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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 This was such a matter of course to them all that their thoughts were chiefly busied with what they should wear on the day of the ceremony.
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Late in the autumn all three girls were confirmed.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Magnhild, who had never yet had a garment cut out and made expressly for herself, wondered whether an outfit would now be prepared for her.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Magnhild, who had never yet had a garment cut out and made expressly for herself, wondered whether an outfit would now be prepared for her.
autumn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Late in the autumn all three girls were confirmed.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Magnhild, who had never yet had a garment cut out and made expressly for herself, wondered whether an outfit would now be prepared for her.
become
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No. The younger girls were furnished with new silk dresses; an old black dress that had become too tight for the priest's wife was made over for Magnhild.
black
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No. The younger girls were furnished with new silk dresses; an old black dress that had become too tight for the priest's wife was made over for Magnhild.
bothdeterminerUS /boʊθ/
the two together, not just one
From this reading It was too short both in the waist and in the skirt; but Magnhild scarcely noticed this.
busied
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was such a matter of course to them all that their thoughts were chiefly busied with what they should wear on the day of the ceremony.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading It was too short both in the waist and in the skirt; but Magnhild scarcely noticed this.
ceremony
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was such a matter of course to them all that their thoughts were chiefly busied with what they should wear on the day of the ceremony.
chiefly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was such a matter of course to them all that their thoughts were chiefly busied with what they should wear on the day of the ceremony.
confirmed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Late in the autumn all three girls were confirmed.
coursenounUS /course/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading This was such a matter of course to them all that their thoughts were chiefly busied with what they should wear on the day of the ceremony.
cut
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Magnhild, who had never yet had a garment cut out and made expressly for herself, wondered whether an outfit would now be prepared for her.
day
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was such a matter of course to them all that their thoughts were chiefly busied with what they should wear on the day of the ceremony.
dress
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No. The younger girls were furnished with new silk dresses; an old black dress that had become too tight for the priest's wife was made over for Magnhild.
dresses
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No. The younger girls were furnished with new silk dresses; an old black dress that had become too tight for the priest's wife was made over for Magnhild.
expressly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Magnhild, who had never yet had a garment cut out and made expressly for herself, wondered whether an outfit would now be prepared for her.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Magnhild, who had never yet had a garment cut out and made expressly for herself, wondered whether an outfit would now be prepared for her.
furnished
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No. The younger girls were furnished with new silk dresses; an old black dress that had become too tight for the priest's wife was made over for Magnhild.
garment
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Magnhild, who had never yet had a garment cut out and made expressly for herself, wondered whether an outfit would now be prepared for her.
girls
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Late in the autumn all three girls were confirmed.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Magnhild, who had never yet had a garment cut out and made expressly for herself, wondered whether an outfit would now be prepared for her.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Magnhild, who had never yet had a garment cut out and made expressly for herself, wondered whether an outfit would now be prepared for her.
herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading Magnhild, who had never yet had a garment cut out and made expressly for herself, wondered whether an outfit would now be prepared for her.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Late in the autumn all three girls were confirmed.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was too short both in the waist and in the skirt; but Magnhild scarcely noticed this.
Late
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Late in the autumn all three girls were confirmed.
made
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Magnhild, who had never yet had a garment cut out and made expressly for herself, wondered whether an outfit would now be prepared for her.
Magnhild
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Magnhild, who had never yet had a garment cut out and made expressly for herself, wondered whether an outfit would now be prepared for her.
matter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was such a matter of course to them all that their thoughts were chiefly busied with what they should wear on the day of the ceremony.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Magnhild, who had never yet had a garment cut out and made expressly for herself, wondered whether an outfit would now be prepared for her.
new
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No. The younger girls were furnished with new silk dresses; an old black dress that had become too tight for the priest's wife was made over for Magnhild.
NodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading No. The younger girls were furnished with new silk dresses; an old black dress that had become too tight for the priest's wife was made over for Magnhild.
noticed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was too short both in the waist and in the skirt; but Magnhild scarcely noticed this.
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Magnhild, who had never yet had a garment cut out and made expressly for herself, wondered whether an outfit would now be prepared for her.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading This was such a matter of course to them all that their thoughts were chiefly busied with what they should wear on the day of the ceremony.
old
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No. The younger girls were furnished with new silk dresses; an old black dress that had become too tight for the priest's wife was made over for Magnhild.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading This was such a matter of course to them all that their thoughts were chiefly busied with what they should wear on the day of the ceremony.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Magnhild, who had never yet had a garment cut out and made expressly for herself, wondered whether an outfit would now be prepared for her.
outfit
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Magnhild, who had never yet had a garment cut out and made expressly for herself, wondered whether an outfit would now be prepared for her.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading No. The younger girls were furnished with new silk dresses; an old black dress that had become too tight for the priest's wife was made over for Magnhild.
prepared
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Magnhild, who had never yet had a garment cut out and made expressly for herself, wondered whether an outfit would now be prepared for her.
priest's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No. The younger girls were furnished with new silk dresses; an old black dress that had become too tight for the priest's wife was made over for Magnhild.
scarcely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was too short both in the waist and in the skirt; but Magnhild scarcely noticed this.
shortadjectiveUS /ʃɔrt/
brief or direct in expression
From this reading It was too short both in the waist and in the skirt; but Magnhild scarcely noticed this.
shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading This was such a matter of course to them all that their thoughts were chiefly busied with what they should wear on the day of the ceremony.
silk
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No. The younger girls were furnished with new silk dresses; an old black dress that had become too tight for the priest's wife was made over for Magnhild.
skirt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was too short both in the waist and in the skirt; but Magnhild scarcely noticed this.
suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading This was such a matter of course to them all that their thoughts were chiefly busied with what they should wear on the day of the ceremony.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading This was such a matter of course to them all that their thoughts were chiefly busied with what they should wear on the day of the ceremony.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Late in the autumn all three girls were confirmed.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading This was such a matter of course to them all that their thoughts were chiefly busied with what they should wear on the day of the ceremony.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading This was such a matter of course to them all that their thoughts were chiefly busied with what they should wear on the day of the ceremony.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading This was such a matter of course to them all that their thoughts were chiefly busied with what they should wear on the day of the ceremony.
ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This was such a matter of course to them all that their thoughts were chiefly busied with what they should wear on the day of the ceremony.
thoughts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was such a matter of course to them all that their thoughts were chiefly busied with what they should wear on the day of the ceremony.
three
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Late in the autumn all three girls were confirmed.
tight
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No. The younger girls were furnished with new silk dresses; an old black dress that had become too tight for the priest's wife was made over for Magnhild.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading This was such a matter of course to them all that their thoughts were chiefly busied with what they should wear on the day of the ceremony.
too
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No. The younger girls were furnished with new silk dresses; an old black dress that had become too tight for the priest's wife was made over for Magnhild.
waist
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was too short both in the waist and in the skirt; but Magnhild scarcely noticed this.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading This was such a matter of course to them all that their thoughts were chiefly busied with what they should wear on the day of the ceremony.
wear
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was such a matter of course to them all that their thoughts were chiefly busied with what they should wear on the day of the ceremony.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Late in the autumn all three girls were confirmed.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading This was such a matter of course to them all that their thoughts were chiefly busied with what they should wear on the day of the ceremony.
whetherconjunctionUS /ˈweðər/
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading Magnhild, who had never yet had a garment cut out and made expressly for herself, wondered whether an outfit would now be prepared for her.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading Magnhild, who had never yet had a garment cut out and made expressly for herself, wondered whether an outfit would now be prepared for her.
wife
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No. The younger girls were furnished with new silk dresses; an old black dress that had become too tight for the priest's wife was made over for Magnhild.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading This was such a matter of course to them all that their thoughts were chiefly busied with what they should wear on the day of the ceremony.
wonderednounUS /wondered/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Magnhild, who had never yet had a garment cut out and made expressly for herself, wondered whether an outfit would now be prepared for her.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Magnhild, who had never yet had a garment cut out and made expressly for herself, wondered whether an outfit would now be prepared for her.
yetconjunctionUS /jet/
but in spite of that
From this reading Magnhild, who had never yet had a garment cut out and made expressly for herself, wondered whether an outfit would now be prepared for her.
younger
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No. The younger girls were furnished with new silk dresses; an old black dress that had become too tight for the priest's wife was made over for Magnhild.
