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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 He'd planned and carried out the destruction of that warship because the information of its existence and location was _verified_ by a magnetometer.
accepting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But, if he'd known _how_ the information had been obtained--if he'd known it had been _guessed at_ by a discharged spaceport employee, and a paranoid personality, and a man who used a hazel twig or something similar--if he'd known _that_, he'd never have dreamed of accepting it.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He'd planned and carried out the destruction of that warship because the information of its existence and location was _verified_ by a magnetometer.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Bors felt as if he'd been hit over the head.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading But, if he'd known _how_ the information had been obtained--if he'd known it had been _guessed at_ by a discharged spaceport employee, and a paranoid personality, and a man who used a hazel twig or something similar--if he'd known _that_, he'd never have dreamed of accepting it.
becauseconjunctionUS /bɪˈkɔːz/
for the reason that
From this reading He'd planned and carried out the destruction of that warship because the information of its existence and location was _verified_ by a magnetometer.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Bors felt as if he'd been hit over the head.
Bors
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From this reading Bors felt as if he'd been hit over the head.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But, if he'd known _how_ the information had been obtained--if he'd known it had been _guessed at_ by a discharged spaceport employee, and a paranoid personality, and a man who used a hazel twig or something similar--if he'd known _that_, he'd never have dreamed of accepting it.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading He'd planned and carried out the destruction of that warship because the information of its existence and location was _verified_ by a magnetometer.
carried
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From this reading He'd planned and carried out the destruction of that warship because the information of its existence and location was _verified_ by a magnetometer.
destruction
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From this reading He'd planned and carried out the destruction of that warship because the information of its existence and location was _verified_ by a magnetometer.
dischargedverbUS /dɪsˈtʃɑrdʒd/
released from a duty or job
From this reading But, if he'd known _how_ the information had been obtained--if he'd known it had been _guessed at_ by a discharged spaceport employee, and a paranoid personality, and a man who used a hazel twig or something similar--if he'd known _that_, he'd never have dreamed of accepting it.
dismissed
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From this reading He'd have dismissed it flatly!
dreamed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But, if he'd known _how_ the information had been obtained--if he'd known it had been _guessed at_ by a discharged spaceport employee, and a paranoid personality, and a man who used a hazel twig or something similar--if he'd known _that_, he'd never have dreamed of accepting it.
employee
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But, if he'd known _how_ the information had been obtained--if he'd known it had been _guessed at_ by a discharged spaceport employee, and a paranoid personality, and a man who used a hazel twig or something similar--if he'd known _that_, he'd never have dreamed of accepting it.
existence
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He'd planned and carried out the destruction of that warship because the information of its existence and location was _verified_ by a magnetometer.
felt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Bors felt as if he'd been hit over the head.
flatly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He'd have dismissed it flatly!
guessed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But, if he'd known _how_ the information had been obtained--if he'd known it had been _guessed at_ by a discharged spaceport employee, and a paranoid personality, and a man who used a hazel twig or something similar--if he'd known _that_, he'd never have dreamed of accepting it.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading But, if he'd known _how_ the information had been obtained--if he'd known it had been _guessed at_ by a discharged spaceport employee, and a paranoid personality, and a man who used a hazel twig or something similar--if he'd known _that_, he'd never have dreamed of accepting it.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading But, if he'd known _how_ the information had been obtained--if he'd known it had been _guessed at_ by a discharged spaceport employee, and a paranoid personality, and a man who used a hazel twig or something similar--if he'd known _that_, he'd never have dreamed of accepting it.
hazel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But, if he'd known _how_ the information had been obtained--if he'd known it had been _guessed at_ by a discharged spaceport employee, and a paranoid personality, and a man who used a hazel twig or something similar--if he'd known _that_, he'd never have dreamed of accepting it.
he'd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Bors felt as if he'd been hit over the head.
head
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Bors felt as if he'd been hit over the head.
hit
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Bors felt as if he'd been hit over the head.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But, if he'd known _how_ the information had been obtained--if he'd known it had been _guessed at_ by a discharged spaceport employee, and a paranoid personality, and a man who used a hazel twig or something similar--if he'd known _that_, he'd never have dreamed of accepting it.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Bors felt as if he'd been hit over the head.
information
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He'd planned and carried out the destruction of that warship because the information of its existence and location was _verified_ by a magnetometer.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading But, if he'd known _how_ the information had been obtained--if he'd known it had been _guessed at_ by a discharged spaceport employee, and a paranoid personality, and a man who used a hazel twig or something similar--if he'd known _that_, he'd never have dreamed of accepting it.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading He'd planned and carried out the destruction of that warship because the information of its existence and location was _verified_ by a magnetometer.
known
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But, if he'd known _how_ the information had been obtained--if he'd known it had been _guessed at_ by a discharged spaceport employee, and a paranoid personality, and a man who used a hazel twig or something similar--if he'd known _that_, he'd never have dreamed of accepting it.
location
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He'd planned and carried out the destruction of that warship because the information of its existence and location was _verified_ by a magnetometer.
magnetometer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He'd planned and carried out the destruction of that warship because the information of its existence and location was _verified_ by a magnetometer.
man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But, if he'd known _how_ the information had been obtained--if he'd known it had been _guessed at_ by a discharged spaceport employee, and a paranoid personality, and a man who used a hazel twig or something similar--if he'd known _that_, he'd never have dreamed of accepting it.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading But, if he'd known _how_ the information had been obtained--if he'd known it had been _guessed at_ by a discharged spaceport employee, and a paranoid personality, and a man who used a hazel twig or something similar--if he'd known _that_, he'd never have dreamed of accepting it.
obtained
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But, if he'd known _how_ the information had been obtained--if he'd known it had been _guessed at_ by a discharged spaceport employee, and a paranoid personality, and a man who used a hazel twig or something similar--if he'd known _that_, he'd never have dreamed of accepting it.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He'd planned and carried out the destruction of that warship because the information of its existence and location was _verified_ by a magnetometer.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading But, if he'd known _how_ the information had been obtained--if he'd known it had been _guessed at_ by a discharged spaceport employee, and a paranoid personality, and a man who used a hazel twig or something similar--if he'd known _that_, he'd never have dreamed of accepting it.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He'd planned and carried out the destruction of that warship because the information of its existence and location was _verified_ by a magnetometer.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Bors felt as if he'd been hit over the head.
paranoid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But, if he'd known _how_ the information had been obtained--if he'd known it had been _guessed at_ by a discharged spaceport employee, and a paranoid personality, and a man who used a hazel twig or something similar--if he'd known _that_, he'd never have dreamed of accepting it.
personality
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But, if he'd known _how_ the information had been obtained--if he'd known it had been _guessed at_ by a discharged spaceport employee, and a paranoid personality, and a man who used a hazel twig or something similar--if he'd known _that_, he'd never have dreamed of accepting it.
planned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He'd planned and carried out the destruction of that warship because the information of its existence and location was _verified_ by a magnetometer.
ridiculous
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was ridiculous!
similar
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But, if he'd known _how_ the information had been obtained--if he'd known it had been _guessed at_ by a discharged spaceport employee, and a paranoid personality, and a man who used a hazel twig or something similar--if he'd known _that_, he'd never have dreamed of accepting it.
somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
a thing, without saying which
From this reading But, if he'd known _how_ the information had been obtained--if he'd known it had been _guessed at_ by a discharged spaceport employee, and a paranoid personality, and a man who used a hazel twig or something similar--if he'd known _that_, he'd never have dreamed of accepting it.
spaceport
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But, if he'd known _how_ the information had been obtained--if he'd known it had been _guessed at_ by a discharged spaceport employee, and a paranoid personality, and a man who used a hazel twig or something similar--if he'd known _that_, he'd never have dreamed of accepting it.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He'd planned and carried out the destruction of that warship because the information of its existence and location was _verified_ by a magnetometer.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Bors felt as if he'd been hit over the head.
ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This was ridiculous!
twig
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But, if he'd known _how_ the information had been obtained--if he'd known it had been _guessed at_ by a discharged spaceport employee, and a paranoid personality, and a man who used a hazel twig or something similar--if he'd known _that_, he'd never have dreamed of accepting it.
used
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But, if he'd known _how_ the information had been obtained--if he'd known it had been _guessed at_ by a discharged spaceport employee, and a paranoid personality, and a man who used a hazel twig or something similar--if he'd known _that_, he'd never have dreamed of accepting it.
verified
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He'd planned and carried out the destruction of that warship because the information of its existence and location was _verified_ by a magnetometer.
warship
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He'd planned and carried out the destruction of that warship because the information of its existence and location was _verified_ by a magnetometer.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading This was ridiculous!
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading But, if he'd known _how_ the information had been obtained--if he'd known it had been _guessed at_ by a discharged spaceport employee, and a paranoid personality, and a man who used a hazel twig or something similar--if he'd known _that_, he'd never have dreamed of accepting it.
