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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 Mr. Jack Fleming stopped suddenly before a lifeless and decaying redwood-tree with an expression of disgust and impatience.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading He had lost the sun, his only guide, in the thickly interlaced boughs above him, which suffused though the long columnar vault only a vague, melancholy twilight.
abstraction
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no mistaking the tree, with its one broken branch which depended at an angle like the arm of a semaphore; nor did it relieve his mind to reflect that his mishap was partly due to his own foolish abstraction.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Mr. Jack Fleming stopped suddenly before a lifeless and decaying redwood-tree with an expression of disgust and impatience.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Mr. Jack Fleming stopped suddenly before a lifeless and decaying redwood-tree with an expression of disgust and impatience.
angle
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From this reading There was no mistaking the tree, with its one broken branch which depended at an angle like the arm of a semaphore; nor did it relieve his mind to reflect that his mishap was partly due to his own foolish abstraction.
arm
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From this reading There was no mistaking the tree, with its one broken branch which depended at an angle like the arm of a semaphore; nor did it relieve his mind to reflect that his mishap was partly due to his own foolish abstraction.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading There was no mistaking the tree, with its one broken branch which depended at an angle like the arm of a semaphore; nor did it relieve his mind to reflect that his mishap was partly due to his own foolish abstraction.
attempting
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From this reading He was returning to camp from a neighboring mining town, and while indulging in the usual day-dreams of a youthful prospector, had deviated from his path in attempting to make a short cut through the forest.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading It was the very tree he had passed only an hour before, and he now knew he had been describing that mysterious and hopeless circle familiar enough to those lost in the woods.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Mr. Jack Fleming stopped suddenly before a lifeless and decaying redwood-tree with an expression of disgust and impatience.
boughs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had lost the sun, his only guide, in the thickly interlaced boughs above him, which suffused though the long columnar vault only a vague, melancholy twilight.
branch
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From this reading There was no mistaking the tree, with its one broken branch which depended at an angle like the arm of a semaphore; nor did it relieve his mind to reflect that his mishap was partly due to his own foolish abstraction.
brokennounUS /broken/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There was no mistaking the tree, with its one broken branch which depended at an angle like the arm of a semaphore; nor did it relieve his mind to reflect that his mishap was partly due to his own foolish abstraction.
camp
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From this reading He was returning to camp from a neighboring mining town, and while indulging in the usual day-dreams of a youthful prospector, had deviated from his path in attempting to make a short cut through the forest.
circle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the very tree he had passed only an hour before, and he now knew he had been describing that mysterious and hopeless circle familiar enough to those lost in the woods.
columnar
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had lost the sun, his only guide, in the thickly interlaced boughs above him, which suffused though the long columnar vault only a vague, melancholy twilight.
cut
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was returning to camp from a neighboring mining town, and while indulging in the usual day-dreams of a youthful prospector, had deviated from his path in attempting to make a short cut through the forest.
day-dreams
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From this reading He was returning to camp from a neighboring mining town, and while indulging in the usual day-dreams of a youthful prospector, had deviated from his path in attempting to make a short cut through the forest.
decaying
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From this reading Mr. Jack Fleming stopped suddenly before a lifeless and decaying redwood-tree with an expression of disgust and impatience.
depended
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From this reading There was no mistaking the tree, with its one broken branch which depended at an angle like the arm of a semaphore; nor did it relieve his mind to reflect that his mishap was partly due to his own foolish abstraction.
describing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the very tree he had passed only an hour before, and he now knew he had been describing that mysterious and hopeless circle familiar enough to those lost in the woods.
deviated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was returning to camp from a neighboring mining town, and while indulging in the usual day-dreams of a youthful prospector, had deviated from his path in attempting to make a short cut through the forest.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading There was no mistaking the tree, with its one broken branch which depended at an angle like the arm of a semaphore; nor did it relieve his mind to reflect that his mishap was partly due to his own foolish abstraction.
disgustnounUS /dɪsˈɡʌst/
a strong feeling of dislike or sickness caused by something unpleasant
From this reading Mr. Jack Fleming stopped suddenly before a lifeless and decaying redwood-tree with an expression of disgust and impatience.
due
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From this reading There was no mistaking the tree, with its one broken branch which depended at an angle like the arm of a semaphore; nor did it relieve his mind to reflect that his mishap was partly due to his own foolish abstraction.
enough
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the very tree he had passed only an hour before, and he now knew he had been describing that mysterious and hopeless circle familiar enough to those lost in the woods.
expression
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. Jack Fleming stopped suddenly before a lifeless and decaying redwood-tree with an expression of disgust and impatience.
familiar
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the very tree he had passed only an hour before, and he now knew he had been describing that mysterious and hopeless circle familiar enough to those lost in the woods.
Fleming
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From this reading Mr. Jack Fleming stopped suddenly before a lifeless and decaying redwood-tree with an expression of disgust and impatience.
foolish
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From this reading There was no mistaking the tree, with its one broken branch which depended at an angle like the arm of a semaphore; nor did it relieve his mind to reflect that his mishap was partly due to his own foolish abstraction.
forest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was returning to camp from a neighboring mining town, and while indulging in the usual day-dreams of a youthful prospector, had deviated from his path in attempting to make a short cut through the forest.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He was returning to camp from a neighboring mining town, and while indulging in the usual day-dreams of a youthful prospector, had deviated from his path in attempting to make a short cut through the forest.
guide
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had lost the sun, his only guide, in the thickly interlaced boughs above him, which suffused though the long columnar vault only a vague, melancholy twilight.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It was the very tree he had passed only an hour before, and he now knew he had been describing that mysterious and hopeless circle familiar enough to those lost in the woods.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was the very tree he had passed only an hour before, and he now knew he had been describing that mysterious and hopeless circle familiar enough to those lost in the woods.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He had lost the sun, his only guide, in the thickly interlaced boughs above him, which suffused though the long columnar vault only a vague, melancholy twilight.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading There was no mistaking the tree, with its one broken branch which depended at an angle like the arm of a semaphore; nor did it relieve his mind to reflect that his mishap was partly due to his own foolish abstraction.
hopeless
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the very tree he had passed only an hour before, and he now knew he had been describing that mysterious and hopeless circle familiar enough to those lost in the woods.
hour
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the very tree he had passed only an hour before, and he now knew he had been describing that mysterious and hopeless circle familiar enough to those lost in the woods.
impatience
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. Jack Fleming stopped suddenly before a lifeless and decaying redwood-tree with an expression of disgust and impatience.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was the very tree he had passed only an hour before, and he now knew he had been describing that mysterious and hopeless circle familiar enough to those lost in the woods.
indulging
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was returning to camp from a neighboring mining town, and while indulging in the usual day-dreams of a youthful prospector, had deviated from his path in attempting to make a short cut through the forest.
interlaced
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From this reading He had lost the sun, his only guide, in the thickly interlaced boughs above him, which suffused though the long columnar vault only a vague, melancholy twilight.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was the very tree he had passed only an hour before, and he now knew he had been describing that mysterious and hopeless circle familiar enough to those lost in the woods.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading There was no mistaking the tree, with its one broken branch which depended at an angle like the arm of a semaphore; nor did it relieve his mind to reflect that his mishap was partly due to his own foolish abstraction.
Jack
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. Jack Fleming stopped suddenly before a lifeless and decaying redwood-tree with an expression of disgust and impatience.
knew
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the very tree he had passed only an hour before, and he now knew he had been describing that mysterious and hopeless circle familiar enough to those lost in the woods.
lifeless
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. Jack Fleming stopped suddenly before a lifeless and decaying redwood-tree with an expression of disgust and impatience.
like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no mistaking the tree, with its one broken branch which depended at an angle like the arm of a semaphore; nor did it relieve his mind to reflect that his mishap was partly due to his own foolish abstraction.
longnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He had lost the sun, his only guide, in the thickly interlaced boughs above him, which suffused though the long columnar vault only a vague, melancholy twilight.
lost
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the very tree he had passed only an hour before, and he now knew he had been describing that mysterious and hopeless circle familiar enough to those lost in the woods.
makenounUS /make/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He was returning to camp from a neighboring mining town, and while indulging in the usual day-dreams of a youthful prospector, had deviated from his path in attempting to make a short cut through the forest.
melancholy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had lost the sun, his only guide, in the thickly interlaced boughs above him, which suffused though the long columnar vault only a vague, melancholy twilight.
mindnounUS /mind/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There was no mistaking the tree, with its one broken branch which depended at an angle like the arm of a semaphore; nor did it relieve his mind to reflect that his mishap was partly due to his own foolish abstraction.
mining
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was returning to camp from a neighboring mining town, and while indulging in the usual day-dreams of a youthful prospector, had deviated from his path in attempting to make a short cut through the forest.
mishap
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no mistaking the tree, with its one broken branch which depended at an angle like the arm of a semaphore; nor did it relieve his mind to reflect that his mishap was partly due to his own foolish abstraction.
mistaking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no mistaking the tree, with its one broken branch which depended at an angle like the arm of a semaphore; nor did it relieve his mind to reflect that his mishap was partly due to his own foolish abstraction.
Mr
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. Jack Fleming stopped suddenly before a lifeless and decaying redwood-tree with an expression of disgust and impatience.
mysteriousadjectiveUS /mɪˈstɪriəs/
difficult to explain or understand
From this reading It was the very tree he had passed only an hour before, and he now knew he had been describing that mysterious and hopeless circle familiar enough to those lost in the woods.
neighboring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was returning to camp from a neighboring mining town, and while indulging in the usual day-dreams of a youthful prospector, had deviated from his path in attempting to make a short cut through the forest.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading There was no mistaking the tree, with its one broken branch which depended at an angle like the arm of a semaphore; nor did it relieve his mind to reflect that his mishap was partly due to his own foolish abstraction.
norconjunctionUS /nɔːr/
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading There was no mistaking the tree, with its one broken branch which depended at an angle like the arm of a semaphore; nor did it relieve his mind to reflect that his mishap was partly due to his own foolish abstraction.
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the very tree he had passed only an hour before, and he now knew he had been describing that mysterious and hopeless circle familiar enough to those lost in the woods.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Mr. Jack Fleming stopped suddenly before a lifeless and decaying redwood-tree with an expression of disgust and impatience.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading There was no mistaking the tree, with its one broken branch which depended at an angle like the arm of a semaphore; nor did it relieve his mind to reflect that his mishap was partly due to his own foolish abstraction.
only
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the very tree he had passed only an hour before, and he now knew he had been describing that mysterious and hopeless circle familiar enough to those lost in the woods.
own
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no mistaking the tree, with its one broken branch which depended at an angle like the arm of a semaphore; nor did it relieve his mind to reflect that his mishap was partly due to his own foolish abstraction.
partly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no mistaking the tree, with its one broken branch which depended at an angle like the arm of a semaphore; nor did it relieve his mind to reflect that his mishap was partly due to his own foolish abstraction.
passednounUS /passed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was the very tree he had passed only an hour before, and he now knew he had been describing that mysterious and hopeless circle familiar enough to those lost in the woods.
path
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was returning to camp from a neighboring mining town, and while indulging in the usual day-dreams of a youthful prospector, had deviated from his path in attempting to make a short cut through the forest.
prospector
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was returning to camp from a neighboring mining town, and while indulging in the usual day-dreams of a youthful prospector, had deviated from his path in attempting to make a short cut through the forest.
redwood-tree
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. Jack Fleming stopped suddenly before a lifeless and decaying redwood-tree with an expression of disgust and impatience.
reflect
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no mistaking the tree, with its one broken branch which depended at an angle like the arm of a semaphore; nor did it relieve his mind to reflect that his mishap was partly due to his own foolish abstraction.
relieve
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no mistaking the tree, with its one broken branch which depended at an angle like the arm of a semaphore; nor did it relieve his mind to reflect that his mishap was partly due to his own foolish abstraction.
returning
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was returning to camp from a neighboring mining town, and while indulging in the usual day-dreams of a youthful prospector, had deviated from his path in attempting to make a short cut through the forest.
semaphore
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no mistaking the tree, with its one broken branch which depended at an angle like the arm of a semaphore; nor did it relieve his mind to reflect that his mishap was partly due to his own foolish abstraction.
shortadjectiveUS /ʃɔrt/
brief or direct in expression
From this reading He was returning to camp from a neighboring mining town, and while indulging in the usual day-dreams of a youthful prospector, had deviated from his path in attempting to make a short cut through the forest.
stoppednounUS /stopped/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Mr. Jack Fleming stopped suddenly before a lifeless and decaying redwood-tree with an expression of disgust and impatience.
suddenlynounUS /ˈsuddenly/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Mr. Jack Fleming stopped suddenly before a lifeless and decaying redwood-tree with an expression of disgust and impatience.
suffused
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had lost the sun, his only guide, in the thickly interlaced boughs above him, which suffused though the long columnar vault only a vague, melancholy twilight.
sun
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had lost the sun, his only guide, in the thickly interlaced boughs above him, which suffused though the long columnar vault only a vague, melancholy twilight.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was the very tree he had passed only an hour before, and he now knew he had been describing that mysterious and hopeless circle familiar enough to those lost in the woods.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was the very tree he had passed only an hour before, and he now knew he had been describing that mysterious and hopeless circle familiar enough to those lost in the woods.
There
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no mistaking the tree, with its one broken branch which depended at an angle like the arm of a semaphore; nor did it relieve his mind to reflect that his mishap was partly due to his own foolish abstraction.
thickly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had lost the sun, his only guide, in the thickly interlaced boughs above him, which suffused though the long columnar vault only a vague, melancholy twilight.
thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading It was the very tree he had passed only an hour before, and he now knew he had been describing that mysterious and hopeless circle familiar enough to those lost in the woods.
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading He had lost the sun, his only guide, in the thickly interlaced boughs above him, which suffused though the long columnar vault only a vague, melancholy twilight.
throughnounUS /ˈthrough/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading He was returning to camp from a neighboring mining town, and while indulging in the usual day-dreams of a youthful prospector, had deviated from his path in attempting to make a short cut through the forest.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was the very tree he had passed only an hour before, and he now knew he had been describing that mysterious and hopeless circle familiar enough to those lost in the woods.
town
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was returning to camp from a neighboring mining town, and while indulging in the usual day-dreams of a youthful prospector, had deviated from his path in attempting to make a short cut through the forest.
tree
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the very tree he had passed only an hour before, and he now knew he had been describing that mysterious and hopeless circle familiar enough to those lost in the woods.
twilightnounUS /ˈtwaɪlaɪt/
the dim light before night or sunrise
From this reading He had lost the sun, his only guide, in the thickly interlaced boughs above him, which suffused though the long columnar vault only a vague, melancholy twilight.
usual
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was returning to camp from a neighboring mining town, and while indulging in the usual day-dreams of a youthful prospector, had deviated from his path in attempting to make a short cut through the forest.
vague
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had lost the sun, his only guide, in the thickly interlaced boughs above him, which suffused though the long columnar vault only a vague, melancholy twilight.
vaultnounUS /vɔːlt/
a stone room, often below a church, used for burial
From this reading He had lost the sun, his only guide, in the thickly interlaced boughs above him, which suffused though the long columnar vault only a vague, melancholy twilight.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the very tree he had passed only an hour before, and he now knew he had been describing that mysterious and hopeless circle familiar enough to those lost in the woods.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was the very tree he had passed only an hour before, and he now knew he had been describing that mysterious and hopeless circle familiar enough to those lost in the woods.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading There was no mistaking the tree, with its one broken branch which depended at an angle like the arm of a semaphore; nor did it relieve his mind to reflect that his mishap was partly due to his own foolish abstraction.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading He was returning to camp from a neighboring mining town, and while indulging in the usual day-dreams of a youthful prospector, had deviated from his path in attempting to make a short cut through the forest.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Mr. Jack Fleming stopped suddenly before a lifeless and decaying redwood-tree with an expression of disgust and impatience.
woods
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was the very tree he had passed only an hour before, and he now knew he had been describing that mysterious and hopeless circle familiar enough to those lost in the woods.
youthful
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was returning to camp from a neighboring mining town, and while indulging in the usual day-dreams of a youthful prospector, had deviated from his path in attempting to make a short cut through the forest.