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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 Teresa rose and cast a searching glance round the church.
affixing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Vicar's wife was affixing a cross of daffodils to the front of the pulpit, the doctor's daughters were trimming the lectern with stiff little bunches of daffodils.
aisle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All down the aisle workers were twisting sprays of ivy round the tall gas standards, in the discreet background dowdy nobodies were wrestling with window-sills.
All
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All down the aisle workers were twisting sprays of ivy round the tall gas standards, in the discreet background dowdy nobodies were wrestling with window-sills.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Teresa rose and cast a searching glance round the church.
ask
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Vicar's wife held firmly to the theory of universal brotherhood, but it would never have occurred to her to ask a wealthy parishioner to "do" the windows, or a tradesman's wife to undertake the east end.
background
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All down the aisle workers were twisting sprays of ivy round the tall gas standards, in the discreet background dowdy nobodies were wrestling with window-sills.
brotherhood
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Vicar's wife held firmly to the theory of universal brotherhood, but it would never have occurred to her to ask a wealthy parishioner to "do" the windows, or a tradesman's wife to undertake the east end.
bunches
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Vicar's wife was affixing a cross of daffodils to the front of the pulpit, the doctor's daughters were trimming the lectern with stiff little bunches of daffodils.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The Vicar's wife held firmly to the theory of universal brotherhood, but it would never have occurred to her to ask a wealthy parishioner to "do" the windows, or a tradesman's wife to undertake the east end.
cast
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Teresa rose and cast a searching glance round the church.
church
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Teresa rose and cast a searching glance round the church.
cross
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Vicar's wife was affixing a cross of daffodils to the front of the pulpit, the doctor's daughters were trimming the lectern with stiff little bunches of daffodils.
daffodils
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Vicar's wife was affixing a cross of daffodils to the front of the pulpit, the doctor's daughters were trimming the lectern with stiff little bunches of daffodils.
daughters
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Vicar's wife was affixing a cross of daffodils to the front of the pulpit, the doctor's daughters were trimming the lectern with stiff little bunches of daffodils.
discreet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All down the aisle workers were twisting sprays of ivy round the tall gas standards, in the discreet background dowdy nobodies were wrestling with window-sills.
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading The Vicar's wife held firmly to the theory of universal brotherhood, but it would never have occurred to her to ask a wealthy parishioner to "do" the windows, or a tradesman's wife to undertake the east end.
doctor's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Vicar's wife was affixing a cross of daffodils to the front of the pulpit, the doctor's daughters were trimming the lectern with stiff little bunches of daffodils.
dowdy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All down the aisle workers were twisting sprays of ivy round the tall gas standards, in the discreet background dowdy nobodies were wrestling with window-sills.
down
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All down the aisle workers were twisting sprays of ivy round the tall gas standards, in the discreet background dowdy nobodies were wrestling with window-sills.
east
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Vicar's wife held firmly to the theory of universal brotherhood, but it would never have occurred to her to ask a wealthy parishioner to "do" the windows, or a tradesman's wife to undertake the east end.
end
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From this reading The Vicar's wife held firmly to the theory of universal brotherhood, but it would never have occurred to her to ask a wealthy parishioner to "do" the windows, or a tradesman's wife to undertake the east end.
engrossed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No one was looking, the workers were engrossed and preoccupied.
firmly
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From this reading The Vicar's wife held firmly to the theory of universal brotherhood, but it would never have occurred to her to ask a wealthy parishioner to "do" the windows, or a tradesman's wife to undertake the east end.
front
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Vicar's wife was affixing a cross of daffodils to the front of the pulpit, the doctor's daughters were trimming the lectern with stiff little bunches of daffodils.
gas
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All down the aisle workers were twisting sprays of ivy round the tall gas standards, in the discreet background dowdy nobodies were wrestling with window-sills.
glance
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Teresa rose and cast a searching glance round the church.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading The Vicar's wife held firmly to the theory of universal brotherhood, but it would never have occurred to her to ask a wealthy parishioner to "do" the windows, or a tradesman's wife to undertake the east end.
held
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Vicar's wife held firmly to the theory of universal brotherhood, but it would never have occurred to her to ask a wealthy parishioner to "do" the windows, or a tradesman's wife to undertake the east end.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The Vicar's wife held firmly to the theory of universal brotherhood, but it would never have occurred to her to ask a wealthy parishioner to "do" the windows, or a tradesman's wife to undertake the east end.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading All down the aisle workers were twisting sprays of ivy round the tall gas standards, in the discreet background dowdy nobodies were wrestling with window-sills.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The Vicar's wife held firmly to the theory of universal brotherhood, but it would never have occurred to her to ask a wealthy parishioner to "do" the windows, or a tradesman's wife to undertake the east end.
ivy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All down the aisle workers were twisting sprays of ivy round the tall gas standards, in the discreet background dowdy nobodies were wrestling with window-sills.
lectern
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Vicar's wife was affixing a cross of daffodils to the front of the pulpit, the doctor's daughters were trimming the lectern with stiff little bunches of daffodils.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The Vicar's wife was affixing a cross of daffodils to the front of the pulpit, the doctor's daughters were trimming the lectern with stiff little bunches of daffodils.
looking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No one was looking, the workers were engrossed and preoccupied.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The Vicar's wife held firmly to the theory of universal brotherhood, but it would never have occurred to her to ask a wealthy parishioner to "do" the windows, or a tradesman's wife to undertake the east end.
NodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading No one was looking, the workers were engrossed and preoccupied.
nobodies
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All down the aisle workers were twisting sprays of ivy round the tall gas standards, in the discreet background dowdy nobodies were wrestling with window-sills.
occurred
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Vicar's wife held firmly to the theory of universal brotherhood, but it would never have occurred to her to ask a wealthy parishioner to "do" the windows, or a tradesman's wife to undertake the east end.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The Vicar's wife was affixing a cross of daffodils to the front of the pulpit, the doctor's daughters were trimming the lectern with stiff little bunches of daffodils.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading No one was looking, the workers were engrossed and preoccupied.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The Vicar's wife held firmly to the theory of universal brotherhood, but it would never have occurred to her to ask a wealthy parishioner to "do" the windows, or a tradesman's wife to undertake the east end.
parishioner
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Vicar's wife held firmly to the theory of universal brotherhood, but it would never have occurred to her to ask a wealthy parishioner to "do" the windows, or a tradesman's wife to undertake the east end.
preoccupied
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No one was looking, the workers were engrossed and preoccupied.
pulpit
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Vicar's wife was affixing a cross of daffodils to the front of the pulpit, the doctor's daughters were trimming the lectern with stiff little bunches of daffodils.
rose
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Teresa rose and cast a searching glance round the church.
round
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Teresa rose and cast a searching glance round the church.
searching
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Teresa rose and cast a searching glance round the church.
sprays
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All down the aisle workers were twisting sprays of ivy round the tall gas standards, in the discreet background dowdy nobodies were wrestling with window-sills.
standards
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All down the aisle workers were twisting sprays of ivy round the tall gas standards, in the discreet background dowdy nobodies were wrestling with window-sills.
stiff
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Vicar's wife was affixing a cross of daffodils to the front of the pulpit, the doctor's daughters were trimming the lectern with stiff little bunches of daffodils.
tall
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All down the aisle workers were twisting sprays of ivy round the tall gas standards, in the discreet background dowdy nobodies were wrestling with window-sills.
Teresa
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Teresa rose and cast a searching glance round the church.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Teresa rose and cast a searching glance round the church.
theory
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Vicar's wife held firmly to the theory of universal brotherhood, but it would never have occurred to her to ask a wealthy parishioner to "do" the windows, or a tradesman's wife to undertake the east end.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The Vicar's wife was affixing a cross of daffodils to the front of the pulpit, the doctor's daughters were trimming the lectern with stiff little bunches of daffodils.
tradesman's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Vicar's wife held firmly to the theory of universal brotherhood, but it would never have occurred to her to ask a wealthy parishioner to "do" the windows, or a tradesman's wife to undertake the east end.
trimming
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Vicar's wife was affixing a cross of daffodils to the front of the pulpit, the doctor's daughters were trimming the lectern with stiff little bunches of daffodils.
twisting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All down the aisle workers were twisting sprays of ivy round the tall gas standards, in the discreet background dowdy nobodies were wrestling with window-sills.
undertake
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Vicar's wife held firmly to the theory of universal brotherhood, but it would never have occurred to her to ask a wealthy parishioner to "do" the windows, or a tradesman's wife to undertake the east end.
universal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Vicar's wife held firmly to the theory of universal brotherhood, but it would never have occurred to her to ask a wealthy parishioner to "do" the windows, or a tradesman's wife to undertake the east end.
Vicar's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Vicar's wife was affixing a cross of daffodils to the front of the pulpit, the doctor's daughters were trimming the lectern with stiff little bunches of daffodils.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading No one was looking, the workers were engrossed and preoccupied.
wealthy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Vicar's wife held firmly to the theory of universal brotherhood, but it would never have occurred to her to ask a wealthy parishioner to "do" the windows, or a tradesman's wife to undertake the east end.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading No one was looking, the workers were engrossed and preoccupied.
wife
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Vicar's wife was affixing a cross of daffodils to the front of the pulpit, the doctor's daughters were trimming the lectern with stiff little bunches of daffodils.
window-sills
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All down the aisle workers were twisting sprays of ivy round the tall gas standards, in the discreet background dowdy nobodies were wrestling with window-sills.
windows
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Vicar's wife held firmly to the theory of universal brotherhood, but it would never have occurred to her to ask a wealthy parishioner to "do" the windows, or a tradesman's wife to undertake the east end.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading The Vicar's wife was affixing a cross of daffodils to the front of the pulpit, the doctor's daughters were trimming the lectern with stiff little bunches of daffodils.
workers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No one was looking, the workers were engrossed and preoccupied.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading The Vicar's wife held firmly to the theory of universal brotherhood, but it would never have occurred to her to ask a wealthy parishioner to "do" the windows, or a tradesman's wife to undertake the east end.
wrestling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All down the aisle workers were twisting sprays of ivy round the tall gas standards, in the discreet background dowdy nobodies were wrestling with window-sills.
