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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 Phœbe knew a great deal about death.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Phœbe knew a great deal about death.
alonenounUS /alone/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She saw her mother die alone, weeping out her last moments; or she saw a nurse and a priest watching beside that distant bed.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Comfortably seated beside her mother or Sally, before a great curtain that sprang into life as the theatre darkened, she had even watched the waging of the Great War!
assassin
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From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
augment
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From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
automatic
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From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
bayonet
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From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
bed
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From this reading She saw her mother die alone, weeping out her last moments; or she saw a nurse and a priest watching beside that distant bed.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Comfortably seated beside her mother or Sally, before a great curtain that sprang into life as the theatre darkened, she had even watched the waging of the Great War!
besideprepositionUS /bɪˈsaɪd/
next to; at the side of
From this reading Comfortably seated beside her mother or Sally, before a great curtain that sprang into life as the theatre darkened, she had even watched the waging of the Great War!
burglar's
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From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
call
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From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
Comfortably
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From this reading Comfortably seated beside her mother or Sally, before a great curtain that sprang into life as the theatre darkened, she had even watched the waging of the Great War!
conceivable
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From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
cup
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From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
curtain
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From this reading Comfortably seated beside her mother or Sally, before a great curtain that sprang into life as the theatre darkened, she had even watched the waging of the Great War!
darkened
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From this reading Comfortably seated beside her mother or Sally, before a great curtain that sprang into life as the theatre darkened, she had even watched the waging of the Great War!
deal
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From this reading Phœbe knew a great deal about death.
death
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From this reading Phœbe knew a great deal about death.
die
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From this reading She saw her mother die alone, weeping out her last moments; or she saw a nurse and a priest watching beside that distant bed.
distantadjectiveUS /ˈdɪstənt/
not friendly or close
From this reading She saw her mother die alone, weeping out her last moments; or she saw a nurse and a priest watching beside that distant bed.
easy
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From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
evennounUS /even/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Comfortably seated beside her mother or Sally, before a great curtain that sprang into life as the theatre darkened, she had even watched the waging of the Great War!
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
famine
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From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
fire
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From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
form
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From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
fourteen
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From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
greatnounUS /great/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Phœbe knew a great deal about death.
grief
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From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
Hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Comfortably seated beside her mother or Sally, before a great curtain that sprang into life as the theatre darkened, she had even watched the waging of the Great War!
imagination
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Comfortably seated beside her mother or Sally, before a great curtain that sprang into life as the theatre darkened, she had even watched the waging of the Great War!
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
knew
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From this reading Phœbe knew a great deal about death.
knife
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From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
lastnounUS /last/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She saw her mother die alone, weeping out her last moments; or she saw a nurse and a priest watching beside that distant bed.
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Comfortably seated beside her mother or Sally, before a great curtain that sprang into life as the theatre darkened, she had even watched the waging of the Great War!
mindnounUS /mind/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
moments
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From this reading She saw her mother die alone, weeping out her last moments; or she saw a nurse and a priest watching beside that distant bed.
mother
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Comfortably seated beside her mother or Sally, before a great curtain that sprang into life as the theatre darkened, she had even watched the waging of the Great War!
mother's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
natural
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From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
nearly
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From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
nurse
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From this reading She saw her mother die alone, weeping out her last moments; or she saw a nurse and a priest watching beside that distant bed.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
once
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Comfortably seated beside her mother or Sally, before a great curtain that sprang into life as the theatre darkened, she had even watched the waging of the Great War!
out
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From this reading She saw her mother die alone, weeping out her last moments; or she saw a nurse and a priest watching beside that distant bed.
Phœbe
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From this reading Phœbe knew a great deal about death.
pictures
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From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
pointnounUS /pɔɪnt/
the main matter or purpose being discussed
From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
poisoner
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From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
priest
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From this reading She saw her mother die alone, weeping out her last moments; or she saw a nurse and a priest watching beside that distant bed.
Sally
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From this reading Comfortably seated beside her mother or Sally, before a great curtain that sprang into life as the theatre darkened, she had even watched the waging of the Great War!
saw
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From this reading She saw her mother die alone, weeping out her last moments; or she saw a nurse and a priest watching beside that distant bed.
screen
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From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
seated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Comfortably seated beside her mother or Sally, before a great curtain that sprang into life as the theatre darkened, she had even watched the waging of the Great War!
seen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
SoconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
soldier's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
sprang
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From this reading Comfortably seated beside her mother or Sally, before a great curtain that sprang into life as the theatre darkened, she had even watched the waging of the Great War!
stimulated
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From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Comfortably seated beside her mother or Sally, before a great curtain that sprang into life as the theatre darkened, she had even watched the waging of the Great War!
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
theatre
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Comfortably seated beside her mother or Sally, before a great curtain that sprang into life as the theatre darkened, she had even watched the waging of the Great War!
thousands
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
thus
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
times
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
torture
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From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
trained
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From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
up
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From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
waging
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Comfortably seated beside her mother or Sally, before a great curtain that sprang into life as the theatre darkened, she had even watched the waging of the Great War!
War
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From this reading Comfortably seated beside her mother or Sally, before a great curtain that sprang into life as the theatre darkened, she had even watched the waging of the Great War!
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
watched
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Comfortably seated beside her mother or Sally, before a great curtain that sprang into life as the theatre darkened, she had even watched the waging of the Great War!
watching
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She saw her mother die alone, weeping out her last moments; or she saw a nurse and a priest watching beside that distant bed.
water
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Had she not seen it thousands of times on the screen, and in nearly every conceivable form?—by fire and water, by famine, by the knife of the assassin, the cup of the poisoner, the burglar’s automatic, the soldier’s bayonet.
weeping
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She saw her mother die alone, weeping out her last moments; or she saw a nurse and a priest watching beside that distant bed.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
years
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So it was easy for her, with her imagination thus trained and stimulated, to call up—once she knew of her mother’s death—such pictures in her mind as could augment to the point of torture the natural grief of her fourteen years.
