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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 Some impulse made me step into the hall and cast a glance at his ascending figure.
alonenounUS /alone/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading I was alone in the library when Nixon returned.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading I could see only his back, but there was something which I did not like in the curve of that back and the slide of his hand as it moved along the stair-rail.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading His was not an open nature at the best.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He must have seen Mrs. Packard go up before he left, for he passed by without stopping, and the next moment I heard his foot on the stairs.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading I could see only his back, but there was something which I did not like in the curve of that back and the slide of his hand as it moved along the stair-rail.
ascending
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Some impulse made me step into the hall and cast a glance at his ascending figure.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Some impulse made me step into the hall and cast a glance at his ascending figure.
back
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I could see only his back, but there was something which I did not like in the curve of that back and the slide of his hand as it moved along the stair-rail.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading He must have seen Mrs. Packard go up before he left, for he passed by without stopping, and the next moment I heard his foot on the stairs.
best
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His was not an open nature at the best.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading I could see only his back, but there was something which I did not like in the curve of that back and the slide of his hand as it moved along the stair-rail.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading He must have seen Mrs. Packard go up before he left, for he passed by without stopping, and the next moment I heard his foot on the stairs.
cast
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Some impulse made me step into the hall and cast a glance at his ascending figure.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading I could see only his back, but there was something which I did not like in the curve of that back and the slide of his hand as it moved along the stair-rail.
curve
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I could see only his back, but there was something which I did not like in the curve of that back and the slide of his hand as it moved along the stair-rail.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading I could see only his back, but there was something which I did not like in the curve of that back and the slide of his hand as it moved along the stair-rail.
figure
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Some impulse made me step into the hall and cast a glance at his ascending figure.
footnounUS /foot/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He must have seen Mrs. Packard go up before he left, for he passed by without stopping, and the next moment I heard his foot on the stairs.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He must have seen Mrs. Packard go up before he left, for he passed by without stopping, and the next moment I heard his foot on the stairs.
glance
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Some impulse made me step into the hall and cast a glance at his ascending figure.
go
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He must have seen Mrs. Packard go up before he left, for he passed by without stopping, and the next moment I heard his foot on the stairs.
hall
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Some impulse made me step into the hall and cast a glance at his ascending figure.
hand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I could see only his back, but there was something which I did not like in the curve of that back and the slide of his hand as it moved along the stair-rail.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading He must have seen Mrs. Packard go up before he left, for he passed by without stopping, and the next moment I heard his foot on the stairs.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He must have seen Mrs. Packard go up before he left, for he passed by without stopping, and the next moment I heard his foot on the stairs.
heard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He must have seen Mrs. Packard go up before he left, for he passed by without stopping, and the next moment I heard his foot on the stairs.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He must have seen Mrs. Packard go up before he left, for he passed by without stopping, and the next moment I heard his foot on the stairs.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I was alone in the library when Nixon returned.
impulsenounUS /ˈɪmpʌls/
a sudden strong desire to act
From this reading Some impulse made me step into the hall and cast a glance at his ascending figure.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading I was alone in the library when Nixon returned.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Some impulse made me step into the hall and cast a glance at his ascending figure.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading I could see only his back, but there was something which I did not like in the curve of that back and the slide of his hand as it moved along the stair-rail.
leftnounUS /left/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He must have seen Mrs. Packard go up before he left, for he passed by without stopping, and the next moment I heard his foot on the stairs.
library
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was alone in the library when Nixon returned.
like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I could see only his back, but there was something which I did not like in the curve of that back and the slide of his hand as it moved along the stair-rail.
made
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Some impulse made me step into the hall and cast a glance at his ascending figure.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Some impulse made me step into the hall and cast a glance at his ascending figure.
moment
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He must have seen Mrs. Packard go up before he left, for he passed by without stopping, and the next moment I heard his foot on the stairs.
moved
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I could see only his back, but there was something which I did not like in the curve of that back and the slide of his hand as it moved along the stair-rail.
Mrs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He must have seen Mrs. Packard go up before he left, for he passed by without stopping, and the next moment I heard his foot on the stairs.
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading He must have seen Mrs. Packard go up before he left, for he passed by without stopping, and the next moment I heard his foot on the stairs.
nature
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His was not an open nature at the best.
nextnounUS /next/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He must have seen Mrs. Packard go up before he left, for he passed by without stopping, and the next moment I heard his foot on the stairs.
Nixon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was alone in the library when Nixon returned.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading I could see only his back, but there was something which I did not like in the curve of that back and the slide of his hand as it moved along the stair-rail.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I could see only his back, but there was something which I did not like in the curve of that back and the slide of his hand as it moved along the stair-rail.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He must have seen Mrs. Packard go up before he left, for he passed by without stopping, and the next moment I heard his foot on the stairs.
only
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I could see only his back, but there was something which I did not like in the curve of that back and the slide of his hand as it moved along the stair-rail.
openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/
To move from a closed position.
From this reading His was not an open nature at the best.
Packard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He must have seen Mrs. Packard go up before he left, for he passed by without stopping, and the next moment I heard his foot on the stairs.
passednounUS /passed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading He must have seen Mrs. Packard go up before he left, for he passed by without stopping, and the next moment I heard his foot on the stairs.
returnednounUS /ˈreturned/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading I was alone in the library when Nixon returned.
see
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I could see only his back, but there was something which I did not like in the curve of that back and the slide of his hand as it moved along the stair-rail.
seen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He must have seen Mrs. Packard go up before he left, for he passed by without stopping, and the next moment I heard his foot on the stairs.
slide
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I could see only his back, but there was something which I did not like in the curve of that back and the slide of his hand as it moved along the stair-rail.
Some
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Some impulse made me step into the hall and cast a glance at his ascending figure.
somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
a thing, without saying which
From this reading I could see only his back, but there was something which I did not like in the curve of that back and the slide of his hand as it moved along the stair-rail.
stair-rail
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I could see only his back, but there was something which I did not like in the curve of that back and the slide of his hand as it moved along the stair-rail.
stairs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He must have seen Mrs. Packard go up before he left, for he passed by without stopping, and the next moment I heard his foot on the stairs.
stepnounUS /step/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Some impulse made me step into the hall and cast a glance at his ascending figure.
stopping
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He must have seen Mrs. Packard go up before he left, for he passed by without stopping, and the next moment I heard his foot on the stairs.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading I could see only his back, but there was something which I did not like in the curve of that back and the slide of his hand as it moved along the stair-rail.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading I was alone in the library when Nixon returned.
there
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I could see only his back, but there was something which I did not like in the curve of that back and the slide of his hand as it moved along the stair-rail.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He must have seen Mrs. Packard go up before he left, for he passed by without stopping, and the next moment I heard his foot on the stairs.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I was alone in the library when Nixon returned.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading I was alone in the library when Nixon returned.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading I could see only his back, but there was something which I did not like in the curve of that back and the slide of his hand as it moved along the stair-rail.
withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading He must have seen Mrs. Packard go up before he left, for he passed by without stopping, and the next moment I heard his foot on the stairs.
