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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 After he was left alone, Sprague shouldered a path through the crowd in the lobby and had himself lifted to his rooms.
acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/
from one side of something to the other
From this reading He had scarcely worked his way through the throng to the comparative freedom of the porch when Maxwell came hurrying across from the railroad building.
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading After he was left alone, Sprague shouldered a path through the crowd in the lobby and had himself lifted to his rooms.
alonenounUS /alone/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading After he was left alone, Sprague shouldered a path through the crowd in the lobby and had himself lifted to his rooms.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading After he was left alone, Sprague shouldered a path through the crowd in the lobby and had himself lifted to his rooms.
Bad
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From this reading “Bad luck,” said the superintendent, with brittle emphasis.
betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading “There’s a freight-train off the steel half-way between Corona and Timanyoni, this side of the canyon, and the track is blocked.”
blocked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “There’s a freight-train off the steel half-way between Corona and Timanyoni, this side of the canyon, and the track is blocked.”
brittleadjectiveUS /ˈbrɪtəl/
hard but easily broken
From this reading “Bad luck,” said the superintendent, with brittle emphasis.
building
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From this reading He had scarcely worked his way through the throng to the comparative freedom of the porch when Maxwell came hurrying across from the railroad building.
business
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From this reading When he came down a few minutes later he had changed his business clothes for the field rig which he wore on his soil-collecting expeditions.
came
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From this reading When he came down a few minutes later he had changed his business clothes for the field rig which he wore on his soil-collecting expeditions.
canyon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “There’s a freight-train off the steel half-way between Corona and Timanyoni, this side of the canyon, and the track is blocked.”
changed
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From this reading When he came down a few minutes later he had changed his business clothes for the field rig which he wore on his soil-collecting expeditions.
clothes
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From this reading When he came down a few minutes later he had changed his business clothes for the field rig which he wore on his soil-collecting expeditions.
comparative
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From this reading He had scarcely worked his way through the throng to the comparative freedom of the porch when Maxwell came hurrying across from the railroad building.
Corona
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “There’s a freight-train off the steel half-way between Corona and Timanyoni, this side of the canyon, and the track is blocked.”
crowd
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From this reading After he was left alone, Sprague shouldered a path through the crowd in the lobby and had himself lifted to his rooms.
down
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From this reading When he came down a few minutes later he had changed his business clothes for the field rig which he wore on his soil-collecting expeditions.
emphasis
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From this reading “Bad luck,” said the superintendent, with brittle emphasis.
expeditions
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From this reading When he came down a few minutes later he had changed his business clothes for the field rig which he wore on his soil-collecting expeditions.
few
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From this reading When he came down a few minutes later he had changed his business clothes for the field rig which he wore on his soil-collecting expeditions.
field
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he came down a few minutes later he had changed his business clothes for the field rig which he wore on his soil-collecting expeditions.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading When he came down a few minutes later he had changed his business clothes for the field rig which he wore on his soil-collecting expeditions.
freedom
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From this reading He had scarcely worked his way through the throng to the comparative freedom of the porch when Maxwell came hurrying across from the railroad building.
freight-train
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “There’s a freight-train off the steel half-way between Corona and Timanyoni, this side of the canyon, and the track is blocked.”
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He had scarcely worked his way through the throng to the comparative freedom of the porch when Maxwell came hurrying across from the railroad building.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading After he was left alone, Sprague shouldered a path through the crowd in the lobby and had himself lifted to his rooms.
half-waynounUS /half-way/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “There’s a freight-train off the steel half-way between Corona and Timanyoni, this side of the canyon, and the track is blocked.”
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading After he was left alone, Sprague shouldered a path through the crowd in the lobby and had himself lifted to his rooms.
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading After he was left alone, Sprague shouldered a path through the crowd in the lobby and had himself lifted to his rooms.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading After he was left alone, Sprague shouldered a path through the crowd in the lobby and had himself lifted to his rooms.
hurrying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had scarcely worked his way through the throng to the comparative freedom of the porch when Maxwell came hurrying across from the railroad building.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading After he was left alone, Sprague shouldered a path through the crowd in the lobby and had himself lifted to his rooms.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “There’s a freight-train off the steel half-way between Corona and Timanyoni, this side of the canyon, and the track is blocked.”
later
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he came down a few minutes later he had changed his business clothes for the field rig which he wore on his soil-collecting expeditions.
leftnounUS /left/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading After he was left alone, Sprague shouldered a path through the crowd in the lobby and had himself lifted to his rooms.
lifted
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From this reading After he was left alone, Sprague shouldered a path through the crowd in the lobby and had himself lifted to his rooms.
lobby
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From this reading After he was left alone, Sprague shouldered a path through the crowd in the lobby and had himself lifted to his rooms.
luck
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Bad luck,” said the superintendent, with brittle emphasis.
Maxwell
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had scarcely worked his way through the throng to the comparative freedom of the porch when Maxwell came hurrying across from the railroad building.
minutes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he came down a few minutes later he had changed his business clothes for the field rig which he wore on his soil-collecting expeditions.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He had scarcely worked his way through the throng to the comparative freedom of the porch when Maxwell came hurrying across from the railroad building.
off
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “There’s a freight-train off the steel half-way between Corona and Timanyoni, this side of the canyon, and the track is blocked.”
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading When he came down a few minutes later he had changed his business clothes for the field rig which he wore on his soil-collecting expeditions.
path
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From this reading After he was left alone, Sprague shouldered a path through the crowd in the lobby and had himself lifted to his rooms.
porch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had scarcely worked his way through the throng to the comparative freedom of the porch when Maxwell came hurrying across from the railroad building.
railroad
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had scarcely worked his way through the throng to the comparative freedom of the porch when Maxwell came hurrying across from the railroad building.
rig
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he came down a few minutes later he had changed his business clothes for the field rig which he wore on his soil-collecting expeditions.
rooms
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After he was left alone, Sprague shouldered a path through the crowd in the lobby and had himself lifted to his rooms.
said
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Bad luck,” said the superintendent, with brittle emphasis.
scarcely
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had scarcely worked his way through the throng to the comparative freedom of the porch when Maxwell came hurrying across from the railroad building.
shouldered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After he was left alone, Sprague shouldered a path through the crowd in the lobby and had himself lifted to his rooms.
side
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “There’s a freight-train off the steel half-way between Corona and Timanyoni, this side of the canyon, and the track is blocked.”
soil-collecting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he came down a few minutes later he had changed his business clothes for the field rig which he wore on his soil-collecting expeditions.
Sprague
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After he was left alone, Sprague shouldered a path through the crowd in the lobby and had himself lifted to his rooms.
steel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “There’s a freight-train off the steel half-way between Corona and Timanyoni, this side of the canyon, and the track is blocked.”
superintendent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Bad luck,” said the superintendent, with brittle emphasis.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading After he was left alone, Sprague shouldered a path through the crowd in the lobby and had himself lifted to his rooms.
There's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “There’s a freight-train off the steel half-way between Corona and Timanyoni, this side of the canyon, and the track is blocked.”
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “There’s a freight-train off the steel half-way between Corona and Timanyoni, this side of the canyon, and the track is blocked.”
throng
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had scarcely worked his way through the throng to the comparative freedom of the porch when Maxwell came hurrying across from the railroad building.
throughnounUS /ˈthrough/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading After he was left alone, Sprague shouldered a path through the crowd in the lobby and had himself lifted to his rooms.
Timanyoni
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “There’s a freight-train off the steel half-way between Corona and Timanyoni, this side of the canyon, and the track is blocked.”
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading After he was left alone, Sprague shouldered a path through the crowd in the lobby and had himself lifted to his rooms.
tracknounUS /træk/
a route or signs showing the way someone went
From this reading “There’s a freight-train off the steel half-way between Corona and Timanyoni, this side of the canyon, and the track is blocked.”
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading After he was left alone, Sprague shouldered a path through the crowd in the lobby and had himself lifted to his rooms.
way
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had scarcely worked his way through the throng to the comparative freedom of the porch when Maxwell came hurrying across from the railroad building.
WhenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading When he came down a few minutes later he had changed his business clothes for the field rig which he wore on his soil-collecting expeditions.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading When he came down a few minutes later he had changed his business clothes for the field rig which he wore on his soil-collecting expeditions.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading “Bad luck,” said the superintendent, with brittle emphasis.
wore
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he came down a few minutes later he had changed his business clothes for the field rig which he wore on his soil-collecting expeditions.
worked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had scarcely worked his way through the throng to the comparative freedom of the porch when Maxwell came hurrying across from the railroad building.