faint glow of dawn lighted the shattered walls and yawning windows of the ancient Guatemalan jail from which Johnny Thompson had been so strangely released, the Spanish child in his arms stirred, then sat up to stare about her.
dark
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At that moment a tall, dark Honduran came walking rapidly across the plaza.
dawn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just as the first faint glow of dawn lighted the shattered walls and yawning windows of the ancient Guatemalan jail from which Johnny Thompson had been so strangely released, the Spanish child in his arms stirred, then sat up to stare about her.
del
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Don del Valle!”
Don
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Don del Valle!”
faint
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just as the first faint glow of dawn lighted the shattered walls and yawning windows of the ancient Guatemalan jail from which Johnny Thompson had been so strangely released, the Spanish child in his arms stirred, then sat up to stare about her.
fifth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was the man who owned a fifth of all the banana land in Central America, the man who had ordered him thrown into jail.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Just as the first faint glow of dawn lighted the shattered walls and yawning windows of the ancient Guatemalan jail from which Johnny Thompson had been so strangely released, the Spanish child in his arms stirred, then sat up to stare about her.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Just as the first faint glow of dawn lighted the shattered walls and yawning windows of the ancient Guatemalan jail from which Johnny Thompson had been so strangely released, the Spanish child in his arms stirred, then sat up to stare about her.
glow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just as the first faint glow of dawn lighted the shattered walls and yawning windows of the ancient Guatemalan jail from which Johnny Thompson had been so strangely released, the Spanish child in his arms stirred, then sat up to stare about her.
Guatemalan
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just as the first faint glow of dawn lighted the shattered walls and yawning windows of the ancient Guatemalan jail from which Johnny Thompson had been so strangely released, the Spanish child in his arms stirred, then sat up to stare about her.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Just as the first faint glow of dawn lighted the shattered walls and yawning windows of the ancient Guatemalan jail from which Johnny Thompson had been so strangely released, the Spanish child in his arms stirred, then sat up to stare about her.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Just as the first faint glow of dawn lighted the shattered walls and yawning windows of the ancient Guatemalan jail from which Johnny Thompson had been so strangely released, the Spanish child in his arms stirred, then sat up to stare about her.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading This was the man who owned a fifth of all the banana land in Central America, the man who had ordered him thrown into jail.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Just as the first faint glow of dawn lighted the shattered walls and yawning windows of the ancient Guatemalan jail from which Johnny Thompson had been so strangely released, the Spanish child in his arms stirred, then sat up to stare about her.
Honduran
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At that moment a tall, dark Honduran came walking rapidly across the plaza.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Just as the first faint glow of dawn lighted the shattered walls and yawning windows of the ancient Guatemalan jail from which Johnny Thompson had been so strangely released, the Spanish child in his arms stirred, then sat up to stare about her.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading This was the man who owned a fifth of all the banana land in Central America, the man who had ordered him thrown into jail.
jail
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just as the first faint glow of dawn lighted the shattered walls and yawning windows of the ancient Guatemalan jail from which Johnny Thompson had been so strangely released, the Spanish child in his arms stirred, then sat up to stare about her.
Johnny
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just as the first faint glow of dawn lighted the shattered walls and yawning windows of the ancient Guatemalan jail from which Johnny Thompson had been so strangely released, the Spanish child in his arms stirred, then sat up to stare about her.
Just
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just as the first faint glow of dawn lighted the shattered walls and yawning windows of the ancient Guatemalan jail from which Johnny Thompson had been so strangely released, the Spanish child in his arms stirred, then sat up to stare about her.
land
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was the man who owned a fifth of all the banana land in Central America, the man who had ordered him thrown into jail.
lighted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just as the first faint glow of dawn lighted the shattered walls and yawning windows of the ancient Guatemalan jail from which Johnny Thompson had been so strangely released, the Spanish child in his arms stirred, then sat up to stare about her.
man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was the man who owned a fifth of all the banana land in Central America, the man who had ordered him thrown into jail.
moment
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At that moment a tall, dark Honduran came walking rapidly across the plaza.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Just as the first faint glow of dawn lighted the shattered walls and yawning windows of the ancient Guatemalan jail from which Johnny Thompson had been so strangely released, the Spanish child in his arms stirred, then sat up to stare about her.
ordered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was the man who owned a fifth of all the banana land in Central America, the man who had ordered him thrown into jail.
owned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was the man who owned a fifth of all the banana land in Central America, the man who had ordered him thrown into jail.
plaza
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At that moment a tall, dark Honduran came walking rapidly across the plaza.
rapidly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At that moment a tall, dark Honduran came walking rapidly across the plaza.
released
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just as the first faint glow of dawn lighted the shattered walls and yawning windows of the ancient Guatemalan jail from which Johnny Thompson had been so strangely released, the Spanish child in his arms stirred, then sat up to stare about her.
sat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just as the first faint glow of dawn lighted the shattered walls and yawning windows of the ancient Guatemalan jail from which Johnny Thompson had been so strangely released, the Spanish child in his arms stirred, then sat up to stare about her.
shattered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just as the first faint glow of dawn lighted the shattered walls and yawning windows of the ancient Guatemalan jail from which Johnny Thompson had been so strangely released, the Spanish child in his arms stirred, then sat up to stare about her.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Just as the first faint glow of dawn lighted the shattered walls and yawning windows of the ancient Guatemalan jail from which Johnny Thompson had been so strangely released, the Spanish child in his arms stirred, then sat up to stare about her.
Spanish
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just as the first faint glow of dawn lighted the shattered walls and yawning windows of the ancient Guatemalan jail from which Johnny Thompson had been so strangely released, the Spanish child in his arms stirred, then sat up to stare about her.
stare
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just as the first faint glow of dawn lighted the shattered walls and yawning windows of the ancient Guatemalan jail from which Johnny Thompson had been so strangely released, the Spanish child in his arms stirred, then sat up to stare about her.
started
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Johnny started.
stirred
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just as the first faint glow of dawn lighted the shattered walls and yawning windows of the ancient Guatemalan jail from which Johnny Thompson had been so strangely released, the Spanish child in his arms stirred, then sat up to stare about her.
strangelynounUS /ˈstrangely/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Just as the first faint glow of dawn lighted the shattered walls and yawning windows of the ancient Guatemalan jail from which Johnny Thompson had been so strangely released, the Spanish child in his arms stirred, then sat up to stare about her.
tall
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At that moment a tall, dark Honduran came walking rapidly across the plaza.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading At that moment a tall, dark Honduran came walking rapidly across the plaza.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Just as the first faint glow of dawn lighted the shattered walls and yawning windows of the ancient Guatemalan jail from which Johnny Thompson had been so strangely released, the Spanish child in his arms stirred, then sat up to stare about her.
then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just as the first faint glow of dawn lighted the shattered walls and yawning windows of the ancient Guatemalan jail from which Johnny Thompson had been so strangely released, the Spanish child in his arms stirred, then sat up to stare about her.
ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This was the man who owned a fifth of all the banana land in Central America, the man who had ordered him thrown into jail.
Thompson
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just as the first faint glow of dawn lighted the shattered walls and yawning windows of the ancient Guatemalan jail from which Johnny Thompson had been so strangely released, the Spanish child in his arms stirred, then sat up to stare about her.
thrown
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was the man who owned a fifth of all the banana land in Central America, the man who had ordered him thrown into jail.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Just as the first faint glow of dawn lighted the shattered walls and yawning windows of the ancient Guatemalan jail from which Johnny Thompson had been so strangely released, the Spanish child in his arms stirred, then sat up to stare about her.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just as the first faint glow of dawn lighted the shattered walls and yawning windows of the ancient Guatemalan jail from which Johnny Thompson had been so strangely released, the Spanish child in his arms stirred, then sat up to stare about her.
Valle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Don del Valle!”
walking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At that moment a tall, dark Honduran came walking rapidly across the plaza.
walls
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just as the first faint glow of dawn lighted the shattered walls and yawning windows of the ancient Guatemalan jail from which Johnny Thompson had been so strangely released, the Spanish child in his arms stirred, then sat up to stare about her.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading This was the man who owned a fifth of all the banana land in Central America, the man who had ordered him thrown into jail.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Just as the first faint glow of dawn lighted the shattered walls and yawning windows of the ancient Guatemalan jail from which Johnny Thompson had been so strangely released, the Spanish child in his arms stirred, then sat up to stare about her.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading This was the man who owned a fifth of all the banana land in Central America, the man who had ordered him thrown into jail.
windows
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just as the first faint glow of dawn lighted the shattered walls and yawning windows of the ancient Guatemalan jail from which Johnny Thompson had been so strangely released, the Spanish child in his arms stirred, then sat up to stare about her.
yawning
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Just as the first faint glow of dawn lighted the shattered walls and yawning windows of the ancient Guatemalan jail from which Johnny Thompson had been so strangely released, the Spanish child in his arms stirred, then sat up to stare about her.
