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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 We left George Long among the devouring quicksands of the Platte, and now, after a brief absence, we return to him.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Tighter and tighter grew the lariat about his body; his arms seemed to be forced into his sides, and his breath became mere gasps, and brief ones at that.
absence
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We left George Long among the devouring quicksands of the Platte, and now, after a brief absence, we return to him.
ACCUSATION
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN UNEXPECTED ACCUSATION.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading We left George Long among the devouring quicksands of the Platte, and now, after a brief absence, we return to him.
all
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Meanwhile, they tugged with all their strength at the lasso, and the boy thought that they would rend him in twain.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading We left George Long among the devouring quicksands of the Platte, and now, after a brief absence, we return to him.
ANdeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading AN UNEXPECTED ACCUSATION.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading We left George Long among the devouring quicksands of the Platte, and now, after a brief absence, we return to him.
arms
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From this reading Tighter and tighter grew the lariat about his body; his arms seemed to be forced into his sides, and his breath became mere gasps, and brief ones at that.
assistance
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From this reading His weight, though not great, seemed to take him down, and the Indians, seeing this, set up wild yells for assistance.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Meanwhile, they tugged with all their strength at the lasso, and the boy thought that they would rend him in twain.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Tighter and tighter grew the lariat about his body; his arms seemed to be forced into his sides, and his breath became mere gasps, and brief ones at that.
became
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tighter and tighter grew the lariat about his body; his arms seemed to be forced into his sides, and his breath became mere gasps, and brief ones at that.
bodynounUS /body/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Tighter and tighter grew the lariat about his body; his arms seemed to be forced into his sides, and his breath became mere gasps, and brief ones at that.
boy
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From this reading Meanwhile, they tugged with all their strength at the lasso, and the boy thought that they would rend him in twain.
breath
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From this reading Tighter and tighter grew the lariat about his body; his arms seemed to be forced into his sides, and his breath became mere gasps, and brief ones at that.
brief
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We left George Long among the devouring quicksands of the Platte, and now, after a brief absence, we return to him.
devouring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We left George Long among the devouring quicksands of the Platte, and now, after a brief absence, we return to him.
down
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His weight, though not great, seemed to take him down, and the Indians, seeing this, set up wild yells for assistance.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading His weight, though not great, seemed to take him down, and the Indians, seeing this, set up wild yells for assistance.
forced
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tighter and tighter grew the lariat about his body; his arms seemed to be forced into his sides, and his breath became mere gasps, and brief ones at that.
gasps
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tighter and tighter grew the lariat about his body; his arms seemed to be forced into his sides, and his breath became mere gasps, and brief ones at that.
George
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We left George Long among the devouring quicksands of the Platte, and now, after a brief absence, we return to him.
greatnounUS /great/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading His weight, though not great, seemed to take him down, and the Indians, seeing this, set up wild yells for assistance.
grew
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tighter and tighter grew the lariat about his body; his arms seemed to be forced into his sides, and his breath became mere gasps, and brief ones at that.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading We left George Long among the devouring quicksands of the Platte, and now, after a brief absence, we return to him.
HisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading His weight, though not great, seemed to take him down, and the Indians, seeing this, set up wild yells for assistance.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Meanwhile, they tugged with all their strength at the lasso, and the boy thought that they would rend him in twain.
Indians
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His weight, though not great, seemed to take him down, and the Indians, seeing this, set up wild yells for assistance.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Tighter and tighter grew the lariat about his body; his arms seemed to be forced into his sides, and his breath became mere gasps, and brief ones at that.
lariat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tighter and tighter grew the lariat about his body; his arms seemed to be forced into his sides, and his breath became mere gasps, and brief ones at that.
lasso
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Meanwhile, they tugged with all their strength at the lasso, and the boy thought that they would rend him in twain.
leftnounUS /left/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading We left George Long among the devouring quicksands of the Platte, and now, after a brief absence, we return to him.
LongnounUS /long/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading We left George Long among the devouring quicksands of the Platte, and now, after a brief absence, we return to him.
MeanwhilenounUS /ˈmeanwhile/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Meanwhile, they tugged with all their strength at the lasso, and the boy thought that they would rend him in twain.
mere
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tighter and tighter grew the lariat about his body; his arms seemed to be forced into his sides, and his breath became mere gasps, and brief ones at that.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading His weight, though not great, seemed to take him down, and the Indians, seeing this, set up wild yells for assistance.
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We left George Long among the devouring quicksands of the Platte, and now, after a brief absence, we return to him.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading We left George Long among the devouring quicksands of the Platte, and now, after a brief absence, we return to him.
ones
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tighter and tighter grew the lariat about his body; his arms seemed to be forced into his sides, and his breath became mere gasps, and brief ones at that.
Platte
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We left George Long among the devouring quicksands of the Platte, and now, after a brief absence, we return to him.
quicksands
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We left George Long among the devouring quicksands of the Platte, and now, after a brief absence, we return to him.
rend
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Meanwhile, they tugged with all their strength at the lasso, and the boy thought that they would rend him in twain.
return
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We left George Long among the devouring quicksands of the Platte, and now, after a brief absence, we return to him.
seeing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His weight, though not great, seemed to take him down, and the Indians, seeing this, set up wild yells for assistance.
seemednounUS /seemed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading His weight, though not great, seemed to take him down, and the Indians, seeing this, set up wild yells for assistance.
set
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His weight, though not great, seemed to take him down, and the Indians, seeing this, set up wild yells for assistance.
sides
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tighter and tighter grew the lariat about his body; his arms seemed to be forced into his sides, and his breath became mere gasps, and brief ones at that.
strengthnounUS /ˈstrength/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Meanwhile, they tugged with all their strength at the lasso, and the boy thought that they would rend him in twain.
takenounUS /take/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading His weight, though not great, seemed to take him down, and the Indians, seeing this, set up wild yells for assistance.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Meanwhile, they tugged with all their strength at the lasso, and the boy thought that they would rend him in twain.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading We left George Long among the devouring quicksands of the Platte, and now, after a brief absence, we return to him.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Meanwhile, they tugged with all their strength at the lasso, and the boy thought that they would rend him in twain.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Meanwhile, they tugged with all their strength at the lasso, and the boy thought that they would rend him in twain.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading His weight, though not great, seemed to take him down, and the Indians, seeing this, set up wild yells for assistance.
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading His weight, though not great, seemed to take him down, and the Indians, seeing this, set up wild yells for assistance.
thoughtnounUS /thought/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Meanwhile, they tugged with all their strength at the lasso, and the boy thought that they would rend him in twain.
Tighter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tighter and tighter grew the lariat about his body; his arms seemed to be forced into his sides, and his breath became mere gasps, and brief ones at that.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading We left George Long among the devouring quicksands of the Platte, and now, after a brief absence, we return to him.
tugged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Meanwhile, they tugged with all their strength at the lasso, and the boy thought that they would rend him in twain.
twain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Meanwhile, they tugged with all their strength at the lasso, and the boy thought that they would rend him in twain.
UNEXPECTED
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN UNEXPECTED ACCUSATION.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His weight, though not great, seemed to take him down, and the Indians, seeing this, set up wild yells for assistance.
WepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We left George Long among the devouring quicksands of the Platte, and now, after a brief absence, we return to him.
weight
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His weight, though not great, seemed to take him down, and the Indians, seeing this, set up wild yells for assistance.
wild
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His weight, though not great, seemed to take him down, and the Indians, seeing this, set up wild yells for assistance.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Meanwhile, they tugged with all their strength at the lasso, and the boy thought that they would rend him in twain.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Meanwhile, they tugged with all their strength at the lasso, and the boy thought that they would rend him in twain.
yells
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His weight, though not great, seemed to take him down, and the Indians, seeing this, set up wild yells for assistance.
