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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 For quite as long Val had possessed a mental picture of the place--a picture of a gurgly little brook with rocks and watercress and distracting little pools the size of a bathtub, and with a great, frowning boulder--a cliff, almost--at the head.
almost
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For almost three years the letters from Manley had been headed “Cold Spring Ranch.”
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading For quite as long Val had possessed a mental picture of the place--a picture of a gurgly little brook with rocks and watercress and distracting little pools the size of a bathtub, and with a great, frowning boulder--a cliff, almost--at the head.
AroundprepositionUS /ərˈaʊnd/
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading Around it grew trees, unnamed in the picture, it is true, but trees, nevertheless.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading For quite as long Val had possessed a mental picture of the place--a picture of a gurgly little brook with rocks and watercress and distracting little pools the size of a bathtub, and with a great, frowning boulder--a cliff, almost--at the head.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading For quite as long Val had possessed a mental picture of the place--a picture of a gurgly little brook with rocks and watercress and distracting little pools the size of a bathtub, and with a great, frowning boulder--a cliff, almost--at the head.
basin
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The brook bubbled out and formed a basin in the shadow of the rock.
bathtub
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For quite as long Val had possessed a mental picture of the place--a picture of a gurgly little brook with rocks and watercress and distracting little pools the size of a bathtub, and with a great, frowning boulder--a cliff, almost--at the head.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading For almost three years the letters from Manley had been headed “Cold Spring Ranch.”
BelowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/
at or to a lower level than something
From this reading Below the spring stood a picturesque little cottage.
boulder
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For quite as long Val had possessed a mental picture of the place--a picture of a gurgly little brook with rocks and watercress and distracting little pools the size of a bathtub, and with a great, frowning boulder--a cliff, almost--at the head.
brook
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For quite as long Val had possessed a mental picture of the place--a picture of a gurgly little brook with rocks and watercress and distracting little pools the size of a bathtub, and with a great, frowning boulder--a cliff, almost--at the head.
bubbled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The brook bubbled out and formed a basin in the shadow of the rock.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Around it grew trees, unnamed in the picture, it is true, but trees, nevertheless.
cliff
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For quite as long Val had possessed a mental picture of the place--a picture of a gurgly little brook with rocks and watercress and distracting little pools the size of a bathtub, and with a great, frowning boulder--a cliff, almost--at the head.
Cold
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For almost three years the letters from Manley had been headed “Cold Spring Ranch.”
cottage
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Below the spring stood a picturesque little cottage.
distracting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For quite as long Val had possessed a mental picture of the place--a picture of a gurgly little brook with rocks and watercress and distracting little pools the size of a bathtub, and with a great, frowning boulder--a cliff, almost--at the head.
ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For almost three years the letters from Manley had been headed “Cold Spring Ranch.”
formed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The brook bubbled out and formed a basin in the shadow of the rock.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading For almost three years the letters from Manley had been headed “Cold Spring Ranch.”
frowning
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For quite as long Val had possessed a mental picture of the place--a picture of a gurgly little brook with rocks and watercress and distracting little pools the size of a bathtub, and with a great, frowning boulder--a cliff, almost--at the head.
greatnounUS /great/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading For quite as long Val had possessed a mental picture of the place--a picture of a gurgly little brook with rocks and watercress and distracting little pools the size of a bathtub, and with a great, frowning boulder--a cliff, almost--at the head.
grew
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Around it grew trees, unnamed in the picture, it is true, but trees, nevertheless.
gurgly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For quite as long Val had possessed a mental picture of the place--a picture of a gurgly little brook with rocks and watercress and distracting little pools the size of a bathtub, and with a great, frowning boulder--a cliff, almost--at the head.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading For almost three years the letters from Manley had been headed “Cold Spring Ranch.”
head
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For quite as long Val had possessed a mental picture of the place--a picture of a gurgly little brook with rocks and watercress and distracting little pools the size of a bathtub, and with a great, frowning boulder--a cliff, almost--at the head.
headed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For almost three years the letters from Manley had been headed “Cold Spring Ranch.”
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The brook bubbled out and formed a basin in the shadow of the rock.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Around it grew trees, unnamed in the picture, it is true, but trees, nevertheless.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Around it grew trees, unnamed in the picture, it is true, but trees, nevertheless.
letters
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For almost three years the letters from Manley had been headed “Cold Spring Ranch.”
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading For quite as long Val had possessed a mental picture of the place--a picture of a gurgly little brook with rocks and watercress and distracting little pools the size of a bathtub, and with a great, frowning boulder--a cliff, almost--at the head.
longnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading For quite as long Val had possessed a mental picture of the place--a picture of a gurgly little brook with rocks and watercress and distracting little pools the size of a bathtub, and with a great, frowning boulder--a cliff, almost--at the head.
Manley
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For almost three years the letters from Manley had been headed “Cold Spring Ranch.”
mental
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For quite as long Val had possessed a mental picture of the place--a picture of a gurgly little brook with rocks and watercress and distracting little pools the size of a bathtub, and with a great, frowning boulder--a cliff, almost--at the head.
neverthelessadverbUS /ˌnevərðəˈles/
in spite of what has just been said
From this reading Around it grew trees, unnamed in the picture, it is true, but trees, nevertheless.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading For quite as long Val had possessed a mental picture of the place--a picture of a gurgly little brook with rocks and watercress and distracting little pools the size of a bathtub, and with a great, frowning boulder--a cliff, almost--at the head.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The brook bubbled out and formed a basin in the shadow of the rock.
picture
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For quite as long Val had possessed a mental picture of the place--a picture of a gurgly little brook with rocks and watercress and distracting little pools the size of a bathtub, and with a great, frowning boulder--a cliff, almost--at the head.
picturesque
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Below the spring stood a picturesque little cottage.
place
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For quite as long Val had possessed a mental picture of the place--a picture of a gurgly little brook with rocks and watercress and distracting little pools the size of a bathtub, and with a great, frowning boulder--a cliff, almost--at the head.
pools
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For quite as long Val had possessed a mental picture of the place--a picture of a gurgly little brook with rocks and watercress and distracting little pools the size of a bathtub, and with a great, frowning boulder--a cliff, almost--at the head.
possessed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For quite as long Val had possessed a mental picture of the place--a picture of a gurgly little brook with rocks and watercress and distracting little pools the size of a bathtub, and with a great, frowning boulder--a cliff, almost--at the head.
quitenounUS /quite/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading For quite as long Val had possessed a mental picture of the place--a picture of a gurgly little brook with rocks and watercress and distracting little pools the size of a bathtub, and with a great, frowning boulder--a cliff, almost--at the head.
Ranch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For almost three years the letters from Manley had been headed “Cold Spring Ranch.”
rock
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The brook bubbled out and formed a basin in the shadow of the rock.
rocks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For quite as long Val had possessed a mental picture of the place--a picture of a gurgly little brook with rocks and watercress and distracting little pools the size of a bathtub, and with a great, frowning boulder--a cliff, almost--at the head.
shadownounUS /ˈʃæd.oʊ/
A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
From this reading The brook bubbled out and formed a basin in the shadow of the rock.
size
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For quite as long Val had possessed a mental picture of the place--a picture of a gurgly little brook with rocks and watercress and distracting little pools the size of a bathtub, and with a great, frowning boulder--a cliff, almost--at the head.
Spring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For almost three years the letters from Manley had been headed “Cold Spring Ranch.”
stoodnounUS /stood/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Below the spring stood a picturesque little cottage.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading For almost three years the letters from Manley had been headed “Cold Spring Ranch.”
three
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For almost three years the letters from Manley had been headed “Cold Spring Ranch.”
trees
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Around it grew trees, unnamed in the picture, it is true, but trees, nevertheless.
true
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Around it grew trees, unnamed in the picture, it is true, but trees, nevertheless.
unnamed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Around it grew trees, unnamed in the picture, it is true, but trees, nevertheless.
Val
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For quite as long Val had possessed a mental picture of the place--a picture of a gurgly little brook with rocks and watercress and distracting little pools the size of a bathtub, and with a great, frowning boulder--a cliff, almost--at the head.
watercress
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For quite as long Val had possessed a mental picture of the place--a picture of a gurgly little brook with rocks and watercress and distracting little pools the size of a bathtub, and with a great, frowning boulder--a cliff, almost--at the head.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading For quite as long Val had possessed a mental picture of the place--a picture of a gurgly little brook with rocks and watercress and distracting little pools the size of a bathtub, and with a great, frowning boulder--a cliff, almost--at the head.
years
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For almost three years the letters from Manley had been headed “Cold Spring Ranch.”
