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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 Nothing more had passed between him and Dawtie, but he knew that anxious eyes were often watching him, and the thought worried him not a little.
Alexa
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The laird had been poorly for some weeks, and Alexa began to fear that he was failing.
all
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From this reading If he would but take a start, thought Dawtie, and not lose all the good of this life!
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The laird had been poorly for some weeks, and Alexa began to fear that he was failing.
anxious
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nothing more had passed between him and Dawtie, but he knew that anxious eyes were often watching him, and the thought worried him not a little.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It was too late for him to rise very high; he could not now be a saint, but he might at least set a foot on the eternal stair that leads to the fullness of bliss!
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It was too late for him to rise very high; he could not now be a saint, but he might at least set a foot on the eternal stair that leads to the fullness of bliss!
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The laird had been poorly for some weeks, and Alexa began to fear that he was failing.
begannounUS /began/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The laird had been poorly for some weeks, and Alexa began to fear that he was failing.
betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading Nothing more had passed between him and Dawtie, but he knew that anxious eyes were often watching him, and the thought worried him not a little.
bliss
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was too late for him to rise very high; he could not now be a saint, but he might at least set a foot on the eternal stair that leads to the fullness of bliss!
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Nothing more had passed between him and Dawtie, but he knew that anxious eyes were often watching him, and the thought worried him not a little.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading It was too late for him to rise very high; he could not now be a saint, but he might at least set a foot on the eternal stair that leads to the fullness of bliss!
Dawtie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nothing more had passed between him and Dawtie, but he knew that anxious eyes were often watching him, and the thought worried him not a little.
eternal
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was too late for him to rise very high; he could not now be a saint, but he might at least set a foot on the eternal stair that leads to the fullness of bliss!
eyes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nothing more had passed between him and Dawtie, but he knew that anxious eyes were often watching him, and the thought worried him not a little.
failing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The laird had been poorly for some weeks, and Alexa began to fear that he was failing.
fear
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The laird had been poorly for some weeks, and Alexa began to fear that he was failing.
footnounUS /foot/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was too late for him to rise very high; he could not now be a saint, but he might at least set a foot on the eternal stair that leads to the fullness of bliss!
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The laird had been poorly for some weeks, and Alexa began to fear that he was failing.
fullness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was too late for him to rise very high; he could not now be a saint, but he might at least set a foot on the eternal stair that leads to the fullness of bliss!
goodnounUS /good/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading If he would but take a start, thought Dawtie, and not lose all the good of this life!
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The laird had been poorly for some weeks, and Alexa began to fear that he was failing.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The laird had been poorly for some weeks, and Alexa began to fear that he was failing.
HEART
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE HEART OF THE HEART.
high
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was too late for him to rise very high; he could not now be a saint, but he might at least set a foot on the eternal stair that leads to the fullness of bliss!
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Nothing more had passed between him and Dawtie, but he knew that anxious eyes were often watching him, and the thought worried him not a little.
IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If he would but take a start, thought Dawtie, and not lose all the good of this life!
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was too late for him to rise very high; he could not now be a saint, but he might at least set a foot on the eternal stair that leads to the fullness of bliss!
knew
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nothing more had passed between him and Dawtie, but he knew that anxious eyes were often watching him, and the thought worried him not a little.
laird
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The laird had been poorly for some weeks, and Alexa began to fear that he was failing.
late
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was too late for him to rise very high; he could not now be a saint, but he might at least set a foot on the eternal stair that leads to the fullness of bliss!
leads
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was too late for him to rise very high; he could not now be a saint, but he might at least set a foot on the eternal stair that leads to the fullness of bliss!
leastnounUS /least/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was too late for him to rise very high; he could not now be a saint, but he might at least set a foot on the eternal stair that leads to the fullness of bliss!
lifenounUS /life/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading If he would but take a start, thought Dawtie, and not lose all the good of this life!
littlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Nothing more had passed between him and Dawtie, but he knew that anxious eyes were often watching him, and the thought worried him not a little.
lose
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If he would but take a start, thought Dawtie, and not lose all the good of this life!
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading It was too late for him to rise very high; he could not now be a saint, but he might at least set a foot on the eternal stair that leads to the fullness of bliss!
more
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nothing more had passed between him and Dawtie, but he knew that anxious eyes were often watching him, and the thought worried him not a little.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Nothing more had passed between him and Dawtie, but he knew that anxious eyes were often watching him, and the thought worried him not a little.
NothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading Nothing more had passed between him and Dawtie, but he knew that anxious eyes were often watching him, and the thought worried him not a little.
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was too late for him to rise very high; he could not now be a saint, but he might at least set a foot on the eternal stair that leads to the fullness of bliss!
OFprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE HEART OF THE HEART.
often
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nothing more had passed between him and Dawtie, but he knew that anxious eyes were often watching him, and the thought worried him not a little.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It was too late for him to rise very high; he could not now be a saint, but he might at least set a foot on the eternal stair that leads to the fullness of bliss!
passednounUS /passed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Nothing more had passed between him and Dawtie, but he knew that anxious eyes were often watching him, and the thought worried him not a little.
poorly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The laird had been poorly for some weeks, and Alexa began to fear that he was failing.
rise
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was too late for him to rise very high; he could not now be a saint, but he might at least set a foot on the eternal stair that leads to the fullness of bliss!
saint
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was too late for him to rise very high; he could not now be a saint, but he might at least set a foot on the eternal stair that leads to the fullness of bliss!
set
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was too late for him to rise very high; he could not now be a saint, but he might at least set a foot on the eternal stair that leads to the fullness of bliss!
some
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The laird had been poorly for some weeks, and Alexa began to fear that he was failing.
stair
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was too late for him to rise very high; he could not now be a saint, but he might at least set a foot on the eternal stair that leads to the fullness of bliss!
startnounUS /start/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading If he would but take a start, thought Dawtie, and not lose all the good of this life!
takenounUS /take/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading If he would but take a start, thought Dawtie, and not lose all the good of this life!
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The laird had been poorly for some weeks, and Alexa began to fear that he was failing.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE HEART OF THE HEART.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading If he would but take a start, thought Dawtie, and not lose all the good of this life!
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Nothing more had passed between him and Dawtie, but he knew that anxious eyes were often watching him, and the thought worried him not a little.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The laird had been poorly for some weeks, and Alexa began to fear that he was failing.
too
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was too late for him to rise very high; he could not now be a saint, but he might at least set a foot on the eternal stair that leads to the fullness of bliss!
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was too late for him to rise very high; he could not now be a saint, but he might at least set a foot on the eternal stair that leads to the fullness of bliss!
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The laird had been poorly for some weeks, and Alexa began to fear that he was failing.
watching
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nothing more had passed between him and Dawtie, but he knew that anxious eyes were often watching him, and the thought worried him not a little.
weeks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The laird had been poorly for some weeks, and Alexa began to fear that he was failing.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Nothing more had passed between him and Dawtie, but he knew that anxious eyes were often watching him, and the thought worried him not a little.
worried
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nothing more had passed between him and Dawtie, but he knew that anxious eyes were often watching him, and the thought worried him not a little.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading If he would but take a start, thought Dawtie, and not lose all the good of this life!