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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 He had never imagined Sam to be so desperate a character, and never, until then, had he felt in the least afraid of him.
able
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From this reading He had always believed himself to be able to beat the bully at any of his games; but he now had learned that he had to deal with one who was quite as smart as himself.
afraid
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From this reading He had never imagined Sam to be so desperate a character, and never, until then, had he felt in the least afraid of him.
always
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From this reading He had always believed himself to be able to beat the bully at any of his games; but he now had learned that he had to deal with one who was quite as smart as himself.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He had never imagined Sam to be so desperate a character, and never, until then, had he felt in the least afraid of him.
any
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From this reading He had always believed himself to be able to beat the bully at any of his games; but he now had learned that he had to deal with one who was quite as smart as himself.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He had always believed himself to be able to beat the bully at any of his games; but he now had learned that he had to deal with one who was quite as smart as himself.
astonishedadjectiveUS /əˈstɑːnɪʃt/
very surprised
From this reading To say that the fisher-boy was astonished at what had taken place, would not half express his feelings.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading To say that the fisher-boy was astonished at what had taken place, would not half express his feelings.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He had never imagined Sam to be so desperate a character, and never, until then, had he felt in the least afraid of him.
beat
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From this reading He had always believed himself to be able to beat the bully at any of his games; but he now had learned that he had to deal with one who was quite as smart as himself.
Beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading Being taken prisoner, and confined like a felon, were new chapters in his experience.
believed
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From this reading He had always believed himself to be able to beat the bully at any of his games; but he now had learned that he had to deal with one who was quite as smart as himself.
BOB
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From this reading BOB FIGHTS FOR HIS LIBERTY.
bully
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From this reading He had always believed himself to be able to beat the bully at any of his games; but he now had learned that he had to deal with one who was quite as smart as himself.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He had always believed himself to be able to beat the bully at any of his games; but he now had learned that he had to deal with one who was quite as smart as himself.
chapters
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From this reading Being taken prisoner, and confined like a felon, were new chapters in his experience.
character
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From this reading He had never imagined Sam to be so desperate a character, and never, until then, had he felt in the least afraid of him.
confined
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From this reading Being taken prisoner, and confined like a felon, were new chapters in his experience.
deal
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From this reading He had always believed himself to be able to beat the bully at any of his games; but he now had learned that he had to deal with one who was quite as smart as himself.
desperate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had never imagined Sam to be so desperate a character, and never, until then, had he felt in the least afraid of him.
experience
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From this reading Being taken prisoner, and confined like a felon, were new chapters in his experience.
expressverbUS /ɪkˈspres/
to show or communicate a feeling or idea
From this reading To say that the fisher-boy was astonished at what had taken place, would not half express his feelings.
feelings
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From this reading To say that the fisher-boy was astonished at what had taken place, would not half express his feelings.
felon
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From this reading Being taken prisoner, and confined like a felon, were new chapters in his experience.
felt
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From this reading He had never imagined Sam to be so desperate a character, and never, until then, had he felt in the least afraid of him.
FIGHTS
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From this reading BOB FIGHTS FOR HIS LIBERTY.
fisher-boy
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From this reading To say that the fisher-boy was astonished at what had taken place, would not half express his feelings.
FORprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading BOB FIGHTS FOR HIS LIBERTY.
games
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had always believed himself to be able to beat the bully at any of his games; but he now had learned that he had to deal with one who was quite as smart as himself.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading To say that the fisher-boy was astonished at what had taken place, would not half express his feelings.
halfnounUS /half/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading To say that the fisher-boy was astonished at what had taken place, would not half express his feelings.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had never imagined Sam to be so desperate a character, and never, until then, had he felt in the least afraid of him.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He had never imagined Sam to be so desperate a character, and never, until then, had he felt in the least afraid of him.
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He had always believed himself to be able to beat the bully at any of his games; but he now had learned that he had to deal with one who was quite as smart as himself.
HISdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading BOB FIGHTS FOR HIS LIBERTY.
imagined
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From this reading He had never imagined Sam to be so desperate a character, and never, until then, had he felt in the least afraid of him.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He had never imagined Sam to be so desperate a character, and never, until then, had he felt in the least afraid of him.
learned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had always believed himself to be able to beat the bully at any of his games; but he now had learned that he had to deal with one who was quite as smart as himself.
leastnounUS /least/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He had never imagined Sam to be so desperate a character, and never, until then, had he felt in the least afraid of him.
LIBERTYnounUS /ˈlɪb.ər.ti/
The state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions on one's way of life.
From this reading BOB FIGHTS FOR HIS LIBERTY.
like
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From this reading Being taken prisoner, and confined like a felon, were new chapters in his experience.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He had never imagined Sam to be so desperate a character, and never, until then, had he felt in the least afraid of him.
new
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Being taken prisoner, and confined like a felon, were new chapters in his experience.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading To say that the fisher-boy was astonished at what had taken place, would not half express his feelings.
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had always believed himself to be able to beat the bully at any of his games; but he now had learned that he had to deal with one who was quite as smart as himself.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He had never imagined Sam to be so desperate a character, and never, until then, had he felt in the least afraid of him.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading He had always believed himself to be able to beat the bully at any of his games; but he now had learned that he had to deal with one who was quite as smart as himself.
place
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To say that the fisher-boy was astonished at what had taken place, would not half express his feelings.
prisoner
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Being taken prisoner, and confined like a felon, were new chapters in his experience.
quitenounUS /quite/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He had always believed himself to be able to beat the bully at any of his games; but he now had learned that he had to deal with one who was quite as smart as himself.
Sam
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had never imagined Sam to be so desperate a character, and never, until then, had he felt in the least afraid of him.
say
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To say that the fisher-boy was astonished at what had taken place, would not half express his feelings.
smart
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From this reading He had always believed himself to be able to beat the bully at any of his games; but he now had learned that he had to deal with one who was quite as smart as himself.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading He had never imagined Sam to be so desperate a character, and never, until then, had he felt in the least afraid of him.
taken
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To say that the fisher-boy was astonished at what had taken place, would not half express his feelings.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading To say that the fisher-boy was astonished at what had taken place, would not half express his feelings.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading To say that the fisher-boy was astonished at what had taken place, would not half express his feelings.
then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had never imagined Sam to be so desperate a character, and never, until then, had he felt in the least afraid of him.
ToparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading To say that the fisher-boy was astonished at what had taken place, would not half express his feelings.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading He had never imagined Sam to be so desperate a character, and never, until then, had he felt in the least afraid of him.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading To say that the fisher-boy was astonished at what had taken place, would not half express his feelings.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Being taken prisoner, and confined like a felon, were new chapters in his experience.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading To say that the fisher-boy was astonished at what had taken place, would not half express his feelings.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading He had always believed himself to be able to beat the bully at any of his games; but he now had learned that he had to deal with one who was quite as smart as himself.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading He had always believed himself to be able to beat the bully at any of his games; but he now had learned that he had to deal with one who was quite as smart as himself.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading To say that the fisher-boy was astonished at what had taken place, would not half express his feelings.