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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 A MATTER OF DUTY The campfire burned brightly in a straggling bluff at the edge of the plain.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The scattered trees were small and let in the cold wind, and the men were gathered close round the fire in a semi-circle on the side away from the smoke.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading A MATTER OF DUTY The campfire burned brightly in a straggling bluff at the edge of the plain.
away
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From this reading The scattered trees were small and let in the cold wind, and the men were gathered close round the fire in a semi-circle on the side away from the smoke.
back
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From this reading "The time we lost turning back to the Stony village has made a big hole in our grub," he said.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Sergeant Lane held a notebook in his hand, while Emile repacked a quantity of provisions, the weight of which they had been carefully estimating.
big
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From this reading "The time we lost turning back to the Stony village has made a big hole in our grub," he said.
bluffadjectiveUS /blʌf/
direct and plain-spoken in manner, sometimes seeming rough
From this reading A MATTER OF DUTY The campfire burned brightly in a straggling bluff at the edge of the plain.
brightly
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From this reading A MATTER OF DUTY The campfire burned brightly in a straggling bluff at the edge of the plain.
burned
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From this reading A MATTER OF DUTY The campfire burned brightly in a straggling bluff at the edge of the plain.
calculations
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From this reading The sergeant's calculations were not reassuring, and he frowned.
campfire
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From this reading A MATTER OF DUTY The campfire burned brightly in a straggling bluff at the edge of the plain.
carefully
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From this reading Sergeant Lane held a notebook in his hand, while Emile repacked a quantity of provisions, the weight of which they had been carefully estimating.
close
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From this reading The scattered trees were small and let in the cold wind, and the men were gathered close round the fire in a semi-circle on the side away from the smoke.
cold
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From this reading The scattered trees were small and let in the cold wind, and the men were gathered close round the fire in a semi-circle on the side away from the smoke.
DUTYnounUS /ˈduːti/
a responsibility that must be carried out
From this reading A MATTER OF DUTY The campfire burned brightly in a straggling bluff at the edge of the plain.
edge
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From this reading A MATTER OF DUTY The campfire burned brightly in a straggling bluff at the edge of the plain.
Emile
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From this reading Sergeant Lane held a notebook in his hand, while Emile repacked a quantity of provisions, the weight of which they had been carefully estimating.
estimating
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From this reading Sergeant Lane held a notebook in his hand, while Emile repacked a quantity of provisions, the weight of which they had been carefully estimating.
fire
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From this reading The scattered trees were small and let in the cold wind, and the men were gathered close round the fire in a semi-circle on the side away from the smoke.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The scattered trees were small and let in the cold wind, and the men were gathered close round the fire in a semi-circle on the side away from the smoke.
frowned
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From this reading The sergeant's calculations were not reassuring, and he frowned.
gathered
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From this reading The scattered trees were small and let in the cold wind, and the men were gathered close round the fire in a semi-circle on the side away from the smoke.
grub
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "The time we lost turning back to the Stony village has made a big hole in our grub," he said.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Sergeant Lane held a notebook in his hand, while Emile repacked a quantity of provisions, the weight of which they had been carefully estimating.
hand
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From this reading Sergeant Lane held a notebook in his hand, while Emile repacked a quantity of provisions, the weight of which they had been carefully estimating.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "The time we lost turning back to the Stony village has made a big hole in our grub," he said.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The sergeant's calculations were not reassuring, and he frowned.
held
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From this reading Sergeant Lane held a notebook in his hand, while Emile repacked a quantity of provisions, the weight of which they had been carefully estimating.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Sergeant Lane held a notebook in his hand, while Emile repacked a quantity of provisions, the weight of which they had been carefully estimating.
hole
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From this reading "The time we lost turning back to the Stony village has made a big hole in our grub," he said.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A MATTER OF DUTY The campfire burned brightly in a straggling bluff at the edge of the plain.
Lane
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From this reading Sergeant Lane held a notebook in his hand, while Emile repacked a quantity of provisions, the weight of which they had been carefully estimating.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading The scattered trees were small and let in the cold wind, and the men were gathered close round the fire in a semi-circle on the side away from the smoke.
lost
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From this reading "The time we lost turning back to the Stony village has made a big hole in our grub," he said.
made
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From this reading "The time we lost turning back to the Stony village has made a big hole in our grub," he said.
MATTER
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From this reading A MATTER OF DUTY The campfire burned brightly in a straggling bluff at the edge of the plain.
men
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From this reading The scattered trees were small and let in the cold wind, and the men were gathered close round the fire in a semi-circle on the side away from the smoke.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The sergeant's calculations were not reassuring, and he frowned.
notebook
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From this reading Sergeant Lane held a notebook in his hand, while Emile repacked a quantity of provisions, the weight of which they had been carefully estimating.
OFprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A MATTER OF DUTY The campfire burned brightly in a straggling bluff at the edge of the plain.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The scattered trees were small and let in the cold wind, and the men were gathered close round the fire in a semi-circle on the side away from the smoke.
ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading "The time we lost turning back to the Stony village has made a big hole in our grub," he said.
plain
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From this reading A MATTER OF DUTY The campfire burned brightly in a straggling bluff at the edge of the plain.
provisions
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From this reading Sergeant Lane held a notebook in his hand, while Emile repacked a quantity of provisions, the weight of which they had been carefully estimating.
quantity
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From this reading Sergeant Lane held a notebook in his hand, while Emile repacked a quantity of provisions, the weight of which they had been carefully estimating.
reassuring
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From this reading The sergeant's calculations were not reassuring, and he frowned.
repacked
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From this reading Sergeant Lane held a notebook in his hand, while Emile repacked a quantity of provisions, the weight of which they had been carefully estimating.
round
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From this reading The scattered trees were small and let in the cold wind, and the men were gathered close round the fire in a semi-circle on the side away from the smoke.
said
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From this reading "The time we lost turning back to the Stony village has made a big hole in our grub," he said.
scattered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The scattered trees were small and let in the cold wind, and the men were gathered close round the fire in a semi-circle on the side away from the smoke.
semi-circle
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From this reading The scattered trees were small and let in the cold wind, and the men were gathered close round the fire in a semi-circle on the side away from the smoke.
Sergeant
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sergeant Lane held a notebook in his hand, while Emile repacked a quantity of provisions, the weight of which they had been carefully estimating.
sergeant's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sergeant's calculations were not reassuring, and he frowned.
side
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The scattered trees were small and let in the cold wind, and the men were gathered close round the fire in a semi-circle on the side away from the smoke.
small
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The scattered trees were small and let in the cold wind, and the men were gathered close round the fire in a semi-circle on the side away from the smoke.
smoke
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The scattered trees were small and let in the cold wind, and the men were gathered close round the fire in a semi-circle on the side away from the smoke.
Stony
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "The time we lost turning back to the Stony village has made a big hole in our grub," he said.
straggling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A MATTER OF DUTY The campfire burned brightly in a straggling bluff at the edge of the plain.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A MATTER OF DUTY The campfire burned brightly in a straggling bluff at the edge of the plain.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Sergeant Lane held a notebook in his hand, while Emile repacked a quantity of provisions, the weight of which they had been carefully estimating.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading "The time we lost turning back to the Stony village has made a big hole in our grub," he said.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "The time we lost turning back to the Stony village has made a big hole in our grub," he said.
trees
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The scattered trees were small and let in the cold wind, and the men were gathered close round the fire in a semi-circle on the side away from the smoke.
turning
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From this reading "The time we lost turning back to the Stony village has made a big hole in our grub," he said.
village
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "The time we lost turning back to the Stony village has made a big hole in our grub," he said.
wepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "The time we lost turning back to the Stony village has made a big hole in our grub," he said.
weight
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From this reading Sergeant Lane held a notebook in his hand, while Emile repacked a quantity of provisions, the weight of which they had been carefully estimating.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The scattered trees were small and let in the cold wind, and the men were gathered close round the fire in a semi-circle on the side away from the smoke.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Sergeant Lane held a notebook in his hand, while Emile repacked a quantity of provisions, the weight of which they had been carefully estimating.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading Sergeant Lane held a notebook in his hand, while Emile repacked a quantity of provisions, the weight of which they had been carefully estimating.
windnounUS /wind/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The scattered trees were small and let in the cold wind, and the men were gathered close round the fire in a semi-circle on the side away from the smoke.