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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 On the Sunday following the one of Barnabas Thayer's call Sylvia Crane appeared at meeting in a black lace veil like a Spanish senorita.
Alger
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From this reading Richard Alger glanced furtively at the pale face shrinking austerely behind the net-work of black silk leaves and flowers, and wondered at some change which he felt but could not fathom.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The heavily wrought black lace fell over her face, and people could get only shifting glimpses of her delicate features behind it.
appeared
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From this reading On the Sunday following the one of Barnabas Thayer's call Sylvia Crane appeared at meeting in a black lace veil like a Spanish senorita.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading On the Sunday following the one of Barnabas Thayer's call Sylvia Crane appeared at meeting in a black lace veil like a Spanish senorita.
austerely
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From this reading Richard Alger glanced furtively at the pale face shrinking austerely behind the net-work of black silk leaves and flowers, and wondered at some change which he felt but could not fathom.
bandbox
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From this reading And Richard Alger, had he known, could never have fathomed the purely feminine motive compounded of pride and shame which led his old sweetheart to unearth from the depths of a bandbox her mother's worked-lace veil, and tie its narrow black drawing-string with trembling fingers over her own bonnet.
Barnabas
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From this reading On the Sunday following the one of Barnabas Thayer's call Sylvia Crane appeared at meeting in a black lace veil like a Spanish senorita.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading He scarcely knew that she had never worn the veil before.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading The heavily wrought black lace fell over her face, and people could get only shifting glimpses of her delicate features behind it.
black
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On the Sunday following the one of Barnabas Thayer's call Sylvia Crane appeared at meeting in a black lace veil like a Spanish senorita.
bonnet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And Richard Alger, had he known, could never have fathomed the purely feminine motive compounded of pride and shame which led his old sweetheart to unearth from the depths of a bandbox her mother's worked-lace veil, and tie its narrow black drawing-string with trembling fingers over her own bonnet.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Richard Alger glanced furtively at the pale face shrinking austerely behind the net-work of black silk leaves and flowers, and wondered at some change which he felt but could not fathom.
call
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From this reading On the Sunday following the one of Barnabas Thayer's call Sylvia Crane appeared at meeting in a black lace veil like a Spanish senorita.
change
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From this reading Richard Alger glanced furtively at the pale face shrinking austerely behind the net-work of black silk leaves and flowers, and wondered at some change which he felt but could not fathom.
compounded
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From this reading And Richard Alger, had he known, could never have fathomed the purely feminine motive compounded of pride and shame which led his old sweetheart to unearth from the depths of a bandbox her mother's worked-lace veil, and tie its narrow black drawing-string with trembling fingers over her own bonnet.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The heavily wrought black lace fell over her face, and people could get only shifting glimpses of her delicate features behind it.
Crane
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From this reading On the Sunday following the one of Barnabas Thayer's call Sylvia Crane appeared at meeting in a black lace veil like a Spanish senorita.
delicate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The heavily wrought black lace fell over her face, and people could get only shifting glimpses of her delicate features behind it.
depths
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From this reading And Richard Alger, had he known, could never have fathomed the purely feminine motive compounded of pride and shame which led his old sweetheart to unearth from the depths of a bandbox her mother's worked-lace veil, and tie its narrow black drawing-string with trembling fingers over her own bonnet.
drawing-string
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And Richard Alger, had he known, could never have fathomed the purely feminine motive compounded of pride and shame which led his old sweetheart to unearth from the depths of a bandbox her mother's worked-lace veil, and tie its narrow black drawing-string with trembling fingers over her own bonnet.
face
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The heavily wrought black lace fell over her face, and people could get only shifting glimpses of her delicate features behind it.
fathom
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Richard Alger glanced furtively at the pale face shrinking austerely behind the net-work of black silk leaves and flowers, and wondered at some change which he felt but could not fathom.
fathomed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And Richard Alger, had he known, could never have fathomed the purely feminine motive compounded of pride and shame which led his old sweetheart to unearth from the depths of a bandbox her mother's worked-lace veil, and tie its narrow black drawing-string with trembling fingers over her own bonnet.
features
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The heavily wrought black lace fell over her face, and people could get only shifting glimpses of her delicate features behind it.
fell
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The heavily wrought black lace fell over her face, and people could get only shifting glimpses of her delicate features behind it.
felt
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From this reading Richard Alger glanced furtively at the pale face shrinking austerely behind the net-work of black silk leaves and flowers, and wondered at some change which he felt but could not fathom.
feminine
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From this reading And Richard Alger, had he known, could never have fathomed the purely feminine motive compounded of pride and shame which led his old sweetheart to unearth from the depths of a bandbox her mother's worked-lace veil, and tie its narrow black drawing-string with trembling fingers over her own bonnet.
fingers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And Richard Alger, had he known, could never have fathomed the purely feminine motive compounded of pride and shame which led his old sweetheart to unearth from the depths of a bandbox her mother's worked-lace veil, and tie its narrow black drawing-string with trembling fingers over her own bonnet.
flowers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Richard Alger glanced furtively at the pale face shrinking austerely behind the net-work of black silk leaves and flowers, and wondered at some change which he felt but could not fathom.
following
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On the Sunday following the one of Barnabas Thayer's call Sylvia Crane appeared at meeting in a black lace veil like a Spanish senorita.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading And Richard Alger, had he known, could never have fathomed the purely feminine motive compounded of pride and shame which led his old sweetheart to unearth from the depths of a bandbox her mother's worked-lace veil, and tie its narrow black drawing-string with trembling fingers over her own bonnet.
furtively
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Richard Alger glanced furtively at the pale face shrinking austerely behind the net-work of black silk leaves and flowers, and wondered at some change which he felt but could not fathom.
get
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The heavily wrought black lace fell over her face, and people could get only shifting glimpses of her delicate features behind it.
glanced
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From this reading Richard Alger glanced furtively at the pale face shrinking austerely behind the net-work of black silk leaves and flowers, and wondered at some change which he felt but could not fathom.
glimpses
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The heavily wrought black lace fell over her face, and people could get only shifting glimpses of her delicate features behind it.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He scarcely knew that she had never worn the veil before.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading And Richard Alger, had he known, could never have fathomed the purely feminine motive compounded of pride and shame which led his old sweetheart to unearth from the depths of a bandbox her mother's worked-lace veil, and tie its narrow black drawing-string with trembling fingers over her own bonnet.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Richard Alger glanced furtively at the pale face shrinking austerely behind the net-work of black silk leaves and flowers, and wondered at some change which he felt but could not fathom.
heavily
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The heavily wrought black lace fell over her face, and people could get only shifting glimpses of her delicate features behind it.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The heavily wrought black lace fell over her face, and people could get only shifting glimpses of her delicate features behind it.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading And Richard Alger, had he known, could never have fathomed the purely feminine motive compounded of pride and shame which led his old sweetheart to unearth from the depths of a bandbox her mother's worked-lace veil, and tie its narrow black drawing-string with trembling fingers over her own bonnet.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading On the Sunday following the one of Barnabas Thayer's call Sylvia Crane appeared at meeting in a black lace veil like a Spanish senorita.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The heavily wrought black lace fell over her face, and people could get only shifting glimpses of her delicate features behind it.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading And Richard Alger, had he known, could never have fathomed the purely feminine motive compounded of pride and shame which led his old sweetheart to unearth from the depths of a bandbox her mother's worked-lace veil, and tie its narrow black drawing-string with trembling fingers over her own bonnet.
knew
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He scarcely knew that she had never worn the veil before.
known
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And Richard Alger, had he known, could never have fathomed the purely feminine motive compounded of pride and shame which led his old sweetheart to unearth from the depths of a bandbox her mother's worked-lace veil, and tie its narrow black drawing-string with trembling fingers over her own bonnet.
lace
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On the Sunday following the one of Barnabas Thayer's call Sylvia Crane appeared at meeting in a black lace veil like a Spanish senorita.
leaves
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Richard Alger glanced furtively at the pale face shrinking austerely behind the net-work of black silk leaves and flowers, and wondered at some change which he felt but could not fathom.
led
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And Richard Alger, had he known, could never have fathomed the purely feminine motive compounded of pride and shame which led his old sweetheart to unearth from the depths of a bandbox her mother's worked-lace veil, and tie its narrow black drawing-string with trembling fingers over her own bonnet.
like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On the Sunday following the one of Barnabas Thayer's call Sylvia Crane appeared at meeting in a black lace veil like a Spanish senorita.
meeting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On the Sunday following the one of Barnabas Thayer's call Sylvia Crane appeared at meeting in a black lace veil like a Spanish senorita.
mother's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And Richard Alger, had he known, could never have fathomed the purely feminine motive compounded of pride and shame which led his old sweetheart to unearth from the depths of a bandbox her mother's worked-lace veil, and tie its narrow black drawing-string with trembling fingers over her own bonnet.
motive
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And Richard Alger, had he known, could never have fathomed the purely feminine motive compounded of pride and shame which led his old sweetheart to unearth from the depths of a bandbox her mother's worked-lace veil, and tie its narrow black drawing-string with trembling fingers over her own bonnet.
narrow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And Richard Alger, had he known, could never have fathomed the purely feminine motive compounded of pride and shame which led his old sweetheart to unearth from the depths of a bandbox her mother's worked-lace veil, and tie its narrow black drawing-string with trembling fingers over her own bonnet.
net-work
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Richard Alger glanced furtively at the pale face shrinking austerely behind the net-work of black silk leaves and flowers, and wondered at some change which he felt but could not fathom.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He scarcely knew that she had never worn the veil before.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Richard Alger glanced furtively at the pale face shrinking austerely behind the net-work of black silk leaves and flowers, and wondered at some change which he felt but could not fathom.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading On the Sunday following the one of Barnabas Thayer's call Sylvia Crane appeared at meeting in a black lace veil like a Spanish senorita.
old
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And Richard Alger, had he known, could never have fathomed the purely feminine motive compounded of pride and shame which led his old sweetheart to unearth from the depths of a bandbox her mother's worked-lace veil, and tie its narrow black drawing-string with trembling fingers over her own bonnet.
OnprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading On the Sunday following the one of Barnabas Thayer's call Sylvia Crane appeared at meeting in a black lace veil like a Spanish senorita.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading On the Sunday following the one of Barnabas Thayer's call Sylvia Crane appeared at meeting in a black lace veil like a Spanish senorita.
only
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The heavily wrought black lace fell over her face, and people could get only shifting glimpses of her delicate features behind it.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The heavily wrought black lace fell over her face, and people could get only shifting glimpses of her delicate features behind it.
own
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And Richard Alger, had he known, could never have fathomed the purely feminine motive compounded of pride and shame which led his old sweetheart to unearth from the depths of a bandbox her mother's worked-lace veil, and tie its narrow black drawing-string with trembling fingers over her own bonnet.
pale
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Richard Alger glanced furtively at the pale face shrinking austerely behind the net-work of black silk leaves and flowers, and wondered at some change which he felt but could not fathom.
people
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The heavily wrought black lace fell over her face, and people could get only shifting glimpses of her delicate features behind it.
pride
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And Richard Alger, had he known, could never have fathomed the purely feminine motive compounded of pride and shame which led his old sweetheart to unearth from the depths of a bandbox her mother's worked-lace veil, and tie its narrow black drawing-string with trembling fingers over her own bonnet.
purely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And Richard Alger, had he known, could never have fathomed the purely feminine motive compounded of pride and shame which led his old sweetheart to unearth from the depths of a bandbox her mother's worked-lace veil, and tie its narrow black drawing-string with trembling fingers over her own bonnet.
Richard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Richard Alger glanced furtively at the pale face shrinking austerely behind the net-work of black silk leaves and flowers, and wondered at some change which he felt but could not fathom.
scarcely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He scarcely knew that she had never worn the veil before.
senorita
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On the Sunday following the one of Barnabas Thayer's call Sylvia Crane appeared at meeting in a black lace veil like a Spanish senorita.
shame
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And Richard Alger, had he known, could never have fathomed the purely feminine motive compounded of pride and shame which led his old sweetheart to unearth from the depths of a bandbox her mother's worked-lace veil, and tie its narrow black drawing-string with trembling fingers over her own bonnet.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He scarcely knew that she had never worn the veil before.
shifting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The heavily wrought black lace fell over her face, and people could get only shifting glimpses of her delicate features behind it.
shrinking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Richard Alger glanced furtively at the pale face shrinking austerely behind the net-work of black silk leaves and flowers, and wondered at some change which he felt but could not fathom.
silk
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Richard Alger glanced furtively at the pale face shrinking austerely behind the net-work of black silk leaves and flowers, and wondered at some change which he felt but could not fathom.
some
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Richard Alger glanced furtively at the pale face shrinking austerely behind the net-work of black silk leaves and flowers, and wondered at some change which he felt but could not fathom.
Spanish
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On the Sunday following the one of Barnabas Thayer's call Sylvia Crane appeared at meeting in a black lace veil like a Spanish senorita.
Sunday
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On the Sunday following the one of Barnabas Thayer's call Sylvia Crane appeared at meeting in a black lace veil like a Spanish senorita.
sweetheart
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And Richard Alger, had he known, could never have fathomed the purely feminine motive compounded of pride and shame which led his old sweetheart to unearth from the depths of a bandbox her mother's worked-lace veil, and tie its narrow black drawing-string with trembling fingers over her own bonnet.
Sylvia
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On the Sunday following the one of Barnabas Thayer's call Sylvia Crane appeared at meeting in a black lace veil like a Spanish senorita.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He scarcely knew that she had never worn the veil before.
Thayer's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On the Sunday following the one of Barnabas Thayer's call Sylvia Crane appeared at meeting in a black lace veil like a Spanish senorita.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading On the Sunday following the one of Barnabas Thayer's call Sylvia Crane appeared at meeting in a black lace veil like a Spanish senorita.
tie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And Richard Alger, had he known, could never have fathomed the purely feminine motive compounded of pride and shame which led his old sweetheart to unearth from the depths of a bandbox her mother's worked-lace veil, and tie its narrow black drawing-string with trembling fingers over her own bonnet.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading And Richard Alger, had he known, could never have fathomed the purely feminine motive compounded of pride and shame which led his old sweetheart to unearth from the depths of a bandbox her mother's worked-lace veil, and tie its narrow black drawing-string with trembling fingers over her own bonnet.
trembling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And Richard Alger, had he known, could never have fathomed the purely feminine motive compounded of pride and shame which led his old sweetheart to unearth from the depths of a bandbox her mother's worked-lace veil, and tie its narrow black drawing-string with trembling fingers over her own bonnet.
unearth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And Richard Alger, had he known, could never have fathomed the purely feminine motive compounded of pride and shame which led his old sweetheart to unearth from the depths of a bandbox her mother's worked-lace veil, and tie its narrow black drawing-string with trembling fingers over her own bonnet.
veil
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On the Sunday following the one of Barnabas Thayer's call Sylvia Crane appeared at meeting in a black lace veil like a Spanish senorita.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Richard Alger glanced furtively at the pale face shrinking austerely behind the net-work of black silk leaves and flowers, and wondered at some change which he felt but could not fathom.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading And Richard Alger, had he known, could never have fathomed the purely feminine motive compounded of pride and shame which led his old sweetheart to unearth from the depths of a bandbox her mother's worked-lace veil, and tie its narrow black drawing-string with trembling fingers over her own bonnet.
wonderednounUS /wondered/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Richard Alger glanced furtively at the pale face shrinking austerely behind the net-work of black silk leaves and flowers, and wondered at some change which he felt but could not fathom.
worked-lace
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And Richard Alger, had he known, could never have fathomed the purely feminine motive compounded of pride and shame which led his old sweetheart to unearth from the depths of a bandbox her mother's worked-lace veil, and tie its narrow black drawing-string with trembling fingers over her own bonnet.
wornverbUS /wɔːrn/
Damaged or thinned by continuous use.
From this reading He scarcely knew that she had never worn the veil before.
wrought
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The heavily wrought black lace fell over her face, and people could get only shifting glimpses of her delicate features behind it.