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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 There was no forest in the vicinity, though long ago a certain militant bishop had held by kingly favor the right of venery over the surrounding moors, and now odd wisps of straggling firs wound up the hollows that seamed them here and there.
afterward
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From this reading Nobody seemed to know who first built Scarthwaite Hall, though many a dalesman had patched it afterward and pulled portions of it down.
ago
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From this reading There was no forest in the vicinity, though long ago a certain militant bishop had held by kingly favor the right of venery over the surrounding moors, and now odd wisps of straggling firs wound up the hollows that seamed them here and there.
ancientadjectiveUS /ˈeɪn.ʃənt/
Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.
From this reading It was one of the ancient houses, half farm and half stronghold, which may still be found in the north country.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading There was no forest in the vicinity, though long ago a certain militant bishop had held by kingly favor the right of venery over the surrounding moors, and now odd wisps of straggling firs wound up the hollows that seamed them here and there.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading SCARTHWAITE-IN-THE-FOREST Ida Stirling had spent some time in England when, one autumn evening, she descended the wide oak staircase of Scarthwaite Hall at Scarthwaite-in-the-Forest.
autumn
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From this reading SCARTHWAITE-IN-THE-FOREST Ida Stirling had spent some time in England when, one autumn evening, she descended the wide oak staircase of Scarthwaite Hall at Scarthwaite-in-the-Forest.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It was one of the ancient houses, half farm and half stronghold, which may still be found in the north country.
bishop
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From this reading There was no forest in the vicinity, though long ago a certain militant bishop had held by kingly favor the right of venery over the surrounding moors, and now odd wisps of straggling firs wound up the hollows that seamed them here and there.
built
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From this reading Nobody seemed to know who first built Scarthwaite Hall, though many a dalesman had patched it afterward and pulled portions of it down.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading There was no forest in the vicinity, though long ago a certain militant bishop had held by kingly favor the right of venery over the surrounding moors, and now odd wisps of straggling firs wound up the hollows that seamed them here and there.
certain
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From this reading There was no forest in the vicinity, though long ago a certain militant bishop had held by kingly favor the right of venery over the surrounding moors, and now odd wisps of straggling firs wound up the hollows that seamed them here and there.
country
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From this reading It was one of the ancient houses, half farm and half stronghold, which may still be found in the north country.
dalesman
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From this reading Nobody seemed to know who first built Scarthwaite Hall, though many a dalesman had patched it afterward and pulled portions of it down.
decades
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From this reading They were, until a few decades ago, usually in possession of the Statesmen who worked their own land.
descendednounUS /ˈdescended/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading SCARTHWAITE-IN-THE-FOREST Ida Stirling had spent some time in England when, one autumn evening, she descended the wide oak staircase of Scarthwaite Hall at Scarthwaite-in-the-Forest.
down
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From this reading Nobody seemed to know who first built Scarthwaite Hall, though many a dalesman had patched it afterward and pulled portions of it down.
England
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From this reading SCARTHWAITE-IN-THE-FOREST Ida Stirling had spent some time in England when, one autumn evening, she descended the wide oak staircase of Scarthwaite Hall at Scarthwaite-in-the-Forest.
evening
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From this reading SCARTHWAITE-IN-THE-FOREST Ida Stirling had spent some time in England when, one autumn evening, she descended the wide oak staircase of Scarthwaite Hall at Scarthwaite-in-the-Forest.
farm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was one of the ancient houses, half farm and half stronghold, which may still be found in the north country.
favor
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From this reading There was no forest in the vicinity, though long ago a certain militant bishop had held by kingly favor the right of venery over the surrounding moors, and now odd wisps of straggling firs wound up the hollows that seamed them here and there.
few
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were, until a few decades ago, usually in possession of the Statesmen who worked their own land.
firs
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From this reading There was no forest in the vicinity, though long ago a certain militant bishop had held by kingly favor the right of venery over the surrounding moors, and now odd wisps of straggling firs wound up the hollows that seamed them here and there.
firstnounUS /first/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Nobody seemed to know who first built Scarthwaite Hall, though many a dalesman had patched it afterward and pulled portions of it down.
forest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no forest in the vicinity, though long ago a certain militant bishop had held by kingly favor the right of venery over the surrounding moors, and now odd wisps of straggling firs wound up the hollows that seamed them here and there.
foundnounUS /found/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was one of the ancient houses, half farm and half stronghold, which may still be found in the north country.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading SCARTHWAITE-IN-THE-FOREST Ida Stirling had spent some time in England when, one autumn evening, she descended the wide oak staircase of Scarthwaite Hall at Scarthwaite-in-the-Forest.
halfnounUS /half/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was one of the ancient houses, half farm and half stronghold, which may still be found in the north country.
Hall
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading SCARTHWAITE-IN-THE-FOREST Ida Stirling had spent some time in England when, one autumn evening, she descended the wide oak staircase of Scarthwaite Hall at Scarthwaite-in-the-Forest.
held
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no forest in the vicinity, though long ago a certain militant bishop had held by kingly favor the right of venery over the surrounding moors, and now odd wisps of straggling firs wound up the hollows that seamed them here and there.
herenounUS /here/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There was no forest in the vicinity, though long ago a certain militant bishop had held by kingly favor the right of venery over the surrounding moors, and now odd wisps of straggling firs wound up the hollows that seamed them here and there.
hollows
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From this reading There was no forest in the vicinity, though long ago a certain militant bishop had held by kingly favor the right of venery over the surrounding moors, and now odd wisps of straggling firs wound up the hollows that seamed them here and there.
houses
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was one of the ancient houses, half farm and half stronghold, which may still be found in the north country.
Ida
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading SCARTHWAITE-IN-THE-FOREST Ida Stirling had spent some time in England when, one autumn evening, she descended the wide oak staircase of Scarthwaite Hall at Scarthwaite-in-the-Forest.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading SCARTHWAITE-IN-THE-FOREST Ida Stirling had spent some time in England when, one autumn evening, she descended the wide oak staircase of Scarthwaite Hall at Scarthwaite-in-the-Forest.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Nobody seemed to know who first built Scarthwaite Hall, though many a dalesman had patched it afterward and pulled portions of it down.
kingly
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From this reading There was no forest in the vicinity, though long ago a certain militant bishop had held by kingly favor the right of venery over the surrounding moors, and now odd wisps of straggling firs wound up the hollows that seamed them here and there.
knownounUS /know/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Nobody seemed to know who first built Scarthwaite Hall, though many a dalesman had patched it afterward and pulled portions of it down.
land
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were, until a few decades ago, usually in possession of the Statesmen who worked their own land.
longnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There was no forest in the vicinity, though long ago a certain militant bishop had held by kingly favor the right of venery over the surrounding moors, and now odd wisps of straggling firs wound up the hollows that seamed them here and there.
many
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From this reading Nobody seemed to know who first built Scarthwaite Hall, though many a dalesman had patched it afterward and pulled portions of it down.
maymodal verbUS /meɪ/
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading It was one of the ancient houses, half farm and half stronghold, which may still be found in the north country.
militant
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From this reading There was no forest in the vicinity, though long ago a certain militant bishop had held by kingly favor the right of venery over the surrounding moors, and now odd wisps of straggling firs wound up the hollows that seamed them here and there.
moors
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no forest in the vicinity, though long ago a certain militant bishop had held by kingly favor the right of venery over the surrounding moors, and now odd wisps of straggling firs wound up the hollows that seamed them here and there.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading There was no forest in the vicinity, though long ago a certain militant bishop had held by kingly favor the right of venery over the surrounding moors, and now odd wisps of straggling firs wound up the hollows that seamed them here and there.
NobodypronounUS /ˈnoʊbɑːdiː/
no person; not anyone
From this reading Nobody seemed to know who first built Scarthwaite Hall, though many a dalesman had patched it afterward and pulled portions of it down.
north
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was one of the ancient houses, half farm and half stronghold, which may still be found in the north country.
now
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From this reading There was no forest in the vicinity, though long ago a certain militant bishop had held by kingly favor the right of venery over the surrounding moors, and now odd wisps of straggling firs wound up the hollows that seamed them here and there.
oak
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From this reading SCARTHWAITE-IN-THE-FOREST Ida Stirling had spent some time in England when, one autumn evening, she descended the wide oak staircase of Scarthwaite Hall at Scarthwaite-in-the-Forest.
odd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no forest in the vicinity, though long ago a certain militant bishop had held by kingly favor the right of venery over the surrounding moors, and now odd wisps of straggling firs wound up the hollows that seamed them here and there.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading SCARTHWAITE-IN-THE-FOREST Ida Stirling had spent some time in England when, one autumn evening, she descended the wide oak staircase of Scarthwaite Hall at Scarthwaite-in-the-Forest.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading SCARTHWAITE-IN-THE-FOREST Ida Stirling had spent some time in England when, one autumn evening, she descended the wide oak staircase of Scarthwaite Hall at Scarthwaite-in-the-Forest.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading There was no forest in the vicinity, though long ago a certain militant bishop had held by kingly favor the right of venery over the surrounding moors, and now odd wisps of straggling firs wound up the hollows that seamed them here and there.
own
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were, until a few decades ago, usually in possession of the Statesmen who worked their own land.
patched
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From this reading Nobody seemed to know who first built Scarthwaite Hall, though many a dalesman had patched it afterward and pulled portions of it down.
portions
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nobody seemed to know who first built Scarthwaite Hall, though many a dalesman had patched it afterward and pulled portions of it down.
possession
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were, until a few decades ago, usually in possession of the Statesmen who worked their own land.
pullednounUS /pulled/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Nobody seemed to know who first built Scarthwaite Hall, though many a dalesman had patched it afterward and pulled portions of it down.
rightnounUS /right/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading There was no forest in the vicinity, though long ago a certain militant bishop had held by kingly favor the right of venery over the surrounding moors, and now odd wisps of straggling firs wound up the hollows that seamed them here and there.
Scarthwaite
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading SCARTHWAITE-IN-THE-FOREST Ida Stirling had spent some time in England when, one autumn evening, she descended the wide oak staircase of Scarthwaite Hall at Scarthwaite-in-the-Forest.
SCARTHWAITE-IN-THE-FOREST
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading SCARTHWAITE-IN-THE-FOREST Ida Stirling had spent some time in England when, one autumn evening, she descended the wide oak staircase of Scarthwaite Hall at Scarthwaite-in-the-Forest.
seamed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no forest in the vicinity, though long ago a certain militant bishop had held by kingly favor the right of venery over the surrounding moors, and now odd wisps of straggling firs wound up the hollows that seamed them here and there.
seemednounUS /seemed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Nobody seemed to know who first built Scarthwaite Hall, though many a dalesman had patched it afterward and pulled portions of it down.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading SCARTHWAITE-IN-THE-FOREST Ida Stirling had spent some time in England when, one autumn evening, she descended the wide oak staircase of Scarthwaite Hall at Scarthwaite-in-the-Forest.
some
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading SCARTHWAITE-IN-THE-FOREST Ida Stirling had spent some time in England when, one autumn evening, she descended the wide oak staircase of Scarthwaite Hall at Scarthwaite-in-the-Forest.
spent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading SCARTHWAITE-IN-THE-FOREST Ida Stirling had spent some time in England when, one autumn evening, she descended the wide oak staircase of Scarthwaite Hall at Scarthwaite-in-the-Forest.
staircase
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading SCARTHWAITE-IN-THE-FOREST Ida Stirling had spent some time in England when, one autumn evening, she descended the wide oak staircase of Scarthwaite Hall at Scarthwaite-in-the-Forest.
Statesmen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were, until a few decades ago, usually in possession of the Statesmen who worked their own land.
stillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It was one of the ancient houses, half farm and half stronghold, which may still be found in the north country.
Stirling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading SCARTHWAITE-IN-THE-FOREST Ida Stirling had spent some time in England when, one autumn evening, she descended the wide oak staircase of Scarthwaite Hall at Scarthwaite-in-the-Forest.
straggling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no forest in the vicinity, though long ago a certain militant bishop had held by kingly favor the right of venery over the surrounding moors, and now odd wisps of straggling firs wound up the hollows that seamed them here and there.
stronghold
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was one of the ancient houses, half farm and half stronghold, which may still be found in the north country.
surrounding
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no forest in the vicinity, though long ago a certain militant bishop had held by kingly favor the right of venery over the surrounding moors, and now odd wisps of straggling firs wound up the hollows that seamed them here and there.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading There was no forest in the vicinity, though long ago a certain militant bishop had held by kingly favor the right of venery over the surrounding moors, and now odd wisps of straggling firs wound up the hollows that seamed them here and there.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading SCARTHWAITE-IN-THE-FOREST Ida Stirling had spent some time in England when, one autumn evening, she descended the wide oak staircase of Scarthwaite Hall at Scarthwaite-in-the-Forest.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading They were, until a few decades ago, usually in possession of the Statesmen who worked their own land.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading There was no forest in the vicinity, though long ago a certain militant bishop had held by kingly favor the right of venery over the surrounding moors, and now odd wisps of straggling firs wound up the hollows that seamed them here and there.
There
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no forest in the vicinity, though long ago a certain militant bishop had held by kingly favor the right of venery over the surrounding moors, and now odd wisps of straggling firs wound up the hollows that seamed them here and there.
TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were, until a few decades ago, usually in possession of the Statesmen who worked their own land.
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading There was no forest in the vicinity, though long ago a certain militant bishop had held by kingly favor the right of venery over the surrounding moors, and now odd wisps of straggling firs wound up the hollows that seamed them here and there.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading SCARTHWAITE-IN-THE-FOREST Ida Stirling had spent some time in England when, one autumn evening, she descended the wide oak staircase of Scarthwaite Hall at Scarthwaite-in-the-Forest.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Nobody seemed to know who first built Scarthwaite Hall, though many a dalesman had patched it afterward and pulled portions of it down.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading They were, until a few decades ago, usually in possession of the Statesmen who worked their own land.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no forest in the vicinity, though long ago a certain militant bishop had held by kingly favor the right of venery over the surrounding moors, and now odd wisps of straggling firs wound up the hollows that seamed them here and there.
usually
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were, until a few decades ago, usually in possession of the Statesmen who worked their own land.
venery
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no forest in the vicinity, though long ago a certain militant bishop had held by kingly favor the right of venery over the surrounding moors, and now odd wisps of straggling firs wound up the hollows that seamed them here and there.
vicinity
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no forest in the vicinity, though long ago a certain militant bishop had held by kingly favor the right of venery over the surrounding moors, and now odd wisps of straggling firs wound up the hollows that seamed them here and there.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was no forest in the vicinity, though long ago a certain militant bishop had held by kingly favor the right of venery over the surrounding moors, and now odd wisps of straggling firs wound up the hollows that seamed them here and there.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were, until a few decades ago, usually in possession of the Statesmen who worked their own land.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading SCARTHWAITE-IN-THE-FOREST Ida Stirling had spent some time in England when, one autumn evening, she descended the wide oak staircase of Scarthwaite Hall at Scarthwaite-in-the-Forest.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It was one of the ancient houses, half farm and half stronghold, which may still be found in the north country.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading Nobody seemed to know who first built Scarthwaite Hall, though many a dalesman had patched it afterward and pulled portions of it down.
wide
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading SCARTHWAITE-IN-THE-FOREST Ida Stirling had spent some time in England when, one autumn evening, she descended the wide oak staircase of Scarthwaite Hall at Scarthwaite-in-the-Forest.
wisps
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no forest in the vicinity, though long ago a certain militant bishop had held by kingly favor the right of venery over the surrounding moors, and now odd wisps of straggling firs wound up the hollows that seamed them here and there.
worked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were, until a few decades ago, usually in possession of the Statesmen who worked their own land.
wound
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no forest in the vicinity, though long ago a certain militant bishop had held by kingly favor the right of venery over the surrounding moors, and now odd wisps of straggling firs wound up the hollows that seamed them here and there.