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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 They gave all they had, but their all was not enough: it could not buy more than a few moments....
all
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From this reading She had given him all she had--but what was it compared to the other gifts life held for him?
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading For an instant Mr. Royall's countenance detached itself from the general blur.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The heat had grown suffocating--she felt it descend on her in smothering waves, and the faces in the crowded hall began to dance like the pictures flashed on the screen at Nettleton.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The heat had grown suffocating--she felt it descend on her in smothering waves, and the faces in the crowded hall began to dance like the pictures flashed on the screen at Nettleton.
begannounUS /began/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The heat had grown suffocating--she felt it descend on her in smothering waves, and the faces in the crowded hall began to dance like the pictures flashed on the screen at Nettleton.
blur
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For an instant Mr. Royall's countenance detached itself from the general blur.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading She had given him all she had--but what was it compared to the other gifts life held for him?
buy
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From this reading They gave all they had, but their all was not enough: it could not buy more than a few moments....
case
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From this reading She understood now the case of girls like herself to whom this kind of thing happened.
compared
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From this reading She had given him all she had--but what was it compared to the other gifts life held for him?
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading They gave all they had, but their all was not enough: it could not buy more than a few moments....
countenance
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For an instant Mr. Royall's countenance detached itself from the general blur.
crowded
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From this reading The heat had grown suffocating--she felt it descend on her in smothering waves, and the faces in the crowded hall began to dance like the pictures flashed on the screen at Nettleton.
dance
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The heat had grown suffocating--she felt it descend on her in smothering waves, and the faces in the crowded hall began to dance like the pictures flashed on the screen at Nettleton.
descend
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From this reading The heat had grown suffocating--she felt it descend on her in smothering waves, and the faces in the crowded hall began to dance like the pictures flashed on the screen at Nettleton.
detached
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From this reading For an instant Mr. Royall's countenance detached itself from the general blur.
enough
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From this reading They gave all they had, but their all was not enough: it could not buy more than a few moments....
faces
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The heat had grown suffocating--she felt it descend on her in smothering waves, and the faces in the crowded hall began to dance like the pictures flashed on the screen at Nettleton.
felt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The heat had grown suffocating--she felt it descend on her in smothering waves, and the faces in the crowded hall began to dance like the pictures flashed on the screen at Nettleton.
few
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They gave all they had, but their all was not enough: it could not buy more than a few moments....
flashed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The heat had grown suffocating--she felt it descend on her in smothering waves, and the faces in the crowded hall began to dance like the pictures flashed on the screen at Nettleton.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading She had given him all she had--but what was it compared to the other gifts life held for him?
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading For an instant Mr. Royall's countenance detached itself from the general blur.
gave
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They gave all they had, but their all was not enough: it could not buy more than a few moments....
general
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For an instant Mr. Royall's countenance detached itself from the general blur.
gifts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had given him all she had--but what was it compared to the other gifts life held for him?
girls
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She understood now the case of girls like herself to whom this kind of thing happened.
given
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From this reading She had given him all she had--but what was it compared to the other gifts life held for him?
grown
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The heat had grown suffocating--she felt it descend on her in smothering waves, and the faces in the crowded hall began to dance like the pictures flashed on the screen at Nettleton.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She had given him all she had--but what was it compared to the other gifts life held for him?
hall
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The heat had grown suffocating--she felt it descend on her in smothering waves, and the faces in the crowded hall began to dance like the pictures flashed on the screen at Nettleton.
happened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She understood now the case of girls like herself to whom this kind of thing happened.
heat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The heat had grown suffocating--she felt it descend on her in smothering waves, and the faces in the crowded hall began to dance like the pictures flashed on the screen at Nettleton.
held
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had given him all she had--but what was it compared to the other gifts life held for him?
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The heat had grown suffocating--she felt it descend on her in smothering waves, and the faces in the crowded hall began to dance like the pictures flashed on the screen at Nettleton.
herselfpronounUS /hərˈself/
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading She understood now the case of girls like herself to whom this kind of thing happened.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading She had given him all she had--but what was it compared to the other gifts life held for him?
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The heat had grown suffocating--she felt it descend on her in smothering waves, and the faces in the crowded hall began to dance like the pictures flashed on the screen at Nettleton.
instant
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For an instant Mr. Royall's countenance detached itself from the general blur.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading She had given him all she had--but what was it compared to the other gifts life held for him?
itselfpronounUS /ˌɪtˈself/
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading For an instant Mr. Royall's countenance detached itself from the general blur.
kind
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She understood now the case of girls like herself to whom this kind of thing happened.
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She had given him all she had--but what was it compared to the other gifts life held for him?
like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She understood now the case of girls like herself to whom this kind of thing happened.
moments
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They gave all they had, but their all was not enough: it could not buy more than a few moments....
more
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They gave all they had, but their all was not enough: it could not buy more than a few moments....
Mr
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For an instant Mr. Royall's countenance detached itself from the general blur.
Nettleton
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The heat had grown suffocating--she felt it descend on her in smothering waves, and the faces in the crowded hall began to dance like the pictures flashed on the screen at Nettleton.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading They gave all they had, but their all was not enough: it could not buy more than a few moments....
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She understood now the case of girls like herself to whom this kind of thing happened.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She understood now the case of girls like herself to whom this kind of thing happened.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The heat had grown suffocating--she felt it descend on her in smothering waves, and the faces in the crowded hall began to dance like the pictures flashed on the screen at Nettleton.
other
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had given him all she had--but what was it compared to the other gifts life held for him?
pictures
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The heat had grown suffocating--she felt it descend on her in smothering waves, and the faces in the crowded hall began to dance like the pictures flashed on the screen at Nettleton.
Royall's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For an instant Mr. Royall's countenance detached itself from the general blur.
screen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The heat had grown suffocating--she felt it descend on her in smothering waves, and the faces in the crowded hall began to dance like the pictures flashed on the screen at Nettleton.
ShepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She had given him all she had--but what was it compared to the other gifts life held for him?
smothering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The heat had grown suffocating--she felt it descend on her in smothering waves, and the faces in the crowded hall began to dance like the pictures flashed on the screen at Nettleton.
suffocating
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The heat had grown suffocating--she felt it descend on her in smothering waves, and the faces in the crowded hall began to dance like the pictures flashed on the screen at Nettleton.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading They gave all they had, but their all was not enough: it could not buy more than a few moments....
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading She had given him all she had--but what was it compared to the other gifts life held for him?
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading They gave all they had, but their all was not enough: it could not buy more than a few moments....
TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They gave all they had, but their all was not enough: it could not buy more than a few moments....
thingnounUS /thing/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She understood now the case of girls like herself to whom this kind of thing happened.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading She understood now the case of girls like herself to whom this kind of thing happened.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She had given him all she had--but what was it compared to the other gifts life held for him?
understood
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She understood now the case of girls like herself to whom this kind of thing happened.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She had given him all she had--but what was it compared to the other gifts life held for him?
waves
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The heat had grown suffocating--she felt it descend on her in smothering waves, and the faces in the crowded hall began to dance like the pictures flashed on the screen at Nettleton.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading She had given him all she had--but what was it compared to the other gifts life held for him?
whompronounUS /huːm/
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading She understood now the case of girls like herself to whom this kind of thing happened.
