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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 We sleep on the floor, on a thin cotton mattress, which is unfolded and laid out over our white matting.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading We sleep under a gauze mosquito-net of sombre greenish-blue, dark as the shades of night, stretched out on an orange-colored ribbon.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading We sleep on the floor, on a thin cotton mattress, which is unfolded and laid out over our white matting.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Chrysantheme's pillow is a little wooden block, cut so as to fit exactly the nape of her neck, without disturbing the elaborate head-dress, which must never be taken down; the pretty black hair I shall probably never see undone.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Chrysantheme's pillow is a little wooden block, cut so as to fit exactly the nape of her neck, without disturbing the elaborate head-dress, which must never be taken down; the pretty black hair I shall probably never see undone.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading When night comes on, we light two hanging lamps of religious symbolism, which burn till daylight, before our gilded idol.
black
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From this reading Chrysantheme's pillow is a little wooden block, cut so as to fit exactly the nape of her neck, without disturbing the elaborate head-dress, which must never be taken down; the pretty black hair I shall probably never see undone.
block
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Chrysantheme's pillow is a little wooden block, cut so as to fit exactly the nape of her neck, without disturbing the elaborate head-dress, which must never be taken down; the pretty black hair I shall probably never see undone.
burnverbUS /bɜːrn/
To consume or be consumed by fire.
From this reading When night comes on, we light two hanging lamps of religious symbolism, which burn till daylight, before our gilded idol.
Chinese
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From this reading My pillow, a Chinese model, is a kind of little square drum covered over with serpent-skin.
Chrysantheme's
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From this reading Chrysantheme's pillow is a little wooden block, cut so as to fit exactly the nape of her neck, without disturbing the elaborate head-dress, which must never be taken down; the pretty black hair I shall probably never see undone.
comes
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From this reading When night comes on, we light two hanging lamps of religious symbolism, which burn till daylight, before our gilded idol.
cotton
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From this reading We sleep on the floor, on a thin cotton mattress, which is unfolded and laid out over our white matting.
covered
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From this reading My pillow, a Chinese model, is a kind of little square drum covered over with serpent-skin.
cut
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From this reading Chrysantheme's pillow is a little wooden block, cut so as to fit exactly the nape of her neck, without disturbing the elaborate head-dress, which must never be taken down; the pretty black hair I shall probably never see undone.
dark
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We sleep under a gauze mosquito-net of sombre greenish-blue, dark as the shades of night, stretched out on an orange-colored ribbon.
daylight
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From this reading When night comes on, we light two hanging lamps of religious symbolism, which burn till daylight, before our gilded idol.
disturbing
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From this reading Chrysantheme's pillow is a little wooden block, cut so as to fit exactly the nape of her neck, without disturbing the elaborate head-dress, which must never be taken down; the pretty black hair I shall probably never see undone.
down
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From this reading Chrysantheme's pillow is a little wooden block, cut so as to fit exactly the nape of her neck, without disturbing the elaborate head-dress, which must never be taken down; the pretty black hair I shall probably never see undone.
drum
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From this reading My pillow, a Chinese model, is a kind of little square drum covered over with serpent-skin.
elaborate
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From this reading Chrysantheme's pillow is a little wooden block, cut so as to fit exactly the nape of her neck, without disturbing the elaborate head-dress, which must never be taken down; the pretty black hair I shall probably never see undone.
exactly
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From this reading Chrysantheme's pillow is a little wooden block, cut so as to fit exactly the nape of her neck, without disturbing the elaborate head-dress, which must never be taken down; the pretty black hair I shall probably never see undone.
fit
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From this reading Chrysantheme's pillow is a little wooden block, cut so as to fit exactly the nape of her neck, without disturbing the elaborate head-dress, which must never be taken down; the pretty black hair I shall probably never see undone.
floor
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We sleep on the floor, on a thin cotton mattress, which is unfolded and laid out over our white matting.
gauze
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From this reading We sleep under a gauze mosquito-net of sombre greenish-blue, dark as the shades of night, stretched out on an orange-colored ribbon.
gilded
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From this reading When night comes on, we light two hanging lamps of religious symbolism, which burn till daylight, before our gilded idol.
greenish-blue
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From this reading We sleep under a gauze mosquito-net of sombre greenish-blue, dark as the shades of night, stretched out on an orange-colored ribbon.
hair
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From this reading Chrysantheme's pillow is a little wooden block, cut so as to fit exactly the nape of her neck, without disturbing the elaborate head-dress, which must never be taken down; the pretty black hair I shall probably never see undone.
hanging
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From this reading When night comes on, we light two hanging lamps of religious symbolism, which burn till daylight, before our gilded idol.
head-dress
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From this reading Chrysantheme's pillow is a little wooden block, cut so as to fit exactly the nape of her neck, without disturbing the elaborate head-dress, which must never be taken down; the pretty black hair I shall probably never see undone.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Chrysantheme's pillow is a little wooden block, cut so as to fit exactly the nape of her neck, without disturbing the elaborate head-dress, which must never be taken down; the pretty black hair I shall probably never see undone.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Chrysantheme's pillow is a little wooden block, cut so as to fit exactly the nape of her neck, without disturbing the elaborate head-dress, which must never be taken down; the pretty black hair I shall probably never see undone.
idol
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From this reading When night comes on, we light two hanging lamps of religious symbolism, which burn till daylight, before our gilded idol.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading We sleep on the floor, on a thin cotton mattress, which is unfolded and laid out over our white matting.
kind
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From this reading My pillow, a Chinese model, is a kind of little square drum covered over with serpent-skin.
laid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We sleep on the floor, on a thin cotton mattress, which is unfolded and laid out over our white matting.
lamps
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From this reading When night comes on, we light two hanging lamps of religious symbolism, which burn till daylight, before our gilded idol.
light
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From this reading When night comes on, we light two hanging lamps of religious symbolism, which burn till daylight, before our gilded idol.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Chrysantheme's pillow is a little wooden block, cut so as to fit exactly the nape of her neck, without disturbing the elaborate head-dress, which must never be taken down; the pretty black hair I shall probably never see undone.
matting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We sleep on the floor, on a thin cotton mattress, which is unfolded and laid out over our white matting.
mattress
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We sleep on the floor, on a thin cotton mattress, which is unfolded and laid out over our white matting.
model
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From this reading My pillow, a Chinese model, is a kind of little square drum covered over with serpent-skin.
mosquito-net
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From this reading We sleep under a gauze mosquito-net of sombre greenish-blue, dark as the shades of night, stretched out on an orange-colored ribbon.
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading Chrysantheme's pillow is a little wooden block, cut so as to fit exactly the nape of her neck, without disturbing the elaborate head-dress, which must never be taken down; the pretty black hair I shall probably never see undone.
MydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading My pillow, a Chinese model, is a kind of little square drum covered over with serpent-skin.
nape
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From this reading Chrysantheme's pillow is a little wooden block, cut so as to fit exactly the nape of her neck, without disturbing the elaborate head-dress, which must never be taken down; the pretty black hair I shall probably never see undone.
neck
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Chrysantheme's pillow is a little wooden block, cut so as to fit exactly the nape of her neck, without disturbing the elaborate head-dress, which must never be taken down; the pretty black hair I shall probably never see undone.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Chrysantheme's pillow is a little wooden block, cut so as to fit exactly the nape of her neck, without disturbing the elaborate head-dress, which must never be taken down; the pretty black hair I shall probably never see undone.
night
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From this reading When night comes on, we light two hanging lamps of religious symbolism, which burn till daylight, before our gilded idol.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading When night comes on, we light two hanging lamps of religious symbolism, which burn till daylight, before our gilded idol.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading When night comes on, we light two hanging lamps of religious symbolism, which burn till daylight, before our gilded idol.
orange-colored
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We sleep under a gauze mosquito-net of sombre greenish-blue, dark as the shades of night, stretched out on an orange-colored ribbon.
ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading When night comes on, we light two hanging lamps of religious symbolism, which burn till daylight, before our gilded idol.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We sleep on the floor, on a thin cotton mattress, which is unfolded and laid out over our white matting.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading We sleep on the floor, on a thin cotton mattress, which is unfolded and laid out over our white matting.
pillow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Chrysantheme's pillow is a little wooden block, cut so as to fit exactly the nape of her neck, without disturbing the elaborate head-dress, which must never be taken down; the pretty black hair I shall probably never see undone.
pretty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Chrysantheme's pillow is a little wooden block, cut so as to fit exactly the nape of her neck, without disturbing the elaborate head-dress, which must never be taken down; the pretty black hair I shall probably never see undone.
probably
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Chrysantheme's pillow is a little wooden block, cut so as to fit exactly the nape of her neck, without disturbing the elaborate head-dress, which must never be taken down; the pretty black hair I shall probably never see undone.
religious
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When night comes on, we light two hanging lamps of religious symbolism, which burn till daylight, before our gilded idol.
ribbon
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From this reading We sleep under a gauze mosquito-net of sombre greenish-blue, dark as the shades of night, stretched out on an orange-colored ribbon.
see
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From this reading Chrysantheme's pillow is a little wooden block, cut so as to fit exactly the nape of her neck, without disturbing the elaborate head-dress, which must never be taken down; the pretty black hair I shall probably never see undone.
serpent-skin
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My pillow, a Chinese model, is a kind of little square drum covered over with serpent-skin.
shades
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From this reading We sleep under a gauze mosquito-net of sombre greenish-blue, dark as the shades of night, stretched out on an orange-colored ribbon.
shallmodal verbUS /ʃæl/
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading Chrysantheme's pillow is a little wooden block, cut so as to fit exactly the nape of her neck, without disturbing the elaborate head-dress, which must never be taken down; the pretty black hair I shall probably never see undone.
sleep
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We sleep on the floor, on a thin cotton mattress, which is unfolded and laid out over our white matting.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Chrysantheme's pillow is a little wooden block, cut so as to fit exactly the nape of her neck, without disturbing the elaborate head-dress, which must never be taken down; the pretty black hair I shall probably never see undone.
sombre
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We sleep under a gauze mosquito-net of sombre greenish-blue, dark as the shades of night, stretched out on an orange-colored ribbon.
square
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My pillow, a Chinese model, is a kind of little square drum covered over with serpent-skin.
stretched
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We sleep under a gauze mosquito-net of sombre greenish-blue, dark as the shades of night, stretched out on an orange-colored ribbon.
symbolism
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When night comes on, we light two hanging lamps of religious symbolism, which burn till daylight, before our gilded idol.
taken
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Chrysantheme's pillow is a little wooden block, cut so as to fit exactly the nape of her neck, without disturbing the elaborate head-dress, which must never be taken down; the pretty black hair I shall probably never see undone.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading We sleep on the floor, on a thin cotton mattress, which is unfolded and laid out over our white matting.
thinadjectiveUS /θɪn/
Having little thickness or extent.
From this reading We sleep on the floor, on a thin cotton mattress, which is unfolded and laid out over our white matting.
tillprepositionUS /tɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading When night comes on, we light two hanging lamps of religious symbolism, which burn till daylight, before our gilded idol.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Chrysantheme's pillow is a little wooden block, cut so as to fit exactly the nape of her neck, without disturbing the elaborate head-dress, which must never be taken down; the pretty black hair I shall probably never see undone.
two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When night comes on, we light two hanging lamps of religious symbolism, which burn till daylight, before our gilded idol.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading We sleep under a gauze mosquito-net of sombre greenish-blue, dark as the shades of night, stretched out on an orange-colored ribbon.
undone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Chrysantheme's pillow is a little wooden block, cut so as to fit exactly the nape of her neck, without disturbing the elaborate head-dress, which must never be taken down; the pretty black hair I shall probably never see undone.
unfolded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We sleep on the floor, on a thin cotton mattress, which is unfolded and laid out over our white matting.
wepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading When night comes on, we light two hanging lamps of religious symbolism, which burn till daylight, before our gilded idol.
WhenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading When night comes on, we light two hanging lamps of religious symbolism, which burn till daylight, before our gilded idol.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading When night comes on, we light two hanging lamps of religious symbolism, which burn till daylight, before our gilded idol.
white
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We sleep on the floor, on a thin cotton mattress, which is unfolded and laid out over our white matting.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading My pillow, a Chinese model, is a kind of little square drum covered over with serpent-skin.
withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading Chrysantheme's pillow is a little wooden block, cut so as to fit exactly the nape of her neck, without disturbing the elaborate head-dress, which must never be taken down; the pretty black hair I shall probably never see undone.
wooden
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Chrysantheme's pillow is a little wooden block, cut so as to fit exactly the nape of her neck, without disturbing the elaborate head-dress, which must never be taken down; the pretty black hair I shall probably never see undone.
