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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 It had never been painted, it was shedding its flapping gray shingles like gray scales, the roof sagged in a mossy hollow before the chimney, the windows and doors were awry, and the whole house was full of undulations and wavering lines, which gave it a curiously unreal look in broad daylight.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Sylvia Crane's house was the one in which her grandmother had been born, and was the oldest house in the village.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It was known as the "old Crane place."
away
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From this reading As Sylvia and Charlotte came to the front door it seemed as if they might fairly walk through it as through a gray shadow; but Sylvia stooped, and her shoulders strained with seemingly incongruous force, as if she were spending it to roll away a shadow.
awry
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From this reading It had never been painted, it was shedding its flapping gray shingles like gray scales, the roof sagged in a mossy hollow before the chimney, the windows and doors were awry, and the whole house was full of undulations and wavering lines, which gave it a curiously unreal look in broad daylight.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Sylvia Crane's house was the one in which her grandmother had been born, and was the oldest house in the village.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading It had never been painted, it was shedding its flapping gray shingles like gray scales, the roof sagged in a mossy hollow before the chimney, the windows and doors were awry, and the whole house was full of undulations and wavering lines, which gave it a curiously unreal look in broad daylight.
bornnounUS /born/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Sylvia Crane's house was the one in which her grandmother had been born, and was the oldest house in the village.
broad
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From this reading It had never been painted, it was shedding its flapping gray shingles like gray scales, the roof sagged in a mossy hollow before the chimney, the windows and doors were awry, and the whole house was full of undulations and wavering lines, which gave it a curiously unreal look in broad daylight.
built
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From this reading In the moonlight it was the shadowy edifice built of a dream.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading As Sylvia and Charlotte came to the front door it seemed as if they might fairly walk through it as through a gray shadow; but Sylvia stooped, and her shoulders strained with seemingly incongruous force, as if she were spending it to roll away a shadow.
came
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From this reading As Sylvia and Charlotte came to the front door it seemed as if they might fairly walk through it as through a gray shadow; but Sylvia stooped, and her shoulders strained with seemingly incongruous force, as if she were spending it to roll away a shadow.
Charlotte
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From this reading As Sylvia and Charlotte came to the front door it seemed as if they might fairly walk through it as through a gray shadow; but Sylvia stooped, and her shoulders strained with seemingly incongruous force, as if she were spending it to roll away a shadow.
chimney
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From this reading It had never been painted, it was shedding its flapping gray shingles like gray scales, the roof sagged in a mossy hollow before the chimney, the windows and doors were awry, and the whole house was full of undulations and wavering lines, which gave it a curiously unreal look in broad daylight.
Crane
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From this reading It was known as the "old Crane place."
Crane's
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From this reading Sylvia Crane's house was the one in which her grandmother had been born, and was the oldest house in the village.
curiously
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From this reading It had never been painted, it was shedding its flapping gray shingles like gray scales, the roof sagged in a mossy hollow before the chimney, the windows and doors were awry, and the whole house was full of undulations and wavering lines, which gave it a curiously unreal look in broad daylight.
daylight
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It had never been painted, it was shedding its flapping gray shingles like gray scales, the roof sagged in a mossy hollow before the chimney, the windows and doors were awry, and the whole house was full of undulations and wavering lines, which gave it a curiously unreal look in broad daylight.
door
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From this reading As Sylvia and Charlotte came to the front door it seemed as if they might fairly walk through it as through a gray shadow; but Sylvia stooped, and her shoulders strained with seemingly incongruous force, as if she were spending it to roll away a shadow.
doors
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From this reading It had never been painted, it was shedding its flapping gray shingles like gray scales, the roof sagged in a mossy hollow before the chimney, the windows and doors were awry, and the whole house was full of undulations and wavering lines, which gave it a curiously unreal look in broad daylight.
dreamnounUS /driːm/
A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.
From this reading In the moonlight it was the shadowy edifice built of a dream.
edifice
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From this reading In the moonlight it was the shadowy edifice built of a dream.
fairly
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From this reading As Sylvia and Charlotte came to the front door it seemed as if they might fairly walk through it as through a gray shadow; but Sylvia stooped, and her shoulders strained with seemingly incongruous force, as if she were spending it to roll away a shadow.
flapping
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From this reading It had never been painted, it was shedding its flapping gray shingles like gray scales, the roof sagged in a mossy hollow before the chimney, the windows and doors were awry, and the whole house was full of undulations and wavering lines, which gave it a curiously unreal look in broad daylight.
force
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As Sylvia and Charlotte came to the front door it seemed as if they might fairly walk through it as through a gray shadow; but Sylvia stooped, and her shoulders strained with seemingly incongruous force, as if she were spending it to roll away a shadow.
front
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From this reading As Sylvia and Charlotte came to the front door it seemed as if they might fairly walk through it as through a gray shadow; but Sylvia stooped, and her shoulders strained with seemingly incongruous force, as if she were spending it to roll away a shadow.
full
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From this reading It had never been painted, it was shedding its flapping gray shingles like gray scales, the roof sagged in a mossy hollow before the chimney, the windows and doors were awry, and the whole house was full of undulations and wavering lines, which gave it a curiously unreal look in broad daylight.
gave
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From this reading It had never been painted, it was shedding its flapping gray shingles like gray scales, the roof sagged in a mossy hollow before the chimney, the windows and doors were awry, and the whole house was full of undulations and wavering lines, which gave it a curiously unreal look in broad daylight.
grandmother
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sylvia Crane's house was the one in which her grandmother had been born, and was the oldest house in the village.
gray
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It had never been painted, it was shedding its flapping gray shingles like gray scales, the roof sagged in a mossy hollow before the chimney, the windows and doors were awry, and the whole house was full of undulations and wavering lines, which gave it a curiously unreal look in broad daylight.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Sylvia Crane's house was the one in which her grandmother had been born, and was the oldest house in the village.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Sylvia Crane's house was the one in which her grandmother had been born, and was the oldest house in the village.
hollow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It had never been painted, it was shedding its flapping gray shingles like gray scales, the roof sagged in a mossy hollow before the chimney, the windows and doors were awry, and the whole house was full of undulations and wavering lines, which gave it a curiously unreal look in broad daylight.
house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sylvia Crane's house was the one in which her grandmother had been born, and was the oldest house in the village.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading As Sylvia and Charlotte came to the front door it seemed as if they might fairly walk through it as through a gray shadow; but Sylvia stooped, and her shoulders strained with seemingly incongruous force, as if she were spending it to roll away a shadow.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Sylvia Crane's house was the one in which her grandmother had been born, and was the oldest house in the village.
incongruous
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From this reading As Sylvia and Charlotte came to the front door it seemed as if they might fairly walk through it as through a gray shadow; but Sylvia stooped, and her shoulders strained with seemingly incongruous force, as if she were spending it to roll away a shadow.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was known as the "old Crane place."
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading It had never been painted, it was shedding its flapping gray shingles like gray scales, the roof sagged in a mossy hollow before the chimney, the windows and doors were awry, and the whole house was full of undulations and wavering lines, which gave it a curiously unreal look in broad daylight.
known
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From this reading It was known as the "old Crane place."
like
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From this reading It had never been painted, it was shedding its flapping gray shingles like gray scales, the roof sagged in a mossy hollow before the chimney, the windows and doors were awry, and the whole house was full of undulations and wavering lines, which gave it a curiously unreal look in broad daylight.
lines
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It had never been painted, it was shedding its flapping gray shingles like gray scales, the roof sagged in a mossy hollow before the chimney, the windows and doors were awry, and the whole house was full of undulations and wavering lines, which gave it a curiously unreal look in broad daylight.
looknounUS /look/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It had never been painted, it was shedding its flapping gray shingles like gray scales, the roof sagged in a mossy hollow before the chimney, the windows and doors were awry, and the whole house was full of undulations and wavering lines, which gave it a curiously unreal look in broad daylight.
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading As Sylvia and Charlotte came to the front door it seemed as if they might fairly walk through it as through a gray shadow; but Sylvia stooped, and her shoulders strained with seemingly incongruous force, as if she were spending it to roll away a shadow.
moonlight
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the moonlight it was the shadowy edifice built of a dream.
mossy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It had never been painted, it was shedding its flapping gray shingles like gray scales, the roof sagged in a mossy hollow before the chimney, the windows and doors were awry, and the whole house was full of undulations and wavering lines, which gave it a curiously unreal look in broad daylight.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It had never been painted, it was shedding its flapping gray shingles like gray scales, the roof sagged in a mossy hollow before the chimney, the windows and doors were awry, and the whole house was full of undulations and wavering lines, which gave it a curiously unreal look in broad daylight.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It had never been painted, it was shedding its flapping gray shingles like gray scales, the roof sagged in a mossy hollow before the chimney, the windows and doors were awry, and the whole house was full of undulations and wavering lines, which gave it a curiously unreal look in broad daylight.
old
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was known as the "old Crane place."
oldest
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From this reading Sylvia Crane's house was the one in which her grandmother had been born, and was the oldest house in the village.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Sylvia Crane's house was the one in which her grandmother had been born, and was the oldest house in the village.
painted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It had never been painted, it was shedding its flapping gray shingles like gray scales, the roof sagged in a mossy hollow before the chimney, the windows and doors were awry, and the whole house was full of undulations and wavering lines, which gave it a curiously unreal look in broad daylight.
place
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was known as the "old Crane place."
roll
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From this reading As Sylvia and Charlotte came to the front door it seemed as if they might fairly walk through it as through a gray shadow; but Sylvia stooped, and her shoulders strained with seemingly incongruous force, as if she were spending it to roll away a shadow.
roof
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It had never been painted, it was shedding its flapping gray shingles like gray scales, the roof sagged in a mossy hollow before the chimney, the windows and doors were awry, and the whole house was full of undulations and wavering lines, which gave it a curiously unreal look in broad daylight.
sagged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It had never been painted, it was shedding its flapping gray shingles like gray scales, the roof sagged in a mossy hollow before the chimney, the windows and doors were awry, and the whole house was full of undulations and wavering lines, which gave it a curiously unreal look in broad daylight.
scales
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It had never been painted, it was shedding its flapping gray shingles like gray scales, the roof sagged in a mossy hollow before the chimney, the windows and doors were awry, and the whole house was full of undulations and wavering lines, which gave it a curiously unreal look in broad daylight.
seemednounUS /seemed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading As Sylvia and Charlotte came to the front door it seemed as if they might fairly walk through it as through a gray shadow; but Sylvia stooped, and her shoulders strained with seemingly incongruous force, as if she were spending it to roll away a shadow.
seemingly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As Sylvia and Charlotte came to the front door it seemed as if they might fairly walk through it as through a gray shadow; but Sylvia stooped, and her shoulders strained with seemingly incongruous force, as if she were spending it to roll away a shadow.
shadownounUS /ˈʃæd.oʊ/
A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
From this reading As Sylvia and Charlotte came to the front door it seemed as if they might fairly walk through it as through a gray shadow; but Sylvia stooped, and her shoulders strained with seemingly incongruous force, as if she were spending it to roll away a shadow.
shadowy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the moonlight it was the shadowy edifice built of a dream.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading As Sylvia and Charlotte came to the front door it seemed as if they might fairly walk through it as through a gray shadow; but Sylvia stooped, and her shoulders strained with seemingly incongruous force, as if she were spending it to roll away a shadow.
shedding
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It had never been painted, it was shedding its flapping gray shingles like gray scales, the roof sagged in a mossy hollow before the chimney, the windows and doors were awry, and the whole house was full of undulations and wavering lines, which gave it a curiously unreal look in broad daylight.
shingles
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It had never been painted, it was shedding its flapping gray shingles like gray scales, the roof sagged in a mossy hollow before the chimney, the windows and doors were awry, and the whole house was full of undulations and wavering lines, which gave it a curiously unreal look in broad daylight.
shoulders
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As Sylvia and Charlotte came to the front door it seemed as if they might fairly walk through it as through a gray shadow; but Sylvia stooped, and her shoulders strained with seemingly incongruous force, as if she were spending it to roll away a shadow.
spendingnounUS /ˈspending/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading As Sylvia and Charlotte came to the front door it seemed as if they might fairly walk through it as through a gray shadow; but Sylvia stooped, and her shoulders strained with seemingly incongruous force, as if she were spending it to roll away a shadow.
stooped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As Sylvia and Charlotte came to the front door it seemed as if they might fairly walk through it as through a gray shadow; but Sylvia stooped, and her shoulders strained with seemingly incongruous force, as if she were spending it to roll away a shadow.
strained
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As Sylvia and Charlotte came to the front door it seemed as if they might fairly walk through it as through a gray shadow; but Sylvia stooped, and her shoulders strained with seemingly incongruous force, as if she were spending it to roll away a shadow.
Sylvia
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sylvia Crane's house was the one in which her grandmother had been born, and was the oldest house in the village.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Sylvia Crane's house was the one in which her grandmother had been born, and was the oldest house in the village.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading As Sylvia and Charlotte came to the front door it seemed as if they might fairly walk through it as through a gray shadow; but Sylvia stooped, and her shoulders strained with seemingly incongruous force, as if she were spending it to roll away a shadow.
throughnounUS /ˈthrough/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading As Sylvia and Charlotte came to the front door it seemed as if they might fairly walk through it as through a gray shadow; but Sylvia stooped, and her shoulders strained with seemingly incongruous force, as if she were spending it to roll away a shadow.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading As Sylvia and Charlotte came to the front door it seemed as if they might fairly walk through it as through a gray shadow; but Sylvia stooped, and her shoulders strained with seemingly incongruous force, as if she were spending it to roll away a shadow.
undulations
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It had never been painted, it was shedding its flapping gray shingles like gray scales, the roof sagged in a mossy hollow before the chimney, the windows and doors were awry, and the whole house was full of undulations and wavering lines, which gave it a curiously unreal look in broad daylight.
unreal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It had never been painted, it was shedding its flapping gray shingles like gray scales, the roof sagged in a mossy hollow before the chimney, the windows and doors were awry, and the whole house was full of undulations and wavering lines, which gave it a curiously unreal look in broad daylight.
village
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sylvia Crane's house was the one in which her grandmother had been born, and was the oldest house in the village.
walk
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As Sylvia and Charlotte came to the front door it seemed as if they might fairly walk through it as through a gray shadow; but Sylvia stooped, and her shoulders strained with seemingly incongruous force, as if she were spending it to roll away a shadow.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Sylvia Crane's house was the one in which her grandmother had been born, and was the oldest house in the village.
wavering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It had never been painted, it was shedding its flapping gray shingles like gray scales, the roof sagged in a mossy hollow before the chimney, the windows and doors were awry, and the whole house was full of undulations and wavering lines, which gave it a curiously unreal look in broad daylight.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading It had never been painted, it was shedding its flapping gray shingles like gray scales, the roof sagged in a mossy hollow before the chimney, the windows and doors were awry, and the whole house was full of undulations and wavering lines, which gave it a curiously unreal look in broad daylight.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Sylvia Crane's house was the one in which her grandmother had been born, and was the oldest house in the village.
whole
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It had never been painted, it was shedding its flapping gray shingles like gray scales, the roof sagged in a mossy hollow before the chimney, the windows and doors were awry, and the whole house was full of undulations and wavering lines, which gave it a curiously unreal look in broad daylight.
windows
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It had never been painted, it was shedding its flapping gray shingles like gray scales, the roof sagged in a mossy hollow before the chimney, the windows and doors were awry, and the whole house was full of undulations and wavering lines, which gave it a curiously unreal look in broad daylight.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading As Sylvia and Charlotte came to the front door it seemed as if they might fairly walk through it as through a gray shadow; but Sylvia stooped, and her shoulders strained with seemingly incongruous force, as if she were spending it to roll away a shadow.
