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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 But during these very days, when the dominie and his parishioners were drawing a step closer to each other, the laird and his son were drifting farther apart.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading But during these very days, when the dominie and his parishioners were drawing a step closer to each other, the laird and his son were drifting farther apart.
apart
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From this reading But during these very days, when the dominie and his parishioners were drawing a step closer to each other, the laird and his son were drifting farther apart.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Colin would have led a forlorn hope or stormed a battery; but the bare ugliness and monotony of his life at the works fretted and worried him.
bare
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From this reading Colin would have led a forlorn hope or stormed a battery; but the bare ugliness and monotony of his life at the works fretted and worried him.
battery
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From this reading Colin would have led a forlorn hope or stormed a battery; but the bare ugliness and monotony of his life at the works fretted and worried him.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The late Lady Crawford had been the daughter of a Zetland Udaller, a pure Scandinavian, a descendant of the old Vikings, and she inherited from them a poetic imagination and a nature dreamy and inert, though capable of rousing itself into fits of courage that could dare the impossible.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But during these very days, when the dominie and his parishioners were drawing a step closer to each other, the laird and his son were drifting farther apart.
capable
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From this reading The late Lady Crawford had been the daughter of a Zetland Udaller, a pure Scandinavian, a descendant of the old Vikings, and she inherited from them a poetic imagination and a nature dreamy and inert, though capable of rousing itself into fits of courage that could dare the impossible.
closer
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From this reading But during these very days, when the dominie and his parishioners were drawing a step closer to each other, the laird and his son were drifting farther apart.
Colin
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From this reading Crawford felt keenly that Colin took no interest in the great enterprises which filled his own life.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The late Lady Crawford had been the daughter of a Zetland Udaller, a pure Scandinavian, a descendant of the old Vikings, and she inherited from them a poetic imagination and a nature dreamy and inert, though capable of rousing itself into fits of courage that could dare the impossible.
courage
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The late Lady Crawford had been the daughter of a Zetland Udaller, a pure Scandinavian, a descendant of the old Vikings, and she inherited from them a poetic imagination and a nature dreamy and inert, though capable of rousing itself into fits of courage that could dare the impossible.
Crawford
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From this reading Crawford felt keenly that Colin took no interest in the great enterprises which filled his own life.
dare
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From this reading The late Lady Crawford had been the daughter of a Zetland Udaller, a pure Scandinavian, a descendant of the old Vikings, and she inherited from them a poetic imagination and a nature dreamy and inert, though capable of rousing itself into fits of courage that could dare the impossible.
daughter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The late Lady Crawford had been the daughter of a Zetland Udaller, a pure Scandinavian, a descendant of the old Vikings, and she inherited from them a poetic imagination and a nature dreamy and inert, though capable of rousing itself into fits of courage that could dare the impossible.
days
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From this reading But during these very days, when the dominie and his parishioners were drawing a step closer to each other, the laird and his son were drifting farther apart.
descendant
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From this reading The late Lady Crawford had been the daughter of a Zetland Udaller, a pure Scandinavian, a descendant of the old Vikings, and she inherited from them a poetic imagination and a nature dreamy and inert, though capable of rousing itself into fits of courage that could dare the impossible.
dominie
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From this reading But during these very days, when the dominie and his parishioners were drawing a step closer to each other, the laird and his son were drifting farther apart.
drawing
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From this reading But during these very days, when the dominie and his parishioners were drawing a step closer to each other, the laird and his son were drifting farther apart.
dreamy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The late Lady Crawford had been the daughter of a Zetland Udaller, a pure Scandinavian, a descendant of the old Vikings, and she inherited from them a poetic imagination and a nature dreamy and inert, though capable of rousing itself into fits of courage that could dare the impossible.
drifting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But during these very days, when the dominie and his parishioners were drawing a step closer to each other, the laird and his son were drifting farther apart.
duringprepositionUS /ˈdʊrɪŋ/
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading But during these very days, when the dominie and his parishioners were drawing a step closer to each other, the laird and his son were drifting farther apart.
eachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading But during these very days, when the dominie and his parishioners were drawing a step closer to each other, the laird and his son were drifting farther apart.
enterprises
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Crawford felt keenly that Colin took no interest in the great enterprises which filled his own life.
fact
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The fact was, Colin inherited his mother's, and not his father's temperament.
farther
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From this reading But during these very days, when the dominie and his parishioners were drawing a step closer to each other, the laird and his son were drifting farther apart.
father's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The fact was, Colin inherited his mother's, and not his father's temperament.
felt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Crawford felt keenly that Colin took no interest in the great enterprises which filled his own life.
filled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Crawford felt keenly that Colin took no interest in the great enterprises which filled his own life.
fits
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The late Lady Crawford had been the daughter of a Zetland Udaller, a pure Scandinavian, a descendant of the old Vikings, and she inherited from them a poetic imagination and a nature dreamy and inert, though capable of rousing itself into fits of courage that could dare the impossible.
forlorn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Colin would have led a forlorn hope or stormed a battery; but the bare ugliness and monotony of his life at the works fretted and worried him.
fretted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Colin would have led a forlorn hope or stormed a battery; but the bare ugliness and monotony of his life at the works fretted and worried him.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The late Lady Crawford had been the daughter of a Zetland Udaller, a pure Scandinavian, a descendant of the old Vikings, and she inherited from them a poetic imagination and a nature dreamy and inert, though capable of rousing itself into fits of courage that could dare the impossible.
greatnounUS /great/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Crawford felt keenly that Colin took no interest in the great enterprises which filled his own life.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The late Lady Crawford had been the daughter of a Zetland Udaller, a pure Scandinavian, a descendant of the old Vikings, and she inherited from them a poetic imagination and a nature dreamy and inert, though capable of rousing itself into fits of courage that could dare the impossible.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Colin would have led a forlorn hope or stormed a battery; but the bare ugliness and monotony of his life at the works fretted and worried him.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Colin would have led a forlorn hope or stormed a battery; but the bare ugliness and monotony of his life at the works fretted and worried him.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading But during these very days, when the dominie and his parishioners were drawing a step closer to each other, the laird and his son were drifting farther apart.
hope
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Colin would have led a forlorn hope or stormed a battery; but the bare ugliness and monotony of his life at the works fretted and worried him.
imagination
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The late Lady Crawford had been the daughter of a Zetland Udaller, a pure Scandinavian, a descendant of the old Vikings, and she inherited from them a poetic imagination and a nature dreamy and inert, though capable of rousing itself into fits of courage that could dare the impossible.
impossible
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The late Lady Crawford had been the daughter of a Zetland Udaller, a pure Scandinavian, a descendant of the old Vikings, and she inherited from them a poetic imagination and a nature dreamy and inert, though capable of rousing itself into fits of courage that could dare the impossible.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Crawford felt keenly that Colin took no interest in the great enterprises which filled his own life.
inert
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The late Lady Crawford had been the daughter of a Zetland Udaller, a pure Scandinavian, a descendant of the old Vikings, and she inherited from them a poetic imagination and a nature dreamy and inert, though capable of rousing itself into fits of courage that could dare the impossible.
inherited
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The fact was, Colin inherited his mother's, and not his father's temperament.
interest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Crawford felt keenly that Colin took no interest in the great enterprises which filled his own life.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The late Lady Crawford had been the daughter of a Zetland Udaller, a pure Scandinavian, a descendant of the old Vikings, and she inherited from them a poetic imagination and a nature dreamy and inert, though capable of rousing itself into fits of courage that could dare the impossible.
itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading The late Lady Crawford had been the daughter of a Zetland Udaller, a pure Scandinavian, a descendant of the old Vikings, and she inherited from them a poetic imagination and a nature dreamy and inert, though capable of rousing itself into fits of courage that could dare the impossible.
keenlyadverbUS /ˈkiːnli/
with sharp attention or strong interest
From this reading Crawford felt keenly that Colin took no interest in the great enterprises which filled his own life.
Lady
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The late Lady Crawford had been the daughter of a Zetland Udaller, a pure Scandinavian, a descendant of the old Vikings, and she inherited from them a poetic imagination and a nature dreamy and inert, though capable of rousing itself into fits of courage that could dare the impossible.
laird
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But during these very days, when the dominie and his parishioners were drawing a step closer to each other, the laird and his son were drifting farther apart.
late
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The late Lady Crawford had been the daughter of a Zetland Udaller, a pure Scandinavian, a descendant of the old Vikings, and she inherited from them a poetic imagination and a nature dreamy and inert, though capable of rousing itself into fits of courage that could dare the impossible.
led
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Colin would have led a forlorn hope or stormed a battery; but the bare ugliness and monotony of his life at the works fretted and worried him.
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Crawford felt keenly that Colin took no interest in the great enterprises which filled his own life.
monotony
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Colin would have led a forlorn hope or stormed a battery; but the bare ugliness and monotony of his life at the works fretted and worried him.
mother's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The fact was, Colin inherited his mother's, and not his father's temperament.
nature
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The late Lady Crawford had been the daughter of a Zetland Udaller, a pure Scandinavian, a descendant of the old Vikings, and she inherited from them a poetic imagination and a nature dreamy and inert, though capable of rousing itself into fits of courage that could dare the impossible.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading Crawford felt keenly that Colin took no interest in the great enterprises which filled his own life.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The fact was, Colin inherited his mother's, and not his father's temperament.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The late Lady Crawford had been the daughter of a Zetland Udaller, a pure Scandinavian, a descendant of the old Vikings, and she inherited from them a poetic imagination and a nature dreamy and inert, though capable of rousing itself into fits of courage that could dare the impossible.
old
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The late Lady Crawford had been the daughter of a Zetland Udaller, a pure Scandinavian, a descendant of the old Vikings, and she inherited from them a poetic imagination and a nature dreamy and inert, though capable of rousing itself into fits of courage that could dare the impossible.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Colin would have led a forlorn hope or stormed a battery; but the bare ugliness and monotony of his life at the works fretted and worried him.
other
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But during these very days, when the dominie and his parishioners were drawing a step closer to each other, the laird and his son were drifting farther apart.
own
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Crawford felt keenly that Colin took no interest in the great enterprises which filled his own life.
parishioners
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But during these very days, when the dominie and his parishioners were drawing a step closer to each other, the laird and his son were drifting farther apart.
poetic
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The late Lady Crawford had been the daughter of a Zetland Udaller, a pure Scandinavian, a descendant of the old Vikings, and she inherited from them a poetic imagination and a nature dreamy and inert, though capable of rousing itself into fits of courage that could dare the impossible.
pure
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The late Lady Crawford had been the daughter of a Zetland Udaller, a pure Scandinavian, a descendant of the old Vikings, and she inherited from them a poetic imagination and a nature dreamy and inert, though capable of rousing itself into fits of courage that could dare the impossible.
rousing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The late Lady Crawford had been the daughter of a Zetland Udaller, a pure Scandinavian, a descendant of the old Vikings, and she inherited from them a poetic imagination and a nature dreamy and inert, though capable of rousing itself into fits of courage that could dare the impossible.
Scandinavian
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The late Lady Crawford had been the daughter of a Zetland Udaller, a pure Scandinavian, a descendant of the old Vikings, and she inherited from them a poetic imagination and a nature dreamy and inert, though capable of rousing itself into fits of courage that could dare the impossible.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The late Lady Crawford had been the daughter of a Zetland Udaller, a pure Scandinavian, a descendant of the old Vikings, and she inherited from them a poetic imagination and a nature dreamy and inert, though capable of rousing itself into fits of courage that could dare the impossible.
son
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But during these very days, when the dominie and his parishioners were drawing a step closer to each other, the laird and his son were drifting farther apart.
stepnounUS /step/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But during these very days, when the dominie and his parishioners were drawing a step closer to each other, the laird and his son were drifting farther apart.
stormed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Colin would have led a forlorn hope or stormed a battery; but the bare ugliness and monotony of his life at the works fretted and worried him.
temperament
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The fact was, Colin inherited his mother's, and not his father's temperament.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Crawford felt keenly that Colin took no interest in the great enterprises which filled his own life.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading But during these very days, when the dominie and his parishioners were drawing a step closer to each other, the laird and his son were drifting farther apart.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The late Lady Crawford had been the daughter of a Zetland Udaller, a pure Scandinavian, a descendant of the old Vikings, and she inherited from them a poetic imagination and a nature dreamy and inert, though capable of rousing itself into fits of courage that could dare the impossible.
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading But during these very days, when the dominie and his parishioners were drawing a step closer to each other, the laird and his son were drifting farther apart.
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading The late Lady Crawford had been the daughter of a Zetland Udaller, a pure Scandinavian, a descendant of the old Vikings, and she inherited from them a poetic imagination and a nature dreamy and inert, though capable of rousing itself into fits of courage that could dare the impossible.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading But during these very days, when the dominie and his parishioners were drawing a step closer to each other, the laird and his son were drifting farther apart.
tooknounUS /took/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Crawford felt keenly that Colin took no interest in the great enterprises which filled his own life.
Udaller
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The late Lady Crawford had been the daughter of a Zetland Udaller, a pure Scandinavian, a descendant of the old Vikings, and she inherited from them a poetic imagination and a nature dreamy and inert, though capable of rousing itself into fits of courage that could dare the impossible.
ugliness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Colin would have led a forlorn hope or stormed a battery; but the bare ugliness and monotony of his life at the works fretted and worried him.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But during these very days, when the dominie and his parishioners were drawing a step closer to each other, the laird and his son were drifting farther apart.
Vikings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The late Lady Crawford had been the daughter of a Zetland Udaller, a pure Scandinavian, a descendant of the old Vikings, and she inherited from them a poetic imagination and a nature dreamy and inert, though capable of rousing itself into fits of courage that could dare the impossible.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The fact was, Colin inherited his mother's, and not his father's temperament.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading But during these very days, when the dominie and his parishioners were drawing a step closer to each other, the laird and his son were drifting farther apart.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading But during these very days, when the dominie and his parishioners were drawing a step closer to each other, the laird and his son were drifting farther apart.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Crawford felt keenly that Colin took no interest in the great enterprises which filled his own life.
works
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Colin would have led a forlorn hope or stormed a battery; but the bare ugliness and monotony of his life at the works fretted and worried him.
worried
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Colin would have led a forlorn hope or stormed a battery; but the bare ugliness and monotony of his life at the works fretted and worried him.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Colin would have led a forlorn hope or stormed a battery; but the bare ugliness and monotony of his life at the works fretted and worried him.
Zetland
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The late Lady Crawford had been the daughter of a Zetland Udaller, a pure Scandinavian, a descendant of the old Vikings, and she inherited from them a poetic imagination and a nature dreamy and inert, though capable of rousing itself into fits of courage that could dare the impossible.
