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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 by Mary Roberts Rinehart and Avery Hopwood “You’ve _got_ to get him, boys—get him or bust!” said a tired police chief, pounding a heavy fist on a table.
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gunmen, thugs, hi-jackers, loft-robbers, murderers, they could get them all in time—but they could not get the man he wanted.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading by Mary Roberts Rinehart and Avery Hopwood “You’ve _got_ to get him, boys—get him or bust!” said a tired police chief, pounding a heavy fist on a table.
answer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Failure meant “resignation” for the police chief, return to the hated work of pounding the pavements for them—they knew it, and, knowing it, could summon no gesture of bravado to answer their chief’s.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The detectives he bellowed the words at looked at the floor.
Avery
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From this reading by Mary Roberts Rinehart and Avery Hopwood “You’ve _got_ to get him, boys—get him or bust!” said a tired police chief, pounding a heavy fist on a table.
bellowed
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From this reading The detectives he bellowed the words at looked at the floor.
best
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From this reading They had done their best and failed.
boys
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From this reading by Mary Roberts Rinehart and Avery Hopwood “You’ve _got_ to get him, boys—get him or bust!” said a tired police chief, pounding a heavy fist on a table.
bravado
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From this reading Failure meant “resignation” for the police chief, return to the hated work of pounding the pavements for them—they knew it, and, knowing it, could summon no gesture of bravado to answer their chief’s.
bust
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From this reading by Mary Roberts Rinehart and Avery Hopwood “You’ve _got_ to get him, boys—get him or bust!” said a tired police chief, pounding a heavy fist on a table.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Gunmen, thugs, hi-jackers, loft-robbers, murderers, they could get them all in time—but they could not get the man he wanted.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading by Mary Roberts Rinehart and Avery Hopwood “You’ve _got_ to get him, boys—get him or bust!” said a tired police chief, pounding a heavy fist on a table.
chief
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading by Mary Roberts Rinehart and Avery Hopwood “You’ve _got_ to get him, boys—get him or bust!” said a tired police chief, pounding a heavy fist on a table.
chief's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Failure meant “resignation” for the police chief, return to the hated work of pounding the pavements for them—they knew it, and, knowing it, could summon no gesture of bravado to answer their chief’s.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Failure meant “resignation” for the police chief, return to the hated work of pounding the pavements for them—they knew it, and, knowing it, could summon no gesture of bravado to answer their chief’s.
detectives
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The detectives he bellowed the words at looked at the floor.
donenounUS /done/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading They had done their best and failed.
failed
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From this reading They had done their best and failed.
Failure
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Failure meant “resignation” for the police chief, return to the hated work of pounding the pavements for them—they knew it, and, knowing it, could summon no gesture of bravado to answer their chief’s.
fist
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From this reading by Mary Roberts Rinehart and Avery Hopwood “You’ve _got_ to get him, boys—get him or bust!” said a tired police chief, pounding a heavy fist on a table.
floor
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The detectives he bellowed the words at looked at the floor.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Failure meant “resignation” for the police chief, return to the hated work of pounding the pavements for them—they knew it, and, knowing it, could summon no gesture of bravado to answer their chief’s.
gesture
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From this reading Failure meant “resignation” for the police chief, return to the hated work of pounding the pavements for them—they knew it, and, knowing it, could summon no gesture of bravado to answer their chief’s.
get
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading by Mary Roberts Rinehart and Avery Hopwood “You’ve _got_ to get him, boys—get him or bust!” said a tired police chief, pounding a heavy fist on a table.
got
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading by Mary Roberts Rinehart and Avery Hopwood “You’ve _got_ to get him, boys—get him or bust!” said a tired police chief, pounding a heavy fist on a table.
Gunmen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gunmen, thugs, hi-jackers, loft-robbers, murderers, they could get them all in time—but they could not get the man he wanted.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading They had done their best and failed.
hated
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From this reading Failure meant “resignation” for the police chief, return to the hated work of pounding the pavements for them—they knew it, and, knowing it, could summon no gesture of bravado to answer their chief’s.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The detectives he bellowed the words at looked at the floor.
heavy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading by Mary Roberts Rinehart and Avery Hopwood “You’ve _got_ to get him, boys—get him or bust!” said a tired police chief, pounding a heavy fist on a table.
hi-jackers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gunmen, thugs, hi-jackers, loft-robbers, murderers, they could get them all in time—but they could not get the man he wanted.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading by Mary Roberts Rinehart and Avery Hopwood “You’ve _got_ to get him, boys—get him or bust!” said a tired police chief, pounding a heavy fist on a table.
Hopwood
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading by Mary Roberts Rinehart and Avery Hopwood “You’ve _got_ to get him, boys—get him or bust!” said a tired police chief, pounding a heavy fist on a table.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Gunmen, thugs, hi-jackers, loft-robbers, murderers, they could get them all in time—but they could not get the man he wanted.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Failure meant “resignation” for the police chief, return to the hated work of pounding the pavements for them—they knew it, and, knowing it, could summon no gesture of bravado to answer their chief’s.
knew
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Failure meant “resignation” for the police chief, return to the hated work of pounding the pavements for them—they knew it, and, knowing it, could summon no gesture of bravado to answer their chief’s.
knowing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Failure meant “resignation” for the police chief, return to the hated work of pounding the pavements for them—they knew it, and, knowing it, could summon no gesture of bravado to answer their chief’s.
loft-robbers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gunmen, thugs, hi-jackers, loft-robbers, murderers, they could get them all in time—but they could not get the man he wanted.
lookednounUS /looked/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The detectives he bellowed the words at looked at the floor.
man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gunmen, thugs, hi-jackers, loft-robbers, murderers, they could get them all in time—but they could not get the man he wanted.
Mary
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading by Mary Roberts Rinehart and Avery Hopwood “You’ve _got_ to get him, boys—get him or bust!” said a tired police chief, pounding a heavy fist on a table.
meant
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Failure meant “resignation” for the police chief, return to the hated work of pounding the pavements for them—they knew it, and, knowing it, could summon no gesture of bravado to answer their chief’s.
murderersnounUS /ˈmurderers/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Gunmen, thugs, hi-jackers, loft-robbers, murderers, they could get them all in time—but they could not get the man he wanted.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading Failure meant “resignation” for the police chief, return to the hated work of pounding the pavements for them—they knew it, and, knowing it, could summon no gesture of bravado to answer their chief’s.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Gunmen, thugs, hi-jackers, loft-robbers, murderers, they could get them all in time—but they could not get the man he wanted.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Failure meant “resignation” for the police chief, return to the hated work of pounding the pavements for them—they knew it, and, knowing it, could summon no gesture of bravado to answer their chief’s.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading by Mary Roberts Rinehart and Avery Hopwood “You’ve _got_ to get him, boys—get him or bust!” said a tired police chief, pounding a heavy fist on a table.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading by Mary Roberts Rinehart and Avery Hopwood “You’ve _got_ to get him, boys—get him or bust!” said a tired police chief, pounding a heavy fist on a table.
pavements
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Failure meant “resignation” for the police chief, return to the hated work of pounding the pavements for them—they knew it, and, knowing it, could summon no gesture of bravado to answer their chief’s.
police
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading by Mary Roberts Rinehart and Avery Hopwood “You’ve _got_ to get him, boys—get him or bust!” said a tired police chief, pounding a heavy fist on a table.
pounding
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading by Mary Roberts Rinehart and Avery Hopwood “You’ve _got_ to get him, boys—get him or bust!” said a tired police chief, pounding a heavy fist on a table.
resignation
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Failure meant “resignation” for the police chief, return to the hated work of pounding the pavements for them—they knew it, and, knowing it, could summon no gesture of bravado to answer their chief’s.
return
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Failure meant “resignation” for the police chief, return to the hated work of pounding the pavements for them—they knew it, and, knowing it, could summon no gesture of bravado to answer their chief’s.
Rinehart
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading by Mary Roberts Rinehart and Avery Hopwood “You’ve _got_ to get him, boys—get him or bust!” said a tired police chief, pounding a heavy fist on a table.
Roberts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading by Mary Roberts Rinehart and Avery Hopwood “You’ve _got_ to get him, boys—get him or bust!” said a tired police chief, pounding a heavy fist on a table.
said
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading by Mary Roberts Rinehart and Avery Hopwood “You’ve _got_ to get him, boys—get him or bust!” said a tired police chief, pounding a heavy fist on a table.
summon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Failure meant “resignation” for the police chief, return to the hated work of pounding the pavements for them—they knew it, and, knowing it, could summon no gesture of bravado to answer their chief’s.
table
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading by Mary Roberts Rinehart and Avery Hopwood “You’ve _got_ to get him, boys—get him or bust!” said a tired police chief, pounding a heavy fist on a table.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The detectives he bellowed the words at looked at the floor.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading They had done their best and failed.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Failure meant “resignation” for the police chief, return to the hated work of pounding the pavements for them—they knew it, and, knowing it, could summon no gesture of bravado to answer their chief’s.
TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They had done their best and failed.
thugs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gunmen, thugs, hi-jackers, loft-robbers, murderers, they could get them all in time—but they could not get the man he wanted.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Gunmen, thugs, hi-jackers, loft-robbers, murderers, they could get them all in time—but they could not get the man he wanted.
tired
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading by Mary Roberts Rinehart and Avery Hopwood “You’ve _got_ to get him, boys—get him or bust!” said a tired police chief, pounding a heavy fist on a table.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading by Mary Roberts Rinehart and Avery Hopwood “You’ve _got_ to get him, boys—get him or bust!” said a tired police chief, pounding a heavy fist on a table.
wanted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gunmen, thugs, hi-jackers, loft-robbers, murderers, they could get them all in time—but they could not get the man he wanted.
words
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The detectives he bellowed the words at looked at the floor.
work
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Failure meant “resignation” for the police chief, return to the hated work of pounding the pavements for them—they knew it, and, knowing it, could summon no gesture of bravado to answer their chief’s.
You've
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading by Mary Roberts Rinehart and Avery Hopwood “You’ve _got_ to get him, boys—get him or bust!” said a tired police chief, pounding a heavy fist on a table.
