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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 How was it that he, a prudent diplomat, a statesman, full of precaution, had been so foolish?
all
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From this reading He had not forgotten that he had been imprudent enough to trust it to paper, knowing all the while that it ought never to have been written.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He knew that there can be no secret so carefully guarded that it may not by some chance escape; and his had been known to four people, three of whom were still living.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He knew that there can be no secret so carefully guarded that it may not by some chance escape; and his had been known to four people, three of whom were still living.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading For twenty years, he had been constantly expecting to see the truth brought to light.
broughtnounUS /ˈbrought/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading For twenty years, he had been constantly expecting to see the truth brought to light.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading He knew that there can be no secret so carefully guarded that it may not by some chance escape; and his had been known to four people, three of whom were still living.
canmodal verbUS /kæn/
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading He knew that there can be no secret so carefully guarded that it may not by some chance escape; and his had been known to four people, three of whom were still living.
carefully
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From this reading He knew that there can be no secret so carefully guarded that it may not by some chance escape; and his had been known to four people, three of whom were still living.
chance
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From this reading He knew that there can be no secret so carefully guarded that it may not by some chance escape; and his had been known to four people, three of whom were still living.
Commarin
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From this reading The revelation which had just taken place, irritated much more than it surprised the Count de Commarin.
constantly
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From this reading For twenty years, he had been constantly expecting to see the truth brought to light.
Count
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From this reading The revelation which had just taken place, irritated much more than it surprised the Count de Commarin.
de
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From this reading The revelation which had just taken place, irritated much more than it surprised the Count de Commarin.
diplomat
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From this reading How was it that he, a prudent diplomat, a statesman, full of precaution, had been so foolish?
enough
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From this reading He had not forgotten that he had been imprudent enough to trust it to paper, knowing all the while that it ought never to have been written.
escape
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From this reading He knew that there can be no secret so carefully guarded that it may not by some chance escape; and his had been known to four people, three of whom were still living.
expectingverbUS /ɪkˈspektɪŋ/
thinking that somebody or something will arrive
From this reading For twenty years, he had been constantly expecting to see the truth brought to light.
foolish
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How was it that he, a prudent diplomat, a statesman, full of precaution, had been so foolish?
ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For twenty years, he had been constantly expecting to see the truth brought to light.
forgottenadjectiveUS /fərˈɡɑːt.n̩/
Not remembered; lapsed from memory.
From this reading He had not forgotten that he had been imprudent enough to trust it to paper, knowing all the while that it ought never to have been written.
four
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From this reading He knew that there can be no secret so carefully guarded that it may not by some chance escape; and his had been known to four people, three of whom were still living.
full
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From this reading How was it that he, a prudent diplomat, a statesman, full of precaution, had been so foolish?
guarded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He knew that there can be no secret so carefully guarded that it may not by some chance escape; and his had been known to four people, three of whom were still living.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The revelation which had just taken place, irritated much more than it surprised the Count de Commarin.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading He had not forgotten that he had been imprudent enough to trust it to paper, knowing all the while that it ought never to have been written.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading For twenty years, he had been constantly expecting to see the truth brought to light.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He knew that there can be no secret so carefully guarded that it may not by some chance escape; and his had been known to four people, three of whom were still living.
How
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From this reading How was it that he, a prudent diplomat, a statesman, full of precaution, had been so foolish?
imprudent
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From this reading He had not forgotten that he had been imprudent enough to trust it to paper, knowing all the while that it ought never to have been written.
irritated
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From this reading The revelation which had just taken place, irritated much more than it surprised the Count de Commarin.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The revelation which had just taken place, irritated much more than it surprised the Count de Commarin.
just
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From this reading The revelation which had just taken place, irritated much more than it surprised the Count de Commarin.
knew
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From this reading He knew that there can be no secret so carefully guarded that it may not by some chance escape; and his had been known to four people, three of whom were still living.
knowing
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From this reading He had not forgotten that he had been imprudent enough to trust it to paper, knowing all the while that it ought never to have been written.
known
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He knew that there can be no secret so carefully guarded that it may not by some chance escape; and his had been known to four people, three of whom were still living.
light
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For twenty years, he had been constantly expecting to see the truth brought to light.
living
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From this reading He knew that there can be no secret so carefully guarded that it may not by some chance escape; and his had been known to four people, three of whom were still living.
maymodal verbUS /meɪ/
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading He knew that there can be no secret so carefully guarded that it may not by some chance escape; and his had been known to four people, three of whom were still living.
more
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The revelation which had just taken place, irritated much more than it surprised the Count de Commarin.
much
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The revelation which had just taken place, irritated much more than it surprised the Count de Commarin.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He had not forgotten that he had been imprudent enough to trust it to paper, knowing all the while that it ought never to have been written.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading He knew that there can be no secret so carefully guarded that it may not by some chance escape; and his had been known to four people, three of whom were still living.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He knew that there can be no secret so carefully guarded that it may not by some chance escape; and his had been known to four people, three of whom were still living.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He knew that there can be no secret so carefully guarded that it may not by some chance escape; and his had been known to four people, three of whom were still living.
oughtmodal verbUS /ɔːt/
used with “to” to say what is right or advisable
From this reading He had not forgotten that he had been imprudent enough to trust it to paper, knowing all the while that it ought never to have been written.
paper
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had not forgotten that he had been imprudent enough to trust it to paper, knowing all the while that it ought never to have been written.
people
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He knew that there can be no secret so carefully guarded that it may not by some chance escape; and his had been known to four people, three of whom were still living.
place
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The revelation which had just taken place, irritated much more than it surprised the Count de Commarin.
precaution
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How was it that he, a prudent diplomat, a statesman, full of precaution, had been so foolish?
prudent
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From this reading How was it that he, a prudent diplomat, a statesman, full of precaution, had been so foolish?
revelation
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From this reading The revelation which had just taken place, irritated much more than it surprised the Count de Commarin.
secretnounUS /ˈsiː.krət/
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading He knew that there can be no secret so carefully guarded that it may not by some chance escape; and his had been known to four people, three of whom were still living.
see
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For twenty years, he had been constantly expecting to see the truth brought to light.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading He knew that there can be no secret so carefully guarded that it may not by some chance escape; and his had been known to four people, three of whom were still living.
some
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He knew that there can be no secret so carefully guarded that it may not by some chance escape; and his had been known to four people, three of whom were still living.
statesman
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How was it that he, a prudent diplomat, a statesman, full of precaution, had been so foolish?
stillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He knew that there can be no secret so carefully guarded that it may not by some chance escape; and his had been known to four people, three of whom were still living.
surprisednounUS /surprised/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The revelation which had just taken place, irritated much more than it surprised the Count de Commarin.
taken
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From this reading The revelation which had just taken place, irritated much more than it surprised the Count de Commarin.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading The revelation which had just taken place, irritated much more than it surprised the Count de Commarin.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He knew that there can be no secret so carefully guarded that it may not by some chance escape; and his had been known to four people, three of whom were still living.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The revelation which had just taken place, irritated much more than it surprised the Count de Commarin.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He knew that there can be no secret so carefully guarded that it may not by some chance escape; and his had been known to four people, three of whom were still living.
three
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He knew that there can be no secret so carefully guarded that it may not by some chance escape; and his had been known to four people, three of whom were still living.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading For twenty years, he had been constantly expecting to see the truth brought to light.
trust
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had not forgotten that he had been imprudent enough to trust it to paper, knowing all the while that it ought never to have been written.
truth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For twenty years, he had been constantly expecting to see the truth brought to light.
twenty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For twenty years, he had been constantly expecting to see the truth brought to light.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading How was it that he, a prudent diplomat, a statesman, full of precaution, had been so foolish?
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading He knew that there can be no secret so carefully guarded that it may not by some chance escape; and his had been known to four people, three of whom were still living.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The revelation which had just taken place, irritated much more than it surprised the Count de Commarin.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading He had not forgotten that he had been imprudent enough to trust it to paper, knowing all the while that it ought never to have been written.
whompronounUS /huːm/
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He knew that there can be no secret so carefully guarded that it may not by some chance escape; and his had been known to four people, three of whom were still living.
written
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had not forgotten that he had been imprudent enough to trust it to paper, knowing all the while that it ought never to have been written.
years
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For twenty years, he had been constantly expecting to see the truth brought to light.
