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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 end came just before dawn, with a swiftness that stunned the faculties--as though one saw the naked wrath of God leap like lightning from the sky.
able
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From this reading The harsh, shapeless light of imminent day alone manufactured a colour of difference: Whitaker now was able to see as two dark shapes the men in the body of the leading boat.
ahead
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From this reading One of the men was standing by the wheel, forward, staring ahead.
alonenounUS /alone/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The harsh, shapeless light of imminent day alone manufactured a colour of difference: Whitaker now was able to see as two dark shapes the men in the body of the leading boat.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading They were precisely as they had been, within a certain distance of one another, toiling on and ever on like strange misshapen spirits doomed to run an endless race.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading They were precisely as they had been, within a certain distance of one another, toiling on and ever on like strange misshapen spirits doomed to run an endless race.
anothernounUS /ˈanother/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading They were precisely as they had been, within a certain distance of one another, toiling on and ever on like strange misshapen spirits doomed to run an endless race.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The end came just before dawn, with a swiftness that stunned the faculties--as though one saw the naked wrath of God leap like lightning from the sky.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The woman was not visible, but the doors to the cabin were closed, confirming his surmise that she at least had been sheltered through the night.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading They were precisely as they had been, within a certain distance of one another, toiling on and ever on like strange misshapen spirits doomed to run an endless race.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The end came just before dawn, with a swiftness that stunned the faculties--as though one saw the naked wrath of God leap like lightning from the sky.
boat
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From this reading The harsh, shapeless light of imminent day alone manufactured a colour of difference: Whitaker now was able to see as two dark shapes the men in the body of the leading boat.
bodynounUS /body/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The harsh, shapeless light of imminent day alone manufactured a colour of difference: Whitaker now was able to see as two dark shapes the men in the body of the leading boat.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The woman was not visible, but the doors to the cabin were closed, confirming his surmise that she at least had been sheltered through the night.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading One of the men was standing by the wheel, forward, staring ahead.
cabin
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From this reading The woman was not visible, but the doors to the cabin were closed, confirming his surmise that she at least had been sheltered through the night.
came
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From this reading The end came just before dawn, with a swiftness that stunned the faculties--as though one saw the naked wrath of God leap like lightning from the sky.
certain
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From this reading They were precisely as they had been, within a certain distance of one another, toiling on and ever on like strange misshapen spirits doomed to run an endless race.
closed
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From this reading The woman was not visible, but the doors to the cabin were closed, confirming his surmise that she at least had been sheltered through the night.
colour
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From this reading The harsh, shapeless light of imminent day alone manufactured a colour of difference: Whitaker now was able to see as two dark shapes the men in the body of the leading boat.
confirming
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From this reading The woman was not visible, but the doors to the cabin were closed, confirming his surmise that she at least had been sheltered through the night.
dark
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From this reading The harsh, shapeless light of imminent day alone manufactured a colour of difference: Whitaker now was able to see as two dark shapes the men in the body of the leading boat.
dawn
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From this reading The end came just before dawn, with a swiftness that stunned the faculties--as though one saw the naked wrath of God leap like lightning from the sky.
day
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From this reading The harsh, shapeless light of imminent day alone manufactured a colour of difference: Whitaker now was able to see as two dark shapes the men in the body of the leading boat.
difference
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From this reading The harsh, shapeless light of imminent day alone manufactured a colour of difference: Whitaker now was able to see as two dark shapes the men in the body of the leading boat.
distance
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From this reading They were precisely as they had been, within a certain distance of one another, toiling on and ever on like strange misshapen spirits doomed to run an endless race.
doomed
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From this reading They were precisely as they had been, within a certain distance of one another, toiling on and ever on like strange misshapen spirits doomed to run an endless race.
doors
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From this reading The woman was not visible, but the doors to the cabin were closed, confirming his surmise that she at least had been sheltered through the night.
end
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From this reading The end came just before dawn, with a swiftness that stunned the faculties--as though one saw the naked wrath of God leap like lightning from the sky.
endless
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From this reading They were precisely as they had been, within a certain distance of one another, toiling on and ever on like strange misshapen spirits doomed to run an endless race.
evernounUS /ever/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading They were precisely as they had been, within a certain distance of one another, toiling on and ever on like strange misshapen spirits doomed to run an endless race.
faculties
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From this reading The end came just before dawn, with a swiftness that stunned the faculties--as though one saw the naked wrath of God leap like lightning from the sky.
forwardnounUS /forward/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading One of the men was standing by the wheel, forward, staring ahead.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The end came just before dawn, with a swiftness that stunned the faculties--as though one saw the naked wrath of God leap like lightning from the sky.
God
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From this reading The end came just before dawn, with a swiftness that stunned the faculties--as though one saw the naked wrath of God leap like lightning from the sky.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading They were precisely as they had been, within a certain distance of one another, toiling on and ever on like strange misshapen spirits doomed to run an endless race.
harsh
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From this reading The harsh, shapeless light of imminent day alone manufactured a colour of difference: Whitaker now was able to see as two dark shapes the men in the body of the leading boat.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The woman was not visible, but the doors to the cabin were closed, confirming his surmise that she at least had been sheltered through the night.
imminent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The harsh, shapeless light of imminent day alone manufactured a colour of difference: Whitaker now was able to see as two dark shapes the men in the body of the leading boat.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The harsh, shapeless light of imminent day alone manufactured a colour of difference: Whitaker now was able to see as two dark shapes the men in the body of the leading boat.
just
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From this reading The end came just before dawn, with a swiftness that stunned the faculties--as though one saw the naked wrath of God leap like lightning from the sky.
leading
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From this reading The harsh, shapeless light of imminent day alone manufactured a colour of difference: Whitaker now was able to see as two dark shapes the men in the body of the leading boat.
leap
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From this reading The end came just before dawn, with a swiftness that stunned the faculties--as though one saw the naked wrath of God leap like lightning from the sky.
leastnounUS /least/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The woman was not visible, but the doors to the cabin were closed, confirming his surmise that she at least had been sheltered through the night.
light
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From this reading The harsh, shapeless light of imminent day alone manufactured a colour of difference: Whitaker now was able to see as two dark shapes the men in the body of the leading boat.
lightning
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From this reading The end came just before dawn, with a swiftness that stunned the faculties--as though one saw the naked wrath of God leap like lightning from the sky.
like
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From this reading The end came just before dawn, with a swiftness that stunned the faculties--as though one saw the naked wrath of God leap like lightning from the sky.
manufactured
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The harsh, shapeless light of imminent day alone manufactured a colour of difference: Whitaker now was able to see as two dark shapes the men in the body of the leading boat.
men
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From this reading The harsh, shapeless light of imminent day alone manufactured a colour of difference: Whitaker now was able to see as two dark shapes the men in the body of the leading boat.
misshapen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were precisely as they had been, within a certain distance of one another, toiling on and ever on like strange misshapen spirits doomed to run an endless race.
naked
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From this reading The end came just before dawn, with a swiftness that stunned the faculties--as though one saw the naked wrath of God leap like lightning from the sky.
night
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The woman was not visible, but the doors to the cabin were closed, confirming his surmise that she at least had been sheltered through the night.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The woman was not visible, but the doors to the cabin were closed, confirming his surmise that she at least had been sheltered through the night.
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The harsh, shapeless light of imminent day alone manufactured a colour of difference: Whitaker now was able to see as two dark shapes the men in the body of the leading boat.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The end came just before dawn, with a swiftness that stunned the faculties--as though one saw the naked wrath of God leap like lightning from the sky.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading They were precisely as they had been, within a certain distance of one another, toiling on and ever on like strange misshapen spirits doomed to run an endless race.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The end came just before dawn, with a swiftness that stunned the faculties--as though one saw the naked wrath of God leap like lightning from the sky.
precisely
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From this reading They were precisely as they had been, within a certain distance of one another, toiling on and ever on like strange misshapen spirits doomed to run an endless race.
race
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were precisely as they had been, within a certain distance of one another, toiling on and ever on like strange misshapen spirits doomed to run an endless race.
run
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were precisely as they had been, within a certain distance of one another, toiling on and ever on like strange misshapen spirits doomed to run an endless race.
saw
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The end came just before dawn, with a swiftness that stunned the faculties--as though one saw the naked wrath of God leap like lightning from the sky.
see
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The harsh, shapeless light of imminent day alone manufactured a colour of difference: Whitaker now was able to see as two dark shapes the men in the body of the leading boat.
shapeless
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From this reading The harsh, shapeless light of imminent day alone manufactured a colour of difference: Whitaker now was able to see as two dark shapes the men in the body of the leading boat.
shapes
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From this reading The harsh, shapeless light of imminent day alone manufactured a colour of difference: Whitaker now was able to see as two dark shapes the men in the body of the leading boat.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The woman was not visible, but the doors to the cabin were closed, confirming his surmise that she at least had been sheltered through the night.
sheltered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The woman was not visible, but the doors to the cabin were closed, confirming his surmise that she at least had been sheltered through the night.
sky
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The end came just before dawn, with a swiftness that stunned the faculties--as though one saw the naked wrath of God leap like lightning from the sky.
spirits
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From this reading They were precisely as they had been, within a certain distance of one another, toiling on and ever on like strange misshapen spirits doomed to run an endless race.
standingnounUS /ˈstanding/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading One of the men was standing by the wheel, forward, staring ahead.
staring
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From this reading One of the men was standing by the wheel, forward, staring ahead.
strange
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were precisely as they had been, within a certain distance of one another, toiling on and ever on like strange misshapen spirits doomed to run an endless race.
stunned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The end came just before dawn, with a swiftness that stunned the faculties--as though one saw the naked wrath of God leap like lightning from the sky.
surmise
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The woman was not visible, but the doors to the cabin were closed, confirming his surmise that she at least had been sheltered through the night.
swiftness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The end came just before dawn, with a swiftness that stunned the faculties--as though one saw the naked wrath of God leap like lightning from the sky.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The end came just before dawn, with a swiftness that stunned the faculties--as though one saw the naked wrath of God leap like lightning from the sky.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The end came just before dawn, with a swiftness that stunned the faculties--as though one saw the naked wrath of God leap like lightning from the sky.
TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were precisely as they had been, within a certain distance of one another, toiling on and ever on like strange misshapen spirits doomed to run an endless race.
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading The end came just before dawn, with a swiftness that stunned the faculties--as though one saw the naked wrath of God leap like lightning from the sky.
throughnounUS /ˈthrough/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading The woman was not visible, but the doors to the cabin were closed, confirming his surmise that she at least had been sheltered through the night.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They were precisely as they had been, within a certain distance of one another, toiling on and ever on like strange misshapen spirits doomed to run an endless race.
toiling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were precisely as they had been, within a certain distance of one another, toiling on and ever on like strange misshapen spirits doomed to run an endless race.
two
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The harsh, shapeless light of imminent day alone manufactured a colour of difference: Whitaker now was able to see as two dark shapes the men in the body of the leading boat.
visible
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The woman was not visible, but the doors to the cabin were closed, confirming his surmise that she at least had been sheltered through the night.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The harsh, shapeless light of imminent day alone manufactured a colour of difference: Whitaker now was able to see as two dark shapes the men in the body of the leading boat.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were precisely as they had been, within a certain distance of one another, toiling on and ever on like strange misshapen spirits doomed to run an endless race.
wheel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One of the men was standing by the wheel, forward, staring ahead.
Whitaker
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The harsh, shapeless light of imminent day alone manufactured a colour of difference: Whitaker now was able to see as two dark shapes the men in the body of the leading boat.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading The end came just before dawn, with a swiftness that stunned the faculties--as though one saw the naked wrath of God leap like lightning from the sky.
withinprepositionUS /wɪˈðɪn/
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading They were precisely as they had been, within a certain distance of one another, toiling on and ever on like strange misshapen spirits doomed to run an endless race.
woman
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The woman was not visible, but the doors to the cabin were closed, confirming his surmise that she at least had been sheltered through the night.
wrath
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From this reading The end came just before dawn, with a swiftness that stunned the faculties--as though one saw the naked wrath of God leap like lightning from the sky.