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ability
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I could have distanced all competitors even then,” he said, “if I had recognized Sam's ability and let him go ahead, merely keeping him from offending worthy persons.”
ahead
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I could have distanced all competitors even then,” he said, “if I had recognized Sam's ability and let him go ahead, merely keeping him from offending worthy persons.”
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I could have distanced all competitors even then,” he said, “if I had recognized Sam's ability and let him go ahead, merely keeping him from offending worthy persons.”
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “I could have distanced all competitors even then,” he said, “if I had recognized Sam's ability and let him go ahead, merely keeping him from offending worthy persons.”
anecdotes
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From this reading He promptly wrote two anecdotes which he thought humorous and sent them to the Philadelphia Saturday Evening Post.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He never would be, now.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Sam was subdued, but not done for.
competitors
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I could have distanced all competitors even then,” he said, “if I had recognized Sam's ability and let him go ahead, merely keeping him from offending worthy persons.”
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading “I could have distanced all competitors even then,” he said, “if I had recognized Sam's ability and let him go ahead, merely keeping him from offending worthy persons.”
distanced
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I could have distanced all competitors even then,” he said, “if I had recognized Sam's ability and let him go ahead, merely keeping him from offending worthy persons.”
donenounUS /done/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Sam was subdued, but not done for.
evennounUS /even/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “I could have distanced all competitors even then,” he said, “if I had recognized Sam's ability and let him go ahead, merely keeping him from offending worthy persons.”
Evening
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He promptly wrote two anecdotes which he thought humorous and sent them to the Philadelphia Saturday Evening Post.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He had got his first taste of print, and he liked it.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Sam was subdued, but not done for.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading “I could have distanced all competitors even then,” he said, “if I had recognized Sam's ability and let him go ahead, merely keeping him from offending worthy persons.”
go
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I could have distanced all competitors even then,” he said, “if I had recognized Sam's ability and let him go ahead, merely keeping him from offending worthy persons.”
got
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had got his first taste of print, and he liked it.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading “I could have distanced all competitors even then,” he said, “if I had recognized Sam's ability and let him go ahead, merely keeping him from offending worthy persons.”
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “I could have distanced all competitors even then,” he said, “if I had recognized Sam's ability and let him go ahead, merely keeping him from offending worthy persons.”
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “I could have distanced all competitors even then,” he said, “if I had recognized Sam's ability and let him go ahead, merely keeping him from offending worthy persons.”
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “I could have distanced all competitors even then,” he said, “if I had recognized Sam's ability and let him go ahead, merely keeping him from offending worthy persons.”
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He had got his first taste of print, and he liked it.
humorous
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He promptly wrote two anecdotes which he thought humorous and sent them to the Philadelphia Saturday Evening Post.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I could have distanced all competitors even then,” he said, “if I had recognized Sam's ability and let him go ahead, merely keeping him from offending worthy persons.”
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading “I could have distanced all competitors even then,” he said, “if I had recognized Sam's ability and let him go ahead, merely keeping him from offending worthy persons.”
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He had got his first taste of print, and he liked it.
keeping
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I could have distanced all competitors even then,” he said, “if I had recognized Sam's ability and let him go ahead, merely keeping him from offending worthy persons.”
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading “I could have distanced all competitors even then,” he said, “if I had recognized Sam's ability and let him go ahead, merely keeping him from offending worthy persons.”
liked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had got his first taste of print, and he liked it.
merely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I could have distanced all competitors even then,” he said, “if I had recognized Sam's ability and let him go ahead, merely keeping him from offending worthy persons.”
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He never would be, now.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Sam was subdued, but not done for.
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He never would be, now.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He had got his first taste of print, and he liked it.
offending
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I could have distanced all competitors even then,” he said, “if I had recognized Sam's ability and let him go ahead, merely keeping him from offending worthy persons.”
persons
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I could have distanced all competitors even then,” he said, “if I had recognized Sam's ability and let him go ahead, merely keeping him from offending worthy persons.”
Philadelphia
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He promptly wrote two anecdotes which he thought humorous and sent them to the Philadelphia Saturday Evening Post.
Post
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He promptly wrote two anecdotes which he thought humorous and sent them to the Philadelphia Saturday Evening Post.
print
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had got his first taste of print, and he liked it.
promptly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He promptly wrote two anecdotes which he thought humorous and sent them to the Philadelphia Saturday Evening Post.
recognized
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I could have distanced all competitors even then,” he said, “if I had recognized Sam's ability and let him go ahead, merely keeping him from offending worthy persons.”
said
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I could have distanced all competitors even then,” he said, “if I had recognized Sam's ability and let him go ahead, merely keeping him from offending worthy persons.”
Sam
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sam was subdued, but not done for.
Sam's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I could have distanced all competitors even then,” he said, “if I had recognized Sam's ability and let him go ahead, merely keeping him from offending worthy persons.”
Saturday
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He promptly wrote two anecdotes which he thought humorous and sent them to the Philadelphia Saturday Evening Post.
sent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He promptly wrote two anecdotes which he thought humorous and sent them to the Philadelphia Saturday Evening Post.
subdued
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sam was subdued, but not done for.
tasteverbUS /teɪst/
To perceive flavor through the mouth.
From this reading He had got his first taste of print, and he liked it.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He promptly wrote two anecdotes which he thought humorous and sent them to the Philadelphia Saturday Evening Post.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading He promptly wrote two anecdotes which he thought humorous and sent them to the Philadelphia Saturday Evening Post.
then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I could have distanced all competitors even then,” he said, “if I had recognized Sam's ability and let him go ahead, merely keeping him from offending worthy persons.”
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He promptly wrote two anecdotes which he thought humorous and sent them to the Philadelphia Saturday Evening Post.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He promptly wrote two anecdotes which he thought humorous and sent them to the Philadelphia Saturday Evening Post.
two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He promptly wrote two anecdotes which he thought humorous and sent them to the Philadelphia Saturday Evening Post.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Sam was subdued, but not done for.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He promptly wrote two anecdotes which he thought humorous and sent them to the Philadelphia Saturday Evening Post.
worthyadjectiveUS /ˈwɜːr.ði/
Having or showing the qualities or abilities that merit recognition in character or magic.
From this reading “I could have distanced all competitors even then,” he said, “if I had recognized Sam's ability and let him go ahead, merely keeping him from offending worthy persons.”
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading He never would be, now.
wrote
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He promptly wrote two anecdotes which he thought humorous and sent them to the Philadelphia Saturday Evening Post.