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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 R. P. Burns sat at his desk in the inner office, laboriously inscribing a letter with his left hand.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He held up the sheet and gazed at it in disgust.
arm
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From this reading Then he glanced resentfully at his sling-supported right arm, especially at the fingers which protruded from the bandages in unaccustomed limp whiteness.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading R. P. Burns sat at his desk in the inner office, laboriously inscribing a letter with his left hand.
attempting
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From this reading The handwriting in the four lines he had succeeded in fixing upon paper bore not the slightest resemblance to his usual style; instead, it looked like the chirography of a five-year-old attempting for the first time to copy from some older person's script.
bandages
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From this reading Then he glanced resentfully at his sling-supported right arm, especially at the fingers which protruded from the bandages in unaccustomed limp whiteness.
bore
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From this reading The handwriting in the four lines he had succeeded in fixing upon paper bore not the slightest resemblance to his usual style; instead, it looked like the chirography of a five-year-old attempting for the first time to copy from some older person's script.
Burns
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From this reading R. P. Burns sat at his desk in the inner office, laboriously inscribing a letter with his left hand.
chirography
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From this reading The handwriting in the four lines he had succeeded in fixing upon paper bore not the slightest resemblance to his usual style; instead, it looked like the chirography of a five-year-old attempting for the first time to copy from some older person's script.
copy
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From this reading The handwriting in the four lines he had succeeded in fixing upon paper bore not the slightest resemblance to his usual style; instead, it looked like the chirography of a five-year-old attempting for the first time to copy from some older person's script.
desk
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From this reading R. P. Burns sat at his desk in the inner office, laboriously inscribing a letter with his left hand.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading It did not get on well.
disgustnounUS /dɪsˈɡʌst/
a strong feeling of dislike or sickness caused by something unpleasant
From this reading He held up the sheet and gazed at it in disgust.
especially
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From this reading Then he glanced resentfully at his sling-supported right arm, especially at the fingers which protruded from the bandages in unaccustomed limp whiteness.
fingers
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From this reading Then he glanced resentfully at his sling-supported right arm, especially at the fingers which protruded from the bandages in unaccustomed limp whiteness.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The handwriting in the four lines he had succeeded in fixing upon paper bore not the slightest resemblance to his usual style; instead, it looked like the chirography of a five-year-old attempting for the first time to copy from some older person's script.
five-year-old
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From this reading The handwriting in the four lines he had succeeded in fixing upon paper bore not the slightest resemblance to his usual style; instead, it looked like the chirography of a five-year-old attempting for the first time to copy from some older person's script.
fixing
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From this reading The handwriting in the four lines he had succeeded in fixing upon paper bore not the slightest resemblance to his usual style; instead, it looked like the chirography of a five-year-old attempting for the first time to copy from some older person's script.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The handwriting in the four lines he had succeeded in fixing upon paper bore not the slightest resemblance to his usual style; instead, it looked like the chirography of a five-year-old attempting for the first time to copy from some older person's script.
four
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From this reading The handwriting in the four lines he had succeeded in fixing upon paper bore not the slightest resemblance to his usual style; instead, it looked like the chirography of a five-year-old attempting for the first time to copy from some older person's script.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The handwriting in the four lines he had succeeded in fixing upon paper bore not the slightest resemblance to his usual style; instead, it looked like the chirography of a five-year-old attempting for the first time to copy from some older person's script.
gazed
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From this reading He held up the sheet and gazed at it in disgust.
get
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From this reading It did not get on well.
glanced
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From this reading Then he glanced resentfully at his sling-supported right arm, especially at the fingers which protruded from the bandages in unaccustomed limp whiteness.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The handwriting in the four lines he had succeeded in fixing upon paper bore not the slightest resemblance to his usual style; instead, it looked like the chirography of a five-year-old attempting for the first time to copy from some older person's script.
hand
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From this reading R. P. Burns sat at his desk in the inner office, laboriously inscribing a letter with his left hand.
handwriting
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From this reading The handwriting in the four lines he had succeeded in fixing upon paper bore not the slightest resemblance to his usual style; instead, it looked like the chirography of a five-year-old attempting for the first time to copy from some older person's script.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The handwriting in the four lines he had succeeded in fixing upon paper bore not the slightest resemblance to his usual style; instead, it looked like the chirography of a five-year-old attempting for the first time to copy from some older person's script.
held
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From this reading He held up the sheet and gazed at it in disgust.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading R. P. Burns sat at his desk in the inner office, laboriously inscribing a letter with his left hand.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading R. P. Burns sat at his desk in the inner office, laboriously inscribing a letter with his left hand.
inner
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From this reading R. P. Burns sat at his desk in the inner office, laboriously inscribing a letter with his left hand.
inscribing
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From this reading R. P. Burns sat at his desk in the inner office, laboriously inscribing a letter with his left hand.
instead
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From this reading The handwriting in the four lines he had succeeded in fixing upon paper bore not the slightest resemblance to his usual style; instead, it looked like the chirography of a five-year-old attempting for the first time to copy from some older person's script.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It did not get on well.
laboriously
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From this reading R. P. Burns sat at his desk in the inner office, laboriously inscribing a letter with his left hand.
leftnounUS /left/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading R. P. Burns sat at his desk in the inner office, laboriously inscribing a letter with his left hand.
letter
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From this reading R. P. Burns sat at his desk in the inner office, laboriously inscribing a letter with his left hand.
like
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From this reading The handwriting in the four lines he had succeeded in fixing upon paper bore not the slightest resemblance to his usual style; instead, it looked like the chirography of a five-year-old attempting for the first time to copy from some older person's script.
limp
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From this reading Then he glanced resentfully at his sling-supported right arm, especially at the fingers which protruded from the bandages in unaccustomed limp whiteness.
lines
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From this reading The handwriting in the four lines he had succeeded in fixing upon paper bore not the slightest resemblance to his usual style; instead, it looked like the chirography of a five-year-old attempting for the first time to copy from some older person's script.
lookednounUS /looked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The handwriting in the four lines he had succeeded in fixing upon paper bore not the slightest resemblance to his usual style; instead, it looked like the chirography of a five-year-old attempting for the first time to copy from some older person's script.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It did not get on well.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The handwriting in the four lines he had succeeded in fixing upon paper bore not the slightest resemblance to his usual style; instead, it looked like the chirography of a five-year-old attempting for the first time to copy from some older person's script.
office
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading R. P. Burns sat at his desk in the inner office, laboriously inscribing a letter with his left hand.
older
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The handwriting in the four lines he had succeeded in fixing upon paper bore not the slightest resemblance to his usual style; instead, it looked like the chirography of a five-year-old attempting for the first time to copy from some older person's script.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It did not get on well.
P
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From this reading R. P. Burns sat at his desk in the inner office, laboriously inscribing a letter with his left hand.
paper
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From this reading The handwriting in the four lines he had succeeded in fixing upon paper bore not the slightest resemblance to his usual style; instead, it looked like the chirography of a five-year-old attempting for the first time to copy from some older person's script.
person's
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From this reading The handwriting in the four lines he had succeeded in fixing upon paper bore not the slightest resemblance to his usual style; instead, it looked like the chirography of a five-year-old attempting for the first time to copy from some older person's script.
protruded
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From this reading Then he glanced resentfully at his sling-supported right arm, especially at the fingers which protruded from the bandages in unaccustomed limp whiteness.
R
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From this reading R. P. Burns sat at his desk in the inner office, laboriously inscribing a letter with his left hand.
resemblance
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From this reading The handwriting in the four lines he had succeeded in fixing upon paper bore not the slightest resemblance to his usual style; instead, it looked like the chirography of a five-year-old attempting for the first time to copy from some older person's script.
resentfully
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From this reading Then he glanced resentfully at his sling-supported right arm, especially at the fingers which protruded from the bandages in unaccustomed limp whiteness.
rightnounUS /right/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Then he glanced resentfully at his sling-supported right arm, especially at the fingers which protruded from the bandages in unaccustomed limp whiteness.
sat
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From this reading R. P. Burns sat at his desk in the inner office, laboriously inscribing a letter with his left hand.
script
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From this reading The handwriting in the four lines he had succeeded in fixing upon paper bore not the slightest resemblance to his usual style; instead, it looked like the chirography of a five-year-old attempting for the first time to copy from some older person's script.
sheet
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From this reading He held up the sheet and gazed at it in disgust.
slightest
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From this reading The handwriting in the four lines he had succeeded in fixing upon paper bore not the slightest resemblance to his usual style; instead, it looked like the chirography of a five-year-old attempting for the first time to copy from some older person's script.
sling-supported
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then he glanced resentfully at his sling-supported right arm, especially at the fingers which protruded from the bandages in unaccustomed limp whiteness.
some
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The handwriting in the four lines he had succeeded in fixing upon paper bore not the slightest resemblance to his usual style; instead, it looked like the chirography of a five-year-old attempting for the first time to copy from some older person's script.
style
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The handwriting in the four lines he had succeeded in fixing upon paper bore not the slightest resemblance to his usual style; instead, it looked like the chirography of a five-year-old attempting for the first time to copy from some older person's script.
succeeded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The handwriting in the four lines he had succeeded in fixing upon paper bore not the slightest resemblance to his usual style; instead, it looked like the chirography of a five-year-old attempting for the first time to copy from some older person's script.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading R. P. Burns sat at his desk in the inner office, laboriously inscribing a letter with his left hand.
Then
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From this reading Then he glanced resentfully at his sling-supported right arm, especially at the fingers which protruded from the bandages in unaccustomed limp whiteness.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The handwriting in the four lines he had succeeded in fixing upon paper bore not the slightest resemblance to his usual style; instead, it looked like the chirography of a five-year-old attempting for the first time to copy from some older person's script.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The handwriting in the four lines he had succeeded in fixing upon paper bore not the slightest resemblance to his usual style; instead, it looked like the chirography of a five-year-old attempting for the first time to copy from some older person's script.
unaccustomed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then he glanced resentfully at his sling-supported right arm, especially at the fingers which protruded from the bandages in unaccustomed limp whiteness.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He held up the sheet and gazed at it in disgust.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The handwriting in the four lines he had succeeded in fixing upon paper bore not the slightest resemblance to his usual style; instead, it looked like the chirography of a five-year-old attempting for the first time to copy from some older person's script.
usual
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From this reading The handwriting in the four lines he had succeeded in fixing upon paper bore not the slightest resemblance to his usual style; instead, it looked like the chirography of a five-year-old attempting for the first time to copy from some older person's script.
well
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From this reading It did not get on well.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Then he glanced resentfully at his sling-supported right arm, especially at the fingers which protruded from the bandages in unaccustomed limp whiteness.
whiteness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then he glanced resentfully at his sling-supported right arm, especially at the fingers which protruded from the bandages in unaccustomed limp whiteness.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading R. P. Burns sat at his desk in the inner office, laboriously inscribing a letter with his left hand.