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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 Septimus had never seen a woman faint before.
agonized
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At first he thought Emmy was dead, and rubbed agonized hands together like a fly.
aid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he realized what had happened, he produced a large jack-knife which he always carried in his trousers pocket--for the purpose, he explained, of sharpening pencils--and offered it to Zora with the vague idea that the first aid to fainting women consisted in cutting their stay-laces.
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was all very sudden.
always
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he realized what had happened, he produced a large jack-knife which he always carried in his trousers pocket--for the purpose, he explained, of sharpening pencils--and offered it to Zora with the vague idea that the first aid to fainting women consisted in cutting their stay-laces.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading At first he thought Emmy was dead, and rubbed agonized hands together like a fly.
AtprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At first he thought Emmy was dead, and rubbed agonized hands together like a fly.
bade
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Zora rebuked him for futility, and bade him ring the bell for the maid.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Septimus had never seen a woman faint before.
bell
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Zora rebuked him for futility, and bade him ring the bell for the maid.
carried
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he realized what had happened, he produced a large jack-knife which he always carried in his trousers pocket--for the purpose, he explained, of sharpening pencils--and offered it to Zora with the vague idea that the first aid to fainting women consisted in cutting their stay-laces.
consisted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he realized what had happened, he produced a large jack-knife which he always carried in his trousers pocket--for the purpose, he explained, of sharpening pencils--and offered it to Zora with the vague idea that the first aid to fainting women consisted in cutting their stay-laces.
cutting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he realized what had happened, he produced a large jack-knife which he always carried in his trousers pocket--for the purpose, he explained, of sharpening pencils--and offered it to Zora with the vague idea that the first aid to fainting women consisted in cutting their stay-laces.
deadnounUS /dead/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading At first he thought Emmy was dead, and rubbed agonized hands together like a fly.
Emmy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At first he thought Emmy was dead, and rubbed agonized hands together like a fly.
explained
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he realized what had happened, he produced a large jack-knife which he always carried in his trousers pocket--for the purpose, he explained, of sharpening pencils--and offered it to Zora with the vague idea that the first aid to fainting women consisted in cutting their stay-laces.
faint
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Septimus had never seen a woman faint before.
fainting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he realized what had happened, he produced a large jack-knife which he always carried in his trousers pocket--for the purpose, he explained, of sharpening pencils--and offered it to Zora with the vague idea that the first aid to fainting women consisted in cutting their stay-laces.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading At first he thought Emmy was dead, and rubbed agonized hands together like a fly.
fly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At first he thought Emmy was dead, and rubbed agonized hands together like a fly.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading When he realized what had happened, he produced a large jack-knife which he always carried in his trousers pocket--for the purpose, he explained, of sharpening pencils--and offered it to Zora with the vague idea that the first aid to fainting women consisted in cutting their stay-laces.
futility
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Zora rebuked him for futility, and bade him ring the bell for the maid.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Septimus had never seen a woman faint before.
handsplural nounUS /hændz/
members of a ship’s crew
From this reading At first he thought Emmy was dead, and rubbed agonized hands together like a fly.
happened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he realized what had happened, he produced a large jack-knife which he always carried in his trousers pocket--for the purpose, he explained, of sharpening pencils--and offered it to Zora with the vague idea that the first aid to fainting women consisted in cutting their stay-laces.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading At first he thought Emmy was dead, and rubbed agonized hands together like a fly.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Zora rebuked him for futility, and bade him ring the bell for the maid.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading When he realized what had happened, he produced a large jack-knife which he always carried in his trousers pocket--for the purpose, he explained, of sharpening pencils--and offered it to Zora with the vague idea that the first aid to fainting women consisted in cutting their stay-laces.
idea
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he realized what had happened, he produced a large jack-knife which he always carried in his trousers pocket--for the purpose, he explained, of sharpening pencils--and offered it to Zora with the vague idea that the first aid to fainting women consisted in cutting their stay-laces.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading When he realized what had happened, he produced a large jack-knife which he always carried in his trousers pocket--for the purpose, he explained, of sharpening pencils--and offered it to Zora with the vague idea that the first aid to fainting women consisted in cutting their stay-laces.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading When he realized what had happened, he produced a large jack-knife which he always carried in his trousers pocket--for the purpose, he explained, of sharpening pencils--and offered it to Zora with the vague idea that the first aid to fainting women consisted in cutting their stay-laces.
jack-knife
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he realized what had happened, he produced a large jack-knife which he always carried in his trousers pocket--for the purpose, he explained, of sharpening pencils--and offered it to Zora with the vague idea that the first aid to fainting women consisted in cutting their stay-laces.
large
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he realized what had happened, he produced a large jack-knife which he always carried in his trousers pocket--for the purpose, he explained, of sharpening pencils--and offered it to Zora with the vague idea that the first aid to fainting women consisted in cutting their stay-laces.
like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At first he thought Emmy was dead, and rubbed agonized hands together like a fly.
maid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Zora rebuked him for futility, and bade him ring the bell for the maid.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Septimus had never seen a woman faint before.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading When he realized what had happened, he produced a large jack-knife which he always carried in his trousers pocket--for the purpose, he explained, of sharpening pencils--and offered it to Zora with the vague idea that the first aid to fainting women consisted in cutting their stay-laces.
offered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he realized what had happened, he produced a large jack-knife which he always carried in his trousers pocket--for the purpose, he explained, of sharpening pencils--and offered it to Zora with the vague idea that the first aid to fainting women consisted in cutting their stay-laces.
pencils
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he realized what had happened, he produced a large jack-knife which he always carried in his trousers pocket--for the purpose, he explained, of sharpening pencils--and offered it to Zora with the vague idea that the first aid to fainting women consisted in cutting their stay-laces.
pocket
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he realized what had happened, he produced a large jack-knife which he always carried in his trousers pocket--for the purpose, he explained, of sharpening pencils--and offered it to Zora with the vague idea that the first aid to fainting women consisted in cutting their stay-laces.
produced
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he realized what had happened, he produced a large jack-knife which he always carried in his trousers pocket--for the purpose, he explained, of sharpening pencils--and offered it to Zora with the vague idea that the first aid to fainting women consisted in cutting their stay-laces.
purpose
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he realized what had happened, he produced a large jack-knife which he always carried in his trousers pocket--for the purpose, he explained, of sharpening pencils--and offered it to Zora with the vague idea that the first aid to fainting women consisted in cutting their stay-laces.
realized
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he realized what had happened, he produced a large jack-knife which he always carried in his trousers pocket--for the purpose, he explained, of sharpening pencils--and offered it to Zora with the vague idea that the first aid to fainting women consisted in cutting their stay-laces.
rebuked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Zora rebuked him for futility, and bade him ring the bell for the maid.
ring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Zora rebuked him for futility, and bade him ring the bell for the maid.
rubbed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At first he thought Emmy was dead, and rubbed agonized hands together like a fly.
seen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Septimus had never seen a woman faint before.
Septimus
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Septimus had never seen a woman faint before.
sharpening
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he realized what had happened, he produced a large jack-knife which he always carried in his trousers pocket--for the purpose, he explained, of sharpening pencils--and offered it to Zora with the vague idea that the first aid to fainting women consisted in cutting their stay-laces.
stay-laces
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he realized what had happened, he produced a large jack-knife which he always carried in his trousers pocket--for the purpose, he explained, of sharpening pencils--and offered it to Zora with the vague idea that the first aid to fainting women consisted in cutting their stay-laces.
suddennounUS /sudden/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was all very sudden.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading When he realized what had happened, he produced a large jack-knife which he always carried in his trousers pocket--for the purpose, he explained, of sharpening pencils--and offered it to Zora with the vague idea that the first aid to fainting women consisted in cutting their stay-laces.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When he realized what had happened, he produced a large jack-knife which he always carried in his trousers pocket--for the purpose, he explained, of sharpening pencils--and offered it to Zora with the vague idea that the first aid to fainting women consisted in cutting their stay-laces.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading When he realized what had happened, he produced a large jack-knife which he always carried in his trousers pocket--for the purpose, he explained, of sharpening pencils--and offered it to Zora with the vague idea that the first aid to fainting women consisted in cutting their stay-laces.
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading At first he thought Emmy was dead, and rubbed agonized hands together like a fly.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading When he realized what had happened, he produced a large jack-knife which he always carried in his trousers pocket--for the purpose, he explained, of sharpening pencils--and offered it to Zora with the vague idea that the first aid to fainting women consisted in cutting their stay-laces.
together
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At first he thought Emmy was dead, and rubbed agonized hands together like a fly.
trousers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he realized what had happened, he produced a large jack-knife which he always carried in his trousers pocket--for the purpose, he explained, of sharpening pencils--and offered it to Zora with the vague idea that the first aid to fainting women consisted in cutting their stay-laces.
vague
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he realized what had happened, he produced a large jack-knife which he always carried in his trousers pocket--for the purpose, he explained, of sharpening pencils--and offered it to Zora with the vague idea that the first aid to fainting women consisted in cutting their stay-laces.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was all very sudden.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading At first he thought Emmy was dead, and rubbed agonized hands together like a fly.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading When he realized what had happened, he produced a large jack-knife which he always carried in his trousers pocket--for the purpose, he explained, of sharpening pencils--and offered it to Zora with the vague idea that the first aid to fainting women consisted in cutting their stay-laces.
WhenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading When he realized what had happened, he produced a large jack-knife which he always carried in his trousers pocket--for the purpose, he explained, of sharpening pencils--and offered it to Zora with the vague idea that the first aid to fainting women consisted in cutting their stay-laces.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading When he realized what had happened, he produced a large jack-knife which he always carried in his trousers pocket--for the purpose, he explained, of sharpening pencils--and offered it to Zora with the vague idea that the first aid to fainting women consisted in cutting their stay-laces.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading When he realized what had happened, he produced a large jack-knife which he always carried in his trousers pocket--for the purpose, he explained, of sharpening pencils--and offered it to Zora with the vague idea that the first aid to fainting women consisted in cutting their stay-laces.
woman
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Septimus had never seen a woman faint before.
women
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he realized what had happened, he produced a large jack-knife which he always carried in his trousers pocket--for the purpose, he explained, of sharpening pencils--and offered it to Zora with the vague idea that the first aid to fainting women consisted in cutting their stay-laces.
Zora
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he realized what had happened, he produced a large jack-knife which he always carried in his trousers pocket--for the purpose, he explained, of sharpening pencils--and offered it to Zora with the vague idea that the first aid to fainting women consisted in cutting their stay-laces.
