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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 Suddenly across the gaze of Percival St. John there flashed a face that woke him from his abstraction, as a light awakes the sleeper.
abstraction
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From this reading Suddenly across the gaze of Percival St. John there flashed a face that woke him from his abstraction, as a light awakes the sleeper.
acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/
from one side of something to the other
From this reading Suddenly across the gaze of Percival St. John there flashed a face that woke him from his abstraction, as a light awakes the sleeper.
alike
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From this reading Plain Cobbett, seeing before the cottage-door, at her homeliest of house-work, the girl of whom he said, "That girl should be my wife," and Dante, first thrilled by the vision of Beatrice,--are alike true types of a common experience.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was not the mere beauty of that face (and beautiful it was) that arrested his eye and made his heart beat more quickly, it was rather that nameless and inexplicable sympathy which constitutes love at first sight,--a sort of impulse and instinct common to the dullest as the quickest, the hardest reason as the liveliest fancy.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Plain Cobbett, seeing before the cottage-door, at her homeliest of house-work, the girl of whom he said, "That girl should be my wife," and Dante, first thrilled by the vision of Beatrice,--are alike true types of a common experience.
arrested
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From this reading It was not the mere beauty of that face (and beautiful it was) that arrested his eye and made his heart beat more quickly, it was rather that nameless and inexplicable sympathy which constitutes love at first sight,--a sort of impulse and instinct common to the dullest as the quickest, the hardest reason as the liveliest fancy.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Suddenly across the gaze of Percival St. John there flashed a face that woke him from his abstraction, as a light awakes the sleeper.
ATprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT.
awakes
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From this reading Suddenly across the gaze of Percival St. John there flashed a face that woke him from his abstraction, as a light awakes the sleeper.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Plain Cobbett, seeing before the cottage-door, at her homeliest of house-work, the girl of whom he said, "That girl should be my wife," and Dante, first thrilled by the vision of Beatrice,--are alike true types of a common experience.
beat
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From this reading It was not the mere beauty of that face (and beautiful it was) that arrested his eye and made his heart beat more quickly, it was rather that nameless and inexplicable sympathy which constitutes love at first sight,--a sort of impulse and instinct common to the dullest as the quickest, the hardest reason as the liveliest fancy.
Beatrice
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Plain Cobbett, seeing before the cottage-door, at her homeliest of house-work, the girl of whom he said, "That girl should be my wife," and Dante, first thrilled by the vision of Beatrice,--are alike true types of a common experience.
beautiful
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not the mere beauty of that face (and beautiful it was) that arrested his eye and made his heart beat more quickly, it was rather that nameless and inexplicable sympathy which constitutes love at first sight,--a sort of impulse and instinct common to the dullest as the quickest, the hardest reason as the liveliest fancy.
beauty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not the mere beauty of that face (and beautiful it was) that arrested his eye and made his heart beat more quickly, it was rather that nameless and inexplicable sympathy which constitutes love at first sight,--a sort of impulse and instinct common to the dullest as the quickest, the hardest reason as the liveliest fancy.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading It was as a recognition of something seen dimly before,--a truth coming out from a dream.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Plain Cobbett, seeing before the cottage-door, at her homeliest of house-work, the girl of whom he said, "That girl should be my wife," and Dante, first thrilled by the vision of Beatrice,--are alike true types of a common experience.
Cobbett
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From this reading Plain Cobbett, seeing before the cottage-door, at her homeliest of house-work, the girl of whom he said, "That girl should be my wife," and Dante, first thrilled by the vision of Beatrice,--are alike true types of a common experience.
coming
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was as a recognition of something seen dimly before,--a truth coming out from a dream.
common
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not the mere beauty of that face (and beautiful it was) that arrested his eye and made his heart beat more quickly, it was rather that nameless and inexplicable sympathy which constitutes love at first sight,--a sort of impulse and instinct common to the dullest as the quickest, the hardest reason as the liveliest fancy.
constitutes
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From this reading It was not the mere beauty of that face (and beautiful it was) that arrested his eye and made his heart beat more quickly, it was rather that nameless and inexplicable sympathy which constitutes love at first sight,--a sort of impulse and instinct common to the dullest as the quickest, the hardest reason as the liveliest fancy.
cottage-door
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Plain Cobbett, seeing before the cottage-door, at her homeliest of house-work, the girl of whom he said, "That girl should be my wife," and Dante, first thrilled by the vision of Beatrice,--are alike true types of a common experience.
Dante
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From this reading Plain Cobbett, seeing before the cottage-door, at her homeliest of house-work, the girl of whom he said, "That girl should be my wife," and Dante, first thrilled by the vision of Beatrice,--are alike true types of a common experience.
dimly
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From this reading It was as a recognition of something seen dimly before,--a truth coming out from a dream.
dreamnounUS /driːm/
A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.
From this reading It was as a recognition of something seen dimly before,--a truth coming out from a dream.
dullest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not the mere beauty of that face (and beautiful it was) that arrested his eye and made his heart beat more quickly, it was rather that nameless and inexplicable sympathy which constitutes love at first sight,--a sort of impulse and instinct common to the dullest as the quickest, the hardest reason as the liveliest fancy.
experience
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Plain Cobbett, seeing before the cottage-door, at her homeliest of house-work, the girl of whom he said, "That girl should be my wife," and Dante, first thrilled by the vision of Beatrice,--are alike true types of a common experience.
eye
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not the mere beauty of that face (and beautiful it was) that arrested his eye and made his heart beat more quickly, it was rather that nameless and inexplicable sympathy which constitutes love at first sight,--a sort of impulse and instinct common to the dullest as the quickest, the hardest reason as the liveliest fancy.
face
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Suddenly across the gaze of Percival St. John there flashed a face that woke him from his abstraction, as a light awakes the sleeper.
fancy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not the mere beauty of that face (and beautiful it was) that arrested his eye and made his heart beat more quickly, it was rather that nameless and inexplicable sympathy which constitutes love at first sight,--a sort of impulse and instinct common to the dullest as the quickest, the hardest reason as the liveliest fancy.
FIRSTnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT.
flashed
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From this reading Suddenly across the gaze of Percival St. John there flashed a face that woke him from his abstraction, as a light awakes the sleeper.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Suddenly across the gaze of Percival St. John there flashed a face that woke him from his abstraction, as a light awakes the sleeper.
gaze
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Suddenly across the gaze of Percival St. John there flashed a face that woke him from his abstraction, as a light awakes the sleeper.
girl
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Plain Cobbett, seeing before the cottage-door, at her homeliest of house-work, the girl of whom he said, "That girl should be my wife," and Dante, first thrilled by the vision of Beatrice,--are alike true types of a common experience.
hardest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not the mere beauty of that face (and beautiful it was) that arrested his eye and made his heart beat more quickly, it was rather that nameless and inexplicable sympathy which constitutes love at first sight,--a sort of impulse and instinct common to the dullest as the quickest, the hardest reason as the liveliest fancy.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Plain Cobbett, seeing before the cottage-door, at her homeliest of house-work, the girl of whom he said, "That girl should be my wife," and Dante, first thrilled by the vision of Beatrice,--are alike true types of a common experience.
heart
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not the mere beauty of that face (and beautiful it was) that arrested his eye and made his heart beat more quickly, it was rather that nameless and inexplicable sympathy which constitutes love at first sight,--a sort of impulse and instinct common to the dullest as the quickest, the hardest reason as the liveliest fancy.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Plain Cobbett, seeing before the cottage-door, at her homeliest of house-work, the girl of whom he said, "That girl should be my wife," and Dante, first thrilled by the vision of Beatrice,--are alike true types of a common experience.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Suddenly across the gaze of Percival St. John there flashed a face that woke him from his abstraction, as a light awakes the sleeper.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Suddenly across the gaze of Percival St. John there flashed a face that woke him from his abstraction, as a light awakes the sleeper.
homeliest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Plain Cobbett, seeing before the cottage-door, at her homeliest of house-work, the girl of whom he said, "That girl should be my wife," and Dante, first thrilled by the vision of Beatrice,--are alike true types of a common experience.
house-work
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Plain Cobbett, seeing before the cottage-door, at her homeliest of house-work, the girl of whom he said, "That girl should be my wife," and Dante, first thrilled by the vision of Beatrice,--are alike true types of a common experience.
impulsenounUS /ˈɪmpʌls/
a sudden strong desire to act
From this reading It was not the mere beauty of that face (and beautiful it was) that arrested his eye and made his heart beat more quickly, it was rather that nameless and inexplicable sympathy which constitutes love at first sight,--a sort of impulse and instinct common to the dullest as the quickest, the hardest reason as the liveliest fancy.
inexplicablenounUS /inexplicable/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was not the mere beauty of that face (and beautiful it was) that arrested his eye and made his heart beat more quickly, it was rather that nameless and inexplicable sympathy which constitutes love at first sight,--a sort of impulse and instinct common to the dullest as the quickest, the hardest reason as the liveliest fancy.
instinct
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not the mere beauty of that face (and beautiful it was) that arrested his eye and made his heart beat more quickly, it was rather that nameless and inexplicable sympathy which constitutes love at first sight,--a sort of impulse and instinct common to the dullest as the quickest, the hardest reason as the liveliest fancy.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was as a recognition of something seen dimly before,--a truth coming out from a dream.
John
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From this reading Suddenly across the gaze of Percival St. John there flashed a face that woke him from his abstraction, as a light awakes the sleeper.
light
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Suddenly across the gaze of Percival St. John there flashed a face that woke him from his abstraction, as a light awakes the sleeper.
liveliest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not the mere beauty of that face (and beautiful it was) that arrested his eye and made his heart beat more quickly, it was rather that nameless and inexplicable sympathy which constitutes love at first sight,--a sort of impulse and instinct common to the dullest as the quickest, the hardest reason as the liveliest fancy.
LOVE
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From this reading LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT.
made
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not the mere beauty of that face (and beautiful it was) that arrested his eye and made his heart beat more quickly, it was rather that nameless and inexplicable sympathy which constitutes love at first sight,--a sort of impulse and instinct common to the dullest as the quickest, the hardest reason as the liveliest fancy.
mere
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not the mere beauty of that face (and beautiful it was) that arrested his eye and made his heart beat more quickly, it was rather that nameless and inexplicable sympathy which constitutes love at first sight,--a sort of impulse and instinct common to the dullest as the quickest, the hardest reason as the liveliest fancy.
more
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not the mere beauty of that face (and beautiful it was) that arrested his eye and made his heart beat more quickly, it was rather that nameless and inexplicable sympathy which constitutes love at first sight,--a sort of impulse and instinct common to the dullest as the quickest, the hardest reason as the liveliest fancy.
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Plain Cobbett, seeing before the cottage-door, at her homeliest of house-work, the girl of whom he said, "That girl should be my wife," and Dante, first thrilled by the vision of Beatrice,--are alike true types of a common experience.
namelessadjectiveUS /ˈneɪm.ləs/
Having no name, or having a name that is kept secret or unknown.
From this reading It was not the mere beauty of that face (and beautiful it was) that arrested his eye and made his heart beat more quickly, it was rather that nameless and inexplicable sympathy which constitutes love at first sight,--a sort of impulse and instinct common to the dullest as the quickest, the hardest reason as the liveliest fancy.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It was not the mere beauty of that face (and beautiful it was) that arrested his eye and made his heart beat more quickly, it was rather that nameless and inexplicable sympathy which constitutes love at first sight,--a sort of impulse and instinct common to the dullest as the quickest, the hardest reason as the liveliest fancy.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Suddenly across the gaze of Percival St. John there flashed a face that woke him from his abstraction, as a light awakes the sleeper.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was as a recognition of something seen dimly before,--a truth coming out from a dream.
Percival
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Suddenly across the gaze of Percival St. John there flashed a face that woke him from his abstraction, as a light awakes the sleeper.
Plain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Plain Cobbett, seeing before the cottage-door, at her homeliest of house-work, the girl of whom he said, "That girl should be my wife," and Dante, first thrilled by the vision of Beatrice,--are alike true types of a common experience.
quickest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not the mere beauty of that face (and beautiful it was) that arrested his eye and made his heart beat more quickly, it was rather that nameless and inexplicable sympathy which constitutes love at first sight,--a sort of impulse and instinct common to the dullest as the quickest, the hardest reason as the liveliest fancy.
quickly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not the mere beauty of that face (and beautiful it was) that arrested his eye and made his heart beat more quickly, it was rather that nameless and inexplicable sympathy which constitutes love at first sight,--a sort of impulse and instinct common to the dullest as the quickest, the hardest reason as the liveliest fancy.
rather
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not the mere beauty of that face (and beautiful it was) that arrested his eye and made his heart beat more quickly, it was rather that nameless and inexplicable sympathy which constitutes love at first sight,--a sort of impulse and instinct common to the dullest as the quickest, the hardest reason as the liveliest fancy.
reason
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not the mere beauty of that face (and beautiful it was) that arrested his eye and made his heart beat more quickly, it was rather that nameless and inexplicable sympathy which constitutes love at first sight,--a sort of impulse and instinct common to the dullest as the quickest, the hardest reason as the liveliest fancy.
recognition
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was as a recognition of something seen dimly before,--a truth coming out from a dream.
said
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Plain Cobbett, seeing before the cottage-door, at her homeliest of house-work, the girl of whom he said, "That girl should be my wife," and Dante, first thrilled by the vision of Beatrice,--are alike true types of a common experience.
seeing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Plain Cobbett, seeing before the cottage-door, at her homeliest of house-work, the girl of whom he said, "That girl should be my wife," and Dante, first thrilled by the vision of Beatrice,--are alike true types of a common experience.
seen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was as a recognition of something seen dimly before,--a truth coming out from a dream.
shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading Plain Cobbett, seeing before the cottage-door, at her homeliest of house-work, the girl of whom he said, "That girl should be my wife," and Dante, first thrilled by the vision of Beatrice,--are alike true types of a common experience.
SIGHT
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT.
sleeper
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Suddenly across the gaze of Percival St. John there flashed a face that woke him from his abstraction, as a light awakes the sleeper.
somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
a thing, without saying which
From this reading It was as a recognition of something seen dimly before,--a truth coming out from a dream.
sort
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not the mere beauty of that face (and beautiful it was) that arrested his eye and made his heart beat more quickly, it was rather that nameless and inexplicable sympathy which constitutes love at first sight,--a sort of impulse and instinct common to the dullest as the quickest, the hardest reason as the liveliest fancy.
St
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Suddenly across the gaze of Percival St. John there flashed a face that woke him from his abstraction, as a light awakes the sleeper.
SuddenlynounUS /ˈsuddenly/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Suddenly across the gaze of Percival St. John there flashed a face that woke him from his abstraction, as a light awakes the sleeper.
sympathy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was not the mere beauty of that face (and beautiful it was) that arrested his eye and made his heart beat more quickly, it was rather that nameless and inexplicable sympathy which constitutes love at first sight,--a sort of impulse and instinct common to the dullest as the quickest, the hardest reason as the liveliest fancy.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Suddenly across the gaze of Percival St. John there flashed a face that woke him from his abstraction, as a light awakes the sleeper.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Suddenly across the gaze of Percival St. John there flashed a face that woke him from his abstraction, as a light awakes the sleeper.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Suddenly across the gaze of Percival St. John there flashed a face that woke him from his abstraction, as a light awakes the sleeper.
thrilled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Plain Cobbett, seeing before the cottage-door, at her homeliest of house-work, the girl of whom he said, "That girl should be my wife," and Dante, first thrilled by the vision of Beatrice,--are alike true types of a common experience.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was not the mere beauty of that face (and beautiful it was) that arrested his eye and made his heart beat more quickly, it was rather that nameless and inexplicable sympathy which constitutes love at first sight,--a sort of impulse and instinct common to the dullest as the quickest, the hardest reason as the liveliest fancy.
true
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Plain Cobbett, seeing before the cottage-door, at her homeliest of house-work, the girl of whom he said, "That girl should be my wife," and Dante, first thrilled by the vision of Beatrice,--are alike true types of a common experience.
truth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was as a recognition of something seen dimly before,--a truth coming out from a dream.
types
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Plain Cobbett, seeing before the cottage-door, at her homeliest of house-work, the girl of whom he said, "That girl should be my wife," and Dante, first thrilled by the vision of Beatrice,--are alike true types of a common experience.
vision
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Plain Cobbett, seeing before the cottage-door, at her homeliest of house-work, the girl of whom he said, "That girl should be my wife," and Dante, first thrilled by the vision of Beatrice,--are alike true types of a common experience.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was as a recognition of something seen dimly before,--a truth coming out from a dream.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It was not the mere beauty of that face (and beautiful it was) that arrested his eye and made his heart beat more quickly, it was rather that nameless and inexplicable sympathy which constitutes love at first sight,--a sort of impulse and instinct common to the dullest as the quickest, the hardest reason as the liveliest fancy.
whompronounUS /huːm/
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Plain Cobbett, seeing before the cottage-door, at her homeliest of house-work, the girl of whom he said, "That girl should be my wife," and Dante, first thrilled by the vision of Beatrice,--are alike true types of a common experience.
wife
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Plain Cobbett, seeing before the cottage-door, at her homeliest of house-work, the girl of whom he said, "That girl should be my wife," and Dante, first thrilled by the vision of Beatrice,--are alike true types of a common experience.
woke
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Suddenly across the gaze of Percival St. John there flashed a face that woke him from his abstraction, as a light awakes the sleeper.