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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 It was like watching the last flickers of a life.
abreast
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From this reading Sometimes I would pick out a tree a little way ahead to measure our progress towards Kurtz by, but I lost it invariably before we got abreast.
ahead
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From this reading Sometimes I would pick out a tree a little way ahead to measure our progress towards Kurtz by, but I lost it invariably before we got abreast.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “The current was more rapid now, the steamer seemed at her last gasp, the stern-wheel flopped languidly, and I caught myself listening on tiptoe for the next beat of the boat, for in sober truth I expected the wretched thing to give up every moment.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading “The current was more rapid now, the steamer seemed at her last gasp, the stern-wheel flopped languidly, and I caught myself listening on tiptoe for the next beat of the boat, for in sober truth I expected the wretched thing to give up every moment.
beat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “The current was more rapid now, the steamer seemed at her last gasp, the stern-wheel flopped languidly, and I caught myself listening on tiptoe for the next beat of the boat, for in sober truth I expected the wretched thing to give up every moment.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Sometimes I would pick out a tree a little way ahead to measure our progress towards Kurtz by, but I lost it invariably before we got abreast.
boat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “The current was more rapid now, the steamer seemed at her last gasp, the stern-wheel flopped languidly, and I caught myself listening on tiptoe for the next beat of the boat, for in sober truth I expected the wretched thing to give up every moment.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But still we crawled.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Sometimes I would pick out a tree a little way ahead to measure our progress towards Kurtz by, but I lost it invariably before we got abreast.
caught
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “The current was more rapid now, the steamer seemed at her last gasp, the stern-wheel flopped languidly, and I caught myself listening on tiptoe for the next beat of the boat, for in sober truth I expected the wretched thing to give up every moment.
crawled
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From this reading But still we crawled.
currentnounUS /ˈcurrent/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading “The current was more rapid now, the steamer seemed at her last gasp, the stern-wheel flopped languidly, and I caught myself listening on tiptoe for the next beat of the boat, for in sober truth I expected the wretched thing to give up every moment.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading “The current was more rapid now, the steamer seemed at her last gasp, the stern-wheel flopped languidly, and I caught myself listening on tiptoe for the next beat of the boat, for in sober truth I expected the wretched thing to give up every moment.
expected
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “The current was more rapid now, the steamer seemed at her last gasp, the stern-wheel flopped languidly, and I caught myself listening on tiptoe for the next beat of the boat, for in sober truth I expected the wretched thing to give up every moment.
eyes
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From this reading To keep the eyes so long on one thing was too much for human patience.
flickers
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From this reading It was like watching the last flickers of a life.
flopped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “The current was more rapid now, the steamer seemed at her last gasp, the stern-wheel flopped languidly, and I caught myself listening on tiptoe for the next beat of the boat, for in sober truth I expected the wretched thing to give up every moment.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading “The current was more rapid now, the steamer seemed at her last gasp, the stern-wheel flopped languidly, and I caught myself listening on tiptoe for the next beat of the boat, for in sober truth I expected the wretched thing to give up every moment.
gaspnounUS /ɡæsp/
a sudden sharp intake of breath
From this reading “The current was more rapid now, the steamer seemed at her last gasp, the stern-wheel flopped languidly, and I caught myself listening on tiptoe for the next beat of the boat, for in sober truth I expected the wretched thing to give up every moment.
give
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “The current was more rapid now, the steamer seemed at her last gasp, the stern-wheel flopped languidly, and I caught myself listening on tiptoe for the next beat of the boat, for in sober truth I expected the wretched thing to give up every moment.
got
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From this reading Sometimes I would pick out a tree a little way ahead to measure our progress towards Kurtz by, but I lost it invariably before we got abreast.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading “The current was more rapid now, the steamer seemed at her last gasp, the stern-wheel flopped languidly, and I caught myself listening on tiptoe for the next beat of the boat, for in sober truth I expected the wretched thing to give up every moment.
human
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To keep the eyes so long on one thing was too much for human patience.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “The current was more rapid now, the steamer seemed at her last gasp, the stern-wheel flopped languidly, and I caught myself listening on tiptoe for the next beat of the boat, for in sober truth I expected the wretched thing to give up every moment.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “The current was more rapid now, the steamer seemed at her last gasp, the stern-wheel flopped languidly, and I caught myself listening on tiptoe for the next beat of the boat, for in sober truth I expected the wretched thing to give up every moment.
invariably
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From this reading Sometimes I would pick out a tree a little way ahead to measure our progress towards Kurtz by, but I lost it invariably before we got abreast.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was like watching the last flickers of a life.
keep
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From this reading To keep the eyes so long on one thing was too much for human patience.
Kurtz
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sometimes I would pick out a tree a little way ahead to measure our progress towards Kurtz by, but I lost it invariably before we got abreast.
languidly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “The current was more rapid now, the steamer seemed at her last gasp, the stern-wheel flopped languidly, and I caught myself listening on tiptoe for the next beat of the boat, for in sober truth I expected the wretched thing to give up every moment.
lastnounUS /last/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “The current was more rapid now, the steamer seemed at her last gasp, the stern-wheel flopped languidly, and I caught myself listening on tiptoe for the next beat of the boat, for in sober truth I expected the wretched thing to give up every moment.
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was like watching the last flickers of a life.
like
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From this reading It was like watching the last flickers of a life.
listening
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “The current was more rapid now, the steamer seemed at her last gasp, the stern-wheel flopped languidly, and I caught myself listening on tiptoe for the next beat of the boat, for in sober truth I expected the wretched thing to give up every moment.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Sometimes I would pick out a tree a little way ahead to measure our progress towards Kurtz by, but I lost it invariably before we got abreast.
longnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading To keep the eyes so long on one thing was too much for human patience.
lost
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sometimes I would pick out a tree a little way ahead to measure our progress towards Kurtz by, but I lost it invariably before we got abreast.
measure
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From this reading Sometimes I would pick out a tree a little way ahead to measure our progress towards Kurtz by, but I lost it invariably before we got abreast.
moment
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “The current was more rapid now, the steamer seemed at her last gasp, the stern-wheel flopped languidly, and I caught myself listening on tiptoe for the next beat of the boat, for in sober truth I expected the wretched thing to give up every moment.
more
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “The current was more rapid now, the steamer seemed at her last gasp, the stern-wheel flopped languidly, and I caught myself listening on tiptoe for the next beat of the boat, for in sober truth I expected the wretched thing to give up every moment.
much
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To keep the eyes so long on one thing was too much for human patience.
myselfpronounUS /ˌmaɪˈself/
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading “The current was more rapid now, the steamer seemed at her last gasp, the stern-wheel flopped languidly, and I caught myself listening on tiptoe for the next beat of the boat, for in sober truth I expected the wretched thing to give up every moment.
nextnounUS /next/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “The current was more rapid now, the steamer seemed at her last gasp, the stern-wheel flopped languidly, and I caught myself listening on tiptoe for the next beat of the boat, for in sober truth I expected the wretched thing to give up every moment.
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “The current was more rapid now, the steamer seemed at her last gasp, the stern-wheel flopped languidly, and I caught myself listening on tiptoe for the next beat of the boat, for in sober truth I expected the wretched thing to give up every moment.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “The current was more rapid now, the steamer seemed at her last gasp, the stern-wheel flopped languidly, and I caught myself listening on tiptoe for the next beat of the boat, for in sober truth I expected the wretched thing to give up every moment.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading “The current was more rapid now, the steamer seemed at her last gasp, the stern-wheel flopped languidly, and I caught myself listening on tiptoe for the next beat of the boat, for in sober truth I expected the wretched thing to give up every moment.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading To keep the eyes so long on one thing was too much for human patience.
ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading Sometimes I would pick out a tree a little way ahead to measure our progress towards Kurtz by, but I lost it invariably before we got abreast.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sometimes I would pick out a tree a little way ahead to measure our progress towards Kurtz by, but I lost it invariably before we got abreast.
patience
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To keep the eyes so long on one thing was too much for human patience.
pick
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sometimes I would pick out a tree a little way ahead to measure our progress towards Kurtz by, but I lost it invariably before we got abreast.
progress
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sometimes I would pick out a tree a little way ahead to measure our progress towards Kurtz by, but I lost it invariably before we got abreast.
rapid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “The current was more rapid now, the steamer seemed at her last gasp, the stern-wheel flopped languidly, and I caught myself listening on tiptoe for the next beat of the boat, for in sober truth I expected the wretched thing to give up every moment.
seemednounUS /seemed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “The current was more rapid now, the steamer seemed at her last gasp, the stern-wheel flopped languidly, and I caught myself listening on tiptoe for the next beat of the boat, for in sober truth I expected the wretched thing to give up every moment.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading To keep the eyes so long on one thing was too much for human patience.
soberadjectiveUS /ˈsoʊbər/
not affected by alcohol
From this reading “The current was more rapid now, the steamer seemed at her last gasp, the stern-wheel flopped languidly, and I caught myself listening on tiptoe for the next beat of the boat, for in sober truth I expected the wretched thing to give up every moment.
Sometimes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sometimes I would pick out a tree a little way ahead to measure our progress towards Kurtz by, but I lost it invariably before we got abreast.
steamer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “The current was more rapid now, the steamer seemed at her last gasp, the stern-wheel flopped languidly, and I caught myself listening on tiptoe for the next beat of the boat, for in sober truth I expected the wretched thing to give up every moment.
stern-wheel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “The current was more rapid now, the steamer seemed at her last gasp, the stern-wheel flopped languidly, and I caught myself listening on tiptoe for the next beat of the boat, for in sober truth I expected the wretched thing to give up every moment.
stillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But still we crawled.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “The current was more rapid now, the steamer seemed at her last gasp, the stern-wheel flopped languidly, and I caught myself listening on tiptoe for the next beat of the boat, for in sober truth I expected the wretched thing to give up every moment.
thingnounUS /thing/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “The current was more rapid now, the steamer seemed at her last gasp, the stern-wheel flopped languidly, and I caught myself listening on tiptoe for the next beat of the boat, for in sober truth I expected the wretched thing to give up every moment.
tiptoe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “The current was more rapid now, the steamer seemed at her last gasp, the stern-wheel flopped languidly, and I caught myself listening on tiptoe for the next beat of the boat, for in sober truth I expected the wretched thing to give up every moment.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “The current was more rapid now, the steamer seemed at her last gasp, the stern-wheel flopped languidly, and I caught myself listening on tiptoe for the next beat of the boat, for in sober truth I expected the wretched thing to give up every moment.
too
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To keep the eyes so long on one thing was too much for human patience.
towardsprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrdz/
in the direction of
From this reading Sometimes I would pick out a tree a little way ahead to measure our progress towards Kurtz by, but I lost it invariably before we got abreast.
tree
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sometimes I would pick out a tree a little way ahead to measure our progress towards Kurtz by, but I lost it invariably before we got abreast.
truth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “The current was more rapid now, the steamer seemed at her last gasp, the stern-wheel flopped languidly, and I caught myself listening on tiptoe for the next beat of the boat, for in sober truth I expected the wretched thing to give up every moment.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “The current was more rapid now, the steamer seemed at her last gasp, the stern-wheel flopped languidly, and I caught myself listening on tiptoe for the next beat of the boat, for in sober truth I expected the wretched thing to give up every moment.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “The current was more rapid now, the steamer seemed at her last gasp, the stern-wheel flopped languidly, and I caught myself listening on tiptoe for the next beat of the boat, for in sober truth I expected the wretched thing to give up every moment.
watching
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was like watching the last flickers of a life.
way
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sometimes I would pick out a tree a little way ahead to measure our progress towards Kurtz by, but I lost it invariably before we got abreast.
wepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading But still we crawled.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Sometimes I would pick out a tree a little way ahead to measure our progress towards Kurtz by, but I lost it invariably before we got abreast.
wretched
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “The current was more rapid now, the steamer seemed at her last gasp, the stern-wheel flopped languidly, and I caught myself listening on tiptoe for the next beat of the boat, for in sober truth I expected the wretched thing to give up every moment.
