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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 She stood a few yards off with her face in shadow.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading As he stood looking at her facing him thus in cold half-shadowy anger--at the spinning wheel with its trailing flax--at, the table with its iron shears--at her hands stretched forth as if about to grasp the one and to lay hold on the other--he shudderingly thought of the ancient arbitress of Life and Death--Fate the mighty, the relentless.
againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading As she had stepped backward, one of her hands had struck against her spinning-wheel and now rested on it; with the other she had caught the edge of the table.
ancientadjectiveUS /ˈeɪn.ʃənt/
Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.
From this reading As he stood looking at her facing him thus in cold half-shadowy anger--at the spinning wheel with its trailing flax--at, the table with its iron shears--at her hands stretched forth as if about to grasp the one and to lay hold on the other--he shudderingly thought of the ancient arbitress of Life and Death--Fate the mighty, the relentless.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading As she had stepped backward, one of her hands had struck against her spinning-wheel and now rested on it; with the other she had caught the edge of the table.
anger
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he stood looking at her facing him thus in cold half-shadowy anger--at the spinning wheel with its trailing flax--at, the table with its iron shears--at her hands stretched forth as if about to grasp the one and to lay hold on the other--he shudderingly thought of the ancient arbitress of Life and Death--Fate the mighty, the relentless.
arbitress
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he stood looking at her facing him thus in cold half-shadowy anger--at the spinning wheel with its trailing flax--at, the table with its iron shears--at her hands stretched forth as if about to grasp the one and to lay hold on the other--he shudderingly thought of the ancient arbitress of Life and Death--Fate the mighty, the relentless.
AsconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As she had stepped backward, one of her hands had struck against her spinning-wheel and now rested on it; with the other she had caught the edge of the table.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading As he stood looking at her facing him thus in cold half-shadowy anger--at the spinning wheel with its trailing flax--at, the table with its iron shears--at her hands stretched forth as if about to grasp the one and to lay hold on the other--he shudderingly thought of the ancient arbitress of Life and Death--Fate the mighty, the relentless.
backward
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she had stepped backward, one of her hands had struck against her spinning-wheel and now rested on it; with the other she had caught the edge of the table.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The fancy passed and was succeeded by the sense of her youth and loveliness.
caught
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she had stepped backward, one of her hands had struck against her spinning-wheel and now rested on it; with the other she had caught the edge of the table.
cold
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he stood looking at her facing him thus in cold half-shadowy anger--at the spinning wheel with its trailing flax--at, the table with its iron shears--at her hands stretched forth as if about to grasp the one and to lay hold on the other--he shudderingly thought of the ancient arbitress of Life and Death--Fate the mighty, the relentless.
Death
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he stood looking at her facing him thus in cold half-shadowy anger--at the spinning wheel with its trailing flax--at, the table with its iron shears--at her hands stretched forth as if about to grasp the one and to lay hold on the other--he shudderingly thought of the ancient arbitress of Life and Death--Fate the mighty, the relentless.
edge
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she had stepped backward, one of her hands had struck against her spinning-wheel and now rested on it; with the other she had caught the edge of the table.
face
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She stood a few yards off with her face in shadow.
facing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he stood looking at her facing him thus in cold half-shadowy anger--at the spinning wheel with its trailing flax--at, the table with its iron shears--at her hands stretched forth as if about to grasp the one and to lay hold on the other--he shudderingly thought of the ancient arbitress of Life and Death--Fate the mighty, the relentless.
fancy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The fancy passed and was succeeded by the sense of her youth and loveliness.
Fate
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From this reading As he stood looking at her facing him thus in cold half-shadowy anger--at the spinning wheel with its trailing flax--at, the table with its iron shears--at her hands stretched forth as if about to grasp the one and to lay hold on the other--he shudderingly thought of the ancient arbitress of Life and Death--Fate the mighty, the relentless.
few
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She stood a few yards off with her face in shadow.
flax
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the spinning-wheel a thread of flax trailed to the ground; on the table lay a pair of iron shears.
forth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he stood looking at her facing him thus in cold half-shadowy anger--at the spinning wheel with its trailing flax--at, the table with its iron shears--at her hands stretched forth as if about to grasp the one and to lay hold on the other--he shudderingly thought of the ancient arbitress of Life and Death--Fate the mighty, the relentless.
FromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading From the spinning-wheel a thread of flax trailed to the ground; on the table lay a pair of iron shears.
graspnounUS /ɡræsp/
a firm hold in a specific situation in this story
From this reading As he stood looking at her facing him thus in cold half-shadowy anger--at the spinning wheel with its trailing flax--at, the table with its iron shears--at her hands stretched forth as if about to grasp the one and to lay hold on the other--he shudderingly thought of the ancient arbitress of Life and Death--Fate the mighty, the relentless.
ground
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the spinning-wheel a thread of flax trailed to the ground; on the table lay a pair of iron shears.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading As she had stepped backward, one of her hands had struck against her spinning-wheel and now rested on it; with the other she had caught the edge of the table.
half-shadowy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he stood looking at her facing him thus in cold half-shadowy anger--at the spinning wheel with its trailing flax--at, the table with its iron shears--at her hands stretched forth as if about to grasp the one and to lay hold on the other--he shudderingly thought of the ancient arbitress of Life and Death--Fate the mighty, the relentless.
handsplural nounUS /hændz/
members of a ship’s crew
From this reading As she had stepped backward, one of her hands had struck against her spinning-wheel and now rested on it; with the other she had caught the edge of the table.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading As he stood looking at her facing him thus in cold half-shadowy anger--at the spinning wheel with its trailing flax--at, the table with its iron shears--at her hands stretched forth as if about to grasp the one and to lay hold on the other--he shudderingly thought of the ancient arbitress of Life and Death--Fate the mighty, the relentless.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She stood a few yards off with her face in shadow.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading As he stood looking at her facing him thus in cold half-shadowy anger--at the spinning wheel with its trailing flax--at, the table with its iron shears--at her hands stretched forth as if about to grasp the one and to lay hold on the other--he shudderingly thought of the ancient arbitress of Life and Death--Fate the mighty, the relentless.
hold
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he stood looking at her facing him thus in cold half-shadowy anger--at the spinning wheel with its trailing flax--at, the table with its iron shears--at her hands stretched forth as if about to grasp the one and to lay hold on the other--he shudderingly thought of the ancient arbitress of Life and Death--Fate the mighty, the relentless.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading As he stood looking at her facing him thus in cold half-shadowy anger--at the spinning wheel with its trailing flax--at, the table with its iron shears--at her hands stretched forth as if about to grasp the one and to lay hold on the other--he shudderingly thought of the ancient arbitress of Life and Death--Fate the mighty, the relentless.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She stood a few yards off with her face in shadow.
iron
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the spinning-wheel a thread of flax trailed to the ground; on the table lay a pair of iron shears.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading As she had stepped backward, one of her hands had struck against her spinning-wheel and now rested on it; with the other she had caught the edge of the table.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading As he stood looking at her facing him thus in cold half-shadowy anger--at the spinning wheel with its trailing flax--at, the table with its iron shears--at her hands stretched forth as if about to grasp the one and to lay hold on the other--he shudderingly thought of the ancient arbitress of Life and Death--Fate the mighty, the relentless.
lay
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the spinning-wheel a thread of flax trailed to the ground; on the table lay a pair of iron shears.
LifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading As he stood looking at her facing him thus in cold half-shadowy anger--at the spinning wheel with its trailing flax--at, the table with its iron shears--at her hands stretched forth as if about to grasp the one and to lay hold on the other--he shudderingly thought of the ancient arbitress of Life and Death--Fate the mighty, the relentless.
looking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he stood looking at her facing him thus in cold half-shadowy anger--at the spinning wheel with its trailing flax--at, the table with its iron shears--at her hands stretched forth as if about to grasp the one and to lay hold on the other--he shudderingly thought of the ancient arbitress of Life and Death--Fate the mighty, the relentless.
loveliness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The fancy passed and was succeeded by the sense of her youth and loveliness.
mighty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he stood looking at her facing him thus in cold half-shadowy anger--at the spinning wheel with its trailing flax--at, the table with its iron shears--at her hands stretched forth as if about to grasp the one and to lay hold on the other--he shudderingly thought of the ancient arbitress of Life and Death--Fate the mighty, the relentless.
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she had stepped backward, one of her hands had struck against her spinning-wheel and now rested on it; with the other she had caught the edge of the table.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading As she had stepped backward, one of her hands had struck against her spinning-wheel and now rested on it; with the other she had caught the edge of the table.
off
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She stood a few yards off with her face in shadow.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading As she had stepped backward, one of her hands had struck against her spinning-wheel and now rested on it; with the other she had caught the edge of the table.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading As she had stepped backward, one of her hands had struck against her spinning-wheel and now rested on it; with the other she had caught the edge of the table.
other
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she had stepped backward, one of her hands had struck against her spinning-wheel and now rested on it; with the other she had caught the edge of the table.
pair
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the spinning-wheel a thread of flax trailed to the ground; on the table lay a pair of iron shears.
passednounUS /passed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The fancy passed and was succeeded by the sense of her youth and loveliness.
relentless
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he stood looking at her facing him thus in cold half-shadowy anger--at the spinning wheel with its trailing flax--at, the table with its iron shears--at her hands stretched forth as if about to grasp the one and to lay hold on the other--he shudderingly thought of the ancient arbitress of Life and Death--Fate the mighty, the relentless.
rested
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she had stepped backward, one of her hands had struck against her spinning-wheel and now rested on it; with the other she had caught the edge of the table.
sense
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The fancy passed and was succeeded by the sense of her youth and loveliness.
shadownounUS /ˈʃæd.oʊ/
A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
From this reading She stood a few yards off with her face in shadow.
ShepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She stood a few yards off with her face in shadow.
shears
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the spinning-wheel a thread of flax trailed to the ground; on the table lay a pair of iron shears.
shudderingly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he stood looking at her facing him thus in cold half-shadowy anger--at the spinning wheel with its trailing flax--at, the table with its iron shears--at her hands stretched forth as if about to grasp the one and to lay hold on the other--he shudderingly thought of the ancient arbitress of Life and Death--Fate the mighty, the relentless.
spinningnounUS /ˈspɪnɪŋ/
the act of making thread from fibers
From this reading As he stood looking at her facing him thus in cold half-shadowy anger--at the spinning wheel with its trailing flax--at, the table with its iron shears--at her hands stretched forth as if about to grasp the one and to lay hold on the other--he shudderingly thought of the ancient arbitress of Life and Death--Fate the mighty, the relentless.
spinning-wheel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she had stepped backward, one of her hands had struck against her spinning-wheel and now rested on it; with the other she had caught the edge of the table.
stepped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she had stepped backward, one of her hands had struck against her spinning-wheel and now rested on it; with the other she had caught the edge of the table.
stoodnounUS /stood/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading She stood a few yards off with her face in shadow.
stretched
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he stood looking at her facing him thus in cold half-shadowy anger--at the spinning wheel with its trailing flax--at, the table with its iron shears--at her hands stretched forth as if about to grasp the one and to lay hold on the other--he shudderingly thought of the ancient arbitress of Life and Death--Fate the mighty, the relentless.
strucknounUS /struck/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading As she had stepped backward, one of her hands had struck against her spinning-wheel and now rested on it; with the other she had caught the edge of the table.
succeeded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The fancy passed and was succeeded by the sense of her youth and loveliness.
table
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As she had stepped backward, one of her hands had struck against her spinning-wheel and now rested on it; with the other she had caught the edge of the table.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading As she had stepped backward, one of her hands had struck against her spinning-wheel and now rested on it; with the other she had caught the edge of the table.
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading As he stood looking at her facing him thus in cold half-shadowy anger--at the spinning wheel with its trailing flax--at, the table with its iron shears--at her hands stretched forth as if about to grasp the one and to lay hold on the other--he shudderingly thought of the ancient arbitress of Life and Death--Fate the mighty, the relentless.
thread
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the spinning-wheel a thread of flax trailed to the ground; on the table lay a pair of iron shears.
thus
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he stood looking at her facing him thus in cold half-shadowy anger--at the spinning wheel with its trailing flax--at, the table with its iron shears--at her hands stretched forth as if about to grasp the one and to lay hold on the other--he shudderingly thought of the ancient arbitress of Life and Death--Fate the mighty, the relentless.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading From the spinning-wheel a thread of flax trailed to the ground; on the table lay a pair of iron shears.
trailed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the spinning-wheel a thread of flax trailed to the ground; on the table lay a pair of iron shears.
trailing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he stood looking at her facing him thus in cold half-shadowy anger--at the spinning wheel with its trailing flax--at, the table with its iron shears--at her hands stretched forth as if about to grasp the one and to lay hold on the other--he shudderingly thought of the ancient arbitress of Life and Death--Fate the mighty, the relentless.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The fancy passed and was succeeded by the sense of her youth and loveliness.
wheel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he stood looking at her facing him thus in cold half-shadowy anger--at the spinning wheel with its trailing flax--at, the table with its iron shears--at her hands stretched forth as if about to grasp the one and to lay hold on the other--he shudderingly thought of the ancient arbitress of Life and Death--Fate the mighty, the relentless.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading She stood a few yards off with her face in shadow.
yards
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She stood a few yards off with her face in shadow.
youth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The fancy passed and was succeeded by the sense of her youth and loveliness.
