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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 SHE stood before a little old-fashioned twisted-legged toilet stand putting the finishing touches to her hair, looking, the while, into a queer little old-fashioned mirror which had been in the family ever since she could remember.
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “They do not wear overskirts at all,” said Renie, the younger sister, looking up from her book.
Almost
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From this reading Almost everything had been in their family a long while.
any
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From this reading “They do not wear overskirts like this any more,” she had said to her mother that morning, as she was looping it.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading “They do not wear overskirts like this any more,” she had said to her mother that morning, as she was looping it.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading “They do not wear overskirts at all,” said Renie, the younger sister, looking up from her book.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading SHE stood before a little old-fashioned twisted-legged toilet stand putting the finishing touches to her hair, looking, the while, into a queer little old-fashioned mirror which had been in the family ever since she could remember.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading SHE stood before a little old-fashioned twisted-legged toilet stand putting the finishing touches to her hair, looking, the while, into a queer little old-fashioned mirror which had been in the family ever since she could remember.
book
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “They do not wear overskirts at all,” said Renie, the younger sister, looking up from her book.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading SHE stood before a little old-fashioned twisted-legged toilet stand putting the finishing touches to her hair, looking, the while, into a queer little old-fashioned mirror which had been in the family ever since she could remember.
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading “They do not wear overskirts like this any more,” she had said to her mother that morning, as she was looping it.
dresses
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Especially, Marion sometimes thought, her dresses had.
Especially
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From this reading Especially, Marion sometimes thought, her dresses had.
evernounUS /ever/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading SHE stood before a little old-fashioned twisted-legged toilet stand putting the finishing touches to her hair, looking, the while, into a queer little old-fashioned mirror which had been in the family ever since she could remember.
everythingpronounUS /ˈevriθɪŋ/
all things; all of a situation
From this reading Almost everything had been in their family a long while.
family
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From this reading SHE stood before a little old-fashioned twisted-legged toilet stand putting the finishing touches to her hair, looking, the while, into a queer little old-fashioned mirror which had been in the family ever since she could remember.
finishing
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From this reading SHE stood before a little old-fashioned twisted-legged toilet stand putting the finishing touches to her hair, looking, the while, into a queer little old-fashioned mirror which had been in the family ever since she could remember.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading “They do not wear overskirts at all,” said Renie, the younger sister, looking up from her book.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading SHE stood before a little old-fashioned twisted-legged toilet stand putting the finishing touches to her hair, looking, the while, into a queer little old-fashioned mirror which had been in the family ever since she could remember.
hair
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading SHE stood before a little old-fashioned twisted-legged toilet stand putting the finishing touches to her hair, looking, the while, into a queer little old-fashioned mirror which had been in the family ever since she could remember.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading SHE stood before a little old-fashioned twisted-legged toilet stand putting the finishing touches to her hair, looking, the while, into a queer little old-fashioned mirror which had been in the family ever since she could remember.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading SHE stood before a little old-fashioned twisted-legged toilet stand putting the finishing touches to her hair, looking, the while, into a queer little old-fashioned mirror which had been in the family ever since she could remember.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading SHE stood before a little old-fashioned twisted-legged toilet stand putting the finishing touches to her hair, looking, the while, into a queer little old-fashioned mirror which had been in the family ever since she could remember.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “They do not wear overskirts like this any more,” she had said to her mother that morning, as she was looping it.
like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “They do not wear overskirts like this any more,” she had said to her mother that morning, as she was looping it.
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading SHE stood before a little old-fashioned twisted-legged toilet stand putting the finishing touches to her hair, looking, the while, into a queer little old-fashioned mirror which had been in the family ever since she could remember.
longnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Almost everything had been in their family a long while.
looking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading SHE stood before a little old-fashioned twisted-legged toilet stand putting the finishing touches to her hair, looking, the while, into a queer little old-fashioned mirror which had been in the family ever since she could remember.
looping
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “They do not wear overskirts like this any more,” she had said to her mother that morning, as she was looping it.
Marion
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From this reading Especially, Marion sometimes thought, her dresses had.
mirror
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading SHE stood before a little old-fashioned twisted-legged toilet stand putting the finishing touches to her hair, looking, the while, into a queer little old-fashioned mirror which had been in the family ever since she could remember.
more
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “They do not wear overskirts like this any more,” she had said to her mother that morning, as she was looping it.
morningnounUS /morning/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “They do not wear overskirts like this any more,” she had said to her mother that morning, as she was looping it.
mother
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “They do not wear overskirts like this any more,” she had said to her mother that morning, as she was looping it.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading “They do not wear overskirts like this any more,” she had said to her mother that morning, as she was looping it.
old-fashioned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading SHE stood before a little old-fashioned twisted-legged toilet stand putting the finishing touches to her hair, looking, the while, into a queer little old-fashioned mirror which had been in the family ever since she could remember.
overskirts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “They do not wear overskirts like this any more,” she had said to her mother that morning, as she was looping it.
putting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading SHE stood before a little old-fashioned twisted-legged toilet stand putting the finishing touches to her hair, looking, the while, into a queer little old-fashioned mirror which had been in the family ever since she could remember.
queer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading SHE stood before a little old-fashioned twisted-legged toilet stand putting the finishing touches to her hair, looking, the while, into a queer little old-fashioned mirror which had been in the family ever since she could remember.
rememberverbUS /rɪˈmɛm.bər/
To recall to mind.
From this reading SHE stood before a little old-fashioned twisted-legged toilet stand putting the finishing touches to her hair, looking, the while, into a queer little old-fashioned mirror which had been in the family ever since she could remember.
Renie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “They do not wear overskirts at all,” said Renie, the younger sister, looking up from her book.
said
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “They do not wear overskirts like this any more,” she had said to her mother that morning, as she was looping it.
SHEpronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading SHE stood before a little old-fashioned twisted-legged toilet stand putting the finishing touches to her hair, looking, the while, into a queer little old-fashioned mirror which had been in the family ever since she could remember.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading SHE stood before a little old-fashioned twisted-legged toilet stand putting the finishing touches to her hair, looking, the while, into a queer little old-fashioned mirror which had been in the family ever since she could remember.
sister
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “They do not wear overskirts at all,” said Renie, the younger sister, looking up from her book.
sometimes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Especially, Marion sometimes thought, her dresses had.
stand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading SHE stood before a little old-fashioned twisted-legged toilet stand putting the finishing touches to her hair, looking, the while, into a queer little old-fashioned mirror which had been in the family ever since she could remember.
stoodnounUS /stood/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading SHE stood before a little old-fashioned twisted-legged toilet stand putting the finishing touches to her hair, looking, the while, into a queer little old-fashioned mirror which had been in the family ever since she could remember.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “They do not wear overskirts like this any more,” she had said to her mother that morning, as she was looping it.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading SHE stood before a little old-fashioned twisted-legged toilet stand putting the finishing touches to her hair, looking, the while, into a queer little old-fashioned mirror which had been in the family ever since she could remember.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Almost everything had been in their family a long while.
TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “They do not wear overskirts like this any more,” she had said to her mother that morning, as she was looping it.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “They do not wear overskirts like this any more,” she had said to her mother that morning, as she was looping it.
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Especially, Marion sometimes thought, her dresses had.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading SHE stood before a little old-fashioned twisted-legged toilet stand putting the finishing touches to her hair, looking, the while, into a queer little old-fashioned mirror which had been in the family ever since she could remember.
toilet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading SHE stood before a little old-fashioned twisted-legged toilet stand putting the finishing touches to her hair, looking, the while, into a queer little old-fashioned mirror which had been in the family ever since she could remember.
touches
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading SHE stood before a little old-fashioned twisted-legged toilet stand putting the finishing touches to her hair, looking, the while, into a queer little old-fashioned mirror which had been in the family ever since she could remember.
twisted-legged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading SHE stood before a little old-fashioned twisted-legged toilet stand putting the finishing touches to her hair, looking, the while, into a queer little old-fashioned mirror which had been in the family ever since she could remember.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “They do not wear overskirts at all,” said Renie, the younger sister, looking up from her book.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “They do not wear overskirts like this any more,” she had said to her mother that morning, as she was looping it.
wear
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “They do not wear overskirts like this any more,” she had said to her mother that morning, as she was looping it.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading SHE stood before a little old-fashioned twisted-legged toilet stand putting the finishing touches to her hair, looking, the while, into a queer little old-fashioned mirror which had been in the family ever since she could remember.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading SHE stood before a little old-fashioned twisted-legged toilet stand putting the finishing touches to her hair, looking, the while, into a queer little old-fashioned mirror which had been in the family ever since she could remember.
younger
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “They do not wear overskirts at all,” said Renie, the younger sister, looking up from her book.
