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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 The door opened, and a girl entered hurriedly.
action
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From this reading The surprise was common to both, for the newcomer had closed the door behind her before she discerned Henrietta, and then her action was eloquent.
advanced
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From this reading She turned the key in the lock, and stood frowning, with her back to the door, and one shoulder advanced as if to defend herself.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The door opened, and a girl entered hurriedly.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She turned the key in the lock, and stood frowning, with her back to the door, and one shoulder advanced as if to defend herself.
back
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From this reading She turned the key in the lock, and stood frowning, with her back to the door, and one shoulder advanced as if to defend herself.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The substance followed the shadow so quickly that Henrietta had not time to consider her position before the latch rose.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading The surprise was common to both, for the newcomer had closed the door behind her before she discerned Henrietta, and then her action was eloquent.
bothdeterminerUS /boʊθ/
the two together, not just one
From this reading The surprise was common to both, for the newcomer had closed the door behind her before she discerned Henrietta, and then her action was eloquent.
closed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The surprise was common to both, for the newcomer had closed the door behind her before she discerned Henrietta, and then her action was eloquent.
common
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From this reading The surprise was common to both, for the newcomer had closed the door behind her before she discerned Henrietta, and then her action was eloquent.
consider
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From this reading The substance followed the shadow so quickly that Henrietta had not time to consider her position before the latch rose.
defend
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From this reading She turned the key in the lock, and stood frowning, with her back to the door, and one shoulder advanced as if to defend herself.
discerned
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From this reading The surprise was common to both, for the newcomer had closed the door behind her before she discerned Henrietta, and then her action was eloquent.
door
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From this reading The door opened, and a girl entered hurriedly.
eloquent
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From this reading The surprise was common to both, for the newcomer had closed the door behind her before she discerned Henrietta, and then her action was eloquent.
entered
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From this reading The door opened, and a girl entered hurriedly.
fastening
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From this reading The other hand remained on the fastening.
followed
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From this reading The substance followed the shadow so quickly that Henrietta had not time to consider her position before the latch rose.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The surprise was common to both, for the newcomer had closed the door behind her before she discerned Henrietta, and then her action was eloquent.
frowning
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From this reading She turned the key in the lock, and stood frowning, with her back to the door, and one shoulder advanced as if to defend herself.
girl
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The door opened, and a girl entered hurriedly.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The substance followed the shadow so quickly that Henrietta had not time to consider her position before the latch rose.
hand
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From this reading The other hand remained on the fastening.
Henrietta
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From this reading The substance followed the shadow so quickly that Henrietta had not time to consider her position before the latch rose.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The substance followed the shadow so quickly that Henrietta had not time to consider her position before the latch rose.
herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading She turned the key in the lock, and stood frowning, with her back to the door, and one shoulder advanced as if to defend herself.
hurriedly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The door opened, and a girl entered hurriedly.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading She turned the key in the lock, and stood frowning, with her back to the door, and one shoulder advanced as if to defend herself.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She turned the key in the lock, and stood frowning, with her back to the door, and one shoulder advanced as if to defend herself.
key
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From this reading She turned the key in the lock, and stood frowning, with her back to the door, and one shoulder advanced as if to defend herself.
latch
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The substance followed the shadow so quickly that Henrietta had not time to consider her position before the latch rose.
lock
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From this reading She turned the key in the lock, and stood frowning, with her back to the door, and one shoulder advanced as if to defend herself.
newcomer
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From this reading The surprise was common to both, for the newcomer had closed the door behind her before she discerned Henrietta, and then her action was eloquent.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The substance followed the shadow so quickly that Henrietta had not time to consider her position before the latch rose.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The other hand remained on the fastening.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading She turned the key in the lock, and stood frowning, with her back to the door, and one shoulder advanced as if to defend herself.
opened
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From this reading The door opened, and a girl entered hurriedly.
other
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From this reading The other hand remained on the fastening.
position
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From this reading The substance followed the shadow so quickly that Henrietta had not time to consider her position before the latch rose.
quickly
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From this reading The substance followed the shadow so quickly that Henrietta had not time to consider her position before the latch rose.
remainednounUS /ˈremained/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading The other hand remained on the fastening.
rose
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From this reading The substance followed the shadow so quickly that Henrietta had not time to consider her position before the latch rose.
shadownounUS /ˈʃæd.oʊ/
A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
From this reading The substance followed the shadow so quickly that Henrietta had not time to consider her position before the latch rose.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The surprise was common to both, for the newcomer had closed the door behind her before she discerned Henrietta, and then her action was eloquent.
shoulder
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She turned the key in the lock, and stood frowning, with her back to the door, and one shoulder advanced as if to defend herself.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The substance followed the shadow so quickly that Henrietta had not time to consider her position before the latch rose.
stoodnounUS /stood/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She turned the key in the lock, and stood frowning, with her back to the door, and one shoulder advanced as if to defend herself.
substancenounUS /ˈsʌbstəns/
wealth or financial means
From this reading The substance followed the shadow so quickly that Henrietta had not time to consider her position before the latch rose.
surprise
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The surprise was common to both, for the newcomer had closed the door behind her before she discerned Henrietta, and then her action was eloquent.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The substance followed the shadow so quickly that Henrietta had not time to consider her position before the latch rose.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The substance followed the shadow so quickly that Henrietta had not time to consider her position before the latch rose.
then
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The surprise was common to both, for the newcomer had closed the door behind her before she discerned Henrietta, and then her action was eloquent.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The substance followed the shadow so quickly that Henrietta had not time to consider her position before the latch rose.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The substance followed the shadow so quickly that Henrietta had not time to consider her position before the latch rose.
turned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She turned the key in the lock, and stood frowning, with her back to the door, and one shoulder advanced as if to defend herself.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The surprise was common to both, for the newcomer had closed the door behind her before she discerned Henrietta, and then her action was eloquent.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading She turned the key in the lock, and stood frowning, with her back to the door, and one shoulder advanced as if to defend herself.